CodeSmith

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CodeSmith .netTiers Using Code Generation to
boost productivity
Robert Hinojosarhinojosa_at_codesmithtools.com
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For More Information

• Learn more
• www.codesmithtools.com
• Download free 30 day trial
• Contact Us
• sales_at_codesmithtools.com
• 1 972 407 0688
• CodeSmith Telligent
• Partnered together with a common goal
• Build world-class software tools

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Agenda

• What is Code Generation?
• What is CodeSmith?
• What is .netTiers?
• How can .netTiers help me?

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What is Code Generation

• Software creation
• Can be fun and challenging
• but also repetitive and monotonous
• Repetition monotony leads to bugs
• Code generation is not a new concept
• With most tools you dont control the output
• Often viewed as a Black Box solution
• Ex, data layer created (but it is not your code)
• CodeSmith 4.0
• Not a Black Box solution
• Template driven code generation (it is your code)
• Use existing templates or write new ones

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The value of .netTiers

• The cost of creating a home grown framework
• Design, Development, Test, Release
• Easily runs between 50 - 300/hour
• CodeSmith
• .netTiers 2.0 Free open source templates with
  thriving community
• CodeSmith 4.0 Professional 399
• For you, FREE!
• Equivalent to 3-6 hours of development
• Real value you can measure
• Dramatically reduces time to market cost
• Quickly pays for itself

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Your code. Your way. Faster!

• CodeSmith
• Version 2.6, released January 2004
• Version 3.0, released May 2005
• Version 3.1, released August 2005
• Version 3.2, released Nov 2005
• CodeSmith 4.0 includes
• CodeSmith Professional Studio (IDE)
• Visual Studio .NET integration
• Command line code generation engine
• CodeSmith Projects, ActiveSnippets

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CodeSmith Version 4.0

• Manage templates anywhere with CodeSmith Projects
• Extremely Integrated Visual Studio Support
  (ActiveSnippets and CodeSmith Projects)
• Statement Completion, AKA Intellisense
• Deep XML support
• New merge strategies preserve region
• Easy template debugging
• Template caching for faster execution
• Event driven template architecture
• Ability to auto-execute SQL scripts
• and much, much more

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Customers include
and many others
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Using CodeSmith 4.0
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CodeSmith Professional Studio

• Integrated Development Environment
• Editing and Executing templates
• Template Explorer
• Professional Edition only
• Features
• Database schema browser
• Template syntax highlighting
• Template, Output, and Compilation views
• Property editing

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CodeSmith Templates

• Similar to ASP.NET page
• CodeSmith Templates will be familiar
• Event and lt gt code
• Template contains
• Directives
• Template logic (VB C code)
• Output Text (your code, comments, etc.)
• Template events, methods, and properties
• A CodeSmith template is
• Document with .cst extension
• Edit with CodeSmith Studio or text editor

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My First Template
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Visual Studio Integration

• Integrated with Visual Studio .NET
• Automatically integrated during installation
• Visual Studio Package Integration
• Using CodeSmith within Visual Studio .NET
• Tools -gt CodeSmith
• Executing Templates in Visual Studio .NET
• View/Execute CodeSmith Projects in your VS
  Solution
• Easy to use ActiveGeneration
• View templates in Template Explorer
• Right-click to execute templates
• Drag and drop onto Editor

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CodeSmithProjects
CodeSmithExplorer
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Visual Studio Integration
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Working with XML

• New XmlProperty
• Work with XML in a strongly typed manner
• Using XML as metadata very easy
• With an XSD
• Strongly typed accessory to XML file
• Read-only access
• Without an XSD file
• XmlDocument type returned

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Debugging Templates

• Set Debugger.Break() in code
• Break-point in Template execution
• .NET JIT Debugger window opens
• From .NET JIT Debugger window
• Select Debug Tool
• EX, Visual Studio .NET 2005
• Step through template source
• Reports error in template directly
• Most tools allow debugging of the result

