Using Unicorn to Generate Glass Mapper Models

Question

How can I use Unicorn to generate Glass Mapper models for my Sitecore items?

Answer 1

The Sitecore.CodeGenerator project can convert serialized Sitecore items into GlassMapper classes, and it contains support for the Rainbow serialization format (used by Unicorn 3).

The project page has step-by-step instructions on how to install and configure it.

Answer 2

You will have to use Rainbow (the serialization part of Unicorn) to read the YAML files and the process those with a T4 template.

I have a tool that will do the reading for you and make the objects available in a T4 template. You can use this code for that: https://github.com/Fortis-Collection/fortis.codegen.transitus.rainbow. It is also available as a NuGet package that you can install in your project. Use:

Install-Package Transitus.Rainbow

Once you have this in your project you need to parse the .yml files.

Example code:

var items = Transitus.Rainbow.TransitusProvider.FolderDeserializer.Deserialize(@"C:\Projects\transitus.rainbow\Files");
var templates = Transitus.Rainbow.TransitusProvider.TemplateFactory.Create(items);

Here is an example T4 template that uses that:

<#@ template debug="true" hostSpecific="true" #>
<#@ output extension=".cs" #>
<#@ assembly Name="System.Core" #>
<#@ assembly Name="System.Windows.Forms" #>

// TODO: Set the paths for the assembly bindings based on the version you have installed
<#@ assembly name="$(SolutionDir)\packages\Rainbow.Core.1.1.0\lib\net45\Rainbow.dll" #>
<#@ assembly name="$(SolutionDir)\packages\Rainbow.Storage.Yaml.1.1.0\lib\net45\Rainbow.Storage.Yaml.dll" #>
<#@ assembly name="$(SolutionDir)\packages\Transitus.Rainbow.1.0.4.0\lib\net45\Transitus.Rainbow.dll" #>

// TODO: make sure the namespace imports include everything you need in your templates
<#@ import namespace="System" #>
<#@ import namespace="System.IO" #>
<#@ import namespace="System.Diagnostics" #>
<#@ import namespace="System.Linq" #>
<#@ import namespace="System.Text" #>
<#@ import namespace="System.Collections" #>
<#@ import namespace="System.Collections.Generic" #>
<#@ import namespace="System.Text.RegularExpressions" #>
<#@ import namespace="System.Globalization" #>
<#@ assembly name="EnvDTE" #>
<#@ import namespace="EnvDTE" #>
<#@ import namespace="Transitus.Rainbow" #>

/*
 * Generated Model Templates
 *
 * Generated at <#= DateTime.Now #>
 */
<#
    var stopwatch = Stopwatch.StartNew();

    // get the project solution path, we can use this to find the unicorn files
    string solutionsPath = this.Host.ResolveAssemblyReference("$(SolutionDir)");
    // Set a base path for all unicorn configurations that we want to use
    var myFolder = solutionsPath + @"..\Unicorn";

    // Add each configuration we want to create models for into a list
    var folders = new List<string>
    {
        myFolder + @"..\Default Configuration\User Defined"
    };
#>

<#
    var items = new List<IItem>();

    foreach (var folder in folders)
    {
        var deserializedItems = Transitus.Rainbow.TransitusProvider.FolderDeserializer.Deserialize(folder);

        items.AddRange(deserializedItems);
    }

    var templates = Transitus.Rainbow.TransitusProvider.TemplateFactory.Create(items);
#>  

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using Sitecore.Data.Items;
using Sitecore.ContentSearch;
using Sitecore.ContentSearch.Linq.Common;
// TODO: Add glass mapper using statements that you need here

<#

    foreach (var template in templates)
    {
        var isRenderingParametersTemplate = HasRenderingOptionsBase(template.BaseTemplateIds, template.Id);
#>
#region <#= template.Name #>
namespace MyProject.Models
{
    public partial interface I<#= template.Name #> 
    {
<#+
        foreach(var field in template.LocalFields)
        {
#>
        /// <summary><para>Template: <#= template.Name #></para><para>Field: <#= field.Name #></para><para>Data type: <#= field.TypeName #></para></summary>
        WORKOUTRETURNTYPE <#= field.Name #> { get; }

<#+
        }
#>
    }

#>
}
#endregion
<#
    }   
    stopwatch.Stop();
#>
// Generated in <#= stopwatch.ElapsedMilliseconds #>ms
// Found <#= templates.Count() #> templates in <#= folders.Count() #> folders [<#= myFolder #>]

There is still a lot to do in that example - but it should give you a start.