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handlebars4code

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Readme

Handlebars4Code

Handlebars4Code is a library and NPM module that extends Handlebars with Helpers for Code Generation in a specific programming language (e.g. Javascript)

Webbased Demo Handlebars4Code

Table of Contents

Template Hash
vDataJSON as Template Storage
Templates and JSON into vDataJSON
- Load JSON Data with Script Tag
- Load Templates with Script Tag
Script Tag for handlebars4code.js
Additional Handlebars Helpers for Code generation

Template Hash

In the Handlebars4Code demo the JSON data is stored in vDataJSON, which is the main JSON data storage defined in index.html. Data (docs/db/) and templates (docs/tpl/) are loaded into the JSON. All templates reside in vDataJSON.tpl, which is provided as parameter to Handlebars4Code.create_compiler(vDataJSON.tpl). The method create_compiler(vDataJSON.tpl) creates Handlebars compilers for all templates in vDataJSON.tpl.

create_compiler(vTplHash) expects a hash, for which the template ID is the key for accessing template (e.g. vDataJSON.tpl["docu4github"]) or vDataJSON.tpl["javascript"]) (see directory docs/tpl/).
The compilers need to be generated only once. Then the compiler for all templates are ready to process JSON data and generate output form according to the template definition.
var my_compilers = Handlebars4Code.get_compiler() stores the generated Handlebars compilers in an individual compiler hash. var my_output = my_compilers.javascript(vJSON) provides JSON to the compiler function for the template javascript. var my_output = my_compilers.docu4github(vJSON) provides JSON to the compiler function for the template docu4github.

vDataJSON as Template Storage

Create a template storage in your main HTML file.

<script language="javascript">
  var vDataJSON = {};
  vDataJSON.tpl = {};
  vDataJSON.out = {};
</script>

Templates and JSON into vDataJSON

The javascript files in docs/tpl/ and docs/db/ are designed in way that allows the population of vDataJSON just by including a script tag in the underlying HTML file (see example docs/index.html).

Load JSON Data with Script Tag

<script src="db/umljs.js"></script>

Load Templates with Script Tag

Every script tag loads a single template from the subdirectory docs/js/:

<script src="tpl/javascript_tpl.js"></script>
<script src="tpl/docu4github_tpl.js"></script>

Script Tag for handlebars4code.js

Use the script tag to embed the Handlebars4Code library in your HTML file::

<script src="js/handlebars4code.js"></script>

Additional Handlebars Helpers for Code generation

The following Handlebars helpers are added to the basic Handlebars features, to support better code generation. Generated code can be in any programming language (of course including markup or markdown languages):

List of Helpers in Handlebars4Code

filename create lower case filenames from camel-case class names (e.g. MyClass into myclass).
ifcond creates id-conditions in the Handlebars template to create JSON context dependent compiler output.
require_class_list inserts require commands according the used classes in the attributes and return values of the methods. It requires only modules that are not base classes that are provided by the programming language itself.
requirelibs The helper is designed to generate local and remote require commands in a class/module.
foreach is slighty different from the standard each helper in Handlebars. It allows to assign parent data hash to foreach context of the template

Helper: `filename`

The helper function filename generates from any input string a usable filename in lowercase that contains no blanks an no special characters.

Template 1: `filename`

Assume we have the following templates stored vDataJSON.tpl["mytpl1"] with

// The filename of the class {{data.classname}} is {{filename data.classname}}.js

The template ID mytpl1 is

JSON Data 1: `filename`

The following JSON

var my_json = {
  "data":{
    "classname" : "MyClass"
  }
}

Compiler Output 1: `filename`

The compiler call Handlebars4Code.compile.mytpl1(my_json) for the JSON data my_json and the template generates the following code

// The filename of the class MyClass is myclass.js

JSON Data 2: `filename`

The following JSON

var my_json = {
  "data":{
    "classname" : "MyClass",
    "superclassname" : "MySuperClass"
  }
}

Template 2: `filename`

Assume we have templates vDataJSON.tpl["mytpl2"] with:

const {{data.superclassname}} = require('{{filename data.superclassname}}');

Compiler Output 2: `filename`

The compiler call Handlebars4Code.compile.mytpl2(my_json) for the JSON data my_json and the template generates the following code:

const MySuperClass = require('mysuperclass');

If the input string contains blanks then these blanks are replaced by an underscore.

