Transformation

The freemarker-generator generates text output based on processing FreeMarker templates and data

• A command line invocation requires 1..n templates and 0..n data sources / data models
• A command line invocation is internally mapped to a list of output generators - the mapping is controlled by the seed
  • template transforms 0 ..n data sources using a template to an output
  • datasource applies a template for 1..n data sources generating 1..n outputs
• The output generator consists of exactly one template, 0..n data sources / data models written to an output destination
• The output of an output generator is either written to
  • stdout
  • An output file
  • An output directory
• When the output is written to a directory
  • The structure of the input directory is preserved
  • Any ftl file extension is removed
• Positional command line arguments are interpreted as data sources (or directories) and accessible by a all output generators

Examples

Transform a single template to a single output file

freemarker-generator -t freemarker-generator/csv/md/transform.ftl -o target/contract.md examples/data/csv/contract.csv 

Transform multiple templates to multiple output files (1:1 mapping between templates and outputs)

> freemarker-generator \
-t freemarker-generator/csv/md/transform.ftl -o target/contract.md \
-t freemarker-generator/csv/html/transform.ftl -o target/contract.html \
examples/data/csv/contract.csv

> tree target 
target
|-- contract.html
`-- contract.md

Transform a single template directory to single output directory

> freemarker-generator \
-t examples/data/template \
-o target/template1

> tree target     
target
`-- template1
    |-- application.properties
    `-- nginx
        `-- nginx.conf

Transforming multiple template directories to multiple output directories

> freemarker-generator \
-t examples/data/template -o target/template1 \
-t examples/data/template -o target/template2 

> tree target     
target
|-- template1
|   |-- application.properties
|   `-- nginx
|       `-- nginx.conf
`-- template2
    |-- application.properties
    `-- nginx
        `-- nginx.conf

Transforming multiple data sources to multiple output files (aka source code generation)

> freemarker-generator \
	--seed=datasource \
	--template freemarker-generator/csv/html/transform.ftl \
	--data-source . \
	--data-source-include="*.csv" \
	--output target \
	--output-mapper="*.html"

> tree target               
target
`-- examples
    `-- data
        `-- csv
            |-- contract.html
            |-- dataframe.html
            |-- excel-export-utf8.html
            |-- locker-test-users.html
            |-- sales-records.html
            |-- transactions.html
            `-- user.html

Defining multiple transformation on the command line can be clumsy but Picolic's @-Files can help - the following @-File defined, e.g. @examples.args

#############################################################################
# CSV
#############################################################################

-t freemarker-generator/csv/html/transform.ftl -s examples/data/csv/contract.csv -o target/out/contract.html
-t freemarker-generator/csv/md/transform.ftl -s examples/data/csv/contract.csv -o target/out/contract.md

than multiple transformation can be invoked using the following command line

bin/freemarker-generator @examples.args