Set database collation in Entity Framework Code-First Initializer

Solution with a command interceptor

It is definitely possible, though it's a bit of a hack. You can alter the CREATE DATABASE command with a command interceptor. Il will intercept all the commands sent to the database, recognize the database creation command based on a regex expression, and alter the command text with your collation.

Before database creation

DbInterception.Add(new CreateDatabaseCollationInterceptor("SQL_Romanian_Cp1250_CI_AS_KI_WI"));

The interceptor

public class CreateDatabaseCollationInterceptor : IDbCommandInterceptor
{
    private readonly string _collation;

    public CreateDatabaseCollationInterceptor(string collation)
    {
        _collation = collation;
    }

    public void NonQueryExecuted(DbCommand command, DbCommandInterceptionContext<int> interceptionContext) { }
    public void NonQueryExecuting(DbCommand command, DbCommandInterceptionContext<int> interceptionContext)
    {
        // Works for SQL Server
        if (Regex.IsMatch(command.CommandText, @"^create database \[.*]$"))
        {
            command.CommandText += " COLLATE " + _collation;
        }
    }
    public void ReaderExecuted(DbCommand command, DbCommandInterceptionContext<DbDataReader> interceptionContext) { }
    public void ReaderExecuting(DbCommand command, DbCommandInterceptionContext<DbDataReader> interceptionContext) { }
    public void ScalarExecuted(DbCommand command, DbCommandInterceptionContext<object> interceptionContext) { }
    public void ScalarExecuting(DbCommand command, DbCommandInterceptionContext<object> interceptionContext) { }
}

Remarks

Since the database is created with the right collation from the start, all the columns will automatically inherit that collation and you wan't have to ALTER them afterwards.

Be aware that it will impact any later database creation occurring inside the application domain. So you might want to remove the interceptor after the database is created.

I was able to change collation with a custom migration (EF6). I have automatic migrations enabled. You need to delete your DB first.

1. Create the migration code by typing Add-Migration [YourCustomMigration] in Package Manager Console. (Code First Migrations)
2. First step should create your migration class with current model creation code in the Up() override. Add your ALTER DATABASE code BEFORE the table creation codes so they are created using the database collation you want. Also, note the suppressTransaction flag:

public override void Up() { Sql("ALTER DATABASE [YourDB] COLLATE [YourCollation]", suppressTransaction: true); [...Your DB Objects Creation codes here...] }

Each update-database command issued from then on creates a new migration class. All migration codes are executed in order.

My solution with EFCore 2.1 was to derive from the SqlServerMigrationsSqlGenerator and override Generate(SqlServerCreateDatabaseOperation, IModel, MigrationCommandListBuilder)

    internal class CustomSqlServerMigrationsSqlGenerator : SqlServerMigrationsSqlGenerator
    {
        internal const string DatabaseCollationName = "SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AI";

        public CustomSqlServerMigrationsSqlGenerator(
            MigrationsSqlGeneratorDependencies dependencies,
            IMigrationsAnnotationProvider migrationsAnnotations)
        : base(dependencies, migrationsAnnotations)
        {
        }

        protected override void Generate(
            SqlServerCreateDatabaseOperation operation,
            IModel model,
            MigrationCommandListBuilder builder)
        {
            base.Generate(operation, model, builder);

            if (DatabaseCollationName != null)
            {
                builder
                    .Append("ALTER DATABASE ")
                    .Append(Dependencies.SqlGenerationHelper.DelimitIdentifier(operation.Name))
                    .Append(" COLLATE ")
                    .Append(DatabaseCollationName)
                    .AppendLine(Dependencies.SqlGenerationHelper.StatementTerminator)
                    .EndCommand(suppressTransaction: true);
            }
        }
    }

    protected override void OnConfiguring(DbContextOptionsBuilder optionsBuilder)
    {
        base.OnConfiguring(optionsBuilder);
        optionsBuilder.ReplaceService<IMigrationsSqlGenerator, CustomSqlServerMigrationsSqlGenerator>();
    }

then used it in the DbContext by replacing the IMigrationsSqlGenerator service

public class MyDbContext : DbContext
{
    //...

    protected override void OnConfiguring(DbContextOptionsBuilder optionsBuilder)
    {
        base.OnConfiguring(optionsBuilder);
        optionsBuilder.ReplaceService<IMigrationsSqlGenerator, CustomSqlServerMigrationsSqlGenerator>();
    }

    //...
}