No Entity Framework provider found for the ADO.NET provider with invariant name 'System.Data.SqlServerCe.4.0'

Question

I got the following error when I used sqlce 4.0 with entityframework 6.0

No Entity Framework provider found for the ADO.NET provider with invariant name \'Sy         


        

Answer 1

Within Visual Studio, all the .dll files that exist in _bin_deployableAssemblies folder need to be set to Build Action : none

All the .dll's for me were set to content.

This is what I set it to, and it worked straight after:

Answer 2

To resolve this problem

Visual Studio Menu -> Tools -> NuGet Package Manager - > Manage NuGet Packages for Solution

Select 'Browse' Tab and search for following 'EntityFramework.SqlServerCompact'

Install it.

It should work.

Answer 3

After installing the EntityFramework.SqlServerCompact nuget package, check that your app.config contains the following (as per @ErikEJ's comment above):

<providers>
  <provider invariantName="System.Data.SqlClient" type="System.Data.Entity.SqlServer.SqlProviderServices, EntityFramework.SqlServer" />
  <provider invariantName="System.Data.SqlServerCe.4.0" type="System.Data.Entity.SqlServerCompact.SqlCeProviderServices, EntityFramework.SqlServerCompact" />
</providers>

(You can leave the line for SqlClient even though you don't really need it.)

Answer 4

For me, because the programmer is not only one, some programmer is already install EntityFramework.SqlServerCompact, but when I pull in my PC and RUN shows above error message, then I just Uninstall and install again.

Answer 5

My issue was the unit tests. You likely only installed the Entity framework for your project, but not your unit tests. To do so:

Right click "Solution" in Solution Explorer (not your project's name)

Click "Manage NuGet Packages"

Search for EntityFramework and press it

You will probably not see a tick next to [Project Name].Tests

Answer 6

ErikEJ has pointed this out, but I'd like to highlight the fact, you MUST remember to install the Nuget package

EntityFramework.SqlServerCompact

I tried following the recommended answer, but didn't realise I didn't have the required NuGet package the App.config was referencing.