visual-studiopostgresqlnpgsqldbproviderfactories

How to add custom DB provider to be accessible in Visual Studio?

I wanted to work with custom DB provider in Visual Studio. I need it to use Entity Framework.

For example, I downloaded NpgSQL, registered them in GAC:

gacutil  -i  c:\temp\npgsql.dll
gacutil  -i  c:\temp\mono.security.dll

and added to machine.config file:

<add name="Npgsql Data Provider"
invariant="Npgsql"  support="FF"
description=".Net Framework Data Provider for Postgresql Server"
type="Npgsql.NpgsqlFactory, Npgsql, Version=2.0.6.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=5d8b90d52f46fda7" />

But Npgsql did not appear in Datasource list in Visual Studio:

Data source in VS

How to add custom DB provider to this list?

UPD: If I use command string edmgen.exe I got error:

error 7001: Failed to find or load the registered .Net Framework Data Provider.

Solution

  • Old(from 7 Fabruary 2013): It is impossible to add Npgsql provider to be accesible in Visual Studio, because NpgSql for now does not support DDEX.

    Update on 29 of December 2013: It seems that DDEX support was added.