How can I load external layout files using RazorEngine? - razor

I've been trying for days (really, days) to use "external" files (provided from a different server using an ashx handler) as layouts in Razor.
#{
Layout = "http://someServer/templates.ashx?path=/my/template.cshtml";
}
This gives me an error about the path having to be a virtual one.
I've tried everything I could think of: VirtualPathProviders, custom RazorViewEngines, etc.
Nothing helps, has anyone done this or can someone give me a hint?

Make a VirtualPathProvider that handles virtual paths that start with a magic token and passes all other paths to its Previous property.
For example:
public override VirtualFile GetFile(string virtualPath) {
if (virtualPath.StartsWith("~/MySpecialTemplateServer"))
return new MyServerVirtualFile(virtualPath);
else
return Previous.GetFile(virtualPath);
}

Related

Can you preview ASP.NET Core's appsettings.json environment overrides?

In ASP.NET Core, the JsonConfigurationProvider will load configuration from appsettings.json, and then will read in the environment version, appsettings.{Environment}.json, based on what IHostingEnvironment.EnvironmentName is. The environment version can override the values of the base appsettings.json.
Is there any reasonable way to preview what the resulting overridden configuration looks like?
Obviously, you could write unit tests that explicitly test that elements are overridden to your expectations, but that would be a very laborious workaround with upkeep for every time you change a setting. It's not a good solution if you just wanted to validate that you didn't misplace a bracket or misspell an element name.
Back in ASP.NET's web.config transforms, you could simply right-click on a transform in Visual Studio and choose "Preview Transform". There are also many other ways to preview an XSLT transform outside of Visual Studio. Even for web.config parameterization with Parameters.xml, you could at least execute Web Deploy and review the resulting web.config to make sure it came out right.
There does not seem to be any built-in way to preview appsettings.{Environment}.json's effects on the base file in Visual Studio. I haven't been able to find anything outside of VS to help with this either. JSON overriding doesn't appear to be all that commonplace, even though it is now an integral part of ASP.NET Core.
I've figured out you can achieve a preview with Json.NET's Merge function after loading the appsettings files into JObjects.
Here's a simple console app demonstrating this. Provide it the path to where your appsettings files are and it will emit previews of how they'll look in each environment.
static void Main(string[] args)
{
string targetPath = #"C:\path\to\my\app";
// Parse appsettings.json
var baseConfig = ParseAppSettings($#"{targetPath}\appsettings.json");
// Find all appsettings.{env}.json's
var regex = new Regex(#"appsettings\..+\.json");
var environmentConfigs = Directory.GetFiles(targetPath, "*.json")
.Where(path => regex.IsMatch(path));
foreach (var env in environmentConfigs)
{
// Parse appsettings.{env}.json
var transform = ParseAppSettings(env);
// Clone baseConfig since Merge is a void operation
var result = (JObject)baseConfig.DeepClone();
// Merge the two, making sure to overwrite arrays
result.Merge(transform, new JsonMergeSettings
{
MergeArrayHandling = MergeArrayHandling.Replace
});
// Write the preview to file
string dest = $#"{targetPath}\preview-{Path.GetFileName(env)}";
File.WriteAllText(dest, result.ToString());
}
}
private static JObject ParseAppSettings(string path)
=> JObject.Load(new JsonTextReader(new StreamReader(path)));
While this is no guarantee there won't be some other config source won't override these once deployed, this will at least let you validate that the interactions between these two files will be handled correctly.
There's not really a way to do that, but I think a bit about how this actually works would help you understand why.
With config transforms, there was literal file modification, so it's easy enough to "preview" that, showing the resulting file. The config system in ASP.NET Core is completely different.
It's basically just a dictionary. During startup, each registered configuration provider is run in the order it was registered. The provider reads its configuration source, whether that be a JSON file, system environment variables, command line arguments, etc. and builds key-value pairs, which are then added to the main configuration "dictionary". An "override", such as appsettings.{environment}.json, is really just another JSON provider registered after the appsettings.json provider, which obviously uses a different source (JSON file). Since it's registered after, when an existing key is encountered, its value is overwritten, as is typical for anything being added to a dictionary.
In other words, the "preview" would be completed configuration object (dictionary), which is composed of a number of different sources, not just these JSON files, and things like environment variables or command line arguments will override even the environment-specific JSON (since they're registered after that), so you still wouldn't technically know the the environment-specific JSON applied or not, because the value could be coming from another source that overrode that.
You can use the GetDebugView extension method on the IConfigurationRoot with something like
app.UseEndpoints(endpoints =>
{
if(env.IsDevelopment())
{
endpoints.MapGet("/config", ctx =>
{
var config = (Configuration as IConfigurationRoot).GetDebugView();
return ctx.Response.WriteAsync(config);
});
}
});
However, doing this can impose security risks, as it'll expose all your configuration like connection strings so you should enable this only in development.
You can refer to this article by Andrew Lock to understand how it works: https://andrewlock.net/debugging-configuration-values-in-aspnetcore/

