Using CodeSmith Generator Projects

CodeSmith Generator Projects manage groups of CodeSmith Generator templates and their outputs all in a single CodeSmith Generator Project file (.csp). CodeSmith Generator Projects are files that enable you to run an entire generation process at anytime in a simplistic manner from many different environments.

About

A CodeSmith Generator Project file uses a .csp file windows extension, and stores XML metadata about your CodeSmith Generator Project.

A CodeSmith Generator Project file can be generated or configured by right clicking on on a CodeSmith Generator Project File (.csp). 

Generation Capabilities

CodeSmith Generator Project files enable the management and execution of a generation process in many environments.

Windows Explorer

Managing a CodeSmith Generator Project right from Windows Explorer is simple and doesn't require you to use CodeSmith Generator to manage a project. Options are available through the right-click context menu in your CodeSmith Generator Project file (.csp). 
The menu options include:

1. Generate Outputs
2. Manage Outputs
3. Add Outputs

Command-Line

You can Generate Outputs of a CodeSmith Generator Project in the command line by using the Using the CodeSmith Generator Console ApplicationCodeSmith Generator Console application.  You would simply call:

cs MyCodeSmithProject.csp

Visual Studio

The tight integration with Visual Studio allows you to fully manage any CodeSmith Generator Project right from Visual Studio. To manage a CodeSmith Generator Project, you can use the Right-Click context menu of a CodeSmith Generator Project file from the Solution Explorer window. 
The menu options include:

1. Generate Outputs
2. Manage Outputs
3. Add Outputs
4. Output Options: You can use ActiveGeneration quite easily in your Visual Studio projects now, simply by specifying the BuildAction of your CodeSmith Generator Project.  Setting the BuildAction = "Generate" in the properties of you CodeSmith Generator Project file in the Solution Explorer will cause your entire build process to occur prior to your project building.

MSBuild

CodeSmith Generator projects can be run from your MSBuild projects by adding the following line to your project file:

<CodeSmith ProjectFile="MyProject.csp" /> 

When you set the BuildAction to Generate in Visual Studio, you're actually using the CodeSmith Generate Target, located in: C:\Program Files\MSBuild\CodeSmith\CodeSmith.targets or C:\Program Files (x86)\MSBuild\CodeSmith\CodeSmith.targets You can import this target in your Visual Studio Projects by using the Import tag.

<Import Project="$(MSBuildExtensionsPath)\CodeSmith\CodeSmith.targets" />