title: Does the Entity Framework use a default intital catalog and what assumptions does it make?
body: <p>I did (pretty much) everything correct in a new EF project, but I forgot to use the named connection string in the EF context class, so, it used the default.</p>
  
  <p>It created a new database inside the SQL Express default data directory, and it worked perfectly.</p>
  
  <p>When I realised my mistake (After wondering for ages why no files were showing up in the app_data folder), I renamed the class to use the named connection string and then I kept getting the following error:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>Unable to complete operation. The
    supplied SqlConnection does not
    specify an initial catalog.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>I know how to fix this, but, EF is like magic to me! I can't believe it works as well as it does and I am just curious as to what it uses by default / is there a list anywhere of "assumptions" that EF uses on your behalf if you specify nothing?</p>