TmplPress

A Go Template Rendering Tool. Start a project from a template rather than from scratch.

Table of Contents

• TmplPress
  • Info
  • Description
  • What Is A Template
  • Installation
    • Requirements
    • Using Go
    • Using Docker
    • Using cURL & tar
  • Using a Template
  • Making a Template
  • FYI
  • Teminology

Info

Description

Designed for initializing applications; it can be applied generally. For example, configuration of a dynamic CI/CD pipeline (very useful). Don't limit your imagination and, use it for any type of project where you need to fill-in values in multiple files within a single directory. Initialize those files with specific values, especially in an automated repeatable way. Where you can benefit from saving time and reducing errors.

What Is A Template

Template is the term used for the concept and actual template file. Any folder containing a manifest* and one or more files that contain Go template Actions markup count as a template. Typically, you can point to a Git repository or a local folder will suffice.

• The manifest is a configuration file, in JSON format, who's properties provide details to help "press" (or render) the template. The term press as in newspaper press.

Hint: Templates are invaluable for quickly setting up apps/projects layouts (even a small parts) that you commonly use. This is especially true when using the answer.json file with automation.

Installation

Requirements

Git must be installed on your system in order to use this tool. Git is used to perform actions such as cloning and checking out branches or tags, and is necessary for this application to perform its functions.

Using Go

go install github.com/kohirens/tmplpress

Using Docker

docker pull kohirens/tmplpress:x.x.x

Using Pre-built Binary

mkdir -p "${HOME}/bin"
curl -L -o tmplpress.tar.gz https://github.com/kohirens/tmplpress/releases/download/x.x.x/tmplpress-linux-amd64.tar.gz
tar -xzvf tmplpress.tar.gz  ${HOME}/bin
export PATH="${HOME}/bin:${PATH}"

Using a Template

NOTE: There are command line flags should you need to place the arguments out of order. Run the program with -h or --help for options.

Run this application with 3 parameters:

1. a path to a template, a URL or local folder.
2. a path to where you want to place the project (it should not exist).

Notes About Template Processing

• All variables are treated as strings.
• If any variables are in the template.json that are supplied by an answer JSON, then processing will halt and ask for them.
• Empty directories will be placed without the ".empty" file.
• Files listed in the excludes list are output to the final app directory without template processing.
• Template are processed with the Go lib Golang text/template.

FYI

1. Why is it called "TmplPress"?
   • The name is a play on newspress. Old machines used to print newspapers. Like a newspaper the TmplPress (Template Press) produces copies from templates.
2. What is up with the name "printer.go" in the press package"
   • Going along with the them of newspress, the machine as a whole acts as a printer. Originally the name was lever, for what a person would pull to print 1 side of a newpaper, but since the press package is meant to contain all the parts build to produce the paper, it made more since to call the file that contains the main function to produce a tempalte be name printer.

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