How to: Define a Model with Table-per-Hierarchy Inheritance (Entity Framework)
Inheritance can be implemented in several ways in the Entity Data Model (EDM). The table-per-hierarchy method uses one table in storage to maintain data for all the types in an inheritance hierarchy. This section includes the schemas and mapping for a simple inheritance hierarchy implemented on the table-per-hierarchy scenario.
In the EDM, the conceptual schema for an inheritance hierarchy on the table-per-hierarchy model includes the BaseType attribute assignment in declarations of derived types. Each EntityType is declared separately even though the storage model uses only one table to manage data for this scenario. The declaration of the EntityContainer includes only the EntitySet declaration for the base type.
Associations in this example are implemented on the base type because the definitions of associations refer to EntitySet declarations. A derived type has no EntitySet declaration in the EntityContainer.
To implement the conceptual schema for table-per-hierarchy inheritance hierarchy
Create a class library project and add a new ADO.NET Entity Data Model empty model.
Open the .edmx file with an XML editor.
Implement the conceptual schema definition language (CSDL) schema by declaring the Person entity base type and deriving the Student, Instructor, and Administrator entities from the base type.
Use the syntax is shown below. Student, Instructor, and Administrator types inherit the properties of the Person base type. The Student type adds the EnrollmentDate property. Instructor adds the HireDate property.
Add AdminDate to the Administrator entity to indicate date this person became an administrator of a department.
Implement the Person base type and the derived types Student and Instructor logically contained by the EntitySet named People.
<!-- CSDL content -->
<edmx:ConceptualModels>
<Schema xmlns="https://schemas.microsoft.com/ado/2006/04/edm"
Namespace="SchoolDataLib" Alias="Self">
<EntityContainer Name="SchoolDataLibContainer">
<EntitySet Name="Departments"
EntityType="SchoolDataLib.Department" />
<EntitySet Name="People"
EntityType="SchoolDataLib.Person" />
<AssociationSet Name="FK_Department_Administrator"
Association="SchoolDataLib.FK_Department_Administrator">
<End Role="Person" EntitySet="People" />
<End Role="Department" EntitySet="Departments" />
</AssociationSet>
</EntityContainer>
<EntityType Name="Department">
<!--Base type table-per-type inheritance-->
<Key>
<PropertyRef Name="DepartmentID" />
</Key>
<Property Name="DepartmentID" Type="Int32" Nullable="false" />
<Property Name="Name" Type="String" Nullable="false" />
<Property Name="Budget" Type="Decimal" Nullable="false" />
<Property Name="StartDate" Type="DateTime" Nullable="false" />
<NavigationProperty Name="Administrator"
Relationship="SchoolDataLib.FK_Department_Administrator"
FromRole="Department" ToRole="Person" />
</EntityType>
<EntityType Name="DeptBusiness"
BaseType="SchoolDataLib.Department">
<Property Name="LegalBudget"
Type="Decimal" Nullable="false" />
<Property Name="AccountingBudget"
Type="Decimal" Nullable="false" />
</EntityType>
<EntityType Name="DeptEngineering"
BaseType="SchoolDataLib.Department">
<Property Name="FiberOpticsBudget"
Type="Decimal" Nullable="false" />
<Property Name="LabBudget"
Type="Decimal" Nullable="false" />
</EntityType>
<EntityType Name="DeptMusic"
BaseType="SchoolDataLib.Department">
<Property Name="TheaterBudget"
Type="Decimal" Nullable="false" />
<Property Name="InstrumentBudget"
Type="Decimal" Nullable="false" />
</EntityType>
<Association Name="FK_Department_Administrator">
<End Role="Person"
Type="SchoolDataLib.Person" Multiplicity="0..1" />
<End Role="Department"
Type="SchoolDataLib.Department" Multiplicity="*" />
</Association>
<EntityType Name="Person">
<!--Base type table-per-hierarchy inheritance-->
<Key>
<PropertyRef Name="PersonID" />
</Key>
<Property Name="PersonID" Type="Int32" Nullable="false" />
<Property Name="FirstName" Type="String" Nullable="false" />
<Property Name="LastName" Type="String" Nullable="false" />
<NavigationProperty Name="Department"
Relationship="SchoolDataLib.FK_Department_Administrator"
FromRole="Person" ToRole="Department" />
</EntityType>
<EntityType Name="Student" BaseType="SchoolDataLib.Person">
<Property Name="EnrollmentDate" Type="DateTime" />
</EntityType>
<EntityType Name="Instructor" BaseType="SchoolDataLib.Person">
<Property Name="HireDate" Type="DateTime" />
</EntityType>
<EntityType Name="Administrator" BaseType="SchoolDataLib.Person">
<Property Name="AdminDate" Type="DateTime" />
</EntityType>
</Schema>
</edmx:ConceptualModels>
To implement the storage metadata for table-per-hierarchy inheritance hierarchy
Implement one table in storage for Student, Instructor, and Administrator types in the hierarchy.
