EF Core Error - No project was found. Change the current working directory or use the --project option

Question

I am using Visual Studio 2015 and dotnet core and trying to develop an EF Core Code First project using Sqlite and this documentation / tut

Answer 1

The dotnet-ef command has moved.

You will need to add a reference to Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Tools.DotNet AND Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Design to your dependencies in project.json, then add Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Tools.DotNet to the tools section and you should be good to go.

Cited from: http://errummwelluhh.blogspot.com

Answer 2

Just faced similar issue. Fixed by downgrading to 1.0.0-preview3-final

"tools": {
     "Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Tools.DotNet": "1.0.0-preview3-final",    
}

and changing --project param to --startup-project

dotnet ef --startup-project <PATH_TO_PROJECT_DIRECTORY> migrations add <MIGRATION_NAME>

In global.json I also downgraded version to

 "sdk": {
     "version": "1.0.0-preview2-003131"
 }

This might be a temp workaround before migrating to csproj.

Answer 3

sometimes you need to change the current directory in console/terminal eg:

PM> cd E:\Projects\CrossTest\
PM> dotnet ef migrations add InitialMigration

and Align your package versions. Either use preview1 packages or preview2. Mix of those are not supported.

Answer 4

It simply Means that

YOU ARE NOT IN CURRENT PROJECT DIRECTORY

I was facing the same issue when scaffolding existing database of MySql using this.

Command I was executing:

dotnet ef dbcontext scaffold "Server=123.1.1.1;Uid=abc;Pwd=abc;Database=myDB;Connection Timeout=20;Persist Security Info=False;Port=3306;Allow User Variables=True;Connect Timeout=120;" MySql.Data.EntityFrameworkCore -o Models

Causing the same error , then I checked current working directory inside package manager console and found incorrect.

In my case

Mean I was not in current project directory then after switching directory

cd SSGCApp

Now you are in project directory all good to run the Command.

Answer 5

1. Add the nuget package Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Tools
2. Add the nuget package Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Design
3. Right-click your project file, select Edit and then add the following to the ItemGroup that contains PackageReference nodes

<DotNetCliToolReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Tools.DotNet" Version="2.0.3" />

(You can find the latest version by finding it in the Nuget Package manager)

4. Open the Package Manage Console: Tools->Nuget Package Manager->Package Manager Console
5. Type cd {path where your csproj file resides} (this is important)
6. Now type dotnet ef migrations add InitialMigration

Answer 6

Instead of:

"tools": {
    "Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Tools.DotNet":"1.0.0"
  },

try:

"tools": {
      "Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Tools.DotNet": {
      "version": "1.0.0-preview3-final"
  }},