How to use the default Entity Framework and default date values

Question

In my SQL Server database schema I have a data table with a date field that contains a default value of

CONVERT(VARCHAR(10), GETDATE(), 111)

which is ideal for automatically inserting the date into the new record when manually entering records in to the database.

The problem I have is that when using the Entity Framework and mapping the Date field, that the Entity Framework inserts a default value of DateTime.Min when the entity is instantiated.

I cannot map the Date field to a nullable DateTime, i.e. DateTime?, nor am I able to use either CONVERT or DateTime.Now.Today in the default value of the Entity Designer as it only accepts hard-coded constant values.

I can of course explicitly set the DateTime field in C# whenever the object is created, either explicitly in code, in the constructor of a partial class, or even during the saving changes event.

Are there any other ways of achieving what I want where the default value calculation stored in the database table is actually used instead?

Answer 1

Just happened to cross through this issue. Entity Framework do not support default values on its own. You need to set the property StoreGeneratedPattern = Computed on the column in the Edmx file entity. The default value what you set in the Database will then precedence on what EF sets by default i.e. DateTime.Min