c# - Seeding Many to Many EF Code First Relationship -

there few other posts on topic saw not able correct answer yet (my own fault sure) want seed database , have set many many relationship, can't figure out how seed second entity first entities id.

        var users = new list<user>()         {             new user()             {                 id = 1,                 firstname = "clark",                 lastname = "kent"             },             new user()             {                 id = 2,                 firstname = "lex",                 lastname = "luther"             }         };         users.foreach(p => context.users.add(p));         var messages = new list<message>()         {             new message()             {                 id = 1,                 senderid = 2,                 recipients = new list<user> { id = 2, id = 3}  // <<< problem here             }         }         messages.foreach(p => context.messages.add(p));                     base.seed(context); 

my message class.

public class message {     public int id { get; set; }     public int senderid { get; set; }     public int recipientsid { get; set; }     public virtual user sender { get; set; }     public virtual icollection<user> recipients { get; set; } } 

my user class.

public class user {     public int id { get; set; }     public string firstname { get; set; }     public string lastname { get; set; }     public virtual icollection<message> messages { get; set; } } 

to clear - can seed users no problem, if there typos or copy paste errors aren't big deal because know working besides being able create list of recipients have been seeded.

thanks in advance

this old thread ive had similar problem thought offer answer. need query users object created above

var messages = new list<message>()     {         new message()         {             id = 1,             senderid = 2,             recipients = new list<user>()             {                users.single(u => u.id == 1),                users.single(u => u.id == 2)         }     }