title: What is the correct format for Running Entity Framework migrate.exe tool without a Web/App.config?
body: <p>We recently switched to Entity Framework data migrations and I am working on some build automation scripts for our MVC app. I can successfully run the migrations from our build server using the migrate.exe tool in 4.3 <em>if I have a Web.config to point it at.</em> The command looks something like:</p>
  
  <pre><code>ProjectName\packages\EntityFramework.4.3.1\tools\migrate.exe MyAssembly
      /startupdirectory:ProjectName\bin\Debug 
      /startupconfigurationfile:ProjectName\Web.config 
      /verbose
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>However, for various reasons I would like to avoid using the Web.config and just pass in the correct connection string at the time of the migration:</p>
  
  <pre><code>ProjectName\packages\EntityFramework.4.3.1\tools\migrate.exe MyAssembly
      /startupdirectory:ProjectName\bin\Debug 
      /connectionString:"Data Source=awesomeserver;Initial Catalog=awesomedatabase;User Id=funkyuser;Password=crazypassword" 
      /verbose
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>This does not work. Worse, it crashes migrate.exe with a NullReferenceException. The connection string is identical to the one we use in our Web.config.</p>
  
  <p>Anyone encountered this before? Is my connection string format wrong? Bug?</p>