I don't how much use to you this will be but there is *Entity Framework
4 in Action*
by Stefano Mostarda, Marco De Sanctis, and Daniele Bochicchio available
as an e-book (also as a printed text) from
Manning Publications (http://www.manning.com/mostarda/*)
*From the web page*
*
DESCRIPTION
To be successful, any significant application has to manage the flow
of data effectively. Microsoft's approach to data has taken another
major step forward with the new Entity Framework for .NET. The
Entity Framework starts with ideas from Object Relational Management
(ORM) tools like NHibernate that help bridge the mismatch between
relational databases (like SQL Server) and object oriented languages
(like C# and VB.NET). But it also blends in the established ADO.NET
model and recent language-based innovations of LINQ to create a
powerful new data management paradigm.
/Entity Framework 4 in Action/ introduces the Entity Framework to
developers working in .NET who already have some knowledge of
ADO.NET. The book begins with a review of the core ideas behind the
ORM model and shows how Entity Framework offers a smooth transition
from a traditional ADO.NET approach. By presenting numerous small
examples and a couple larger case studies, the book unfolds the
Entity Framework story in clear, easy-to-follow detail. The
infrastructure and inner workings will be highlighted only when
there's the need to understand a particular feature.
WHAT'S INSIDE
* Full coverage of Entity Framework features like Mapping,
Querying and Persisting objects
* Lots of examples and tips
* Concepts like layer separation, Data Layer, and Domain Model
* Best practices in all environments including ASP.NET, WPF, and WCF
/Entity Framework 4 in Action/ states clearly what Entity Framework
can do for you, without getting lost in the theoretical details of
the implementation. Simply put, if you're a developer who needs to
implement a solution using Microsoft technologies and have made the
decision to use the Entity Framework, this book is for you
I purchased it when there was coupon to get it cheap. I have not got
around to reading it as I am learning
other thing. Its on my "to do" list which is growing longer and longer.*
*There is also a forum on EF 4 in Action forum at
http://www.manning-sandbox.com/forum.jspa?forumID=526*
*where you could ask questions (I assume you need to have made a
purchase first)*
*
If you do purchase it and use it, could you please let everyone know
what you think of the book.*
*Regards Peter*
*
On 30/01/2011 11:25 AM, Greg Keogh wrote:
Neil and other folks using EF4,
The most vital thing I need to learn in EF4 is how you are supposed to
create a strongly typed custom view of multiple tables and fill the thing.
In classic ADO.NET you would construct an XSD DataSet with the columns
you want, then write a SELECT with JOINs to fill it. In netTiers the
process is nearly the same, you write the View then the classes and
methods are generated, but it's all plain ADO.NET under the covers.
I can't find the equivalent of this in EF4. I created a new Entity in
the designer with the combined columns of different tables I'm
joining, expecting this to represent my view. However, after hours of
suffering I can't create such a thing because of errors like these:
EntitySets 'MainLists' and 'Instance' are both mapped to table
'Instance'. Their primary keys may collide.
Must specify mapping for all key properties (MainLists.InstId) of the
EntitySet MainLists.
There are hundreds of reports of people pleading about how to overcome
these sorts of edmx problems, and no clear answers. I have joined the
ranks of the bewildered and I have corrupted dozens of edmx files
attempting to manually edit them as some suggest. So I'm wondering if
I'm actually trying to do the wrong thing, pushing EF4 to do something
it doesn't do due to a misconception on my part.
Does anyone know how to make a strongly typed custom view and fill it
in EF4?
I'm pleased to see that there are other people posting EF4 questions
on the web and asking things like "why is it so hard?"
Greg
