Foreign key constraint may cause cycles or multiple cascade paths?

Question

I have a problem when I try to add constraints to my tables. I get the error:

Introducing FOREIGN KEY constraint \'FK74988DB24B3C886\' on table \'Empl

Answer 1

This is an error of type database trigger policies. A trigger is code and can add some intelligences or conditions to a Cascade relation like Cascade Deletion. You may need to specialize the related tables options around this like Turning off CascadeOnDelete:

protected override void OnModelCreating( DbModelBuilder modelBuilder )
{
    modelBuilder.Entity<TableName>().HasMany(i => i.Member).WithRequired().WillCascadeOnDelete(false);
}

Or Turn off this feature completely:

modelBuilder.Conventions.Remove<OneToManyCascadeDeleteConvention>();

Answer 2

By the sounds of it you have an OnDelete/OnUpdate action on one of your existing Foreign Keys, that will modify your codes table.

So by creating this Foreign Key, you'd be creating a cyclic problem,

E.g. Updating Employees, causes Codes to changed by an On Update Action, causes Employees to be changed by an On Update Action... etc...

If you post your Table Definitions for both tables, & your Foreign Key/constraint definitions we should be able to tell you where the problem is...

Answer 3

Trigger is solution for this problem:

IF OBJECT_ID('dbo.fktest2', 'U') IS NOT NULL
    drop table fktest2
IF OBJECT_ID('dbo.fktest1', 'U') IS NOT NULL
    drop table fktest1
IF EXISTS (SELECT name FROM sysobjects WHERE name = 'fkTest1Trigger' AND type = 'TR')
    DROP TRIGGER dbo.fkTest1Trigger
go
create table fktest1 (id int primary key, anQId int identity)
go  
    create table fktest2 (id1 int, id2 int, anQId int identity,
        FOREIGN KEY (id1) REFERENCES fktest1 (id)
            ON DELETE CASCADE
            ON UPDATE CASCADE/*,    
        FOREIGN KEY (id2) REFERENCES fktest1 (id) this causes compile error so we have to use triggers
            ON DELETE CASCADE
            ON UPDATE CASCADE*/ 
            )
go

CREATE TRIGGER fkTest1Trigger
ON fkTest1
AFTER INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE
AS
    if @@ROWCOUNT = 0
        return
    set nocount on

    -- This code is replacement for foreign key cascade (auto update of field in destination table when its referenced primary key in source table changes.
    -- Compiler complains only when you use multiple cascased. It throws this compile error:
    -- Rrigger Introducing FOREIGN KEY constraint on table may cause cycles or multiple cascade paths. Specify ON DELETE NO ACTION or ON UPDATE NO ACTION, 
    -- or modify other FOREIGN KEY constraints.
    IF ((UPDATE (id) and exists(select 1 from fktest1 A join deleted B on B.anqid = A.anqid where B.id <> A.id)))
    begin       
        update fktest2 set id2 = i.id
            from deleted d
            join fktest2 on d.id = fktest2.id2
            join inserted i on i.anqid = d.anqid        
    end         
    if exists (select 1 from deleted)       
        DELETE one FROM fktest2 one LEFT JOIN fktest1 two ON two.id = one.id2 where two.id is null -- drop all from dest table which are not in source table
GO

insert into fktest1 (id) values (1)
insert into fktest1 (id) values (2)
insert into fktest1 (id) values (3)

insert into fktest2 (id1, id2) values (1,1)
insert into fktest2 (id1, id2) values (2,2)
insert into fktest2 (id1, id2) values (1,3)

select * from fktest1
select * from fktest2

update fktest1 set id=11 where id=1
update fktest1 set id=22 where id=2
update fktest1 set id=33 where id=3
delete from fktest1 where id > 22

select * from fktest1
select * from fktest2