Efcore: Absolute path in OutputPath breaks Add-Migration

[joelverhagen]

I created a netcoreapp2.0 project from VS template and changed the output path <OutputPath> to be an absolute path. I use this (along with other MSBuild properties) on my devbox to separate where my source lives and where my intermediate and output directories are. This is useful for me since I want Dropbox syncing my code by not my binaries.

Minimal repro .csproj file:

<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
  <PropertyGroup>
    <OutputType>Exe</OutputType>
    <TargetFramework>netcoreapp2.0</TargetFramework>
    <OutputPath>D:\Dropbox\Programming\Repro\Repro\bin\$(Configuration)</OutputPath>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <ItemGroup>
    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Tools" Version="2.1.0-preview2-final" />
  </ItemGroup>

</Project>

I have tried older versions of the Tools package. The Program.cs doesn't even matter since it seems like Add-Migration can't even find the output assembly.

VS version: 15.6.4
NuGet version: 4.6.1.5019

[joelverhagen]

Workaround

Comment out the OutputPath, add the migration, uncomment out the OutputPath, then delete the bin directory.

[bricelam]

<OutputPath> should be relative. (See Common MSBuild Project Properties.) Instead, set <BaseOutputPath>:

<BaseOutputPath>D:\Dropbox\Programming\Repro\Repro\bin\</BaseOutputPath>

[bricelam]

But we can probably fix this simply by using [IO.Path]::Combine() instead of Join-Path.

[joelverhagen]

D'oh! I didn't realized that. I'll give it a try. Strange that everything else in VS seems to work okay with an absolute path there (or maybe I am missing something).

[joelverhagen]

I've tried that too can got a similar error:

Project:

<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">

  <PropertyGroup>
    <OutputType>Exe</OutputType>
    <TargetFramework>netcoreapp2.0</TargetFramework>
    <BaseOutputPath>D:\Dropbox\Programming\Repro\Repro\bin\</BaseOutputPath>
  </PropertyGroup>

  <ItemGroup>
    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Tools" Version="2.1.0-preview2-final" />
  </ItemGroup>

</Project>

Error:
The running command stopped because the preference variable "ErrorActionPreference" or common parameter is set to Stop: Cannot find path 'D:\Dropbox\Programming\Repro\Repro\D:\Dropbox\Programming\Repro\Repro\bin\Debug\netcoreapp2.0\' because it does not exist.

[bricelam]

Definitely a bug then. As a workaround, you should be able to use the dotnet ef commands instead.

[joelverhagen]

Okay, thanks for the milestone, @ajcvickers. Looking forward to the fix!

I am using .NET Framework, non-SDK based project so I don't think I can use dotnet ef right?

Also, I when I originally found this my output directory was a different drive than my source (D:\ and C:\, respectively). I humbly suggest that this is a test case included in the bug fix.

[bricelam]

I am using .NET Framework, non-SDK based project so I don't think I can use dotnet ef right?

Right, it wouldn't work.

[dvdobrovolskiy]

PM> add-migration passport
The running command stopped because the preference variable "ErrorActionPreference" or common parameter is set to Stop: Cannot find path 'C:\Usersdima\source\repos\TNPK\TNPK\M:\Build\TNPK\net461\win7-x64\' because it does not exist.

VS 15.7.3 kinda stuff

[gusmally]

Hello, I'm able to reproduce this issue with the following sample project:

<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk.Web">

  <PropertyGroup>
    <TargetFramework>netcoreapp2.1</TargetFramework>
    <BaseOutputPath>c:/dev/ReproProject/TestOutput</BaseOutputPath>
  </PropertyGroup>

  <ItemGroup>
    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.AspNetCore.App" />
    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.AspNetCore.Razor.Design" Version="2.1.2" PrivateAssets="All" />
    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Sqlite" Version="2.1.4" />
  </ItemGroup>

</Project>

Running add-migration InitialMigration yields the following error:
Command execution stopped because the preference variable "ErrorActionPreference" or common parameter is set to Stop: Cannot find path 'C:\dev\blue\main\AirspaceSimulationPlugin\Inexa.Control.Airspace.Simulation.Web.Service\C:\dev\blue\main\AirspaceSimulationPlugin\output\Inexa.Control.Airspace.Simulation.Web.Service\bin\Debug\netcoreapp2.1\' because it does not exist.

I'm guessing line 761 in EntityFrameworkCore.psm1 or around there may be the issue?

[ajcvickers]

@gusmally This issue is fixed in EF Core 2.2.

[angieleba]

@ajcvickers Hello...is there any workaround for EFCore 2.1? I am forced from my project dependencies to use that version but this issue is giving me problems. Thanks

[ajcvickers]

@angieleba There are several workarounds discussed in the comments above. Have you tried these?

[angieleba]

@ajcvickers Yes, commenting the paths, adding migration and than un-commenting to build, worked.

[betancourtc]

I am having a similar issue with .NET Core 3.1. However looking at the project file there is not output path defined. This happened with a new project created using VS 8.6.3 for Mac. I've read as well about a similar issue reported but to the VS team (marked as already fixed). So after finding this thread I don't know if it is a VS issue or a EF Core one.