Helper: `ifcond`

If condition and application of JSON path to specific attribute to JSON. The following template generates a header as comment for the javascript output. Dependent on the value of data.superclassname (string not empty) an additional name for the superclass is inserted in the header of generated output of code (see Blog in StackOverflow)

Template: `ifcond`

Assume we have the following templates is stored vDataJSON.tpl["mytpl"] with

//#################################################################
//# Javascript Class: {{data.classname}}()
{{#ifcond data.superclassname "!=" ""}}
//#       SuperClass: {{data.superclassname}}
{{/ifcond}}
//#
//# Author of Class:      {{data.reposinfo.author}}
//# email:                {{data.reposinfo.email}}
//#################################################################

The ifcond is an if-condition, that inserts a line with name of the super class if the superclassname is not empty.

JSON Data: `ifcond`

The following JSON is used the helper call:

var my_json = {
    "data": {
      "classname": "NewClass",
      "superclassname": "MySuperClass",
      "comment": "Description of the class",
      "reposinfo": {
        "repository": "https://www.github.com/author/NewClass",
        "author": "My Name",
        "email": "name@example.com",
      },
    }
  };

The superclassname is not empty and has the value "MySuperClass". The ifcond used in the template will insert a line by the use of an if-condition.

Compiler Output: `ifcond`

The compiler call for the JSON data and the template generates the following code:

//#################################################################
//# Javascript Class: NewClass()
//#       SuperClass: MySuperClass
//#
//# Author of Class:      My Name
//# email:                name@example.com
//#################################################################

The compiled result contains a comment about the super class, due to the fact that the attribute superclassname is not empty and contains the value "MySuperClass".

Helper: `require_class_list`

The helper function creates a list of liberaries that must be required/imported (e.g. Javascript) so that the defined libary for the new class can used the required resources in other modules. Some classes/instances are already defined by the programming language (e.g. Math, JSON in Javascript). Those libraries do not need a require command. The code generator should know about

base classes (baseclasslist) - no need to create require
local classes (localclasslist) - store in local directory, a path is necessary to these locally defined libraries (see data.reposinfo.require_path).
remote classes (remoteclasslist) - retrieved from a remote server via a package manager.

Template: `require_class_list`

Assume we have the following templates stored vDataJSON.tpl["mytpl"] with

{{{require_class_list data settings}}}

The helper needs the data and the settings attribute of the JSON input as parameter:

data contains all the defined elements of the class.
settings contain basic definitions for the classes that are available in the software development project.
data.superclassname because a superclass will be handled with a separate require command.
settings.baseclasses because those classes are provided by the programming language by default and they do not need a require command.
settings.localclasses because those classes are created within the software developement of the repository and these modules need a special require command with a local pathname, where to to find the libraries, e.g. require('./libs/mylocallib').
data.reposinfor.require_path contain the local path to the libraries/modules of localclasses ./libs/.
settings.remoteclasses remote classes are download with a package manager and these modules are required just by the module name, e.g. require('mylocallib').

JSON Data: `require_class_list`

The following JSON

var my_json = {
  "data": {
    "classname": "NewClass",
    "superclassname": "MySuperClass"
  },
  "settings": {
    "extension4code":".js",
    "localclasslist": [
      "App",
      "AppAbstract"
    ],
    "remoteclasslist": [
      "LinkParam",
      "JSONEditor"
    ],
    "baseclasslist": [
      "",
      "Array",
      "Boolean",
      "Float",
      "Function",
      "Hash",
      "Integer",
      "Object",
      "RegularExp",
      "String"
    ]
  }  
};

Compiler Output: `require_class_list`

Assume that App, LinkParam and JSONEditor are used in the class as attributes or returned instances of method. App is a locally defined class while LinkParam and JSONEditor are remote classes downloaded from the package manager (e.g. NPM). The compiler call for the JSON data and the template generates the following code.

require('./libs/app');
require('linkparam');
require('jsoneditor');

Helper: `requirelibs`

The helper is designed to generate local and remote require commands in a class/module.