Declare the three types derived from the Person base type. Only the Person table is needed to contain data for all derived types. The final property, PersonCategory, is the discriminator column. Its value is used to specify whether a derived an instance of one of these types is a Student, Instructor, or Administrator.
<!-- SSDL content -->
<edmx:StorageModels>
<Schema xmlns="https://schemas.microsoft.com/ado/2006/04/edm/ssdl"
Namespace="SchoolDataLib.Target"
Alias="Self" Provider="System.Data.SqlClient"
ProviderManifestToken="2005">
<EntityContainer Name="dbo">
<EntitySet Name="Department"
EntityType="SchoolDataLib.Target.Department" />
<EntitySet Name="DeptBusiness"
EntityType="SchoolDataLib.Target.DeptBusiness" />
<EntitySet Name="DeptEngineering"
EntityType="SchoolDataLib.Target.DeptEngineering" />
<EntitySet Name="DeptMusic"
EntityType="SchoolDataLib.Target.DeptMusic" />
<EntitySet Name="Person"
EntityType="SchoolDataLib.Target.Person" />
<AssociationSet Name="FK_Department_Administrator"
Association="SchoolDataLib.Target.FK_Department_Administrator">
<End Role="Person" EntitySet="Person" />
<End Role="Department" EntitySet="Department" />
</AssociationSet>
</EntityContainer>
<EntityType Name="Department">
<Key>
<PropertyRef Name="DepartmentID" />
</Key>
<Property Name="DepartmentID" Type="int" Nullable="false" />
<Property Name="Name" Type="nvarchar"
Nullable="false" MaxLength="50" />
<Property Name="Budget" Type="money" Nullable="false" />
<Property Name="StartDate" Type="datetime" Nullable="false"/>
<Property Name="Administrator" Type="int" />
</EntityType>
<EntityType Name="DeptBusiness">
<Key>
<PropertyRef Name="BusinessDeptID" />
</Key>
<Property Name="BusinessDeptID"
Type="int" Nullable="false" />
<Property Name="LegalBudget"
Type="money" Nullable="false" />
<Property Name="AccountingBudget"
Type="money" Nullable="false" />
</EntityType>
<EntityType Name="DeptEngineering">
<Key>
<PropertyRef Name="EngineeringDeptID" />
</Key>
<Property Name="EngineeringDeptID"
Type="int" Nullable="false" />
<Property Name="FiberOpticsBudget"
Type="money" Nullable="false" />
<Property Name="LabBudget"
Type="money" Nullable="false" />
</EntityType>
<EntityType Name="DeptMusic">
<Key>
<PropertyRef Name="DeptMusicID" />
</Key>
<Property Name="DeptMusicID"
Type="int" Nullable="false" />
<Property Name="TheaterBudget"
Type="money" Nullable="false" />
<Property Name="InstrumentBudget"
Type="money" Nullable="false" />
</EntityType>
<EntityType Name="Person">
<Key>
<PropertyRef Name="PersonID" />
</Key>
<Property Name="PersonID"
Type="int" Nullable="false" />
<Property Name="FirstName"
Type="nvarchar" Nullable="false" MaxLength="50" />
<Property Name="LastName"
Type="nvarchar" Nullable="false" MaxLength="50" />
<Property Name="HireDate" Type="datetime" />
<Property Name="EnrollmentDate" Type="datetime" />
<Property Name="AdminDate" Type="datetime" />
<Property Name="PersonCategory"
Type="smallint" Nullable="false" />
</EntityType>
<Association Name="FK_Department_Administrator">
<End Role="Person"
Type="SchoolDataLib.Target.Person" Multiplicity="0..1"/>
<End Role="Department"
Type="SchoolDataLib.Target.Department" Multiplicity="*"/>
<ReferentialConstraint>
<Principal Role="Person">
<PropertyRef Name="PersonID" />
</Principal>
<Dependent Role="Department">
<PropertyRef Name="Administrator" />
</Dependent>
</ReferentialConstraint>
</Association>
</Schema>
</edmx:StorageModels>
To generate the database using SQL Server Management Studio
