I am struggling with this coming back from a long layoff.
I asked a question regarding the configuring of a DBContext in my generic base repository. Only after a user has logged in can I then construct a connection string so I cannot register a service in startup.cs - I have to use a constructor argument to instantiate my DBContext.
I got this answer which I thought would address the problem however I am getting an error in the following factory class:
public class ContextFactory<T> : IContextFactory<T> : where T : DbContext
{
public T CreateDbContext(string connectionString)
{
var optionsBuilder = new DbContextOptionsBuilder<T>();
optionsBuilder.UseSqlServer(connectionString);
return new T(optionsBuilder.Options);
}
}
The error is on the line return new T(optionsBuilder.Options);
and is:
Cannot create an instance of the variable type 'T' because it does not
have the new() constraint
Even if you add new()
constraint, you will end up with the following error
'T': cannot provide arguments when creating an instance of a variable type.
You were given invalid code.
The new constraint specifies that any type argument in a generic class declaration must have a public parameterless constructor. To use the new constraint, the type cannot be abstract.
Reference new constraint (C# Reference)
Another option to consider could be to use Activator.CreateInstance (Type, Object[]).
Given
public interface IContextFactory<TContext> where TContext : DbContext {
TContext Create(string connectionString);
}
You would implement it as follows
public class ContextFactory<TContext> : IContextFactory<TContext>
where TContext : DbContext {
public TContext Create(string connectionString) {
var optionsBuilder = new DbContextOptionsBuilder<TContext>();
optionsBuilder.UseSqlServer(connectionString);
return (TContext)Activator.CreateInstance(typeof(TContext), optionsBuilder.Options);
}
}
This could be refactored further to separate concerns
public class ContextFactory<TContext> : IContextFactory<TContext>
where TContext : DbContext {
public TContext Create(DbContextOptions<TContext> options) {
return (TContext)Activator.CreateInstance(typeof(TContext), options);
}
}
so that the builder will become the responsibility of where the factory is being used.
var connection = @"....";
var optionsBuilder = new DbContextOptionsBuilder<BloggingContext>();
optionsBuilder.UseSqlServer(connection);
//Assuming factory is `IContextFactory<BloggingContext>`
using (var context = factory.Create(optionsBuilder.Options))
{
// do stuff
}
EDIT
The factory can be registered as open generics in ConfigureServices
method
services.AddSingleton(typeof(IContextFactory<>), typeof(ContextFactory<>));