Enlist Visual Studio’s Built-in Code Generation Tools to Write Better Software Faster
Automatic code generation can dramatically increase your productivity, improve code quality and maintainability, promote reuse, and help you extend best practices throughout your development organization. .NET and Visual Studio contain many powerful, code-generation tools—and this book shows you how to succeed with all of them. With Practical Code Generation in .NET, spend less time writing monotonous, repetitive code—leaving more time to address troublesome areas!
Microsoft MVP Peter Vogel covers code generation with Visual Studio 2010, 2008, and 2005, as well as all recent versions of .NET, including .NET 4.0. You’ll learn when enlisting code generation makes sense and how to design solutions that build on the skills and resources you already have.
Writing for experienced programmers, Vogel shows how to generate reliable code using procedural code, Visual Studio add-ins, XML, configuration files, and more—including Microsoft’s innovative CodeDOM technology for generating code in multiple languages. He brings everything together in three complete, chapter-length case studies.
Coverage includes
- Understanding the structure of .NET code-generation solutions and best practices for architecting them
- Creating Visual Studio add-ins that quickly integrate code generation into day-to-day activities
- Using objects and methods to add or remove project components
- Using text insertion to generate code using any tool—even standard string handling functions
- Working with the specific features of C#, Visual Basic .NET, and ASP.NET
- Generating more concise code with .NET’s new Text Template Transformation Toolkit (T4)
- Building code-generation solutions with Visual Studio templates, attributes, and custom tools
- Distributing code-generation solutions
Table of Contents:
Foreword . . . xiv
Preface . . . xvi
Acknowledgments . . . xx
About the Author . . . xxi
Chapter 1 Introducing Code Generation . . . 1
Repetitive Code: Your History . . . 2
Copy-and-Paste . . . 2
General-Purpose Code . . . 3
Benefits of Code Generation . . . 4
When to Use Code Generation . . .7
Best Practices in Code-Generation Solutions . . . 10
Code-Generation Process . . . 11
Code-Generation Tools . . .12
Model-Driven Architecture, Declarative Programming, and Code Generation . . . 14
Model-Driven Architecture . . . 14
Declarative Programming . . . 17
PART I: TOOLS . . . 19
Chapter 2 Integrating with Visual Studio . . . 21
Design-Time Integration . . .22
Starting Your Visual Studio Add-In . . . 23
Laying the Foundation . . . 24
Integrating with Visual Studio . . . 27
Writing a Generation Class in Visual Studio . . . 30
Working with COM . . .31
Debugging Issues in Visual Studio 2005/2008 . . . 32
The OnConnection Method . . .34
Removing Add-In Menus . . . 35
Creating a Menu-Driven User Interface . . . 36
Extending Your Menus . . . 36
Adding Additional Menus . . . 37
Finding the Menu . . . 38
Adding the Menu Item . . . 40
Supporting Multiple Menu Items . . . 42
Creating Submenus . . .43
Adding Submenus . . . 44
Context Menus . . . 44
Accessing the Context . . . 46
Working with Visual Studio Windows . . . 49
Using the Task List Window . . .49
Retrieving Selected Items . . . 50
Writing Messages to the Output Window and the TaskList . . . 51
AutoNavigate in Visual Studio 2005 . . .55
Final Touches . . . 57
Responding to Events . . . 58
Simple Events . . . 58
Filtered Events . . . 60
Working with Document Events . . . 61
Extracting Event Packages . . . 63
Finishing Events . . . 64
Accepting Input . . . 65
Options . . . 65
Creating a Dockable Window . . . 65
Saving Input Values . . .69
Adding an Options Tab . . . 71
Accessing and Saving Option Properties . . . 73
Integrating with Visual Studio . . . 76
Chapter 3 Manipulating Project Components . . . 77
The Code Model . . . 78
Code Model Caveats . . . 79
Managing Projects and Solutions . . . 80
Creating Projects . . . 80
Referencing the Project Items Collection . . . 82
Adding Folders to a Project . . .83
Adding Files . . . 84
Copying Boilerplate Code . . . 86
Generating Code . . . 86
Introducing CodeModel and FileCodeModel . . . 86
Generating Code . . . 89
Modifying and Analyzing Components . . .110
Finding Projects and Project Items . . . 110
Reading Project Properties . . .113
Removing Items . . . 113
Checking for Changes . . . 114
Processing Components in a File . . . 114
Processing All the Components in a File . . . 114
Retrieving Components by Name . . . 116
Retrieving Components by Location . . .117
Working with Retrieved Elements . . . 118
Determining If an Element Can Be Modified . . . 118
Writing Language-Specific Code . . . 119
Using CodeElement with the Position Parameter . . . 119
