Add a new entity

Define an entity class — AutoRepo picks it up on first use.

Create a class with [Table] and [Column] attributes. No registration, no migration file.

using LinqToDB.Mapping;
using SmartData.Server.Attributes;

namespace MyApp.Entities;

[Table]
[Index("IX_Product_Sku", nameof(Sku), Unique = true)]
[Index("IX_Product_Category", nameof(CategoryId))]
public class Product
{
    [PrimaryKey, Identity]
    [Column] public int Id { get; set; }

    [Column, MaxLength(64)] public string Sku   { get; set; } = "";
    [Column]                public string Name  { get; set; } = "";
    [Column]                public decimal Price { get; set; }
    [Column]                public int    CategoryId { get; set; }
    [Column, Nullable]      public string? Description { get; set; }

    // Audit fields
    [Column] public DateTime CreatedOn { get; set; }
    [Column] public string   CreatedBy { get; set; } = "";
    [Column, Nullable] public DateTime? ModifiedOn { get; set; }
    [Column, Nullable] public string?   ModifiedBy { get; set; }
}

What happens on first use

With SchemaMode.Auto (default), the first time a procedure does ctx.GetTable<Product>() or ctx.Insert(new Product { ... }):

  1. SmartData inspects the database.
  2. If the Product table is missing, it's created with all columns.
  3. Missing columns are added.
  4. Missing indexes are created.

Subsequent calls skip the check.

Conventions to follow

  • Initialize non-nullable strings to "" so they never come back null.
  • Nullable columns → [Nullable] on the column + ? on the type.
  • Relationships → foreign-key properties (CategoryId), not navigation properties.
  • No inheritance; entities are flat.
  • Audit fields (CreatedOn/By, ModifiedOn/By) aren't required but conventional — procedures set them.

What Auto will NOT do for you

  • Rename a property → you get a new column; the old one stays with its data.
  • Change a column's type → not migrated.
  • Delete a removed property → column stays.
  • Drop the table if you delete the class → stays.

If you need a destructive change, do it yourself in a migration.