Use the following script in SQL Server Management Studio to generate the database used in this example and the example How to: Define a Model with Table-per-Type Inheritance (Entity Framework).
Point to New on the File menu and then click Database Engine Query to create the SchoolData database and schema with SQL Server Management Studio.
Type either localhost or the name of another SQL Server instance in the Connect to Database Engine dialog box, and then click Connect.
Paste the following Transact-SQL script in the query window, and then click Execute.
Note
This data is used for both this table-per-hierarchy example and for the table-per-type example in the topic How to: Define a Model with Table-per-Type Inheritance. Only Person and the derived types apply to this example.
USE [master]
GO
CREATE DATABASE [SchoolData]
GO
USE [SchoolData]
GO
SET ANSI_NULLS ON
GO
SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
GO
IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT * FROM sys.objects WHERE object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'[dbo].[DeptBusiness]') AND type in (N'U'))
BEGIN
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[DeptBusiness](
[BusinessDeptID] [int] NOT NULL,
[LegalBudget] [money] NOT NULL,
[AccountingBudget] [money] NOT NULL,
CONSTRAINT [PK_DeptBusiness] PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED
(
[BusinessDeptID] ASC
)WITH (PAD_INDEX = OFF, IGNORE_DUP_KEY = OFF) ON [PRIMARY]
) ON [PRIMARY]
END
GO
SET ANSI_NULLS ON
GO
SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
GO
IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT * FROM sys.objects WHERE object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'[dbo].[DeptEngineering]') AND type in (N'U'))
BEGIN
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[DeptEngineering](
[EngineeringDeptID] [int] NOT NULL,
[FiberOpticsBudget] [money] NOT NULL,
[LabBudget] [money] NOT NULL,
CONSTRAINT [PK_DeptEngineering] PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED
(
[EngineeringDeptID] ASC
)WITH (PAD_INDEX = OFF, IGNORE_DUP_KEY = OFF) ON [PRIMARY]
) ON [PRIMARY]
END
GO
SET ANSI_NULLS ON
GO
SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
GO
IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT * FROM sys.objects WHERE object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'[dbo].[DeptMusic]') AND type in (N'U'))
BEGIN
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[DeptMusic](
[DeptMusicID] [int] NOT NULL,
[TheaterBudget] [money] NOT NULL,
[InstrumentBudget] [money] NOT NULL,
CONSTRAINT [PK_DeptMusic] PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED
(
[DeptMusicID] ASC
)WITH (PAD_INDEX = OFF, IGNORE_DUP_KEY = OFF) ON [PRIMARY]
) ON [PRIMARY]
END
GO
SET ANSI_NULLS ON
GO
SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
GO
IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT * FROM sys.objects WHERE object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'[dbo].[Course]') AND type in (N'U'))
BEGIN
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[Course](
[CourseID] [int] NOT NULL,
[Title] [nvarchar](100) NOT NULL,
[StartDate] [datetime] NOT NULL,
[EndDate] [datetime] NOT NULL,
[Credits] [int] NULL,
CONSTRAINT [PK_Course] PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED
(
[CourseID] ASC
)WITH (PAD_INDEX = OFF, IGNORE_DUP_KEY = OFF) ON [PRIMARY]
) ON [PRIMARY]
END
GO
SET ANSI_NULLS ON
GO
SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
GO
IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT * FROM sys.objects WHERE object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'[dbo].[Person]') AND type in (N'U'))
