A Deep Dive Into The Guidance Automation Toolkit

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A Deep Dive Into TheGuidance Automation Toolkit

• Jelle Druyts
• Compuware .NET Consultant
• http//jelle.druyts.net

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Have you ever needed...

• A 40-page document full of guidelines
• Architectural layers, solution/project structure
• Namespaces, class names, method names, ...
• Best practices, step-by-step instructions
• Visual Studio customizations
• Custom actions, menu items, toolbar buttons, ...
• Custom Add New items (classes, projects,
  solutions)
• Advanced automation
• Wizards
• Code generation
• Quick-start solutions for development teams
• Custom Software Factory development
• More time to write interesting code?

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Goals

• You will learn
• What GAT is, what it can and cannot do
• Best practices for GAT development
• How GAT fits into the Software Factories vision
• You will be able to
• Recognize opportunities for GAT
• Implement solutions with GAT
• Sit back while it does your work

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Agenda

• Visual Studio Extensibility
• Guidance Automation Toolkit
• GAT Best Practices
• GAT Software Factories

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Visual Studio Extensibility

• A look at the available extensibility features in
  Visual Studio

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Visual Studio Templates

• Project Item templates
• Reusable and customizable project and item stubs
• New Project and Add New Item dialog boxes
• Accelerate the development process
• Easy deployment just a .zip file
• Content files source code files, embedded
  resources, project files, ...
• Metadata stored in a .vstemplate file (XML)
• Copy to a predefined folder (local or on the
  network)
• Capabilities are limited (templates are dumb)

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Visual Studio SDK

• Visual Studio has an object model
• Call the Visual Studio APIs directly
• Use EnvDTE.dll and EnvDTE80.dll
• Powerful
• Entire Visual Studio object model is exposed
• Difficult
• Registering custom packages in Visual Studio
• COM interop with EnvDTE object model

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Guidance Automation Toolkit

• Guidance Automation
• Make reusable code and pattern assets available
  in Visual Studio
• Integrate reusable code into applications
• Guide developers through complex procedures
• Built upon Visual Studio SDK
• Roadmap
• Latest release February 2007 CTP
• Will be included in a future release of the
  Visual Studio
• Built and used by Microsoft patterns practices
• Used extensively in their various Software
  Factories
• Free download (source code not available)

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Guidance Automation Toolkit

• A deep dive into the various elements of GAT

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GAT GAX
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Guidance Life Cycle
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Guidance Automation Packages

• A Guidance Package is
• Authored for a specific purpose
• A unit of deployment and versioning
• A Guidance Package consists of
• Visual Studio Templates
• Guidance Automation Recipes
• The Guidance Package meta package
• A quick-start solution for Guidance Packages
• Generates project structure sample code
• Generates setup project to build MSI

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A First Look At The Enterprise Library Guidance
Package
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Visual Studio Templates

• Provide integration with Visual Studio
• Create New Project/Item dialog box
• Defined in .vstemplate files (XML)
• Expanded by the Visual Studio template engine
• Associate Visual Studio Templates with recipes

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Visual Studio Templates
ltVSTemplate Version"2.0" Type"ProjectGroup"
xmlns"http//schemas.microsoft.com/developer/vste
mplate/2005"gt ltTemplateDatagt
ltNamegtApplication Blocklt/Namegt
ltDescriptiongtGuidance Package that creates a new
Application Block.lt/Descriptiongt
ltProjectTypegtCSharplt/ProjectTypegt
ltIcongtApplicationBlock.icolt/Icongt
lt/TemplateDatagt ltTemplateContentgt
ltProjectCollectiongt ltProjectTemplateLink
ProjectName"ApplicationBlockNamespace.Applicat
ionBlockName"gt Projects\Runtime\Runtime.v
stemplatelt/ProjectTemplateLinkgt
lt/ProjectCollectiongt lt/TemplateContentgt
ltWizardExtensiongt ltAssemblygtMicrosoft.Practice
s.RecipeFramework.VisualStudio,
Version1.0.51206.0, Cultureneutral,
PublicKeyTokenb03f5f7f11d50a3alt/Assemblygt
ltFullClassNamegtMicrosoft.Practices.RecipeFramework
.VisualStudio.Templates.UnfoldTemplate
lt/FullClassNamegt lt/WizardExtensiongt
ltWizardDatagt ltTemplate xmlns"http//schemas.m
icrosoft.com/pag/gax-template" SchemaVersion"1.0"
Recipe"CreateApplicationBlock"gt
lt/Templategt lt/WizardDatagt lt/VSTemplategt
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Visual Studio Templates
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Guidance Automation Recipes

• A recipe is a fancy word for a wizard
• Automated activity as a series of instructions
• Abstracts something a developer would need to do
  manually
• E.g. create projects, add references, ...
• Ensures that repetitive (error-prone) activities
  are performed in a consistent manner
• Simplifies complex or repetitive development
  tasks
• Defined in an XML file in the root of the project
• Referenced by a Visual Studio Template
• Recipe gets run when template is unfolded

