Summary: This document provides basic information about the extension providing Entity Framework support for C# and VB.NET

What's new?

Funcrel

Support of <function> tags in edmx files.
Refresh of icons used to depict Entity Framework objects, see
Bug fixing, see Entity Framework 1.3 - Bug Fix List

Description

This extension provides support for Entity Framework. The calculation of Automated Function Points for your .NET analyses will be supplemented through the creation of new objects and links specific to Entity Framework framework that will link back to objects/links produced by the base .NET analyzer.

In what situation should you install this extension?

If your .NET application contains Entity Framework source code and you want to view these object types and their links, then you should install this extension. More specifically the extension will identify:

"use" links from Entity Framework objects to participating Database tables
"rely on" links from C#/VB.NET Classes to Entity Wrapper objects

Entity Framework support

Entity Framework is delivered with the .NET Framework. Therefore the following .NET frameworks are supported by this extension:

Version	Supported
3.0 and above

Supported Annotations in code-first

'System.Data.Linq.EntityMapping.TableAttribute',
'System.Data.Objects.DataClasses.EdmEntityTypeAttribute',
'System.Data.Objects.DataClasses.EdmTypeAttribute.Name',
'System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations.TableAttribute',
'System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations.Schema.TableAttribute'
'System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations.Schema.NotMapped',
'System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations.Schema.NotMappedAttribute',
'System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations.NotMappedAttribute'

Supported methods in fluent api

System.Data.Entity.DbModelBuilder.Entity<TEntityType>()
System.Data.Entity.DbModelBuilder.Conventions.Remove<TConvention>()
System.Data.Entity.DbContext.OnModelCreating( DbModelBuilder modelBuilder )
System.Data.Entity.ModelConfiguration.EntityTypeConfiguration<TEntityType>.ToTable(String)

Supported tags in .edmx file

<edmx:StorageModels>
	<EntityType>
	<Property>
	</Property>
	</EntityType>
	<Function>
	</Function>
</edmx:StorageModels>

<edmx:ConceptualModels>
	<EntityType>
	<Property>
	</Property>
	</EntityType>
	<FunctionImport>
	</FunctionImport>
</edmx:ConceptualModels>

<edmx:Mappings>
	<MappingFragment>
	<ScalarProperty>
	</ScalarProperty>
	</MappingFragment>
	<FunctionImportMapping>
	</FunctionImportMapping>
</edmx:Mappings>

Function Point, Quality and Sizing support

This extension provides the following support:

Function Points (transactions): a green tick indicates that OMG Function Point counting and Transaction Risk Index are supported
Quality and Sizing: a green tick indicates that CAST can measure size and that a minimum set of Quality Rules exist

Function Points (transactions)	Quality and Sizing

CAST AIP compatibility

This extension is compatible with:

CAST AIP release	Supported	Supported Technology
8.3.x		C# and VB.NET
8.2.x		C# and VB.NET

Supported DBMS servers

This extension is compatible with the following DBMS servers:

DBMS	Supported
CSS/PostgreSQL
Oracle
Microsoft SQL Server

Prerequisites

An installation of any compatible release of CAST AIP (see table above)

Download and installation instructions

The extension will be automatically downloaded and installed in CAST Console. You can manage the extension using the Application - Extensions interface:

CAST AIP Technologies > Entity Framework support for CSharp and VB.NET - 1.3 > manage_included.jpg

CAST Transaction Configuration Center (TCC) configuration

In Entity Framework ≥ 1.1, if you are using the extension with CAST AIP ≥ 8.3.x, a set of Entity specific items are now automatically imported when the extension is installed. These items will be available in the CAST Transaction Configuration Center (click to enlarge):

CAST AIP Technologies > Entity Framework support for CSharp and VB.NET - 1.3 > entry_points.jpg

Manual import action for CAST AIP ≤ 8.2.x (optional)

Locate the .TCCSetup file in the extension folder: Configuration\TCC\DotNet_Entity.TCCSetup
In the CAST Transaction Configuration Center, ensure you have selected the Templates node:

CAST AIP Technologies > Entity Framework support for CSharp and VB.NET - 1.3 > templates.jpg

This .TCCSetup file is to be imported into the CAST Transaction Calibration Center using either the:
- File > Import Configuration menu option:

CAST AIP Technologies > Entity Framework support for CSharp and VB.NET - 1.3 > TCC1.jpg

- Or right clicking on the Template node and selecting Import Configuration:

CAST AIP Technologies > Entity Framework support for CSharp and VB.NET - 1.3 > TCC2.jpg

The import of the "DotNet_Entity.TCCSetup" file will provide you with a sample Transaction End point in the Free Definition node under Templates (click to enlarge):

CAST AIP Technologies > Entity Framework support for CSharp and VB.NET - 1.3 > entry_points.jpg

Now right click the one of the items and select copy:

CAST AIP Technologies > Entity Framework support for CSharp and VB.NET - 1.3 > copy.jpg

Paste the item into the equivalent node under the Application, for example, below we have copied it into the Application MEUDON:

CAST AIP Technologies > Entity Framework support for CSharp and VB.NET - 1.3 > paste.jpg

Repeat the copy / paste process for all items.

What results can you expect?

Once the analysis/snapshot generation has completed, you can view the results in the normal manner. The following objects and links will be displayed in CAST Enlighten:

Objects

Icon	Object type
	Entity Wrapper
	Conceptual Model
	Conceptual Class
	Conceptual Property
	Database Object
	Mapping Model
	Mapping Class
	Mapping Property
	Storage Model
	Storage Model Table
	Storage Model Property
	Conceptual Function
	Mapping Function
	Storage Function

Links

Source

Link type

Target

Example

Public C#/VB.NET class

Rely on

Entity object

CAST AIP Technologies > Entity Framework support for CSharp and VB.NET - 1.3 > class_to_wrapper.png

Because CAST cannot be absolutely certain that the C#/VB.NET class is "entity associated", these rely-on links will always be flagged as "dynamic" and will therefore always appear in the Dynamic Link Manager for review.

Entity object

Use

Database table

CAST AIP Technologies > Entity Framework support for CSharp and VB.NET - 1.3 > wrapper_to_table.png

Class property get/set

Call

Conceptual property

CAST AIP Technologies > Entity Framework support for CSharp and VB.NET - 1.3 > properties_to_conceptual_property.png

Conceptual property

Call

Storage Model Property via Mappping Property

CAST AIP Technologies > Entity Framework support for CSharp and VB.NET - 1.3 > conceptual_to_mapping_to_storage.png

Storage Model Property

Use

Database table

CAST AIP Technologies > Entity Framework support for CSharp and VB.NET - 1.3 > storgae_mode_property_to_table.png

Conceptual Function

Call

Storage Function via Mapping Function

CAST AIP Technologies > Entity Framework support for CSharp and VB.NET - 1.3 > conceptual_to_mapping_to_storage_functions.png

Limitations

In this section we list the most significant functional limitations that may affect the analysis of applications using Entity Framework:

Analyzing the participating database tables is mandatory for the extension to work correctly.
No support for links between LINQ and SQL objects
Entity Framework objects are not correctly presented in the CAST dashboards
Enum Collections are not supported.
DBContexts are not supported.
Not all Entity Framework and Entity Core namespaces are supported and the analysis log may contain warning about these missing namespaces.