Template: `requirelibs`

Assume we have the following templates is stored vDataJSON.tpl["requiretpl"] with:

// NodeJS: Require additional Modules
{{#requirelibs data.reposinfo.requirelist}}
const {{variable}} = require('{{module}}');
{{/requirelibs}}

JSON Data: `requirelibs`

The following JSON is used the helper call:

var my_json = {
    "data": {
      "classname": "NewClass",
      "reposinfo": {
        "requirelist": [
          {
            "module":"handlebars",
            "variable":"Handlebars"
          },
          {
            "module":"filesaver",
            "variable":"FileSaver"
          },
          {
            "module":"jquery",
            "variable":"$"
          }
        ]
      },
    }
  };

Compiler Output: `requirelibs`

The compiler call Handlebars4Code.compile.requiretpl(my_json) for the JSON data my_json and the template generates the following code. The variable for the repository uses the module name in the requirelist and creates a variable name with an uppercase first character of the module name.

const Handlebars = require('handlebars');
const Filesaver  = require('filesaver');  
const $          = require('jquery');

Helper: `foreach`

The example for the foreach helper will generate HTML code e.g. for the document explaining the available methods in the class. The example for the paramcall helper provides an application of foreach for code generation.

Template: `foreach`

Assume we have the following templates stored in vDataJSON.tpl["htmltpl"] with:

<ul>
{{#foreach data.methods data}}
  <li>
  The {{visibility}} method {{name}} is defined in class {{data.classname}}
  </li>
{{/foreach}}
</ul>

Parameter of Helper: `foreach`

The output format is HTML and the template uses

the array data.methods to iterate over all methods and
the hash data as second parameter of the helper, so that parent attribute of the JSON like data.classname are available in the content of the foreach definition as well.
The second parameter data is added as data attribute to method items the array data.methods. You can assign a different hash e.g. mydata to the second parameter. For the template above the hash mydata needs the attribute mydata.classname. The second parameter is still mapped to {{data}} in the helper context. So if mydata.classname="MyNewClass2" the Handlebars {{data.classname}} will be set to MyNewClass2. With the new second parameter the template context will look this:

<ul>
{{#foreach data.methods mydata}}
  <li>
  The {{visibility}} method {{name}}(params) is defined in class {{data.classname}}
  </li>
{{/foreach}}
</ul>

For a Handlebars4Code helper foreach helper is called for arrays myarray with:

{{#foreach myarray data}}
    context for each array element
{{/foreach}}

JSON Data: `foreach`

The following JSON is used the helper call:

var my_json = {
    "data": {
      "classname": "NewClass",
      "methods": [
        {
          "visibility": "public",
          "name": "init",
        },
        {
          "visibility": "private",
          "name": "create",
        },
        {
          "visibility": "public",
          "name": "display",
        }
    }
  };

Compiler Output: `foreach`

The template was stored in vDataJSON.tpl["htmltpl"], so the compiler call will be Handlebars4Code.compile.htmltpl(my_json) for the JSON data my_json. The defined template generates the following code:

<ul>
  <li>
  The public method init(params) is defined in class NewClass
  </li>
  <li>
  The private method create(params) is defined in class NewClass
  </li>
  <li>
  The public method display(params) is defined in class NewClass
  </li>
</ul>

Helper: `paramcall`

The helper paramcall creates a list of parameter names of the method, that is comma separated.

Template: `paramcall`

Assume we have the following templates stored in vDataJSON.tpl["methodtpl"] with:

{{#foreach data.methods data}}
{{#ifcond visibility "==" "public"}}
    {{data.classname}}.{{name}} = function ({{#paramcall parameter}}{{/paramcall}})
{{/ifcond}}
{{#ifcond visibility "==" "private"}}
    // private function of class {{data.classname}}
    function {{name}}({{#paramcall parameter}}{{/paramcall}})
{{/ifcond}}
{{/foreach}}

The foreach helper iterates of all method (here only one method is defined in the class). The ifcond helper distinguishes between different outputs for public and private methods in the class.