BEGIN
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[Person](
[PersonID] [int] NOT NULL,
[FirstName] [nvarchar](50) NOT NULL,
[LastName] [nvarchar](50) NOT NULL,
[HireDate] [datetime] NULL,
[EnrollmentDate] [datetime] NULL,
[PersonCategory] [smallint] NOT NULL,
[AdminDate] [datetime] NULL,
CONSTRAINT [PK_Person] PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED
(
[PersonID] ASC
)WITH (PAD_INDEX = OFF, IGNORE_DUP_KEY = OFF) ON [PRIMARY]
) ON [PRIMARY]
END
GO
SET ANSI_NULLS ON
GO
SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
GO
IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT * FROM sys.objects WHERE object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'[dbo].[Enrollment]') AND type in (N'U'))
BEGIN
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[Enrollment](
[EnrollmentID] [int] NOT NULL,
[CourseID] [int] NOT NULL,
[StudentID] [int] NOT NULL,
CONSTRAINT [PK_Enrollment] PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED
(
[EnrollmentID] ASC
)WITH (PAD_INDEX = OFF, IGNORE_DUP_KEY = OFF) ON [PRIMARY]
) ON [PRIMARY]
END
GO
SET ANSI_NULLS ON
GO
SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
GO
IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT * FROM sys.objects WHERE object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'[dbo].[CourseInstructor]') AND type in (N'U'))
BEGIN
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[CourseInstructor](
[CourseInstructorID] [int] NOT NULL,
[CourseID] [int] NOT NULL,
[InstructorID] [int] NOT NULL,
CONSTRAINT [PK_CourseInstructor] PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED
(
[CourseInstructorID] ASC
)WITH (PAD_INDEX = OFF, IGNORE_DUP_KEY = OFF) ON [PRIMARY]
) ON [PRIMARY]
END
GO
SET ANSI_NULLS ON
GO
SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
GO
IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT * FROM sys.objects WHERE object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'[dbo].[Department]') AND type in (N'U'))
BEGIN
CREATE TABLE [dbo].[Department](
[DepartmentID] [int] NOT NULL,
[Name] [nvarchar](50) NOT NULL,
[Budget] [money] NOT NULL,
[StartDate] [datetime] NOT NULL,
[Administrator] [int] NULL,
CONSTRAINT [PK_Department] PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED
(
[DepartmentID] ASC
)WITH (PAD_INDEX = OFF, IGNORE_DUP_KEY = OFF) ON [PRIMARY]
) ON [PRIMARY]
END
GO
IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT * FROM sys.foreign_keys WHERE object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'[dbo].[FK_Enrollment_Course]') AND parent_object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'[dbo].[Enrollment]'))
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Enrollment] WITH CHECK ADD CONSTRAINT [FK_Enrollment_Course] FOREIGN KEY([CourseID])
REFERENCES [dbo].[Course] ([CourseID])
GO
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Enrollment] CHECK CONSTRAINT [FK_Enrollment_Course]
GO
IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT * FROM sys.foreign_keys WHERE object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'[dbo].[FK_Enrollment_Student]') AND parent_object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'[dbo].[Enrollment]'))
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Enrollment] WITH CHECK ADD CONSTRAINT [FK_Enrollment_Student] FOREIGN KEY([StudentID])
REFERENCES [dbo].[Person] ([PersonID])
GO
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Enrollment] CHECK CONSTRAINT [FK_Enrollment_Student]
