How to use T4 code generation templates with VS C++ projects?

Question

T4 template files are automatically recognizable by the IDE under C# projects, but I have no clue on how they can be integrated into C++ projects (other than using make file

Answer 1

T4 Template files can be integrated into C++ projects, but it's a bit more work than with a C#/VB project. Create a new text file in your C++ project and give it a .tt extension. Then write your template as normal. A C++ project then needs further work to get it to transform the templates. The quick and dirty way I got it to work was to add a custom build step and have it call "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\TextTemplating\1.1\TextTransform.exe" directly. Another way I found was to add a custom MSBuild task. Instructions can be found here

This page has more information and some good links to other pages on using T4 code generation.

Answer 2

MSBuild Task will not work as this is a vcproj file (C++) so vcbuild is used. The easiest way to get the tt compiled is to add a custom build step like below..

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\TextTemplating\1.1\TextTransform.exe" -out "$(ProjectDir)\VSProject.cpp" -I "$(ProjectDir)" "$(ProjectDir)\VSProject.tt"

I spent several hours investigating the MSBuild Task solution above and it's pretty good for managed code but I can't see any way to use it for C++ (bar converting the vcproj to csproj eek)

Answer 3

For Visual Studio 2017 (and maybe 2015?)

The commands listed in the other answers are partly incorrect, as the file TextTransform.exe has been moved to a new directory: the devenv root folder, e.g.:

C:\Progra~1\Visual Studio 2017\Enterprise\Common7\IDE

The command should now be updated to the following:

"$(DevEnvDir)TextTransform.exe" -out "$(ProjectDir)xxx.cpp" "$(ProjectDir)xxx.tt"

where xxx is the file name of yout .tt template file

Answer 4

Having experimented with some of the above (and found them unsuitable for my specific case), I took a different approach that others may find helpful.

Rather than fight to get VS to accept a T4 template within a C++ project, I added a separate (empty) C# project to my solution. I put my template file at the root of the solution and add a link to it from the C# project. I #include the generated .h file from my C++ project.

I used the template to generate a version string that updates with every build. I added the AutoT4 tool to VS so that the string is updated with every build of the solution.