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Guidance Automation Recipes
ltGuidancePackage xmlns"http//schemas.microsoft.c
om/pag/gax-core" Name"JelleDruyts.EnterpriseL
ibraryGuidance" Caption"Enterprise Library
Guidance" Description"Provides guidance
around the creation of Application Blocks"
Guid"2cac5b9c-a04f-4a49-8a56-3ee5d63bd83f"
SchemaVersion"1.0"gt ltRecipesgt ltRecipe
Name"CreateApplicationBlock"gt
ltCaptiongtCreate a new Enterprise Library
Application Blocklt/Captiongt ltArgumentsgt
ltArgument Name"ApplicationBlockName"
Required"true"gt ltConverter
Type"Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.Library.
Converters. CodeIdentifierStringConver
ter, Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.Library"
/gt lt/Argumentgt ltArgument
Name"ApplicationBlockNamespace"
Required"true"gt ltConverter
Type"Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.Library.
Converters. NamespaceStringConverter,
Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.Library" /gt
lt/Argumentgt lt/Argumentsgt
ltGatheringServiceDatagt ltWizard
xmlns"http//schemas.microsoft.com/pag/gax-wizard
s" SchemaVersion"1.0"gt ltPagesgt
ltPagegt ltTitlegtApplication Block
Informationlt/Titlegt ltFieldsgt
ltField ValueName"ApplicationBlockName"
Label"Application Block Name"
InvalidValueMessage"Must be a valid .NET
identifier." /gt ltField
ValueName"ApplicationBlockNamespace"
Label"Namespace"
InvalidValueMessage"Must be a valid .NET
namespace identifier." /gt
lt/Fieldsgt lt/Pagegt lt/Pagesgt
lt/Wizardgt lt/GatheringServiceDatagt
lt/Recipegt lt/Recipesgt lt/GuidancePackagegt
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Wizards

• Value gathering strategies
• Gather values for recipe arguments
• Walk the developer through one or more steps
• Any recipe can have a wizard associated with it

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Value Providers

• Provide values for recipe arguments
• Optionally dependant of other recipe arguments
• Define project names, post-build commands, ...
• Retrieve currently selected project, file, ...
• Special guest ExpressionEvaluatorValueProvider
• Regular .NET classes (pre-built custom)

ltArgument Name"RuntimeProjectName"gt
ltValueProvider Type"Evaluator"
Expression"(ApplicationBlockNamespace).(Applica
tionBlockName)"gt ltMonitorArgument
Name"ApplicationBlockNamespace" /gt
ltMonitorArgument Name"ApplicationBlockName" /gt
lt/ValueProvidergt lt/Argumentgt
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Type Converters

• Validate the value of a field
• CodeIdentifierStringConverter
• NamespaceStringConverter
• ...
• Convert UI fields to a type representation
• Regular .NET classes (pre-built custom)

ltArgument Name"ApplicationBlockName"
Required"true"gt ltConverter Type"Microsoft.Prac
tices.RecipeFramework.Library.Converters.
CodeIdentifierStringConverter,
Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.Library"
/gt lt/Argumentgt
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Actions

• Atomic units of work called in a defined sequence
  by recipes
• E.g. add project references, generate classes,
  add project items, ...
• Strongly-typed input and output arguments
• Come from the recipe or from another action
  (chaining)
• Typically use EnvDTE
• Regular .NET classes (pre-built custom)

ltActionsgt ltAction Name"GetRuntimeProject"
Type"...RecipeFramework.Library.Actions.GetProjec
tAction"gt ltInput Name"ProjectName"
RecipeArgument"RuntimeProjectName" /gt
ltOutput Name"Project" /gt lt/Actiongt ltAction
Name"GetDesignTimeProject" Type"...RecipeFramewo
rk.Library.Actions.GetProjectAction"gt ltInput
Name"ProjectName" RecipeArgument"DesignTimeProje
ctName" /gt ltOutput Name"Project" /gt
lt/Actiongt ltAction Name"AddProjectReference"
Type"...Library.Solution.Actions.AddProjectRefere
nceAction"gt ltInput Name"ReferringProject"
ActionOutput"GetDesignTimeProject.Project" /gt
ltInput Name"ReferencedProject"
ActionOutput"GetRuntimeProject.Project" /gt
lt/Actiongt lt/Actionsgt
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Looking Into The Enterprise Library Guidance
Package
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Code Generation

• T4 templates (Text Templates Transformation
  Toolkit)
• Combination of text and scriptlets (C/VB.NET
  expressions)
• E.g. generate data access component from
  database, ...
• ASP.NET-like syntax with full capabilities of .NET

lt_at_ template language"C" gt lt_at_ assembly
name"System.dll" gt lt_at_ property
processor"PropertyProcessor" name"TargetNamespac
e" gt lt_at_ property processor"PropertyProcessor"
name"NodeName" gt using System using
Microsoft.Practices.EnterpriseLibrary.Common.Confi
guration using Microsoft.Practices.EnterpriseLibr
ary.Configuration.Design   namespace lt
this.TargetNamespace gt internal sealed
class lt this.NodeName gt ConfigurationNode

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Continuous Guidance

• Recipes stay alive
• Recipes associated with project items
• E.g. right-click data access project, choose Add
  Data Access Component
• Adding more templates
• New projects, e.g. data access project
• New project items, e.g. data access component
• Uses same mechanisms (wizards, actions, ...)