Choosing Interfaces . . . 120
The CodeEvent Object . . . 121
Working with the CodeType Objects . . . 121
Finding Components with CodeType . . .121
Simple CodeType Options . . .124
Working with Comments and Documentation Comments . . . 124
Working with Related Classes . . . 125
Storing Information . . . 126
Storing Strings in the Globals Object . . . 127
Working with Project Components . . . 128
Chapter 4 Modifying Code in the Editor . . . 129
Opening and Closing Documents and TextDocuments . . . 130
Accessing the Document/TextDocument . . . 130
Making the Document Available to the Developer . . . 131
Closing the Document . . .132
Backing Out Changes . . .133
Creating and Finishing a Context . . . 133
Getting Information on the Context . . . 135
Creating EditPoints to Access Text . . . 135
Retrieving EditPoints with the TextDocument . . . 136
Retrieving EditPoints with the FileCodeModel . . . 136
Retrieving CodeElements from Text . . . 138
Retrieving Information . . .139
Document and TextDocument Objects . . . 139
Document Object Only . . . 140
EditPoint . . .140
Accessing Text with an EditPoint . . . 140
Retrieving Text . . . 141
Relocating the EditPoint . . . 143
Finding Text . . . 144
Finding Text with Regular Expressions . . . 146
Working with Bookmarks . . . 147
Creating Bookmarks . . . 147
Inserting, Replacing, and Formatting Text . . . 149
Inserting and Deleting Text . . .149
Replace Selected Text . . . 150
Bulk Insertions . . . 151
Cleaning Up after Insertions . . . 151
Bulk Replacements . . .152
Controlling the Text Being Displayed . . .153
Formatting Code . . . 154
Smart Formatting . . . 154
Controlled Indenting . . . 154
Inserting and Reading Text . . . 155
Chapter 5 Supporting Project-Specific Features . . . 157
Introducing the VSLangProj Libraries . . . 158
Working with Projects . . . 160
Reference Objects . . .170
Managing a “Projectless” Website . . . 170
Working with the Website . . .171
Adding New Components . . .172
Working with Website Items . . . . 179
Project-Specific Features . . .. . . 180
Chapter 6 Generating Language-Neutral Code . . . 181
A Comprehensive Example . . . 182
The Code to Be Generated . . . 183
Using Variables, Data Types, and Literals . . . 184
Creating Namespaces and Classes . . .185
Adding Methods with Parameters . . . 186
Adding Statements to Methods . . . 187
Generating Code . . . 188
Declarations . . . 189
Local Scalar Variables . . . 190
Arrays . . . 193
Delegates . . . 195
Defining Classes . . . 197
Inheritance and Interfaces . . .198
Generics and Partial Classes . . . 199
Class Members . . . 200
Fields . . . 200
Methods . . . 201
Parameters . . . 205
Events . . . 206
Constructors . . . 211
Entry Points . . . 213
Properties . . . 214
Creating an Indexer . . . 216
Statements and Expressions . . . 216
Expressions . . . 217
Statements . . . 224
Code Structures . . . 228
If...Then . . . 228
For Loops . . . 229
Try...Catch . . . 232
When All Else Fails: Code Snippets . . . 235
Snippet Expressions and Statements . . .236
Compile Units . . . 237
Other Code Features . . . 238
Generating Valid Names . . . 238
Adding Comments . . . 239
Adding Custom Attributes . . . 240
Using Directives to Organize Code into Regions . . . 241
UserData (Option Strict and Option Compare) . . . 242
Code Providers . . . 243
Generating Code . . . 243
Generating Partial Code . . . 246
Compiling Code . . . 246
Generating Code . . . 247
Chapter 7 Generating Code from Templates with T4 . . . 249
T4 in Visual Studio . . . 251
T4 Code-Generation Strategies . . . 252
Options for Extending T4 . . . 253
The T4 Process . . . 253
Creating a T4 Template . . . 254
Escape Characters . . . 257
Directives . . . 258
Adding Helper Methods . . . 261
Generating Errors and Warnings . . . 263
Review . . . 264
Accessing the Generated Code . . . 264
Controlling Code Indentation . . . 264
Extending T4 . . . 265
Creating a New Base Class . . . 265
Defining Custom Directives . . . 267
Invoking Templates from Code . . . 270
Configuring the Project . . . 271
Invoking the Template Using the Visual Studio Host . . . 272
Invoking the Template with a Custom Host . . . 273
Defining a Custom Host . . .274
Adding Custom Methods to the Host . . .280
Passing Parameters to a Template . . . 281
Supporting Custom Directives . . . 282
Leveraging Templates . . .283
Chapter 8 Other Tools: Templates, Attributes, and Custom Tools . . . 285
Item Templates . . . 286
Using the Wizard . . . 287
Template Components . . . 290
Modifying/Creating a Template Control File . . . 293
Attributes . . . 305
Introducing Attributes . . . 306
Creating a Custom Attribute . . . 308
Processing Attributes with Reflection . . . 311
Documenting with Attributes . . . 315
Generating Code from Custom File Formats . . . 315
