Is it possible to run native sql with entity framework?

Question

I am trying to search an XML field within a table, This is not supported with EF.

Without using pure Ado.net is possible to have native SQL support with EF?

Answer 1

Using Entity Framework 5.0 you can use ExecuteSqlCommand to execute multi-line/multi-command pure SQL statements. This way you won't need to provide any backing object to store the returned value since the method returns an int (the result returned by the database after executing the command).

Sample:

context.Database.ExecuteSqlCommand(@
"-- Script Date: 10/1/2012 3:34 PM  - Generated by ExportSqlCe version 3.5.2.18
SET IDENTITY_INSERT [Students] ON;

INSERT INTO [Students] ([StudentId],[FirstName],[LastName],[BirthDate],[Address],[Neighborhood],[City],[State],[Phone],[MobilePhone],[Email],[Enrollment],[Gender],[Status]) VALUES (12,N'First Name',N'SecondName',{ts '1988-03-02 00:00:00.000'},N'RUA 19 A, 60',N'MORADA DO VALE',N'BARRA DO PIRAÍ',N'Rio de Janeiro',N'3346-7125',NULL,NULL,{ts '2011-06-04 21:25:26.000'},2,1);

INSERT INTO [Students] ([StudentId],[FirstName],[LastName],[BirthDate],[Address],[Neighborhood],[City],[State],[Phone],[MobilePhone],[Email],[Enrollment],[Gender],[Status]) VALUES (13,N'FirstName',N'LastName',{ts '1976-04-12 00:00:00.000'},N'RUA 201, 2231',N'RECANTO FELIZ',N'BARRA DO PIRAÍ',N'Rio de Janeiro',N'3341-6892',NULL,NULL,{ts '2011-06-04 21:38:38.000'},2,1);
");

For more on this, take a look here: Entity Framework Code First: Executing SQL files on database creation