ScriptCs Templating Support

If you havn’t yet heard about ScriptCs, it is not too late. Go here 

I just checked in a ScriptCs Templating module to integrate Razor and StringTemplate transformations in ScriptCs workflow. ScrtipCs Templating module can apply a Razor or StringTemplate (ST4) template on top of one or more model files (normally an xml file or json file), for scenarios like code generation or templating. Example below.

The first bits are https://github.com/amazedsaint/scriptcs-engine-templating

Installing template module

• Install scriptcs. You need to install the nightly build using Chocoloately - cinst scriptcs -pre -source https://www.myget.org/F/scriptcsnightly/ (Refer https://github.com/scriptcs/scriptcs if you don't understand this)
• Clone the repo at https://github.com/amazedsaint/scriptcs-engine-templating or download the source code from there.
• Open the solution and build it in Visual Studio.
• From the command line create a package: nuget pack -version 0.1.0-alpha
• In VS, edit your Nuget package sources (Tools->Library Package Manager->Settings) and add the folder where the package lives locally.
• Install the template package globally: scriptcs -install ScriptCs.Engine.Templating -g -pre

Rendering a template

• Note that what ever you pass after -- will goto the module as it's arguments.
• Run scriptcs with your template, file specifying our template module using -modules switch: scriptcs mytemplate.cst -loglevel debug -modules template - The -modules template argument let scriptcs load our template module.
• Check the log output for details.
• You can specify the output file using the -out switch -scriptcs mytemplate.cst -modules template -- -out result.txt (The parameters after -- are the template module parameters according to ScriptCs convention)

Rendering a template Using Models

Template module automagically converts xml files/urls and json files/urls to dynamic models that can be used from your template. Technically, it creates a C# fleuent dynamic object that wraps the xml/json.

Quick example: Create a new folder, and create a model.xml file inside that.

<model>
<class name="MyClass1">
  <property name="MyProperty1" type="string"/>
  <property name="MyProperty2" type="string"/>
</class>
  <class name="MyClass2">
    <property name="MyProperty1" type="string"/>
    <property name="MyProperty2" type="string"/>
  </class>
</model>

Now, create your template, and save it as template.cst - Let us use razor syntax.

@model dynamic

@foreach(var item in Model["class"])
{
   <p>@item.name is a class name</p>  
}

Now, you can run the transformation by specifying the model file, like this

scriptcs template.cst -modules template -- -xml model.xml -out result.txt

Let us rewrite the template to generate the class and properties from our XML model file

@model dynamic

@foreach(var c in Model["class"])
{
   @:class @c.name {

   foreach(var p in c["property"])
   {
       @:public @p.type @p.name {get;set;}
   }

   @:}
}

Regenerate the result file and see.

Transforming multiple model files

You may specify multiple model files

scriptcs template.cst -modules template -- -xml model1.xml -out result1.txt -xml model2.xml -out result2.txt

You may also use Json files as the model

scriptcs template.cst -modules template -- -json model.json -out result.cs

Accessing models from templates

For converting XML files/data to a dynamic model object that'll be accessed from templates, ElasticObject is used. Refer https://github.com/amazedsaint/ElasticObject

For converting Json files/data to a dynamic model object that'll be accessed from templates, DynamicJsonConverter is used. Refer http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3142495/deserialize-json-into-c-sharp-dynamic-object

Template module command line

Example usages:

• Render using template mytemplate.cst and ElasticObject dynamic model from model1.xml using Razor (Razor is default)
  •  scriptcs mytemplate.cst -modules template -- -xml model1.xml -out result1.txt
• Do the same as above, but using vb as the template language
  • scriptcs mytemplate.vbt -modules template -- -vb -xml model1.xml -out result1.txt
• Render using template mytemplate.st4 - Using StringTemplate instead of Razor
  • scriptcs mytemplate.st4 -modules template -- -st4 -xml model1.xml -out result1.txt

Parameter meaning:

• -out - Specify the output file for the given template or model
• -xml - Specify an xml model
• -json - Specify a json model
• -raw - Enforces raw encoding if using Razor engine
• -st4 - Uses StringTemplate (http://www.antlr.org/wiki/display/ST4/StringTemplate+4+Documentationinstead of Razor)
• -vb - Uses VB in razor files instead of C#

Additional References:

• Razor syntax http://haacked.com/archive/2011/01/06/razor-syntax-quick-reference.aspx/
• StringTemplate syntax http://www.antlr.org/wiki/display/ST4/StringTemplate+4+Documentation

More tests need to be added, and St4 support is a bit untested. Happy Coding.