GO
IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT * FROM sys.foreign_keys WHERE object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'[dbo].[FK_CourseInstructor_Course]') AND parent_object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'[dbo].[CourseInstructor]'))
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[CourseInstructor] WITH CHECK ADD CONSTRAINT [FK_CourseInstructor_Course] FOREIGN KEY([CourseID])
REFERENCES [dbo].[Course] ([CourseID])
GO
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[CourseInstructor] CHECK CONSTRAINT [FK_CourseInstructor_Course]
GO
IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT * FROM sys.foreign_keys WHERE object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'[dbo].[FK_CourseInstructor_Instructor]') AND parent_object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'[dbo].[CourseInstructor]'))
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[CourseInstructor] WITH CHECK ADD CONSTRAINT [FK_CourseInstructor_Instructor] FOREIGN KEY([InstructorID])
REFERENCES [dbo].[Person] ([PersonID])
GO
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[CourseInstructor] CHECK CONSTRAINT [FK_CourseInstructor_Instructor]
GO
IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT * FROM sys.foreign_keys WHERE object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'[dbo].[FK_Department_Administrator]') AND parent_object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'[dbo].[Department]'))
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Department] WITH CHECK ADD CONSTRAINT [FK_Department_Administrator] FOREIGN KEY([Administrator])
REFERENCES [dbo].[Person] ([PersonID])
GO
ALTER TABLE [dbo].[Department] CHECK CONSTRAINT [FK_Department_Administrator]
To implement the mapping specification for table-per-hierarchy inheritance hierarchy
Map the entities of the table-per-hierarchy conceptual schema to entities in the storage schema. A single table is used to contain data for the three types defined in this table-per-hierarchy example. The mapping schema is written in mapping specification language (MSL).
Use a discriminator column to specify type in the hierarchy in this example of table-per-hierarchy inheritance. The Condition line in this schema includes Column and Value attributes. The PersonCategory Column with a Value of 0 indicates the base type Person. A Value of 1 indicates the Student type; a Value of 2 indicates the Instructor type; and the Value of 3 indicates the Administrator type.
Map all three EntityTypeMapping segments in the hierarchy under a single EntitySetMapping named People. The complete mapping specification is shown below.
<!-- C-S mapping content -->
<edmx:Mappings>
<Mapping xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:windows:storage:mapping:CS"
Space="C-S">
<Alias Key="Model" Value="SchoolDataLib" />
<Alias Key="Target" Value="SchoolDataLib.Target" />
<EntityContainerMapping CdmEntityContainer="SchoolDataLibContainer"
StorageEntityContainer="dbo">
<!-- Mapping for table-per-type inheritance-->
<EntitySetMapping Name="Departments">
<EntityTypeMapping
TypeName="IsTypeOf(SchoolDataLib.Department)">
<MappingFragment StoreEntitySet="Department">
<ScalarProperty
Name="DepartmentID" ColumnName="DepartmentID" />
<ScalarProperty Name="Name" ColumnName="Name" />
<ScalarProperty Name="Budget" ColumnName="Budget" />
<ScalarProperty
Name="StartDate" ColumnName="StartDate" />
</MappingFragment>
</EntityTypeMapping>
<EntityTypeMapping TypeName="SchoolDataLib.DeptBusiness">
