DragoAnt.Extensions.T4 1.0.1

Extensions.T4

Overview

Extensions.T4 is a library designed to enhance the capabilities of T4 (Text Template Transformation Toolkit) templates. It provides utilities and extensions that simplify the process of generating code using T4 templates.

Purpose

The main purpose of this package is to facilitate the generation of data-driven code using T4 templates. It allows developers to define templates that can dynamically generate code based on input data, making it easier to maintain and scale codebases.

Features

• Data-Driven Code Generation: Use input data to drive the generation of code, reducing manual coding and potential errors.
• Customizable Templates: Create templates that can be reused across different projects or modules.
• Integration with Existing Projects: Easily integrate T4 templates into existing projects to automate repetitive coding tasks.

Example Usage

Below is an example of how to use a T4 template with the Extensions.T4 package. This example demonstrates generating a static class with a property that returns an array of integers.

T4 Template: TestTemplate.tt

<#@ template language="C#" linePragmas="false" inherits="BaseTransformation<TemplateTestData>" visibility="internal" #>
<#@ import namespace="DragoAnt.Extensions.T4" #>
namespace <#= Data.Namespace #>;
internal static class TestClass
{
public static int[] Property => [<#= string.Join(", ", Data.Numbers) #>];
}

Explanation

• Template Inheritance: The template inherits from BaseTransformation<TemplateTestData>, allowing it to access the data model TemplateTestData.
• Namespace Generation: The namespace is dynamically generated using Data.Namespace.
• Property Generation: The Property is an array of integers, generated from Data.Numbers.

Project Properties for .tt File

To ensure the .tt file works correctly, make sure the following properties are set in your project file (.csproj):

• Generator: Set to TextTemplatingFilePreprocessor.
• LastGenOutput: Specifies the output file name, e.g., TestTemplate.cs.

Example of TemplateTestData

Here's an example of what the TemplateTestData class might look like:

public class TemplateTestData
{
    public string Namespace { get; set; }
    public List<int> Numbers { get; set; }
}

How to Use TestTemplate

Here's a step-by-step example similar to the one in TemplateTests.cs:

1. Prepare Data: Create an instance of TemplateTestData with the desired namespace and numbers.

   var data = new TemplateTestData
   {
       Namespace = "MyNamespace",
       Numbers = new List<int> { 1, 2, 3 }
   };
   

2. Run the Template: Use the T4 template engine to process TestTemplate.tt with your data.

   var template = new TestTemplate
   {
       Data = data
   };
   var result = template.TransformText();
   

3. Integrate Generated Code: The generated code will be available in your project, ready for use.

Getting Started

To start using Extensions.T4, include it in your project and create T4 templates as shown in the example. Customize the templates to fit your specific needs and data structures.

License

This project is licensed under the terms of the MIT license. See the LICENSE file for details.