How to get settings in middleware?

I'm sure this has got to be a duplicate, but I've been searching way too long and still can't find the answer.
I want to access configuration options (from a json file, although I don't think the source matters in regard to my question) from here:
public void Configure(IApplicationBuilder app, IHostingEnvironment env)
{
app.Run(async context =>
{
// Get my config values here and do something with them
await Task.CompletedTask;
});
}
I could use var x = Config.GetValue<string>("AppSettings:MySetting:0"); but because it's a list I would have to create a loop and retrieve values until I get a null value and all that so I would rather do the IOptions thing so it loads it in a strongly typed class for me. I have this code in ConfigureServices:
services.AddOptions();
services.Configure<AppSettings>(Config.GetSection("AppSettings"));
but I just don't know how to get at the object that's registered there from within the Configure method.
I also tried inspecting the value of Config.GetSection("AppSettings") while debugging and found that under the json provider I could see my settings. However, while that's available in the inspector, I can't see how I can directly access my list. That is, I can access my list one value at a time using GetValue() but I can't just access the whole list as one value.
As often seems to happen, I finally figured out what I was looking for right after making a post here. Basically, I don't need IOptions or anything else having to do with DI for my scenario. I just needed to use .Bind() to bind the settings to an instance of my class:
AppSettings a = new AppSettings();
Config.GetSection("AppSettings").Bind(a);

Jodd proxy Unable to install breakpoint due to missing line number attributes

I have a jodd project that uses Proxetta and JTX for creating transactions over services classes. The issue is that when I try to debug a service class I receive :
Unable to install breakpoint due to missing line number attributes
I suspect that there has something to do with they way Proxetta generates my proxies classes as it seems that in Spring if you have no interface for a class the same happens.
I use Eclispe and here how Proxetta is initialized:
public void initProxetta() {
ProxyAspect txServiceProxy = new ProxyAspect(AnnotationTxAdvice.class,
new MethodAnnotationPointcut(Transaction.class) {
#Override
public boolean apply(MethodInfo mi) {
return isPublic(mi) &&
isTopLevelMethod(mi) &&
matchClassName(mi, "*ServiceImpl") &&
super.apply(mi);
}
});
proxetta = ProxyProxetta.withAspects(txServiceProxy);
proxetta.setClassLoader(this.getClass().getClassLoader());
}
Would you please try the following quickstart webapp1 example?
Its gradle project, so you can quickly import it in any IDE. In this example, we create proxy almost exactly like you above, but on actions (which should not make a difference). Now try to put a breakpoint into the IndexAction - this one gets proxified, for example. I am able to put break point there in IntelliJ IDEA.
Moreover, I dunno why Eclipse complains about the breakpoint in the service implementation class, since Proxetta as you used above creates a proxy subclass, and does not change the target class in any way. So when you put breakpoint in the service implementation code, it is in your class, not proxy class.
Finally, did you put BP on the method, or inside the code? If it is the first (on the method), then please try to put the BP inside the code of your service: eg on first line of the method body.