JSON Data: `paramcall`

The following JSON is used for the helper call. The JSON contains one method with

var my_json = {
    "data": {
      "classname": "NewClass",
      "superclassname": "MySuperClass",
      "methods": [
        {
          "visibility": "public",
          "name": "init",
          "parameter": [
            {
              "name": "pJSON",
              "class": "Hash",
              "comment": "the parameter stores JSON definition for the class"
            },
            {
              "name": "pOptions",
              "class": "Hash",
              "comment": "the parameter stores the options for the JSON editor (developed by Jeremy Dorn)"
            },
            {
              "name": "pSchema",
              "class": "Hash",
              "comment": "the parameter contains the JSON Schema for JSON Editor"
            }
          ]
        }
    }
  };

Compiler Output: `paramcall`

The compiler call Handlebars4Code.compile.methodtpl(my_json) for the JSON data my_json and the template generates the following code:

NewClass.init = function (pJSON,pOptions,pSchmea)

The ifcond condition creates a different output if the visibility attribute is set to private. The generated code will be:

// private function of class NewClass
function init(pJSON,pOptions,pSchmea);

Helper: `parameterlist`

The helper function parameterlist is mainly used to insert a comments for all parameter of a function in the header of a function.

Template: `parameterlist`

Assume we have the following templates stored vDataJSON.tpl["mytpl"] with:

//#################################################################
//# {{visibility}} Method: {{name}}()  Class: {{data.classname}}
//# Parameter:
//#    {{parameterlist parameter "    //#    "}}
//#################################################################

JSON Data: `parameterlist`

The following JSON is used the helper call:

var my_json = {
  var my_json = {
      "data": {
        "classname": "NewClass",
        "superclassname": "MySuperClass",
        "methods": [
          {
            "visibility": "public",
            "name": "init",
            "parameter": [
              {
                "name": "pJSON",
                "class": "Hash",
                "comment": "the parameter stores JSON definition for the class"
              },
              {
                "name": "pOptions",
                "class": "Hash",
                "comment": "the parameter stores the options for the JSON editor (developed by Jeremy Dorn)"
              },
              {
                "name": "pEditorID",
                "class": "String",
                "comment": "the parameter provide DOM ID in which the JSON editor will be injected."
              }
            ]
          }
      }
    };

Compiler Output: `parameterlist`

The compiler call Handlebars4Code.compile.mytpl2(my_json) for the JSON data my_json and the template generates the following code:

//#################################################################
//# public Method: init()  Class: NewClass
//# Parameter:
//#    pJSON:Hash
//#      the parameter stores JSON definition for the class
//#    pOptions:Hash
//#      the parameter stores the options for the JSON editor (developed by Jeremy Dorn)
//#    pEditorID:String
//#      the parameter provide DOM ID in which the JSON editor will be injected.
//#
//#################################################################

Helper: `indent`

The helper function indent takes two parameters.

the text (e.g. comment or code)
the indent which is injected for all newlines in the text parameter. The indent helper shifts the text or code to the right.

Template: `indent`

Assume we have the following templates is stored vDataJSON.tpl["mytpl"] with:

   //#################################################################
   //# Comment:
{{indent comment "    //#     "}}
   //# Line after Comment
   //#################################################################

JSON Data: `indent`

The following JSON is used the helper call:

var my_json = {
    "data": {
      "classname": "NewClass",
      "superclassname": "MySuperClass",
      "methods": [
        {
          "visibility": "private",
          "name": "create",
          "comment":"one line \nsecond line\nthird  line"
        }
    },
    "settings": {

    }
  };

Compiler Output: `indent`

The compiler call Handlebars4Code.compile.mytpl(my_json) for the JSON data my_json and the template generates the following code:

    //#################################################################
    //# Comment:
    //#     one line
    //#     second line
    //#     third line
    //# Line after Comment
    //#################################################################