Let's walk through the complete process of setting up the database and running the application to see its full functionality.
The application uses Entity Framework Core with SQL Server. Here's how to set it up:
Open the project in Visual Studio
Verify Database Connection String
appsettings.json and check that the connection string is correct:"ConnectionStrings": {
"DefaultConnection": "Server=(localdb)\\mssqllocaldb;Database=BusinessManagement;Trusted_Connection=True;MultipleActiveResultSets=true"
}Open Package Manager Console
Tools > NuGet Package Manager > Package Manager ConsoleRun EF Core Migrations
Add-Migration InitialCreateUpdate-DatabaseIf you prefer using the command line or are using Visual Studio Code:
Install EF Core Tools (if not already installed)
dotnet tool install --global dotnet-efCreate and apply migrations
dotnet ef migrations add InitialCreate
dotnet ef database updateSet the startup project
Run the application
Run the application
dotnet runOpen the application in your browser
https://localhost:5001 or http://localhost:5000Once the application is running, you can explore its functionality using the test accounts provided:
Home Page
Business Listings
User Authentication
Business Owner Features (login as john@example.com)
Customer Features (login as jane@example.com)
Admin Features (login as admin@example.com)
appsettings.jsonsqllocaldb info in command prompt to check available instancesIf you get errors during migration, try:
Add-Migration InitialCreate -Verboseto see more detailed error information
Ensure all required packages are installed:
dotnet restoreAfter exploring the basic functionality, you might want to:
The application demonstrates a complete business management system with user authentication, business profiles, appointment booking, reviews, and administrative features, all integrated with a SQL Server database through Entity Framework Core.
I understand you want to use the frontend files I provided to run and preview the application. Let's go through how to properly set up and run the application with these frontend views.
The frontend files I provided need to be in the correct folders in your ASP.NET Core MVC project:
View Files should be in their respective folders:
Views/Home/Index.cshtml → in the Views/Home folderViews/Account/Login.cshtml → in the Views/Account folderViews/Businesses/Details.cshtml → in the Views/Businesses folderViews/BusinessDashboard/Index.cshtml → in the Views/BusinessDashboard folderViews/Shared/_Layout.cshtml → in the Views/Shared folderCSS Files should be in:
wwwroot/css/site.cssYou'll need to create a few additional essential view files for the application to work properly:
// Views/_ViewImports.cshtml
@using BusinessManagement
@using BusinessManagement.Models
@using BusinessManagement.ViewModels
@addTagHelper *, Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.TagHelpers// Views/_ViewStart.cshtml
@{
Layout = "_Layout";
}Make sure you have these folders in your project structure:
wwwroot/images - For storing imageswwwroot/lib - For libraries like Bootstrap and jQueryBuild the project to make sure all files are compiled correctly
dotnet buildRun the application
dotnet runAccess the application in your browser
https://localhost:5001 or http://localhost:5000Here's what you should see when you run the application:
If you encounter issues with the frontend:
Verify CSS and JavaScript files are being loaded correctly
Check for missing images
wwwroot/images folderBootstrap and jQuery
Layout issues
_Layout.cshtml file is correctly referenced_ViewStart.cshtml and _ViewImports.cshtml are presentThe application is seeded with sample data including:
This allows you to immediately see how the application works with realistic data without having to create everything from scratch.
Would you like me to provide any specific view files that might be missing, or do you need help with a particular aspect of running the application?