How do you go about debugging the T4 process when you are customizing the template?
I've followed the procedure in Hanselman's post to add the templates to my project so that is uses them when using the Tooling Dialog but how to I debug that template when it uses it? The documentation here and here is not really helpful since I've cleared out the Custom Tool property.
For example, I'm trying to customize the List.tt and I'd like to loop through the properties of the Model inside the Index method. I'd like to have a look at what's hanging off the Model object, etc.
My current process is edit the List.tt, right-click on controllers folder, add Controllers, enter the name, select my model, choose 'Overwrite xxxController.cs' and then check to see if what I did worked. This is extremely tedious.
Why not put the custom tool property back in to be able to rapidly test it? then take it out when you are happy?
another option is to write a .tt file that consumes/includes that .tt to operate as your REPL harness
Related
I am looking for a way to right click selected text and open it in my app. Eg. via OS X's third party share menu. But I can not find any references at Apple's.
Have a look at the apple docs SysServices for creating a service for you app.
The Docs take you through an example of how to set one up.
Once done you will need to go into System Preferences and Enable the service. Your users will also need to do that.
Here is a quick project that shows an adaption of the apple code.
Update:
Although I think the services work good enough. Creating a Share or Action Extension is possible.
This example uses the same Project as above. But I have added an App Action extension (Target) to it.
The template for the Action is not too hard to understand and it took me 5 minutes to do this quick example.
(So I am not saying everything is as it should be but it works)
For the Action Extension:
Follow the instructions here
Which basically is:
After you choose the extension point that makes sense for your app
extension, add a new target to your containing app. The easiest way to
add an app extension target is to use an Xcode template that provides
a target preconfigured for your extension point.
To add a new target to your Xcode app project, choose File > New >
Target. In the sidebar on the left side of the new target dialog,
choose Application Extension for iOS or OS X. In the pane on the right
side of the dialog, Xcode displays the templates you can choose
Do read the above docs to understand better of what you need to do.
Once you have added the Extension. You can actually run it straight away.
Xcode provides you an option to choose a test app to test it in i.e TextEdit.app and takes you through the whole process of temporarily enabling the Extension.
In this example, remember I chose an Action Extension which suited the App.
The App's function in life is to do a basic encryption of selected text and then display the result.
The App's Action Extension will do the same but instead of displaying it, it will replace the selected text with the encryption text.
All that was needed for me to do, was copy the encryption method from the main app, over to the Extension.
I did have to adjust a couple of things though. Namely the original code deals with a NSString, where as the Extension deals with a NSAttributedString.
The conversion I did works but styling attributes are lost. For this example that does not really matter.
An Action Extension does not use the Share contextual menu. It uses an Action menu.
To see the menu, select some text and the hover the cursor over the selected text. You then should see a discloser button on the left of the text.
Like this:
Click it and choose the Extension.
If you do not see it, go to the 'more' option. This will take you to the system preferences where you can grant access to the extension.
The documentation is mainly concerned about distributing the extension and App via the App store.
But you can code sign your App and extension and do a normal archive export.
From there, all should work ok with gatekeeper.
But again refer to the Docs for a fuller understanding.
Here is a link for the code signed app and also the new Project.
Encrypto2
I am trying to add a simple windows form to my VB.Net project. I have used the designer to design the form how I want it with buttons, a text box and a Timer. The problem is when I try to view the code, there is only an empty class that looks like this:
Public Class MCastMain
End Class
I have set the application type to a windows form application in the project properties, and I have made a successful build of the application since doing so. I have been scrawling the internet and this forum for about half an hour now and I can't find one other person who is having this problem, nor can I find a tutorial that mentions any special steps that must be taken beyond what I have done. This is the first project I have done in Visual Studio.
I know this is probably stupid simple, but I have no idea what to do. Any help is appreciated as always.
Forms comes as partial class meaning the code is separated in two files.
The "empty" code you shown is from "mcastmain.vb" (if the file is named as the class).
With that one there is a (probably hidden) file "mcastmain.designer.vb" file which contains the generated code by the designer ; and is not meant to be modified (as any designer change will rewrite the file).
To show the hidden files you have to look in the solution explorer on the button on it's top there should be a "show all files" button. (it may be possible to do the same via the menu but I don't have VS right there to be sure where)
We are using Sitefinity 6.0.
We have an end user that would like to make changes to the header custom control in:
C:\inetpub\xxx\App_Data\Sitefinity\WebsiteTemplates\xxx\UserControls\Header.ascx
We would like the end user to be able to make changes to the file using the SiteFinity web, instead of opening the file in Windows and editing it directly.
Is it possible? What with Sitefinity 7.0?
There is an option to register the templates of custom controls so that they can be edited through the UI. This blog posts explains the process: http://www.sitefinity.com/blogs/slavo-ingilizovs-blog/2012/09/21/making-your-widget-templates-editable-through-the-ui.