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Guidance Navigator

• Separate window listing
• Overview information
• All the available recipes
• History of executed recipes
• Links to online help, documentation, ...

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Other GAT Artifacts

• Custom Wizard Pages
• Add custom user controls to the wizard
• Type Editors
• Edit values in a wizard through a custom UI
• Snippets
• Visual Studio snippets that are automatically
  deployed

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Code Generation in the Enterprise Library
Guidance Package
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GAT Best Practices

• A look at some development best practices around
  GAT

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When (Not) To Use GAT

• Use GAT when
• You have a specific problem with a specific
  solution that
• Is automatable
• Must be executed multiple times
• Has a development time or risk that is too high
  to do manually
• You cant use dumb Visual Studio Templates
• You want to prepare for building a Software
  Factory
• Do not use GAT when
• You will use the Guidance Package only once
  ever
• You cant/dont want to invest time in the
  learning curve
• You just think its cool

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Authoring Guidance Packages

• There is a learning curve
• Do not involve everyone
• Make 1 person/team responsible for GAT
• Once the knowledge is there, investment pays off
  quickly
• Dont try to build everything at once
• Start automating simple scenarios
• Incrementally increase complexity
• Add templates, logic and guidance along the way

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GAT Source Control

• Guidance Package state is kept in a .gpState
  file (XML) with the solution file (.sln)
• Indicates which Guidance Packages are associated
  with the solution
• Contains recipe references and some state
• Can/should be checked in to Source Control

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Guidance Package State

• Guidance Packages are stateless
• Recipe arguments (wizard fields) arent available
  after the wizard finished
• Store values out-of-band (e.g. to disk, database,
  ...)
• Lookup values dynamically in solution if possible
  (through Visual Studio SDK, e.g. default
  namespace)
• The generated code is the model
• DSLs can fill this gap

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GAT Software Factories

• A look at the big picture

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Software Factories

• Initiative developed by Microsoft patterns
  practices
• Web Service SF - Web Client SF
• Smart Client SF - Mobile Client SF
• Current state infancy
• Written documentation Guidance Packages
  Reference Implementations
• GAT mostly used for wizards code generation
• The code is the model
• The road ahead towards the Grand Vision
• Domain Specific Languages (DSLs) capture and
  persist the model
• Programming code becomes a rendering of the
  model
• GAT guides developers through complex tasks

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A Possible Future (EFx)
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GAT Software Factories

• Software Factory enabling technologies
• Visual Studio Extensibility Model
• Visual Studio Modeling Tools (Designers)
• Domain Specific Language Tools (DSLs)
• Small, highly focused languages that model and
  solve clearly identifiable problems
• Guidance Automation Toolkit
• Generate initial solution structure
• Wizards code generation
• Can be used to provide guidance and context to
  DSLs
• Launch recipes from shapes in the DSLs
• Enable DSLs in certain parts of the solution

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In Closing

• Wrapping up...

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Key Points

• GAT is the next step in Visual Studio automation
• Builds on Visual Studio Templates Visual Studio
  SDK
• GAT can help you
• Automate repetitive tasks and complex processes
• Provide guidance right inside the Visual Studio
  solution
• Generate code with the powerful T4 engine
• Provide context and guidance continuously
• Make sure guidelines and best practices are
  enforced
• Be lazy ?
• GAT is a key part of Software Factories
• Understand the present
• Prepare for the future

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Resources

• Guidance Automation Toolkit
• Home - http//msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/teamsyste
  m/workshop/gat/
• Forum - http//forums.microsoft.com/msdn/showforum
  .aspx?forumid78siteid1
• Community site - http//www.guidanceautomation.net
  /cs/default.aspx
• My Guidance Automation series -
  http//jelle.druyts.net/CategoryView.aspx?category
  BlogProgramming.NETGuidanceAutomation
• Software Factories
• Home - http//msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/teamsystem
  /aa718951.aspx
• Guidance Automation Toolkit and Domain-Specific
  Language Tools for Visual Studio 2005
  Integration Scenarios -http//msdn2.microsoft.com
  /en-us/library/aa905334.aspx
• EFx - http//msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa
  905331.aspx
• Clarius Software Factories Toolkit -
  http//softwarefactoriestoolkit.net/
• Microsoft
• Microsoft patterns practices
  http//msdn.microsoft.com/practices/
• Enterprise Library 2.0 http//msdn.microsoft.com/
  library/en-us/dnpag2/html/EntLib2.asp

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Thank You!

• Thanks for your attention
• I'll be happy to answer all your questions
• Right after the session
• Compuware Booth
• Community Booth Ask-The-Experts
• VISUG Booth

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