<MappingFragment StoreEntitySet="DeptBusiness">
<ScalarProperty Name="DepartmentID"
ColumnName="BusinessDeptID" />
<ScalarProperty Name="AccountingBudget"
ColumnName="AccountingBudget" />
<ScalarProperty Name="LegalBudget"
ColumnName="LegalBudget" />
</MappingFragment>
</EntityTypeMapping>
<EntityTypeMapping TypeName="SchoolDataLib.DeptEngineering">
<MappingFragment StoreEntitySet="DeptEngineering">
<ScalarProperty Name="DepartmentID"
ColumnName="EngineeringDeptID" />
<ScalarProperty Name="FiberOpticsBudget"
ColumnName="FiberOpticsBudget" />
<ScalarProperty Name="LabBudget"
ColumnName="LabBudget" />
</MappingFragment>
</EntityTypeMapping>
<EntityTypeMapping TypeName="SchoolDataLib.DeptMusic">
<MappingFragment StoreEntitySet="DeptMusic">
<ScalarProperty Name="DepartmentID"
ColumnName="DeptMusicID" />
<ScalarProperty Name="TheaterBudget"
ColumnName="TheaterBudget" />
<ScalarProperty Name="InstrumentBudget"
ColumnName="InstrumentBudget" />
</MappingFragment>
</EntityTypeMapping>
</EntitySetMapping>
<!--Mapping for table-per-hierarchy inheritance-->
<EntitySetMapping Name="People">
<EntityTypeMapping TypeName="SchoolDataLib.Person">
<MappingFragment StoreEntitySet="Person">
<ScalarProperty Name="PersonID" ColumnName="PersonID"/>
<ScalarProperty Name="FirstName" ColumnName="FirstName"/>
<ScalarProperty Name="LastName" ColumnName="LastName"/>
<Condition ColumnName="PersonCategory" Value="0" />
</MappingFragment>
</EntityTypeMapping>
<EntityTypeMapping TypeName="SchoolDataLib.Student">
<MappingFragment StoreEntitySet="Person">
<ScalarProperty Name="PersonID" ColumnName="PersonID" />
<ScalarProperty Name="FirstName" ColumnName="FirstName" />
<ScalarProperty Name="LastName" ColumnName="LastName" />
<ScalarProperty
Name="EnrollmentDate" ColumnName="EnrollmentDate" />
<Condition ColumnName="PersonCategory" Value="1" />
</MappingFragment>
</EntityTypeMapping>
<EntityTypeMapping TypeName="SchoolDataLib.Instructor">
<MappingFragment StoreEntitySet="Person">
<ScalarProperty Name="PersonID" ColumnName="PersonID" />
<ScalarProperty Name="FirstName" ColumnName="FirstName" />
<ScalarProperty Name="LastName" ColumnName="LastName" />
<ScalarProperty Name="HireDate" ColumnName="HireDate" />
<Condition ColumnName="PersonCategory" Value="2" />
</MappingFragment>
</EntityTypeMapping>
<EntityTypeMapping TypeName="SchoolDataLib.Administrator">
<MappingFragment StoreEntitySet="Person">
<ScalarProperty Name="PersonID" ColumnName="PersonID" />
<ScalarProperty Name="FirstName" ColumnName="FirstName" />
<ScalarProperty Name="LastName" ColumnName="LastName" />
<ScalarProperty Name="AdminDate" ColumnName="AdminDate" />
<Condition ColumnName="PersonCategory" Value="3" />
</MappingFragment>
</EntityTypeMapping>
</EntitySetMapping>
<AssociationSetMapping Name="FK_Department_Administrator"
TypeName="SchoolDataLib.FK_Department_Administrator"
StoreEntitySet="Department">
<EndProperty Name="Person">
<ScalarProperty Name="PersonID" ColumnName="Administrator" />
</EndProperty>
<EndProperty Name="Department">
<ScalarProperty Name="DepartmentID" ColumnName="DepartmentID" />
</EndProperty>
<Condition ColumnName="Administrator" IsNull="false" />
</AssociationSetMapping>
</EntityContainerMapping>
</Mapping>
</edmx:Mappings>
See Also
Tasks
How to: Create and Execute Object Queries using Table-per-Hierarchy Inheritance (Entity Framework)
How to: Add and Modify Objects with Table-per-Hierarchy Inheritance (Entity Framework)
How to: Create and Execute Object Queries using Table-per-Hierarchy Inheritance (Entity Framework)