However if you are using user controls you will not be able to use this method. This approach works with custom controls. You can find more about different types of widgets (user controls vs. custom control) here: http://www.sitefinity.com/documentation/documentationarticles/developers-guide/sitefinity-essentials/controls.
To change the html markup of the UserControl you can simply go to the File manager from the Sitefinity backend (Administration -> File Manager).
If it is codebehind code, you will need to recompile your solution, so you can't do this on the fly.
If you need to set properties, use the solution that Ben mentioned in his comment.
I'm looking for a way to inspect running XAML in a Windows 8 store app. Essentially, I want firebug / chrome inspector style functionality where I can look at the XAML source generated at runtime, to debug simple layout and style issues.
I've tried Snoop, Pistachio and WPF Inspector but none work for Windows Store apps. The only one I can find which seems to work for Store apps is XAML Spy, which is €90. I can't justify that cost.
Is there any other way to inspect running XAML?
WinRT XAML Toolkit now has an actual visual - visual tree debugger.
Get it from NuGet: nuget.org/packages/winrtxamltoolkit.Debugging then call WinRTXamlToolkit.Debugging.DC.ShowVisualTree() to display the debugger tool inside of your app. It's the third option so now you can use
the WinRTXAMLToolkit.Debugging.VisualTreeDebugger class - that enables you to debug the tree in your Visual Studio
XAML Spy - which is a great commercial visual tree debugger that runs in a separate window
and now this visual tree debugger in the WinRT XAML Toolkit that works inside of your app.
The VisualTreeDebugger class from WinRT XAML Toolkit is what you could use if you want a free tool. It doesn't do as much as XAML Spy, but you get what you pay for. I thought of adding more features to it like actual visualization of what you debug, but the work required would not justify the time investment + I didn't want to step on Koen Zwikstra's turf. I am sure he is doing a great job on that tool. Anyways - VisualTreeDebugger is enough for me, so maybe it would also be enough for you.
The way you can use it is add the class to your code, add a reference in your XAML like
xmlns:debug="WinRTXamlToolkit.Debugging"
then put a hook on a control where you would like to start debugging, like
debug:VisualTreeDebugger.BreakOnLoaded="True"
which will dump the core visual tree details as text in your debugger output window (Ctrl+W,O) and break in the code that dumped your tree where you can investigate the "path" variable, which contains the list of all visual tree elements from the debugged control to the root, so you can watch their values if what you need wasn't already dumped in the output window.
Other options include
debug:VisualTreeDebugger.BreakOnTap="True"
debug:VisualTreeDebugger.BreakOnLayoutUpdated="True"
debug:VisualTreeDebugger.BreakOnLoaded="True"
debug:VisualTreeDebugger.TraceOnTap="True"
debug:VisualTreeDebugger.TraceOnLayoutUpdated="True"
debug:VisualTreeDebugger.TraceOnLoaded="True"
Since it is source code and really a single simple class - you can easily add additional things to the code to do any custom debugging you need.
XAML Spy is what you need. You find it at http://xamlspy.com.
there is a new free tool called XAML Inspector. It's available through NuGet. Just search for "xamlinspector" or get if from the project page: www.xamlinspector.com
Greetings
Christian
I've a question. I cannot find the way, how to add buttons to main toolbar programmatically. My problem is, that I've the task to dynamically (based on XML configuration file) build menus and toolbar. I found how to add a menu item programmatically, but not toolbar button.
Tutorials mostly show how to create buttons and menus using plugin descriptor (plugin.xml), but not how to do it programatically. It seems, that it is out of bounds of Eclipse plugin philosophy.
I've just found this:
There might be layout problems with this approach. I also don't
believe the framework will try and re-create your dynamic item except
at random toolbarmanager updates. With Menus they can be updated on an
SWT.Show event, which is why CompoundContributionItem only applies to
Menus.
What shall I do? Can I say Sorry, there is no way to build toolbar dynamically. I can do it just for menus? Collegue says, that it must be possible, but he does neither know how.
The only way to be able to create main toolbar entries programmatically is in an RCP app, where you supply the ActionBarAdvisor for the workbench window. This isn't dynamic, however, just called on window creation.
Another way to do it would be to use org.eclipse.ui.menus and contribute org.eclipse.ui.menus.ExtensionContributionFactory. It also works only on workbench window creation (not really dynamic), but you could read your own XML and provide IContributionItems for the main menu or toolbar.
How dynamic are you trying to be? Most solutions work well on startup/window creation.
PW
Whenever you try to do something programmatically in Eclipse that is normally done through plugin definitions you are walking on thin ice. I've tried it on a few occasions and it rarely ended up being easy or good.
Instead, think of what it is that you only know at runtime and need to be able to change on the fly. Is it the name or icon of the button? That can be changed at runtime.
Take a look at runtime commands, they can be confusing to define properly, but with them you can for example create buttons that are only visible if a condition is active. That condition could be set at runtime.