EF4 trying to re-create database even though it's already there? - asp.net-mvc

Question

I'm using ASP.NET MVC 3 and have learnt through the MVC Music Store and other sources. I was able to create a database and have it live but the weird thing was about 5 hours after it was live it went down and had the following error and stack trace:
Note: This also seems to be the case whenever I publish the site. I have to go and delete the database manually for it to re create it and then it will work. But now that I'm live I can't do that because data is already being stored in there that I don't want to redo.
File already exists. Try using a different database name. [ File name = C:\HostingSpaces\...\wwwroot\App_Data\Test.sdf ]
Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.
Exception Details: System.Data.SqlServerCe.SqlCeException: File already exists. Try using a different database name. [ File name = C:\HostingSpaces\mtnp55\pricexperience.com\wwwroot\App_Data\Test.sdf ]
Source Error:
An unhandled exception was generated during the execution of the current web request. Information regarding the origin and location of the exception can be identified using the exception stack trace below.
Stack Trace:
[SqlCeException (0x80004005): File already exists. Try using a different database name. [ File name = C:\HostingSpaces\...\wwwroot\App_Data\Test.sdf ]]
System.Data.SqlServerCe.SqlCeEngine.ProcessResults(IntPtr pError, Int32 hr) +72
System.Data.SqlServerCe.SqlCeEngine.CreateDatabase() +658
System.Data.SqlServerCe.SqlCeProviderServices.DbCreateDatabase(DbConnection connection, Nullable`1 timeOut, StoreItemCollection storeItemCollection) +194
System.Data.Objects.ObjectContext.CreateDatabase() +84
System.Data.Entity.Internal.DatabaseOperations.Create(ObjectContext objectContext) +8
System.Data.Entity.Database.Create() +76
System.Data.Entity.CreateDatabaseIfNotExists`1.InitializeDatabase(TContext context) +387
System.Data.Entity.<>c__DisplayClass2`1.<SetInitializerInternal>b__0(DbContext c) +75
System.Data.Entity.Internal.<>c__DisplayClass5.<PerformDatabaseInitialization>b__3() +19
System.Data.Entity.Internal.InternalContext.PerformInitializationAction(Action action) +72
System.Data.Entity.Internal.InternalContext.PerformDatabaseInitialization() +169
System.Data.Entity.Internal.LazyInternalContext.<InitializeDatabase>b__4(InternalContext c) +7
System.Data.Entity.Internal.RetryAction`1.PerformAction(TInput input) +118
System.Data.Entity.Internal.LazyInternalContext.InitializeDatabaseAction(Action`1 action) +190
System.Data.Entity.Internal.LazyInternalContext.InitializeDatabase() +73
System.Data.Entity.Internal.InternalContext.GetEntitySetAndBaseTypeForType(Type entityType) +28
System.Data.Entity.Internal.Linq.InternalSet`1.Initialize() +62
System.Data.Entity.Internal.Linq.InternalSet`1.get_InternalContext() +15
System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.DbQuery`1.System.Linq.IQueryable.get_Provider() +37
System.Linq.Queryable.Where(IQueryable`1 source, Expression`1 predicate) +63
PriceXperience.Controllers.AppsController.ViewLeaderboards(Int32 gameId) in C:\Users\Public\Documents\Development\...\Controllers\AppsController.cs:42
lambda_method(Closure , ControllerBase , Object[] ) +101
System.Web.Mvc.ActionMethodDispatcher.Execute(ControllerBase controller, Object[] parameters) +17
System.Web.Mvc.ReflectedActionDescriptor.Execute(ControllerContext controllerContext, IDictionary`2 parameters) +208
System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeActionMethod(ControllerContext controllerContext, ActionDescriptor actionDescriptor, IDictionary`2 parameters) +27
System.Web.Mvc.<>c__DisplayClass15.<InvokeActionMethodWithFilters>b__12() +55
System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeActionMethodFilter(IActionFilter filter, ActionExecutingContext preContext, Func`1 continuation) +263
System.Web.Mvc.<>c__DisplayClass17.<InvokeActionMethodWithFilters>b__14() +19
System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeActionMethodWithFilters(ControllerContext controllerContext, IList`1 filters, ActionDescriptor actionDescriptor, IDictionary`2 parameters) +191
System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeAction(ControllerContext controllerContext, String actionName) +343
System.Web.Mvc.Controller.ExecuteCore() +116
System.Web.Mvc.ControllerBase.Execute(RequestContext requestContext) +97
System.Web.Mvc.ControllerBase.System.Web.Mvc.IController.Execute(RequestContext requestContext) +10
System.Web.Mvc.<>c__DisplayClassb.<BeginProcessRequest>b__5() +37
System.Web.Mvc.Async.<>c__DisplayClass1.<MakeVoidDelegate>b__0() +21
System.Web.Mvc.Async.<>c__DisplayClass8`1.<BeginSynchronous>b__7(IAsyncResult _) +12
System.Web.Mvc.Async.WrappedAsyncResult`1.End() +62
System.Web.Mvc.<>c__DisplayClasse.<EndProcessRequest>b__d() +50
System.Web.Mvc.SecurityUtil.<GetCallInAppTrustThunk>b__0(Action f) +7
System.Web.Mvc.SecurityUtil.ProcessInApplicationTrust(Action action) +22
System.Web.Mvc.MvcHandler.EndProcessRequest(IAsyncResult asyncResult) +60
System.Web.Mvc.MvcHandler.System.Web.IHttpAsyncHandler.EndProcessRequest(IAsyncResult result) +9
System.Web.CallHandlerExecutionStep.System.Web.HttpApplication.IExecutionStep.Execute() +8841105
System.Web.HttpApplication.ExecuteStep(IExecutionStep step, Boolean& completedSynchronously) +184
I've tried many things but still cannot figure out why it does this. I do have a database initialize.
System.Data.Entity.Database.SetInitializer<MobileEntities>(new SampleData());
public class SampleData : CreateDatabaseIfNotExists<MobileEntities>
The code that runs when I try to access the db is the following:
public ActionResult ViewLeaderboards(int gameId)
{
var leaderboards = from u in mobileDB.Scores
where u.GameId == gameId
select u;
return View(leaderboards.OrderByDescending(u => u.Score).ToList());
}

Answer 1

When publishing you need to be sure to REMOVE the Initializer from the Global.asax. The Initializer is only for populating test data, and should not be in use during production. I also remember reading somewhere that setting the Initializer to null might work.
Database.SetInitializer<MyContext>(null);
Or just comment out the line where you call SetInitializer before publishing. I also exclude my Initializer class from the project before publishing.

Answer 2

The default strategy for Code First contexts is an instance of CreateDatabaseIfNotExists.
So it is necessary to include the
Database.SetInitializer<MyContext>(null);
so that the default initializer is not called which might then give an error!
Also, it is necessary to include the generic tag when setting it to null or the compiler will give an error.