Should the CLI support user default setting values

[spboyer]

Working with a Razor Pages app. Having to type the namespace value over and over when adding a new page to the application.

> dotnet new page --name Index -na MyAppName.Pages.Area -o Pages/Area

> dotnet new page --name NextPage -na MyAppName.Pages.Area -o Pages/Area

Solved with creating local variable

> ns=-ns=MyAppName.Pages

> dotnet new page --name Index  $ns.Area -o Pages/Area

The Azure CLI offers user defaults once set the user does not have to specify them in the actual command at all.

az configure --defaults location="East US" group="mysuperappgroup" 

[defaults]
location = East US  
group = mysuperappgroup 

# create a web application usually needing the above location and group specified.
az appservice web create -n myapp

It would suffice that the dotnet application should support this feature for things like --framework, --language, --nuget-source etc. without having to have the developer script specifically via bash, powershell or some other means.

[livarcocc]

@KathleenDollard @nguerrera another application for dotnet config

[ghost]

In .gitconfig we can define aliases like:

[alias]
    dnc = !dotnet new console -n $2
etc.

docs: https://git-scm.com/docs/git-config

with usage: git dnc myConsoleApp. This works across the platforms/shells (as git installer itself packs unix shell in Windows for cmd/powershell usage). .dotnetconfig or .netconfig with [alias] support would be a great match!

[KathleenDollard]

This sounds cool.

Downsides?

[spboyer]

You can do aliases many ways. .gitconfig is a clever way to do it xplat. However having functionality core to the CLI would be more expected.

Aliases are a way for devs to personalize their experience for their machines and tools, add shortcuts etc on top of the experience the tools give us out of the box.

[KathleenDollard]

I was too brief.

I meant, any downsides to adding the ability to do aliases in the dotnet CLI itself. I don't want to require any other tools for basic behavior.

[nguerrera]

I'm biased because I've said that I've wanted this a lot, but I don't think there are downsides. 😄