Programmatically creating a connection string for mapping an Entity Framework Code-First model with an existing Sql Server Compact database -

i've mapped entity framework code-first data model existing sql server compact database declarative approach using app.config great if build such connection programmatically perhaps of entityconnectionstringbuilder (system.data.entityclient) class. unfortunately approach not working [dbcontext].connection.connectionstring not accepting of properties.

here's actual working code faulty 1 commented out:

book.cs

public class book {     [key]     public string isbn { get; set; }     public string title { get; set; }     public string author { get; set; }     public string publisher { get; set; }     public datetime published { get; set; }     public int pages { get; set; }     public bool instock { get; set; }     public string description { get; set; } } 

catalog.cs

public class catalog : dbcontext {     public dbset<book> books { get; set; } } 

app.config

<?xml version="1.0"?> <configuration>   <connectionstrings>     <add       name="catalog"       providername="system.data.sqlserverce.4.0"       connectionstring="data source=res/catalog.sdf"   />   </connectionstrings> </configuration> 

main()

static void main() {     // var res = path.combine(path.getdirectoryname(assembly.getexecutingassembly().location), "res");     // var str = new entityconnectionstringbuilder();     // str.name = "catalog";     // str.provider = "system.data.sqlserverce.4.0";     // str.providerconnectionstring = string.format("data source {0}", path.combine(res, "catalog.sdf"));      try     {         using (var catalog = new catalog())         {             // catalog.database.connection.connectionstring = str.connectionstring;      // remaining code not relevant - skipped 

i've tried using other builder classes such sqlceconnectionstringbuilder (system.data.sqlserverce), sqlconnectionstringbuilder (system.data.sqlclient) , dbconnectionstringbuilder (system.data.common) apparently none of them seem match [dbcontext].connection.connectionstring expecting.

should conclude there no programmatic way achieve this? advice surely appreciated. in advance contributions.

if using sql server compact 4.0 , dbcontext code first cannot use entityconnectionstringbuilder - builds connection string ef edmx file. need sqlceconnectionstringbuilder system.data.sqlserverce assembly version 4.0.0.0!

you should pass connection string context instance through constructor - dbcontext has constructor accepting name of connection string (from configuration) or connection string itself.