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    Using Microsoft Entity Frameworks to Access MySQL Schema Objects with Virtuoso

    This document details the steps required to provide Microsoft Entity Framework access to MySQL Schema Objects using the OpenLink Virtuoso Universal Server. This is achieved by linking the required MySQL Schema objects into Virtuoso using its built-in Virtual Database engine and then using the Virtuoso ADO.NET Entity Framework provider to query the remote MySQL Schema objects linked into the Virtuoso Server.

    Prerequisites

    The following prerequisites must be in place for this solution to be possible.

    MySQL DBMS

    A MySQL DBMS hosting the required Schema Objects needs to be available. In this document, the Northwind sample database will be used to demonstrate the process.

    ODBC Driver for MySQL

    A MySQL ODBC Driver is required for linking the MySQL Schema Objects into the Virtuoso Server. The OpenLink ODBC Driver for MySQL will be used in this document, for which a functional ODBC Data source name of mysqlma will be assumed to exist on the machine hosting the Virtuoso Server.

    Virtuoso Universal Server

    An Virtuoso installation including the Virtuoso Universal Server and ADO.NET Entity Framework Provider is required. The Virtuoso components used must be Release 5.10.x or above, this being the minimum version containing support for Microsoft Entity Frameworks.

    Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 SP1

    Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Service Pack 1 is required, this being the only version containing the necessary Entity Framework support available at the time of writing.

    Tasks

    Ensure MySQL Primary Keys (PKs) are not nullable

    The Visual Studio 2008 Entity Data Model (EDM) requires that all primary keys are NOT Nullable. Visual Studio 2008 will fail to generate an EDM if any are. Therefore, ensure any tables to be used are defined as not nullable in the MySQL database schema before attempting to generate an EDM. In the case of the Northwind database, all tables are non nullable.Thus, this should not be an issue in this case.

    Install and configure OpenLink ODBC Driver for MySQL

    The Virtuoso Virtual Database engine uses ODBC as the connectivity mechanism for linking remote database objects into its local schema. Thus a MySQL ODBC Driver must be available with a suitably configured DSN for connecting to the target database. The OpenLink ODBC Drivers for MySQL have been used in this document, although in theory any MySQL ODBC Driver can be used.

    Installation instructions for the OpenLink ODBC Driver for MySQL are available from:

    Install and configure OpenLink Virtuoso Universal Server

    Linking MySQL tables into Virtuoso

    Creating a Visual Studio hosted Entity Data Model (EDM)

    Using EDM to create Entity Framework based applications

    Now that a Microsoft Entity Data Model has been created for the Northwind database, Entity Framework applications can be created to make use of it.

    Entity Frameworks based ADO.NET Data Service

    Visual Studio Windows Form Application