Add new SQL Server provider package that uses Microsoft.Data.SqlClient

[ErikEJ]

For your consideration 😄

fixes #823

WIP Based on the provider here which has more than 150.000 downloads.

Approach is conditional compiliation combined with as few required duplications as possible.

Dropped support for SQL Server 2000 (support removed in MDS)

I plan to update to M.D.S. 5.1 when it arrives in January 2023.

TBD

• naming of provider, # symbol name, and replacement classes.
  We will go with Microsoft.EntityFramework.SqlServer for the package and assembly name. (Using EntityFramework.SqlServer would be problematic since that the assembly name of the current provider.)
• approcah to testing?
  @ajcvickers to do manual testing
• packaging (I do not really understand the current packaging process)
• drop support for SQL 2005/2008? (my opinion is keep it to avoid code changes).
  We will not drop support or make other code changes

[ErikEJ]

See some CI warnnings:

"C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe" /D /E:ON /V:OFF /S /C "CALL "D:\a_work_temp\a62e249e-3feb-4ea3-b751-69aa15afbde9.cmd""
_AdditionalBuildArgs : The term '_AdditionalBuildArgs' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script
file, or operable program. Check the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the path is correct
and try again.

[ajcvickers]

@ErikEJ I owe you a case of beer!

[ErikEJ]

🤣🍺 - looking forward!

[ajcvickers]

Thanks, @ErikEJ, this looks great! Will discuss with the team on naming and the other open issues you list.

@dougbu Any comments on the build errors or the packaging of the new package?

@bricelam Can you also take a look.

[dougbu]

@dougbu Any comments on the build errors or the packaging of the new package?

1. What build errors @ajcvickers❔ I suspect the last commit fixed things up.
2. Package will be produced automatically once <IsPackable>True</IsPackable> is added to the new project. Note however that, because this is from a fork, the new package will not be in uploaded artifacts; will just see it created in the log.
3. nit: I suggest using a longer define name than MDS. That acronym won't mean much to people looking at some of the changed files in isolation.

Side note: Please ping @dotnet/aspnet-build in general. I'm not always available.

[ErikEJ]

What is a "define name" ?

[dougbu]

What is a "define name" ?

Sorry, a C# constant. See the new project and its $(DefineConstants) setting as well as most of the C# files which use #if MDS.

[ErikEJ]

@dougbu Got it. Yes, I assume that it will be considered as part of the "naming" discussion

[ErikEJ]

@dotnet/aspnet-build I see this warning in the build log - can it safely be ignored?

_AdditionalBuildArgs : The term '_AdditionalBuildArgs' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script 
file, or operable program. Check the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the path is correct 
and try again.
At line:1 char:131
+ ...  -ci -configuration Release -prepareMachine   $(_AdditionalBuildArgs)
+                                                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : ObjectNotFound: (_AdditionalBuildArgs:String) [], CommandNotFoundException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CommandNotFoundException

[ErikEJ]

Package created and signed 🎉

Successfully created package 'D:\a\_work\1\s\artifacts\packages\Release\Shipping\Microsoft.EntityFramework.SqlServer.6.5.0-ci.nupkg'.

[dougbu]

@dotnet/aspnet-build I see this warning in the build log - can it safely be ignored?

_AdditionalBuildArgs : The term '_AdditionalBuildArgs' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script 
file, or operable program. Check the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the path is correct 
and try again.

@ErikEJ yes, this can safely be ignored in this PR. We should fix it, but the problem is completely unrelated to your changes.

[ajcvickers]

I think this is ready to merge. @bricelam @ErikEJ Do you concur?

[ErikEJ]

LGTM, especially after @bricelam suggestion to use a project reference!

I am ready to assist with supporting this!

[ErikEJ]

I am getting thirsty 🍺🤣

[ajcvickers]

@ErikEJ I would hit merge, but it looks like it needs rebasing first, and I'm always worried I'll mess that up.

[ErikEJ]

Ah. Let me do that!

[ErikEJ]

Done! @ajcvickers

[ErikEJ]

Any more blockers @ajcvickers ??

[ajcvickers]

Thanks for all your work on this, @ErikEJ. I will now talk to @dougbu about getting a preview build of 6.5 that we can put on NuGet.

[ErikEJ]

Fantastic! It was a pleasure to be allowed to contribute...

[ErikEJ]

Any official plans for a preview? @ajcvickers

[MartinInnovend]

How should I upgrade to this 'new' EF 6 ?

Just get the latest MS EntityFramework NuGet Package ?
I see the latest is 6.4.4. But I guess I need a new (preview) version 6.5 ?

We hope the copy dll issues will be solved then.
Still having that problem. Strange thing is that I made a workaround by letting MS Build copy those 2 dll's. But that doesnt always work. Sometimes though it works. The file copy is always done, and I can see those file copies, but for some reason the web application still gives the error that those 2 dll's are missing.

[ErikEJ]

@MartinInnovend 6.5 preview1 has not been published to NuGet yet. In the meantime you can just use my package.

[ajcvickers]

@ErikEJ We're trying to work through release mechanics.

[timomta]

Hello! I have some customers waiting on this fix and I'm trying to understand the status of it from this thread. It looks like it is fixed but not released yet, is that correct?
When it is released, will it just be a matter of updating the nuget package?
Is there an ETA on release of the fix?

[ajcvickers]

It's likely this will go GA in November.

[ErikEJ]

@ajcvickers and a preview?

[ajcvickers]

Yes, I'm hoping to get it included with the monthly previews starting soon.

[summitabrown]

@ajcvickers Any timeframe on a preview package?

[dishantbuch]

@ajcvickers Any timeframe on a preview package? Also can you confirm that it will go GA in November? because we are planning to include Micosoft.Data.SQLClient migration in our roadmap for Jan 2024 release.

[ErikEJ]

For any watching this, any release plans have been postponed due to dependency issue in M.D.S. that should be resolved in M.D.S 5.1.4 planned for January 2024

[ksysiekj]

@ErikEJ any updates for now? can see that MDS was recently released https://www.nuget.org/packages/Microsoft.Data.SqlClient/5.1.4

[ErikEJ]

@ksysiekj I did a PR, waiting for @ajcvickers to respond. Not having high hopes, tbh.

Are you not able to use my package?

[ksysiekj]

@ErikEJ I tried, but it seems that it doesn't work well with Z.EntityFramework.Classic version 7.2.*. I think you have to release ef 6.5 first, and then I have to wait for the changes in Z.EntityFramework.Classic, and then I can use it in my projects.

[ErikEJ]

@ksysiekj Z.EntityFramework.Classic is a seperate fork of EntityFramework, and not related to this change. If you want that seperate provider to use Microsoft.Data.SqlClient, none of the recent changes hare are going to help you. You must ask the maintainer of Z.EntityFramework.Classic to add a new provider for that, or move from Z.EntityFramework.Classic to ErikEJ.EntityFramework.SqlServer (and maybe eventually to Microsoft.EntityFramework.SqlServer )