Entity Framework: Alternate solution to using non primary unique keys in an association

Question

I know the entity frame work does not allow you to generate a model from a database using non primary unique keys as a Foreign Key association. Can I modify the EDMX manually? If so, can someone provide me an example or reference? If not, are there any other possibilities?

Easiest Example:

Here is the DDL for the tables. You will notice I have a foreign Key from PersonType.TypeCode to Person.TypeCode

CREATE TABLE [dbo].[PersonType](
    [PersonTypeId] [int] NOT NULL,
    [TypeCode] [varchar](10) NOT NULL,
    [TypeDesc] [varchar](max) NULL,
 CONSTRAINT [PK_PersonType] PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED 
 ([PersonTypeId] ASC)
 CONSTRAINT [UK_PersonType] UNIQUE NONCLUSTERED 
 ([TypeCode] ASC)
)

CREATE TABLE [dbo].[Person](
    [PersonId] [int] NOT NULL,
    [TypeCode] [varchar](10) NOT NULL,
 CONSTRAINT [PK_Person] PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED 
 ([PersonId] ASC)
)

ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Person]  WITH CHECK ADD  CONSTRAINT [FK_Person_PersonType] FOREIGN KEY([TypeCode])
REFERENCES [dbo].[PersonType] ([TypeCode])

ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Person] CHECK CONSTRAINT [FK_Person_PersonType]

Here is the EDMX Generated

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<edmx:Edmx Version="1.0" xmlns:edmx="http://schemas.microsoft.com/ado/2007/06/edmx"&gt;
  <!-- EF Runtime content -->
  <edmx:Runtime>
    <!-- SSDL content -->
    <edmx:StorageModels>
      <Schema Namespace="testModel.Store" Alias="Self" Provider="System.Data.SqlClient" ProviderManifestToken="2008" xmlns:store="http://schemas.microsoft.com/ado/2007/12/edm/EntityStoreSchemaGenerator" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/ado/2006/04/edm/ssdl"&gt;
        <EntityContainer Name="testModelStoreContainer">
          <EntitySet Name="Person" EntityType="testModel.Store.Person" store:Type="Tables" Schema="dbo" />
          <EntitySet Name="PersonType" EntityType="testModel.Store.PersonType" store:Type="Tables" Schema="dbo" />
        </EntityContainer>
        <EntityType Name="Person">
          <Key>
            <PropertyRef Name="PersonId" />
          </Key>
          <Property Name="PersonId" Type="int" Nullable="false" />
          <Property Name="TypeCode" Type="varchar" Nullable="false" MaxLength="10" />
        </EntityType>
        <!--Errors Found During Generation:
      warning 6035: The relationship 'FK_Person_PersonType' has columns that are not part of the key of the table on the primary side of the relationship. The relationship was excluded.
      -->
        <EntityType Name="PersonType">
          <Key>
            <PropertyRef Name="PersonTypeId" />
          </Key>
          <Property Name="PersonTypeId" Type="int" Nullable="false" />
          <Property Name="TypeCode" Type="varchar" Nullable="false" MaxLength="10" />
          <Property Name="TypeDesc" Type="varchar(max)" />
        </EntityType>
      </Schema>
    </edmx:StorageModels>
    <!-- CSDL content -->
    <edmx:ConceptualModels>
      <Schema Namespace="testModel" Alias="Self" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/ado/2006/04/edm"&gt;
        <EntityContainer Name="testEntities">
          <EntitySet Name="People" EntityType="testModel.Person" />
          <EntitySet Name="PersonTypes" EntityType="testModel.PersonType" />
        </EntityContainer>
        <EntityType Name="Person">
          <Key>
            <PropertyRef Name="PersonId" />
          </Key>
          <Property Name="PersonId" Type="Int32" Nullable="false" />
          <Property Name="TypeCode" Type="String" Nullable="false" MaxLength="10" Unicode="false" FixedLength="false" />
        </EntityType>
        <EntityType Name="PersonType">
          <Key>
            <PropertyRef Name="PersonTypeId" />
          </Key>
          <Property Name="PersonTypeId" Type="Int32" Nullable="false" />
          <Property Name="TypeCode" Type="String" Nullable="false" MaxLength="10" Unicode="false" FixedLength="false" />
          <Property Name="TypeDesc" Type="String" MaxLength="Max" Unicode="false" FixedLength="false" />
        </EntityType>
      </Schema>
    </edmx:ConceptualModels>
    <!-- C-S mapping content -->
    <edmx:Mappings>
      <Mapping Space="C-S" xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:windows:storage:mapping:CS">
        <EntityContainerMapping StorageEntityContainer="testModelStoreContainer" CdmEntityContainer="testEntities">
          <EntitySetMapping Name="People"><EntityTypeMapping TypeName="testModel.Person"><MappingFragment StoreEntitySet="Person">
            <ScalarProperty Name="PersonId" ColumnName="PersonId" />
            <ScalarProperty Name="TypeCode" ColumnName="TypeCode" />
          </MappingFragment></EntityTypeMapping></EntitySetMapping>
          <EntitySetMapping Name="PersonTypes"><EntityTypeMapping TypeName="testModel.PersonType"><MappingFragment StoreEntitySet="PersonType">
            <ScalarProperty Name="PersonTypeId" ColumnName="PersonTypeId" />
            <ScalarProperty Name="TypeCode" ColumnName="TypeCode" />
            <ScalarProperty Name="TypeDesc" ColumnName="TypeDesc" />
          </MappingFragment></EntityTypeMapping></EntitySetMapping>
        </EntityContainerMapping>
      </Mapping>
    </edmx:Mappings>
  </edmx:Runtime>

I have tried to modify the EDMX to create the navigation propery between personType and Person but have been unsuccessful. I just figured I could create the association manually some how. Any help would be appreciated.

Answer 1

Unfortunately as of now there is no way to define an association on a candidate key (i.e. PersonType.TypeCode). because In EF (3.5 and 4.0) FKs MUST point to Primary Keys.

According to Alex James from his post here, this is something the EF team are considering for the next version.