[entity-framework] Entity Framework 6 Code first Default value

The above answers really helped, but only delivered part of the solution. The major issue is that as soon as you remove the Default value attribute, the constraint on the column in database won't be removed. So previous default value will still stay in the database.

Here is a full solution to the problem, including removal of SQL constraints on attribute removal. I am also re-using .NET Framework's native DefaultValue attribute.

Usage

[DatabaseGenerated(DatabaseGeneratedOption.Computed)]
[DefaultValue("getutcdate()")]
public DateTime CreatedOn { get; set; }

For this to work you need to update IdentityModels.cs and Configuration.cs files

IdentityModels.cs file

Add/update this method in your ApplicationDbContext class

protected override void OnModelCreating(DbModelBuilder modelBuilder)
{
            base.OnModelCreating(modelBuilder);
            var convention = new AttributeToColumnAnnotationConvention<DefaultValueAttribute, string>("SqlDefaultValue", (p, attributes) => attributes.SingleOrDefault().Value.ToString());
            modelBuilder.Conventions.Add(convention);
}

Configuration.cs file

Update your Configuration class constructor by registering custom Sql generator, like this:

internal sealed class Configuration : DbMigrationsConfiguration<ApplicationDbContext>
{
    public Configuration()
    {
        // DefaultValue Sql Generator
        SetSqlGenerator("System.Data.SqlClient", new DefaultValueSqlServerMigrationSqlGenerator());
    }
}

Next, add custom Sql generator class (you can add it to the Configuration.cs file or a separate file)

internal class DefaultValueSqlServerMigrationSqlGenerator : SqlServerMigrationSqlGenerator
{
    private int dropConstraintCount;

    protected override void Generate(AddColumnOperation addColumnOperation)
    {
        SetAnnotatedColumn(addColumnOperation.Column, addColumnOperation.Table);
        base.Generate(addColumnOperation);
    }

    protected override void Generate(AlterColumnOperation alterColumnOperation)
    {
        SetAnnotatedColumn(alterColumnOperation.Column, alterColumnOperation.Table);
        base.Generate(alterColumnOperation);
    }

    protected override void Generate(CreateTableOperation createTableOperation)
    {
        SetAnnotatedColumns(createTableOperation.Columns, createTableOperation.Name);
        base.Generate(createTableOperation);
    }

    protected override void Generate(AlterTableOperation alterTableOperation)
    {
        SetAnnotatedColumns(alterTableOperation.Columns, alterTableOperation.Name);
        base.Generate(alterTableOperation);
    }

    private void SetAnnotatedColumn(ColumnModel column, string tableName)
    {
        if (column.Annotations.TryGetValue("SqlDefaultValue", out var values))
        {
            if (values.NewValue == null)
            {
                column.DefaultValueSql = null;
                using var writer = Writer();

                // Drop Constraint
                writer.WriteLine(GetSqlDropConstraintQuery(tableName, column.Name));
                Statement(writer);
            }
            else
            {
                column.DefaultValueSql = (string)values.NewValue;
            }
        }
    }

    private void SetAnnotatedColumns(IEnumerable<ColumnModel> columns, string tableName)
    {
        foreach (var column in columns)
        {
            SetAnnotatedColumn(column, tableName);
        }
    }

    private string GetSqlDropConstraintQuery(string tableName, string columnName)
    {
        var tableNameSplitByDot = tableName.Split('.');
        var tableSchema = tableNameSplitByDot[0];
        var tablePureName = tableNameSplitByDot[1];

        var str = $@"DECLARE @var{dropConstraintCount} nvarchar(128)
SELECT @var{dropConstraintCount} = name
FROM sys.default_constraints
WHERE parent_object_id = object_id(N'{tableSchema}.[{tablePureName}]')
AND col_name(parent_object_id, parent_column_id) = '{columnName}';
IF @var{dropConstraintCount} IS NOT NULL
EXECUTE('ALTER TABLE {tableSchema}.[{tablePureName}] DROP CONSTRAINT [' + @var{dropConstraintCount} + ']')";

        dropConstraintCount++;
        return str;
    }
}