How to use ADO.net Entity Framework with an existing SqlConnection?

I have an existing asp.net website that uses an SqlConnection.
I have added the ADO.net Entity Framework.
I have successfully connected to the database and created the .edmx file.
I am able to connect through the Entity Framework with the connectionstring that is automatically generated.

I want to use the existing SqlConnection object that I use throughout the site for the Entity Framework connection.
I do not want to have to use a second database connection for the one page that is going to use the ADO.net Entity Framework and I don’t want to change the entire site to use the new Entity Framework connection string.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

That forum post has the answer:

MetadataWorkspace workspace = new MetadataWorkspace(
  new string[] { "res://*/" }, 
  new Assembly[] { Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly() });

using (SqlConnection sqlConnection = new SqlConnection(connectionString))
using (EntityConnection entityConnection = new EntityConnection(workspace, sqlConnection))
using (NorthwindEntities context = new NorthwindEntities(entityConnection))
{
  foreach (var product in context.Products)
  {
    Console.WriteLine(product.ProductName);
  }
}

"res://*/" is the part of your EF connection string that describes the location of your xml mapping files - in this case embedded resources in the current assembly.

You can do this by using the constructor of your generated ObjectContext that accepts an EntityConnection. When you create the EntityConnection you pass in your SqlConnection.

Andrew Peters,

Thank you for your answer.

I have been going around and around with the System.Data.EntityClient.EntityConnection.

It’s right there at my finger tips but I cannot seem to get the MetadataWorkspace parameter to work.