Question

I’d like my Entity Framework model to generate entities with internal access modifier, instead of public. I use the EF model in a library and I want only a single class (some controller) to be accessible from outside.

Is there any simple way to make the EF model generation use internal modifer instead of public, including model regeneration on update?

Answer 1

It’s very much like the anwer I got on a similar question. But in your case you want to customize the access modifier of the classes, rather than the ObjectContext.

Adapted after hvd’s answer:

The designer has an option “Add Code Generation Item”. If you use this, you’ll get several options. I’m using “ADO.NET Self-Tracking Entity Generator”, but the same way works for all of them. Choosing this adds two template files (Model.tt and Model.Context.tt) to your project, which you are free to modify as you see fit. For the modification you’re asking about, you’ll find a code generation for your entity classes at or near line 37. Change

<#=Accessibility.ForType(entity)#> <#=code.SpaceAfter(code.AbstractOption(entity))#>partial class …

to

partial class …

For complex type there is a similar line further down below: also erase the part before “partial”.

This will set the access modifiers for all types at once, future types included. For customizing individual types you better use the model browser.

You will have to set the property “Entity Container Access” of the model itself to internal as well, otherwise members with incompatible access modifiers will be generated.