The provider did not return a ProviderManifestToken string error

Question

I am trying to create a web app using ASP.Net MVC3, Entity Framework and MySQL.

I have added the following code to my Web.Config file.

<connectionStrings>
    <add name="ContactContext" connectionString="server=localhost;database=contacts;uid=root;pwd=password;" providerName="MySql.Data.MySqlClient"/>

  </connectionStrings>

I also have created "Person" Model , "ContactContext" in the project "Contact_Me". When I try to create a "ContactController" including Person Model and Contact context, it gives me the following error

"Unable to retrieve metadata for "Connect_Me.Models.Persons". The provider did not return a ProviderManifestToken string"

MYSQ & MVC3 SQL connection error \ ProviderManifestToken but I am using MySQL, this is the closest question to mine. But the answer didn't solve my problem.

Thanks in advance

Answer 1

I know this may be very basic for a couple of you guys, but this exception is also thrown in cases where EF is unable to locate a Connection String to use. If you-re working in a multi-layered application, make sure the connection String is added to your client application, instead of the class library that contains you data access code. Just my 2 cents.

Answer 2

I got this error when my sql server was actually down. So, please be sure that your sql server is up and running.

Answer 3

You can also get this error if you upgrade Nuget references in an EntityFramework project that uses MySql.Data.Entity (latest version is 6.10.X) and MySql.Data (latest version is 8.0.X). Those version numbers should match. You should use the MySql.Data.EntityFramework package with MySql.Data version 8.0 and after, and the MySql.Data.Entity package with versions 6.10 and before.

There are a lot more details in this blog post: https://davidsekar.com/asp-net/mysql-error-the-provider-did-not-return-a-providermanifesttoken