Adding Metadata to Generated Classes

If you work with generated classes at all, especially with frameworks like Entity Framework, you've inevitably faced the issue of putting metadata on a generated class. This is easier to do than you might think. For example, let's say you have the following generated class:

1:  public partial class GeneratedClass  
2:  {  
3:     // some code here  
4:  }  

If your generated class is a partial class and you're trying to add class-level metadata, simply create another partial class and add the property as follows:

1:  [MyClassMetadata]  
2:  public partial class GeneratedClass  
3:  {  
4:  }  

On the other hand, if you want to add metadata to a property, you can use the MetadataType attribute as follows. Again, create a second partial class to do this.

1:  [MetadataType(typeof(GeneratedClassValidation))]  
2:  public partial class GeneratedClass()  
3:  {  
4:  }  
5:  public class GeneratedClassValidation  
6:  {  
7:     [MyPropertyAttribute]  
8:     public string MyProperty { get; set; }  
9:  }