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Debugging Templates, cont

• Compilation is similar to ASP.NET
• Occasionally template is not enough
• Need the ability to examine source
• LinePragmas
• Defined in lt_at_ CodeTemplate gt
• Set to true or false
• Default to true
• Reports line number in template
• False, reports line number in generated code

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Debugging Templates
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CodeSmith Project

• Runs Everywhere
• Consistently generate and/or configure your
  template sets from anywhere
• Windows, Visual Studio, CodeSmith Studio, Command
  Line, MSBuild
• CodeSmith Command line tool
• Build project from command line
• CodeSmith used for Active Generation
• Easily integrated into environment

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Command Line Tool

• Console Application (cs.exe)
• XML file identifying templates to run
• Mirror CodeSmith Project usage anywhere
• Execute single template, or N templates
• Execute batches of templates

cs.exe MyCodeSmithProject.csp
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Merge Strategies

• Enable Active Generation
• Cant always generate exactly what you need
• Custom logic along with Active Generation
• Example
• SampleProjects\ConsoleSamples
• PreserveRegionsMergeSample.cst

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Merge Strategies
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What is .netTiers
.netTiers is a library of Codesmith templates
that builds object-relational mapping for an
existing database.

• Creates objects and domain based on the
  relationships in your database.
• Creates separate Logical layers Entity, DAL,
  Business, Web, Forms, WebService
• Creates stored procedures or parameterized SQL
  for data access layer.
• Creates Asp.Net 2.0 admin user controls.
• Creates code which is fully XML commented

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.netTiers Advantages

• 100 Open Source, Template Driven
• Reduces development time
• Reduces maintenance time
• All applications have a consistent domain model,
  with standard code
• Making changes / updates by another team member
  easier
• Promotes reuse
• Data Access completely separated from user
  interface
• Promotes Enterprise Standards utilizing Microsoft
  P P Enterprise Library
• Easier Application Integration

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Domain Model vs DataSet

• Predictable behavior
• Compare the following methods
• public Customer GetByCustomerId(int id)
• public DataSet GetByCustomerId(int id)
• Promotes loose coupling of presentation and
  domain logic
• Easier to document
• Intellisense in Visual Studio
• Less memory intensive

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Using .netTiers
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Data API

• Support for basic CRUD Update, Delete, Insert,
  Find, Paged, Custom Sprocs, GetBy (PK, IX, FK,
  MM)
• Support for queries using
• Primary Key
• Foreign keys
• Indexes
• Many-Many join relationships

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Data API

• Transaction Support
• API Plumbing generated from Your own Stored
  ProceduresEX. _TableName_MyMethodName
• Support for deep object graph loading/saving
• Use stored procedures or xml embedded
  parameterized SQL

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Sample Method Calls

• //All Providers kept within DataRepository
  class
• EmployeeCollection employees DataRepository.Empl
  oyeeProvider.GetAll()
• //When using primary key, single object is
  returned
• Employee emp DataRepository.EmployeeProvider.Get
  ByEmployeeId(4)
• Employee newEmployee new Employee()
• newEmployee.FirstName John
• newEmployee.LastName Doe
• //when inserting the primary key value is set for
  the object
• bool success DataRepository.EmployeeProvider.Ins
  ert(newEmployee)
• //inserting collection
• EmployeeCollection ec new EmployeeCollection()
• Employee e1 new Employee()
• ec.Add(e1)
• bool success DataRepository.EmployeeProvider.Ins
  ert(ec)

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Using .netTiers API
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Conclusion/ QA

• .netTiers 2.0
• Proven Pattern Based Framework Generation
• CodeSmith 4.0
• Most powerful code generation tool available
• Reduces time spent writing trivial code
• Be more productive
• Template driven means its still your code
• Saves you time and money

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• Learn more
• www.codesmithtools.com
• Download free 30 day trial

• Contact Us
• sales_at_codesmithtools.com
• 1 972 407 0688