Setting Up the Project . . . 316
Integrating Custom Tools . . . 323
Reviewing the Tools . . . 329
PART II: CASE STUDIES . . . 331
Chapter 9 Case Study: Generating a Connection String Manager . . . 333
Defining the Problem . . . 334
A Model Solution . . . 335
Supporting Customization . . . 337
Setting Up the Add-In . . . 337
Defining the Add-In . . . 337
Creating the Menu . . . 338
Calling the Solution . . . 342
Creating the Code Generator . . . 343
Finding the Project . . . 344
Does Anything Need to be Done? . . . 345
Segregating Generated Code . . . 346
Adding the Template . . . 349
Customizing the Template . . . 350
Fixing the Namespace . . . 352
Modifying the Class . . . 353
Adding a Reference . . . 355
Generating Code . . . 355
Reading Input . . . 356
Processing the Configuration File . . . 357
Adding Property Code . . . 358
Notifying the Developer . . . 359
Defining the Output Utility . . . 359
Handling the Task List . . . 360
Using the Output Method . . . 361
Supporting Customization . . . 362
Customizable Code . . . 362
Accepting Input . . . 363
Defining the Options Dialog . . . 363
Saving Developer Choices . . . 364
Option Manager Class . . . 365
Creating the User Control . . . 366
Implementing the User Control Interface . . . 367
Integrating with the Add-In . . . 369
Generating Custom Code . . . 370
Adding Custom Code . . . 371
Tying Generation to Events . . . 371
Integrating with Builds . . . 372
Integrating with Documents . . . 373
Generating a Simple Class . . . 375
Chapter 10 Case Study: Generating Validation Code . . . 377
Defining the Problem . . . 378
The Dedicated Code Solution . . . 378
The Generalized Code Solution . . . 380
The Generated Code Solution . . . 380
Creating the Validator . . . 382
The EventArgs Parameter . . . 386
Creating Other Code-Generated Validators . . . 387
Adding the Validator to the Toolbox . . .387
Starting the Code-Generation Project . . . 388
Wiring Up the Add-In . . .389
Creating a Submenu . . . 390
Handling Multiple Documents in Events . . . 392
Starting the Generation Utility . . . 395
Responding to the Add-In . . .395
Defining a Template . . . 397
Generating Code . . . 400
Starting the Process . . . 400
Managing the Code-Generation Process . . . 402
Utility Methods . . . 404
Processing the Validators . . . 407
Inserting Code . . . 410
Specifying Code with the CodeDom . . . 411
Generating the Lookup Methods . . . 412
Generating Code in the Target Language . . . 421
Supporting “Projectless” Websites . . . 421
Adding Code . . . 422
Handling Errors . . . 425
Building a Complete Code-Generation Solution . . . 426
Chapter 11 Case Study: Generating Data-Conversion Code . . . 427
Defining the Problem . . . 428
Creating the Designer . . .432
Building the Designer . . . 435
Adding Items to Your Designer . . . 439
Adding Domain Properties . . . 440
Adding an Enumerated Data Type . . . 441
Adding Relationships to Support Connections . . . 441
Adding Graphical Items . . . 442
Adding Toolbox Items . . . 446
Validation, Generation, and Test . . . 447
Enhancing Model Validation . . .450
Enabling Validation . . . 450
Adding Validation Code . . . 452
Other Options . . . 454
Generating Code . . . 454
Configuring the Template . . . 455
Distributing Your Designer . . . 458
Converting the Template to a Custom Tool: Visual Studio 2005/2008 . . .459
Preloading the Custom Tool Property . . .462
Create a Deployment Project: Visual Studio 2005/2008 . . . 464
Deploying: VS2010 . . .465
Visual Studio 2010 Additions . . . 465
Capturing Inputs . . . 466
PART III: APPENDIXES . . . 467
Appendix A Generating Menu Names . . .468
Appendix B Options Dialog Categories, Subcategories, and Properties . . . 469
Appendix C A Code-Generation Add-In . . . 470
Integrating Code-Generation Classes . . . 470
Adding the Submenu Button . . . 471
Responding to Events . . . 475
Responding to the Menu Button . . . 479
An Extensible Solution . . . 479
Appendix D Distributing Code-Generation Solutions . . . 481
Creating the .vscontent File . . . 481
Adding Add-Ins . . . 482
Adding Templates . . . 482
Adding a Toolbox Control . . .484
Adding Files . . . 484
A Complete Example . . .485
Installing the Solution . . .486
Index . . . 487
About the Author :
Peter Vogel is a Principal in PH & V Information Services, which specializes in .NET development. He has built systems for Exxon, Bayer AG, Volvo, and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, and wrote the ASP.NET 1.0, 2.0, 3.5, and 4.0 courses for Learning Tree International. Vogel has been honored as a Microsoft MVP, presents frequently at leading .NET conferences, and is the ASP.NET columnist for Visual Studio magazine. He is author of Visual Basic 6.0 Object and Component Handbook.
