Efcore: Add-Migrations not working in Visual Studio 2015

[jonswaino]

Current listing of EF packages in my project:

Id Versions ProjectName

---

EntityFramework.Core {7.0.0-rc1-final}
EntityFramework.MicrosoftSqlServer {7.0.0-rc1-final}
EntityFramework.Commands {7.0.0-rc1-final}

Yet when I try to add migrations in PowerShell using add-migration I get the following error:
add-migration : The term 'add-migration' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program. Check
the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the path is correct and try again.

I've tried restarting visual studio/rebooting to no avail.

[natemcmaster]

Can you provide a few more details? What kind of project are you using? Did nuget restore work correctly? Which version of Windows are you using?

[jonswaino]

OS: Windows 10
Framework: dnx451
VS: Visual Studio 2015 Communitiy Edition.
Solution: Regular Class library

[rowanmiller]

Xproj does currently not support commands in Package Manager Console. To use migrations, you need to use the command line - https://docs.efproject.net/en/latest/platforms/aspnetcore/new-db.html#create-your-database.

Xproj has enabled support for the upcoming RC2 release, so you'll be able to use the commands when that is available.

[santhakumar11]

Hi,
If you have received error like “the term ‘Add-Migration’ is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, then close and reopen the visual studio.

After reopen the Visual Studio -> Open Package Manager Console
Type Update-Database and Enter

[sunnyokoro]

I had similar issues in VS 2013. What I did was to update my Package Manager Console, restarted VS and that fixed it for me.

[twisstosin]

Mine was working 2 days ago, now it's giving the "not recognized as name cmdlet, function ..." Error.

[willwhite1964]

I had the same issue. I ran VS2015 as Administrator and it solved my issue

[Padmanaabhah]

Try the following steps:

1) Remove all Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Tools references from dependencies and tools sections inside a project.json

2) Close Package Manager Console (PMC) and restart Visual Studio

3) Add under dependencies section:

"Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Tools": {
"version": "1.0.0-preview2-final",
"type": "build"
}
4) Add under tools section

"Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Tools": "1.0.0-preview2-final"
5) Restart again Visual Studio 2015

6) Open the PMC and type

Add-Migration $Your_First_Migration_Name$
That's because the PMC recognize the tools when Visual Studio is starting.

[AdrianPT]

In VS2017 same thing... RUN AS ADMINISTRATOR! 🗡

[NanuNic9379]

Hi, i'm trying to use the command enable-migration, but i am experiencing always the same error:
The term 'Enable-Migrations' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program.
I tried all the possible solutions that you have proposed; no one of these solution worked.
i'm using VS2019

[lajones]

@NanuNic9379 The above thread is quite old. You don't need Enable-Migrations any more. See e.g. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/41403824/cant-enable-migrations-for-entity-framework-on-vs-2017-net-core

Note: as mentioned in the above you will need to install the Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Tools package.

If you still can't use the other PowerShell commands, e.g. Add-Migration, try opening a new issue.