Entity Framework 4.0 and Multiple Data Contexts

In the EF version 1.0, there was a problem when one would try to update multiple contexts as part of a single transaction.  For example, I can use Transaction Scope, the update one context, then second context.  Here is sample code to illustrate:

 

using (TransactionScope scope = new TransactionScope())
{
    try
    {
        using (RolodexEntities context = new RolodexEntities())
        {
            context.Connection.Open();

            Company company = new Company();
            company.CompanyName = "Test 1";
            company.DateAdded = DateTime.Today;
            context.AddToCompanies(company);
            context.SaveChanges();

            using (RolodexEntities context2 = new RolodexEntities(context.Connection as EntityConnection))
            {
                Company company2 = new Company();
                company2.CompanyName = "Test 1";
                company2.DateAdded = DateTime.Today;
                context2.AddToCompanies(company2);
                context2.SaveChanges();
            }
        }

        scope.Complete();
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
    }
}

This code in version 1.0 would throw an exception when second context’s constructor was called.  The exception was quite obscure and was referring to the fact that the connection was already open.  This was actually correct, but that was the whole reason I was passing in the connection.  I was trying to make sure that my transaction would not get promoted to Distributed Transactions Coordinator.  The transaction would always get promoted as soon as there are multiple SQL Server connections used within using scope/.end using scope code block.  So, in version 1.0 MSDTC would be required in the code above.

This issue still exists in EF 4.0.  You can vote to fix the issue here : https://connect.microsoft.com/data/feedback/details/533240/cannot-share-a-store-connection-between-multiple-contexts-in-order-to-avoid-dtc-promotion

Here is the code that confirms the problem:

using (TransactionScope scope = new TransactionScope())
{
    try
    {
        using (RolodexEntities context = new RolodexEntities())
        {
            context.Connection.Open();

            Company company = new Company();
            company.CompanyName = "Test 11";
            company.DateAdded = DateTime.Today;
            context.AddToCompanies(company);
            context.SaveChanges();


            RolodexEntities1 contextTemp = new RolodexEntities1();
            MetadataWorkspace space = (contextTemp.Connection as EntityConnection).GetMetadataWorkspace();
            EntityConnection connection = new EntityConnection(space, (context.Connection as EntityConnection).StoreConnection);

            using (RolodexEntities1 context2 = new RolodexEntities1(connection))
            {
                User user = new User();
                user.UserName = "test";
                user.Role = "User";
                context2.AddToUsers(user);
                context2.SaveChanges();
            }
        }

        scope.Complete();
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
    }
}

Please feel free to ask any questions on this subject.

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