Entity Framework - How to check if table exists?

Question

I\'m using the Entity Framework with Code First approach. The base class DbContext has functions to create and delete the database as well as to check for its existence.

Answer 1

Assumption: SQL Server

Catching any old exception when querying the DbSet does not mean the table does not exist.

Querying a DbSet where the table does not exist will throw an EntityCommandExecutionException with an inner exception of type SqlException. That inner exception has an ErrorNumber property.

Error number 208 reads (source):

Invalid object name '%.*ls'.