Generate for a separate target

Chapter 8 Extended Model Definitions Reference Guide

Generate for a separate target

Extended model definitions can be used to create new generation targets provided the following conditions are respected:

The Complement Language Generation check box in the extended model definition property sheet should not be selected
The extended model definition should contain generated files and templates. The Templates are used to generate files, their role is to produce text for generation purposes. During generation, the evaluation of a template always generates text which can be stored in a file and used to gather information about a given object. To output the generated code in a file you have to type a name in the File Name box of the generated file property sheet

This generation is called extended generation. It is available from the Tools→Extended Generation command.

If you have several extended model definitions designed for extended generation, these will appear in the Targets page of the extended generation dialog box.

Specific menu command

You can create commands in the Tools menu to directly access extended generation for a selected target. To do so you have to:

Create a menu in the Model metaclass in the Profile category of the extended model definition, name this menu with the command name you want to display in the Tools menu and select the Tools menu in the Location dropdown listbox

For more information on how to create a menu, see section Defining menus in a profile in chapter Managing Profiles.
Create the method for extended generation using the following syntax:

Sub %Method%(obj)

   Dim selection ' as ObjectSelection
   
   ' Create a new selection
   set selection = obj.CreateSelection
   
   ' Add object of the active selection in the created selection
   selection.AddActiveSelectionObjects

   ' Generate scripts for specific target
   InteractiveMode = im_Dialog
   obj.GenerateFiles "", selection, "specific target"
   
End Sub

Where "specific target" is used to type the code of the extended generation target. With this parameter, you no longer need to select a generation target for extended generation.

For more information on how to create a method, see section Defining methods in a profile in chapter Managing Profiles.

Add the method for extended generation to the menu in order to create a specific command
Save the extended model definition

The new command appears in the Tools menu.

There is no more Targets page because the method lying behind the command already specifies a generation target.