Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

Jaco Pretorius — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 09:58:19 GMT

My vote is for #2. I don't like the idea, but if it's really useful I might put up with it.

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

sjnaughton — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:32:31 GMT

my vote is #1, but is there a way for it to popup a dialogue to ask permission or even let you know it has happend?

Steve :D

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

Simone — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:43:46 GMT

It depends: if it's only marking the class partial there is no problem.

If it's something more

#2: Usually I don't like it, but if it's useful, go for it.

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

Michael Stum — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:54:55 GMT

I vote for #1. After all, using your Template is optional, so it's like using any Third Party Tool which also may or may not make changes. I do not know if it's possible displaying a little "Do not show this dialog again"-Dialog that warns the Developer before, but again: Those Templates are optional addons*, so they should better be as good as possible.

*Or will they be official part of ASP.net MVC 2.0?

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

Dave — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:16:27 GMT

I vote for 1. Just make sure it works with files under source-control properly. Don't want it falling over when it tries to modify read-only files.

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

Erik — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:28:32 GMT

#1 - fine by me, as long as the changes are documented. I'll echo the request for a notification dialog asking permission.

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

Mikael Henriksson — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:53:44 GMT

I don't mind a bit as long as "stuff" works :)

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

beltbucklestud — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:57:19 GMT

That is right. As long as it's working properly, it doesn't matter even if it would take sometime. :)

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

Ken — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:41:40 GMT

If it's optional then I agree with #1. On the line before or after the modified line can you add a comment prefixed with a keyword to indicate it was modified. Something along the lines of

//T4MOD: Previous line was modified by MVC T4 Template.

Interesting idea though.

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

George — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:08:06 GMT

#1. Warn/Notify the user, sure, but the user should have everything in source control, right?

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

KevDog — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:13:17 GMT

Maybe a preview of changes or a big fat "I'm about to mess with your code, is that okay?" dialog before the code runs.

Or else I'll sue you.

My demand? A really good chocolate chip cookie.

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

D. Lambert — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:24:20 GMT

I'd vote for #1 with some prior notification (even if just by documentation) that the code may be changed. If you're under source code control, you'll see the changes distinctly, anyway, right?

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

John Sheehan — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:57:43 GMT

Make it an option. At the top of the T4 template add a bool constant for ALLOW_CODE_CHANGES set to false by default.

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

Felipe Fujiy — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:55:59 GMT

My vote is for #2, but in this case, I think is not necessary.

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

Robert Slaney — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:53:38 GMT

#1. I've used your MVC TT as inspiration for a raft of codegen scenarios, include generating WCF proxies from our service interface assembly by creating new class files in the proxy project

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

Daniel — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:55:03 GMT

I think this needs to consider source control providers that use the checkin/checkout model. They make the files read-only. A better option might be to have a macro or add-in that can be run separately to "Refactor Controllers to Support Dave's t4 template".

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

MIchael Washington — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:19:18 GMT

The key is it has to be ONLY "making classes partial and methods virtual"

Anything else and you will want to conduct this poll again.

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

Johnny — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:55:12 GMT

I'm ok if it asks for permission.

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

Shiju Varghese — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 04:49:40 GMT

Hi David,

Nice work.Can you please put it on CodePlex?

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

AdamR — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 05:05:24 GMT

Nice work, thanks!

My view: #1. Go for it.

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

codingoutloud — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 06:12:38 GMT

This is a whole different ballgame than inserting gen'd code or modifying the logic, so considering what we get in return, this seems fine to me; bring it on.

A subtle message that the changes were made would ease the some of the paranoia. I think an "are you sure" dialog box is too intrusive, but it would be okay if it had a "don't ask me anymore" checkbox. (There might be some more targetted visual indicator possible for VS 2010 with the editor open for customization.)

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

Alexander Gyoshev — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:18:20 GMT

It's strange that you're so angsty about it :) You've got a great idea, and you think that it will be useful - why not go straight for it and implement it? There may be haters, and there will always be, and a poll won't change that :) It's your art! Don't be influenced by anyone...

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

Jamal Hansen — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:07:18 GMT

#2 Smart features in IDEs / templates are great until you find that you are fighting against them for some reason. As long as there is a way to turn the feature off, if necessary, it's great.

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

W.Meints — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:13:53 GMT

I'm fine with templates that modify my code. As long as it is documented and doesn't do stuff that isn't documented.

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

Brannon — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:37:14 GMT

#1 for partial. #2 for virtual!

Adding an option to the T4 template to disable the code modifications would be great. Default it to enabled, but let people who don't like it turn it off.

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

Sruly Taber — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:50:39 GMT

I vote #2

I don't Like it but if it makes my life that much easier I will go along with it.

BTW thanks for the great template

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

Jpg — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:02:15 GMT

i vote for 1.

There is already loads of magical stuff to MVC that you dont see - where only altering old code right?

New code - having the template installed and generating...=> good.

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

Rafael da Silva — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:21:27 GMT

#1, as long as I know who/what changed it.

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

Mike — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:50:25 GMT

Hmm, why even ask? NEVER change my code... NEVER NEVER NEVER. Thanks!

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

Tad — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:13:07 GMT

Hi, I am interested if it would work on Mono platform??

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

Tical — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:39:50 GMT

#2 + I hope u can make it have the courtesy to tell the dev (w/t)hat things have changed. Partial is harmless by runtime but virtual makes a fundamental semantic change. You may want to modify the template to respect members with modifiers like final or abstract and notify the dev of those instances as well.

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

shawn — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:55:00 GMT

I'm somewhere between #1 and #2. If there were a way to do it without modifying the source that would be preferable, but if developers are aware of the changes then it never hurts to make life easier. :)

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

Michal Talaga — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:59:15 GMT

Why not make those helpers encapsulate our controllers?

The T4MVC_AccountController doesn't really need to inherit from the real AccountController doesn't it?

As long as all methods on T4MVC_AccountController are there which shouldn't be a problem to generate.

So keeping this in mind it's #2.5 since i hate magic strings even more than I hate having to change my code to support tools.

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

Michal Talaga — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:01:28 GMT

Oh and btw majority is usually wrong so making a poll was a very bad idea.

Now i suppose we are stuck with inheritance over composition.

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

davidebb — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 02:52:37 GMT

Mihal, the benefit of extending the controller class is to get refactoring support (see http://blogs.msdn.com/davidebb/archive/2009/06/26/the-mvc-t4-template-is-now-up-on-codeplex-and-it-does-change-your-code-a-bit.aspx)

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

Michal Talaga — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:33:01 GMT

David: favoring refactoring support (tool) over design is imho not the way to go in the same way as naming your methods to order well in intelisense wouldn't you agree?

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

davidebb — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 22:52:43 GMT

Michal: I guess it comes down to weighing the pros and cons of the different approaches, and I see how you could make that point. Ideally, the language would be rich enough to not need this T4 template in the first place. Of course, it does come close with Expressions, but the resulting syntax is fairly nasty.

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

candyfusion vivvenne — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 03:11:38 GMT

mmm if developers are aware than it should be ok

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

Andrei Rinea — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:26:30 GMT

Modify my code all you want. After all the JIT modifies our code everytime : it makes native code out of C#/IL.

I haven't heard of someone suing the JIT/CLR team for that..

re: Mind if my MVC T4 template changes your code a bit?

candyfusion belt buckles — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:46:21 GMT

my view would be 1, I would personally go for that!