Test proejct test will not execute: unrecognized configuration section entityFramework

Question

When I try to run my test I get the following error in my app.config for my test project:

Result Message: 
Test method MYTESTPROJ.Repositories.MYREPO.MY_TEST threw exception: 
System.TypeInitializationException: The type initializer for 'System.Data.Entity.Internal.AppConfig' threw an exception. ---> 
System.Configuration.ConfigurationErrorsException: Configuration system failed to initialize ---> 
System.Configuration.ConfigurationErrorsException: Unrecognized configuration section entityFramework. 
(C:\Dev\trunk\MYTESTPROJ\bin\Debug\MYTESTPROJ.dll.config line 20)
Result StackTrace:  
at System.Configuration.ConfigurationSchemaErrors.ThrowIfErrors(Boolean ignoreLocal)
   at System.Configuration.BaseConfigurationRecord.ThrowIfParseErrors(ConfigurationSchemaErrors schemaErrors)
   at System.Configuration.BaseConfigurationRecord.ThrowIfInitErrors()
   at System.Configuration.ClientConfigurationSystem.EnsureInit(String configKey)
 --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
    at System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.PrepareConfigSystem()
   at System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.GetSection(String sectionName)
   at System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.get_ConnectionStrings()
   at System.Data.Entity.Internal.AppConfig..ctor()
   at System.Data.Entity.Internal.AppConfig..cctor()
 --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
    at System.Data.Entity.Internal.AppConfig.get_DefaultInstance()
   at System.Data.Entity.Internal.LazyInternalConnection..ctor(DbContext context, String nameOrConnectionString)
   at System.Data.Entity.DbContext..ctor(String nameOrConnectionString)

Here is my app.config:

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
  <connectionStrings>
    <add name="xxxConnection" connectionString="xxx" providerName="System.Data.EntityClient" />
  </connectionStrings>
  <runtime>
    <assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.Mvc" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-4.0.0.0" newVersion="4.0.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
    </assemblyBinding>
  </runtime>
<system.data>
    <DbProviderFactories>
      <remove name="MySQL Data Provider" invariant="MySql.Data.MySqlClient" />
      <add name="MySQL Data Provider" invariant="MySql.Data.MySqlClient" description=".Net Framework Data Provider for MySQL" type="MySql.Data.MySqlClient.MySqlClientFactory, MySql.Data, Version=6.8.3.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=c5687fc88969c44d" />
    </DbProviderFactories>
</system.data>
<entityFramework>
    <providers>
      <provider invariantName="MySql.Data.MySqlClient" type="MySql.Data.MySqlClient.MySqlProviderServices, MySql.Data.Entity.EF6, Version=6.8.3.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=c5687fc88969c44d"></provider>
    </providers>
  </entityFramework>
</configuration>

Answer 1

You just need to add the configSections area at the top to register the section (you might need to change the EF version).

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
  <configSections>
    <section name="entityFramework" type="System.Data.Entity.Internal.ConfigFile.EntityFrameworkSection, EntityFramework, Version=5.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" requirePermission="false" />
  </configSections>
  <connectionStrings>
    <add name="xxxConnection" connectionString="xxx" providerName="System.Data.EntityClient" />
  </connectionStrings>
  <runtime>
    <assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.Mvc" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-4.0.0.0" newVersion="4.0.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
    </assemblyBinding>
  </runtime>
<system.data>
    <DbProviderFactories>
      <remove name="MySQL Data Provider" invariant="MySql.Data.MySqlClient" />
      <add name="MySQL Data Provider" invariant="MySql.Data.MySqlClient" description=".Net Framework Data Provider for MySQL" type="MySql.Data.MySqlClient.MySqlClientFactory, MySql.Data, Version=6.8.3.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=c5687fc88969c44d" />
    </DbProviderFactories>
</system.data>
<entityFramework>
    <providers>
      <provider invariantName="MySql.Data.MySqlClient" type="MySql.Data.MySqlClient.MySqlProviderServices, MySql.Data.Entity.EF6, Version=6.8.3.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=c5687fc88969c44d"></provider>
    </providers>
  </entityFramework>
</configuration>

Answer 2

I ran into this issue after updated .net framework 4.5.2. It seems the .net framework updated also updated EntityFramework version from 5.x.x to 6.1.2.

However in the web.config it still not changed. It is 5.0.0.0, if I changed this value to 6.1.2 to match with EF version shown in NuGet Package Manager. That didn't do any good. Then I expanded my project References node, right click on EntityFramework the version shown as 6.0.0.0. Use this values instead of 6.1.2 and everything started working.

Answer 3

Had the same error, but thought I had the configSections declaration... I had mistakenly placed it in a sectionGroup instead of in the configSection.

Wrong:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
    <configSections>
        <section name="quartz" type="System.Configuration.NameValueSectionHandler, System, Version=1.0.5000.0,Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" />
            <section name="log4net" type="log4net.Config.Log4NetConfigurationSectionHandler, log4net" />
        <sectionGroup name="common">
            <section name="logging" type="Common.Logging.ConfigurationSectionHandler, Common.Logging" />
      <section name="entityFramework" type="System.Data.Entity.Internal.ConfigFile.EntityFrameworkSection, EntityFramework, Version=6.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" requirePermission="false" />
        </sectionGroup>
    </configSections>...

Correct:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
    <configSections>
        <section name="quartz" type="System.Configuration.NameValueSectionHandler, System, Version=1.0.5000.0,Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" />
            <section name="log4net" type="log4net.Config.Log4NetConfigurationSectionHandler, log4net" />
        <sectionGroup name="common">
            <section name="logging" type="Common.Logging.ConfigurationSectionHandler, Common.Logging" />
        </sectionGroup>
        <section name="entityFramework" type="System.Data.Entity.Internal.ConfigFile.EntityFrameworkSection, EntityFramework, Version=6.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" requirePermission="false" />
    </configSections>