AS3: Create static variables in registry from external list

I have an application which will be using large numbers of assets. In order to better handle that I chose to use a registry to hold all the assets so they are accessible across the entire application:
package
{
public class SpriteRegistry
{
public static var SPRITENAME = "link to image file";
public function SpriteRegistry()
{
}
}
}
What I would like to do is create an XML document and list off the file name and link so that when the application starts, this registry creates its variables which are freely accessible from that list without me needing to hard code any content directly into it.
Specifically what I need to know is how to get the "public static" effect or how to get an equivalent effect for variables that I CAN dynamically produce.
More info:
I am using a function that loads a sprite texture into a sprite object based on a string variable called mouseAttribute:
loadGraphic(SpriteRegistry[currentAttribute+"Texture"]);
Basically it's like a painting program but for a level editor for a video game.
The problem is that I'm eventually going to have 100+ sprites that I need to application to load and then I need the loadGraphic function to still be able to point effectively to the target sprite.
The library I'm using also needs me to embed the source into a class before I can pull it into the sprite object:
[Embed(source = "/Images/GridTile.png")]
public static var gridTileTexture:Class;
The reason I'm trying to avoid an array is because it means that I will have to search through an array of 100+ objects to find one sprite every time I click a single grid on the editor. That is going to chug.
It's very simple - just use a static function, which will return the XML. So you will need to load the XML file somehow (you decide where, but your registry class should have reference to it). Something similar to this:
private static var _xml:XML;
public static function initialize(xml:XML):void {
_xml = xml;
}
public static function getXML():XML {
return _xml;
}
So you will use it like that:
SpriteRegistry.initialize(loadedXML); // done only once when you initialize your app
trace(SpriteRegistry.getXML().someValue); // someValue is directly from the XML
It's a common used strategy and most of the times you would have something like an app initializer - something to load and instantiate all the things, then pass them to some registries that keep them stored for faster and global usage.
Edit:
After reading your further comments, I can't see any big change - everything would be ok with this resolution.
If you are worried about the 'need to search through array' - just do it as an object! This way you will be able to directly access the proper one using a key exactly like you pointed:
private static var _registry:Object;
public static function initialize(xml:XML):void {
// loop through xml and insert items
_registry[key] = resource;
}
public static function getResource(id):Object {
return _registry[id];
}
This way you can use it like:
SpriteRegistry.getResource(currentAttribute+"Texture");
My personal opinion is that you should avoid statics wherever possible. Instead, you should just create a single instance and provide it through dependency injection where needed.
If you were to go with that approach, you could do something like:
public function getSprite(spriteName:String):Class{
return this[spriteName];
}
or
public function getSprite(spriteName:String):Class{
return yourDictionaryOrObject[spriteName];//I'd implement it this way
}
Otherwise you could go with something like:
public static function getSprite(spriteName):Class{
return ThisHonkingBigUnnchangeableClassname[spriteName];
}
What I would not do is create a Dictionary in a static-only Class, because you're almost inevitably going to wind up with global mutable state.
Discussion, per request
Why would you want to create an instance and pass it, rather than hard-code a reference to a specific Class? A lot of the answers are covered in the global mutable state link above, but here are some that are specific to this kind of problem:
Flexibility. Say you build everything with the idea that you'd only have one set of resources being used in parallel, then you discover you need more than one--for example you might need one for color blind users, or multiple languages, or thumbnails vs. full-sized. If you hard-code to a static, then you'll have to go in every place that was hard-coded and make some sort of change to use a different set, whereas if you use DI, you just supply a different instance loaded with different resources, and done.
Testability. This is actually covered in the link, but I think it bears pulling out. If you want to run a quick test on something that needs a resource, you have to have that static "thing" and you can't change anything about it. It then becomes very difficult to know if the thing you're actually testing is working or if it just appears to be working based on the current implementation of the "thing."
Resource use: everything about an all-static Class exists from the time the swf loads to the time it unloads. Instances only exist from when you instantiate them until they are garbage collected. This can be especially important with resource files that contain embedded assets.
I think the important thing about Frameworks is to realize how they work. The major ones used in ActionScript work the same way, which is they have a central event dispatcher (event bus) that anything loaded to the framework can get a reference to by declaring an interest in it by asking for it to be injected. Additionally, they watch the stage for an event that says that something has been added (in RL it's ADDED_TO_STAGE, whereas in Mate it's the Flex event CREATION_COMPLETE). Once you understand these principles, you can actually apply them yourself with a very light hand without necessarily needing everything that comes along with a framework.
TL;DR
I usually try to avoid answering questions that weren't asked, but in this case I think it would be helpful to discuss an entirely different approach to this problem. At root, the solution comes down not to injecting an entire resource instance, but instead just injecting the resource that's needed.
I don't know what the OP's code is like, but this solution should be general enough that it would work to pass named BitmapDatas to anything that implements our Interface that is capable of dispatching against whatever IEventDispatcher we set as the eventBus (this could be the stage, a particular DisplayObject, or an EventDispatcher that is created just for the purpose.
Note that this code is strikingly similar to code I have in production ;).
public class ResourceManager {
//this can be loaded dynamically, or you can create subclasses that fill the registry
//with embedded Classes in the constructor
protected var registry:Dictionary = new Dictionary();
protected var _eventBus:IeventDispatcher;
public function registerResource(resourceName:String, resourceClass:Class):void {
var bitmap:BitmapData = new resourceClass as BitmapData;
if (resourceClass) {
registry[resourceName] = bitmap;
} else {
trace('Class didn\'t make a BitmapData');
}
}
public function getResource(resourceName:String):BitmapData {
var resource:BitmapData = registry[resourceName];
if (!resource) trace('there was no resource registered for', resourceName);
}
public function get eventBus():IEventDispatcher {
return _eventBus;
}
public function set eventBus(value:IEventDispatcher):void {
if (value != _eventBus){
if (_eventBus) {
_eventBus.removeEventListener(YourCustomEvent.GET_RESOURCE, provideResource);
}
_eventBus = value;
if (_eventBus) {
_eventBus.addEventListener(YourCustomEvent.GET_RESOURCE, provideResource);
}
}
}
protected function provideResource(e:YourCustomEvent):void {
var client:IBitmapResourceClient = e.target as IBitmapResourceClient;
if (client) {
client.resource = getResource(e.resourceName);//your custom event has a resourceName property that you populated when you dispatched the event.
}
}
}
Note that I didn't provide the Interface or the custom event or an example implementation of the Interface due to the fact I am on my lunch break, but if anyone needs that to understand the code please post back and I'll fill that in.

