Enterprise Architect for Entity Framework

[Pierre America]

Currently I am exploring the use of Enterprise Architect for generating C# code as input for Entity Framework (EF) Code First. Entity Framework is a Microsoft technology for object-relational mapping. From C# code, following certain conventions, it can generate database definitions with convenient interfaces for programming. It also serves as a starting point for creating web applications, either by ASP.NET Dynamic Data or ASP.NET MVC scaffolding.

Although EF has its own modeling tool, I still like modeling in Enterprise Architect better, because it can be at a slightly higher conceptual level. Generating code from EA is not completely trivial, however. I have been adapting the C# code generation templates with some success, but there are also limitations that force me to find a workaround.

Does anyone have experience with this? Then we could exchange some tricks or so.

[Dermot]

Pierre, have a look at the MDA transforms. This includes transforms from Logical model Class to C#, DBMS specific and XSD and WSDL:
http://www.sparxsystems.com/enterprise_architect_user_guide/10/model_transformation/mdastyletransforms.html
See also the paper on it's specific application to Data modeling:
http://community.sparxsystems.com/white-papers/669-data-modeling-from-conceptual-model-to-dbms