Is there any way I can store more attributes with fields/classes in Entity Framework?

Question

By default Navigation Properties in Entity Frameworks creates properties at both the end of associations, now the problem I am facing is, I want to mark some associations to generate properties at both ends and some to generate only for child of association. Ok I know I can customize the template, but I have no way to store any information inside EDMX editor where I can tell my code generator to skip generating specific navigation property for current class.

I wish there would be something in property pane or I can extend to add some more property in it.

Update: I know I can abuse documentation property, but I am thinking of some way where I can create Visual Studio Extension (write lots of code using VS SDK) and make it integrate with EDMX editor like we add attached properties in WPF.

Answer 1

See this article you can add whatever you want to the EDMX files ( its just xml ;) ). He adds an extension property myExtensions:Index so he can generate custom code to do indexing.

Answer 2

You could abuse the Documentation property. It is not used in the T4 template (not in the POCO template anyway) so you could put some directives in there.

Answer 3

Depending on how deep you want to go, you might find some pointers in this article, which uses the Entity Data Model Designer Extension Starter Kit.