Web Api Scaffolding - Error running the selected code generator

Question

Summary: When creating a new Web Project in Visual Studio 2015 (Update 1), im unable to use the scaffolding tool for Controllers that relates to Entity Framework.

Same issue occures with VS2013 Update 5

It returns the following message:

There was an error running the selected code generator:
There was an error getting the type "failtest.Models.TestModelClass".
Try rebuilding the project.

I have tried to rebuild it, but still nothing.

Anyone got a clue about why im getting this? I actually re-installed my Windows 10 system to see if this could fix this error. - Now, that beeing said, it was in need for some tough love anyway, so i figgured it was about time - Maybe its crashing because i have tried a vast amount of node stuff in the past time, and permission errors. But the error occured both before and after i re-installed it. (complete whipe)

This is a Fresh install of Visual Studio 2015 Professional - Basically nothing else has been added to the system yet.

When i first started this post, i created a blank project for my screenshots just to show the entire process (below) - And i tought i was loosing my mind.

At first, the testproject suddenly worked, so i created a second project to test again. And then it failed with the same error. So just to confirm, i deleted the first project that worked, and set it up again with the exact same name and file location as the one that suddenly worked ( after deleting all folders and existing project files ) - And now it keeps failing again.

How to reproduce:

1. Create a new "Azure Api App" project - Leave all settings as default (Any project type will produce the same result actually)

2. Create a new Model

3. Build your project (this is mentioned on an article from Microsoft to be nesesary to use the scaffolder)

4. Add a new Controller by right clicking the "Controllers" folder, and selecting New -> Controller - Select "Web Api 2.0 controller with actions, using Entity Framework"

5. Fill out the information, since this is a new project, we dont have a context - so click the + icon and create a new one.

6. Error is produced

EDIT:

Packages.config :

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<packages>
  <package id="EntityFramework" version="6.1.3" targetFramework="net452" />
  <package id="Microsoft.AspNet.WebApi" version="5.2.3" targetFramework="net452" />
  <package id="Microsoft.AspNet.WebApi.Client" version="5.2.3" targetFramework="net452" />
  <package id="Microsoft.AspNet.WebApi.Core" version="5.2.3" targetFramework="net452" />
  <package id="Microsoft.AspNet.WebApi.WebHost" version="5.2.3" targetFramework="net452" />
  <package id="Microsoft.Web.Infrastructure" version="1.0.0.0" targetFramework="net452" />
  <package id="Newtonsoft.Json" version="8.0.2" targetFramework="net452" />
  <package id="Swashbuckle" version="5.3.1" targetFramework="net452" />
  <package id="Swashbuckle.Core" version="5.3.1" targetFramework="net452" />
  <package id="System.IdentityModel.Tokens.Jwt" version="4.0.2.206221351" targetFramework="net452" />
  <package id="WebActivatorEx" version="2.1.0" targetFramework="net452" />
</packages>

Web.Config :

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!--
  For more information on how to configure your ASP.NET application, please visit
  http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=301879
  -->
<configuration>
  <configSections>
    <!-- For more information on Entity Framework configuration, visit http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=237468 -->
    <section name="entityFramework" type="System.Data.Entity.Internal.ConfigFile.EntityFrameworkSection, EntityFramework, Version=6.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" requirePermission="false" />
  </configSections>
  <appSettings></appSettings>
  <system.web>
    <compilation debug="true" targetFramework="4.5.2" />
    <httpRuntime targetFramework="4.5.2" />
  </system.web>
  <system.webServer>
    <handlers>
      <remove name="ExtensionlessUrlHandler-Integrated-4.0" />
      <remove name="OPTIONSVerbHandler" />
      <remove name="TRACEVerbHandler" />
      <add name="ExtensionlessUrlHandler-Integrated-4.0" path="*." verb="*" type="System.Web.Handlers.TransferRequestHandler" preCondition="integratedMode,runtimeVersionv4.0" />
    </handlers>
  </system.webServer>
  <runtime>
    <assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="Newtonsoft.Json" culture="neutral" publicKeyToken="30ad4fe6b2a6aeed" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-6.0.0.0" newVersion="6.0.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Net.Http.Formatting" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-5.2.3.0" newVersion="5.2.3.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.Http" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-5.2.3.0" newVersion="5.2.3.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
    </assemblyBinding>
  </runtime>
  <entityFramework>
    <defaultConnectionFactory type="System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.LocalDbConnectionFactory, EntityFramework">
      <parameters>
        <parameter value="mssqllocaldb" />
      </parameters>
    </defaultConnectionFactory>
    <providers>
      <provider invariantName="System.Data.SqlClient" type="System.Data.Entity.SqlServer.SqlProviderServices, EntityFramework.SqlServer" />
    </providers>
  </entityFramework>
</configuration>

EDIT 2: I Suspect that this is an EntityFramework issue, as the scaffolder works for everything that doesnt include EntityFramework.

Already tested

• Switch between Debug and Release config
• Updated all packages and plugins
• Verified the solution file and project XML
• Verified Web.config
• Deleted Bin / Debug folder
• New project with different project types

Issues describing the same error - All tested

• Scaffolding/Auto code generator completely broken?
• There was an error running the selected code generator...
• How do i add a controller to asp.net MVC....
• External: There was an error running the selected code generator
• External: VS2013 scaffolding error
• Scaffolding controller doesn't work with visual studio 2013 update 2

I also created an issue on this on the aspnet Github issue tracker. https://github.com/aspnet/Tooling/issues/411

And reported it to Microsoft trought the internal Feedback system in Visual Studio.

Answer 1

You can fix this through cli... By using scaffolding command. Before you do this make sure code generator available in your system if it is dot net core 3.1.1 go for the lower versions of code generator.