grails base.dir system property

I have a simple grails file upload app.
I am using transferTo to save the file to the file system.
To get the base path in my controller I am using
def basePath = System.properties['base.dir'] // HERE IS HOW I GET IT
println "Getting new file"
println "copying file to "+basePath+"/files"
def f = request.getFile('file')
def okcontents = ['application/zip','application/x-zip-compressed']
if (! okcontents.contains(f.getContentType())) {
flash.message = "File must be of a valid zip archive"
render(view:'create', model:[zone:create])
return;
}
if(!f.empty) {
f.transferTo( new File(basePath+"/files/"+zoneInstance.title+".zip") )
}
else
{
flash.message = 'file cannot be empty'
redirect(action:'upload')
}
println "Done getting new file"
For some reason this is always null when deployed to my WAS 6.1 server.
Why does it work when running dev but not in prod on the WAS server? Should I be accessing this information in a different way?
Thanks j,
I found the best dynamic solution possible. As a rule I never like to code absolute paths into any piece of software. Property file or no.
So here is how it is done:
def basePath = grailsAttributes.getApplicationContext().getResource("/files/").getFile().toString()
grailsAttributes is available in any controller.
getResource(some relative dir) will look for anything inside of the web-app folder.
So for example in my dev system it will toString out to "C:\WORKSPACEFOLDER\PROJECTFOLDER\web-app\ with the relative dir concated to the end
like so in my example above
C:\WORKSPACEFOLDER\PROJECTFOLDER\web-app\files
I tried it in WAS 6.1 and it worked in the container no problems.
You have to toString it or it will try to return the object.
mugafuga
There's a definitive way...
grailsApplication.parentContext.getResource("dir/or/file").file.toString()
Out of controllers (ex. bootstrap)? Just inject..
def grailsApplication
Best regards!
Grails, when it's run in dev mode, provides a whole host of environment properties to its Gant scripts and the app in turn, including basedir.
Take a look at the grails.bat or grails.sh script and you will find these lines:
Unix: -Dbase.dir="." \
Windows: set JAVA_OPTS=%JAVA_OPTS% -Dbase.dir="."
When these scripts start your environment in dev mode you get these thrown in for free.
When you take the WAR and deploy you no longer use these scripts and therefore you need to solve the problem another way; you can either
Specify the property yourself to the startup script for the app server, eg: -Dbase.dir=./some/dir .. however
... it usually makes more sense to use the Grails Config object which allows for per-environment properties
Another option:
def basePath = BuildSettingsHolder.settings.baseDir