Easily create database tables from logical model in .NET and VS

Question

Background:

I started to create logical database model for ASP.NET MVC web site. I used visual designer for Entity framework that ships with VS because I have used it before.

But now I already have 33 classes and I'm not finished (including quite some inheritance and a lot of associations). I'm afraid that it would be too complicated and time consuming for me to manually set all the table mappings and than generate database tables. I've no experience with it - I've done it the other way: classes from database tables and it took me a lot of time to get it work in a smaller project.

Question:

How can I easily and quickly create database tables for logical model (class diagram) in .NET / VS ? It would be great if it was possible automatically. I have never worked with LinqToSQL visual designer and it seems to be no reference on the web on how to create database tables from LinqToSQL classes. Is it possible at all ? If not is there any way to create database tables with Entity framework automatically - without having to specify table mappings ?

And one side question: if I used LinqToSQL classes are that going to commit changes to database every time I change properties ? Or is some caching taking place there ?

Answer 1

Finally I have sticked with Entity framework - tables generating is really plainless once I learnt how to deal with database connections...

Answer 2

Like MikeEast, I've had a very good experience with Fluent NHibernate.

On my project, I use the Automapping feature, which allows me to change my data model almost at will, and the database schema automagically gets updated.

No SQL, no worrying about foreign keys, etc, etc, etc - I love it!

Fluent NHibernate Automapping

Answer 3

Entity framework has a concept called "Model First", which generates the database model from you model, hence the name.

You can read about that here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/data/ff830362

However, my personal favourite when it comes to Object Relational Mappers is NHibernate with the addition Fluent NHibernate. They have a concept where you work with your domain model rather than you data model and you use conventions to control your mappings. It's pretty neat. You can get started with some pretty good examples by looking at this code here: https://github.com/sharparchitecture/Northwind/tree/master/app

Linq2Sql is too limited for the case you are talking about. And it has no capability to generate data models from code. In fact, Linq2Sql works the other way around - it generates a set of classes from your data model, much like Entity Framework also can do.

Neither Linq 2 SQL or Entity Framework commit anything until you explicitly choose to do so. They both have a notion of a object context which keeps track of all changes made. When you call "Save", they transform those changes into SQL which is then executed in the database.