1. Introduction

Writing mappings for models in large application is quite boring task. Fortunatelly, Fluent NHibernate provides possibility for automatic mapping creation – so called automappings.

2. Creating database and model

In order to show you, how to configure automappings in Fluent NHibernate, let’s create simple database along with model classes. The database structure is presented in the picture below.

Model classes which represent database tables look this way

3. Automappings configuration

Having our database and models prepared, now we can create and configure SessionFactory to use automappings.

As You can see I used the static AutoMap.AssemblyOf method. This method takes a generic type parameter from which Fluent NHibernate can deduce which assembly to look in for mappable entities. From now all classes defined in the assemlby of Project are mapped using build-in convention.

4. Mapping only specified classes

Mapping all classes from specyfic assembly may not be very useful. That is why, we need to “tell” Automapper which classes should be mapped. It can be achieved by creating custom configuration class which implements IAutomappingConfiguration interface or which is subclass of DefaultAutomappingConfiguration. IAutomappingConfiguration interface has quite a lot of functions, that is why I decided to craete class which inherits from DefaultAutomappingConfiguration and override only one method – ShouldMap

As You can see by overriding ShouldMap function,I specified that only classes which inherit from ModelBase class should be mapped. To use our new configuration, we need to pass an instance of it to AutoMap setup

5. Defining custom conventions

It is rather obvious that default automapping conventions may not come along with our database naming conventions. Fortunately we can create custom conventions(which override default ones), and pass them to AutoMap configuration. Here are examples of conventions I use IClassConvention – gives us access to properties and functions which allow us to change a default table name format for our entities.

IIdConvention is used for altering default identity conventions.

IPropertyConvention – allows us to modify properties mappings (lazy load, nullability,length etc)

IReferenceConvention – allows us to modify entities relationship convention

IHasManyConvention – allow us to modify default has-many relationship convention

In order to use new conventions we need to pass them into AutoMap configuration.

6. Overriding mappings

Sometimes it is necessary to slightly modify entity mapping. It can be achieved by creating class which implements IAutoMappingOverride interface

Override method gives us access to all actions known from fluent mappings. After creating class map, we have to call function UseOverridesFromAssemblyOf in our automapping configuration

7. It works

Here just couple of screens from NHibernateProfiler with basic queries




Source code for this post can be found here