Running Sharp MVC Scaffolding project

Sharp MVC Architecture will create a default CrudScaffolding code generation project in each New Project it creates. Sharp’s scaffolding uses the Visual Studio T4 Templating technology for code generation. T4 (Text Template Transformation Toolkit) is the code generator built right into Visual Studio. To create a template all you need is to add a text file but with the name extension “.tt” and save any changes.

Using the code generation that comes with Sharp Architecture requires little customization to start creating your classes. For any serious or more in deep code generation like creating your own custom templates I will have to recommend the Clarious Visual T4 Editor. Visual T4 provides support for C# code, preview of the transformation output, preview of the generated transformation class, enhanced debugging, support for ASP.NET MVC, MS Build support and even NHibernate code generation samples. Clarius offers a free T4 Editor Community Edition with less features too.

Okay, back to our Sharp MVC scaffolding project:

Sharp Scaffolding generated classes

Running T4 scaffolding will create the following classes:

1. An entity class (ex. User.cs) in {MyProject}.Core namespace.
2. An entity test class (ex. UserTests.cs) in Tests.{MyProject}.Core namespace.
3. A new folder (ex. Users) under Views containing the following pages (views):
   • Create.aspx
   • Edit.aspx
   • Index.aspx
   • Show.aspx
   • UserForm.ascx (control)
4. A controller class (ex. UsersController.cs) in {MyProject}.Web.Controllers namespace.
5. A controller test class (ex. UserControllerTests) in Tests.{MyProject}.Web.Controllers namespace.

Steps to create an entity class using Sharp MVC scaffolding:

1. Open “ScaffoldingGeneratorCommand.tt” and pass the name of your Entity to the EntityScaffoldingDetails constructor.
   

   EntityScaffoldingDetails constructor
2. Add instances of EntityProperty, one for each property on the Entity (not including the Id property). Obviously, delete the few existing properties included for demonstration purposes. Please review CrudScaffolding/EntityScaffoldingDetails.tt for a described listing of parameters which the overloaded constructor of EntityProperty can accept.
   

   EntityProperty constructor parameters

3. Un-comment the last line, generator.Run() , and save the file. The file generation will occur automatically. After it has completed, re-comment // generator.Run()

Compilation Transformation Error Messages

If you get a lot of errors like this: “Compiling Transformation: ‘Microsoft….ShowTemplate’ does not implement inherited abstract member ‘Microsoft.VisualStudio.TextTemplating.TextTransformation.TransformText()’ do this:

1. Replace all the protected override void RenderCore() in the Templates (such as Templates/Core/DomainObjectTemplate.tt) to: ‘public override string TransformText()’
   Append return this.GenerationEnvironment.ToString(); at the end of public override string TransformText() method

RenderCore method replace locations

Replaced from template

After code generation by T4 is completed, build and run some tests to make sure everything is fine. And after that don’t forget to add your table to your database if you haven’t done that yet.

Links:

• Clarius Visual T4 can be found here: http://www.visualt4.com/home.html

• Sharp Wiki Visual Studio Templates and Code Generation can be found here: http://wiki.sharparchitecture.net/VSTemplatesAndCodeGen.ashx