EF Core Power Tools version

Oct 13, 2025 by talynt.org 66 views

Introduction

When working on a multi-project solution, it's not uncommon to encounter issues with the DbContext diagram feature in EF Core Power Tools. One such issue is when the startup project is set to a console application project, and attempting to generate a diagram for another project in the solution results in a "No EF Core DbContext types found in the project" error. In this article, we'll delve into the details of this issue and explore possible solutions.

Bug description / exact reproduction steps

The issue is consistently observed in a multi-project solution with two projects: ProjectA, which can be right-clicked to add a DbContext diagram, and ProjectB, a console application project. When ProjectB is set as the startup project, attempting to generate a diagram for ProjectA results in the "No EF Core DbContext types found in the project" error in the Extensions Output window.

Your code

To reproduce this issue, a full solution is required. If necessary, a sample solution can be provided on GitHub.

Stack traces

The following stack trace is observed when attempting to generate a diagram for ProjectA:

System.InvalidOperationException: Error:
System.ArgumentException: No EF Core DbContext types found in the project
   at Modelling.EfCoreModelBuilder.GetDbContextTypes(DbContextOperations operations) in C:\Code\Github\EFCorePowerTools\src\Core\efpt80.core\EFCoreModelBuilder.cs:line 71
   at Modelling.EfCoreModelBuilder.BuildResult(String outputPath, String startupOutputPath, Boolean generateDdl) in C:\Code\Github\EFCorePowerTools\src\Core\efpt80.core\EFCoreModelBuilder.cs:line 36
   at Modelling.EfCoreModelBuilder.GenerateDebugView(String outputPath, String startupOutputPath) in C:\Code\Github\EFCorePowerTools\src\Core\efpt80.core\EFCoreModelBuilder.cs:line 23
   at Modelling.Program.Main(String[] args) in C:\Code\Github\EFCorePowerTools\src\Core\efpt80.core\Program.cs:line 41

   at async Task EFCorePowerTools.Handlers.ModelAnalyzerHandler.GenerateAsync(string outputPath, Project project, GenerationType generationType)

EF Core Power Tools version

The version of EF Core Power Tools used is 2.6.911.

EF Core Power Tools CLI version

No response is available for the CLI version.

Database provider

The database provider used is Npgsql.EntityFrameworkCore.PostgreSQL.

Target framework

The target framework is .Net 9.0.

IDE

The IDE used is Visual Studio 2022.

Additional features in use

The following additional features are in use:

T4 templates
SQL Server .dacpac
Handlebars template

Possible solutions

Solution 1: Set ProjectA as the startup project

One possible solution is to set ProjectA as the startup project instead of ProjectB. This can be done by right-clicking on ProjectA and selecting "Set as StartUp Project".

Solution 2: Use the "Generate Diagram" command from the context menu

Another possible solution is to use the "Generate Diagram" command from the context menu of ProjectA. This can be done by right-clicking on ProjectA and selecting "Generate Diagram".

Solution 3: Use the "EF Core Power Tools" command from the "Tools" menu

A third possible solution is to use the "EF Core Power Tools" command from the "Tools" menu. This can be done by navigating to "Tools" > "EF Core Power Tools" > "Generate Diagram".

Solution 4: Update EF Core Power Tools to the latest version

If none of the above solutions work, it may be worth updating EF Core Power Tools to the latest version.

Solution 5: Disable the "Use startup project" option

Finally, it may be worth disabling the "Use startup project" option in the "EF Core Power Tools" settings. This can be done by navigating to "Tools" > "EF Core Power Tools" > "Settings" and unchecking the "Use startup project" option.

Conclusion

Q: What is the issue with the DbContext diagram feature in EF Core Power Tools?

A: The issue is that when the startup project is set to a console application project, attempting to generate a diagram for another project in the solution results in a "No EF Core DbContext types found in the project" error.

Q: What are the possible solutions to this issue?

A: There are several possible solutions to this issue:

Set ProjectA as the startup project: One possible solution is to set ProjectA as the startup project instead of ProjectB.
Use the "Generate Diagram" command from the context menu: Another possible solution is to use the "Generate Diagram" command from the context menu of ProjectA.
Use the "EF Core Power Tools" command from the "Tools" menu: A third possible solution is to use the "EF Core Power Tools" command from the "Tools" menu.
Update EF Core Power Tools to the latest version: If none of the above solutions work, it may be worth updating EF Core Power Tools to the latest version.
Disable the "Use startup project" option: Finally, it may be worth disabling the "Use startup project" option in the "EF Core Power Tools" settings.

Q: What are the system requirements for EF Core Power Tools?

A: The system requirements for EF Core Power Tools are:

.Net 9.0
Visual Studio 2022
EF Core 6.0 or later

Q: What are the database providers supported by EF Core Power Tools?

A: EF Core Power Tools supports the following database providers:

Npgsql.EntityFrameworkCore.PostgreSQL
Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer
Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Sqlite

Q: Can I use EF Core Power Tools with other database providers?

A: Yes, you can use EF Core Power Tools with other database providers. However, you may need to install additional packages or configure the provider manually.

Q: How do I install EF Core Power Tools?

A: To install EF Core Power Tools, follow these steps:

Open Visual Studio 2022.
Click on "Tools" > "NuGet Package Manager" > "Package Manager Console".
Run the following command: Install-Package EFCorePowerTools.

Q: How do I update EF Core Power Tools to the latest version?

A: To update EF Core Power Tools to the latest version, follow these steps:

Open Visual Studio 2022.
Click on "Tools" > "NuGet Package Manager" > "Package Manager Console".
Run the following command: Update-Package EFCorePowerTools.

Q: Can I use EF Core Power Tools with other .Net frameworks?

A: Yes, you can use EF Core Power Tools with other .Net frameworks. However, you may need to install additional packages or configure the framework manually.

Q: How do I configure EF Core Power Tools for my project?

A: To configure EF Core Power Tools for your project, follow these steps:

Open Visual Studio 2022.
Click on "Tools" > "EF Core Power Tools" > "Settings".
Configure the settings as needed.

Q: Can I customize the behavior of EF Core Power Tools?

A: Yes, you can customize the behavior of EF Core Power Tools by modifying the configuration files or creating custom plugins.

Q: How do I troubleshoot issues with EF Core Power Tools?

A: To troubleshoot issues with EF Core Power Tools, follow these steps:

Check the event log for errors.
Check the console output for errors.
Check the configuration files for errors.
Contact the EF Core Power Tools support team for assistance.