HTTP Port not working correctly in Visual Studio for solution template

[damienbod]

Thanks for this great repo. I had a small issue with HTTP ports when trying to implement this. Not sure if this is a bug, or a mistake from me, or a new feature request.

I would like to add an auto generate HTTP port to to the template file, it does not work correctly in Visual Studio

link to src where I tried this:

https://github.com/damienbod/Blazor.BFF.OpenIDConnect.Template/blob/main/content/BlazorBffOpenIDConnect/.template.config/template.json

I tried using, adapting your demo template with the HTTP port example.

What I would like:

To auto generate the http port in Visual studio within the port range without the additional properties view in VS. Works from CLI

Is this possible?

Greetings Damien

[sayedihashimi]

Please take a look at this sample https://github.com/sayedihashimi/template-sample/blob/main/src/Content/MyWebApp/.template.config/template.json

[sayedihashimi]

Also see the content in the readme here https://github.com/sayedihashimi/template-sample#generating-ports-for-web-projects

[damienbod]

@sayedihashimi

Thanks for you response. I tried this and had problems in VS. The CMD worked perfect. Will validate this again, maybe it was cache or something.

Greetings Damien

[sayedihashimi]

You're probably running into a caching issue. If working with a folder, change the folder path. If working with a .nupkg change the version.

cc @baronfel

[baronfel]

We've tried to address this for .net 7 by rebuilding the cache more frequently for folder-based installs: dotnet/templating#4155

@damienbod can you see if using a .net 7 preview gives you a better testing experience?

[damienbod]

Thanks, I try this

[sayedihashimi]

I think this has been resolved, so I'll go ahead and close this. Plese reopen with more info if you still need help here.

[damienbod]

Hi @sayedihashimi

found a small problem in the http port generator in a solution template. In visual studio, when using a HTTP parameter for the port, if this is left blank in visual studio, the template creates an empty solution.

Greetings Damien

[sayedihashimi]

Does the parameter have a default value?

[damienbod]

I wanted to use to auto-generated port number. I used this:

"HttpsPort": {
  "type": "parameter",
  "datatype": "integer",
  "description": "Port number to use for the HTTPS endpoint in launchSettings.json."
},
"HttpsPortGenerated": {
  "type": "generated",
  "generator": "port",
  "parameters": {
  "low": 44300,
  "high": 44399
  }
},
"HttpsPortReplacer": {
  "type": "generated",
  "generator": "coalesce",
  "parameters": {
  "sourceVariableName": "HttpsPort",
  "fallbackVariableName": "HttpsPortGenerated"
  },
  "replaces": "44345"
}

[sayedihashimi]

I think that should work. Do you have a sample you can share with me so that I can take a look?

[damienbod]

@sayedihashimi

When I use this inside Visual Studio 22 and leave the HTTP port empty when I click to create, then a solution is created with no projects.

Here's an example:

{
    "author": "damienbod",
    "classifications": [
        "AspNetCore",
        "WASM",
        "OpenIDConnect",
		"OAuth2",
		"Web",
		"Cloud",
		"Console",
		"Solution",
		"Blazor"
    ],
    "name": "ASP.NET Core Blazor BFF hosted WASM OpenID Connect",
    "identity": "Blazor.BFF.OpenIDConnect.Template",
    "shortName": "blazorbffoidc",
    "tags": {
        "language": "C#",
        "type":"solution"
    },
    "sourceName": "BlazorBffOpenIDConnect",
    "preferNameDirectory": "true",
    "guids": [
		"CFDA20EC-841D-4A9C-A95C-2C674DA96F23",
		"74A2A84B-C3B8-499F-80ED-093854CABDEA",
		"BD70F728-398A-4A88-A7C7-A3D9B78B5AE6"
    ],
	"symbols": {
		"HttpsPort": {
		  "type": "parameter",
		  "datatype": "integer",
		  "description": "Port number to use for the HTTPS endpoint in launchSettings.json."
		},
		"HttpsPortGenerated": {
		  "type": "generated",
		  "generator": "port",
		  "parameters": {
		  "low": 44300,
		  "high": 44399
		  }
		},
		"HttpsPortReplacer": {
		  "type": "generated",
		  "generator": "coalesce",
		  "parameters": {
		  "sourceVariableName": "HttpsPort",
		  "fallbackVariableName": "HttpsPortGenerated"
		  },
		  "replaces": "44345"
		}
   }
}

[sayedihashimi]

@damienbod I sent a PR damienbod/Blazor.BFF.OpenIDConnect.Template#21 to add a default value for that, as well as a couple other minor changes. Symbols is declared as

"symbols": {
	"HttpsPortCustom2": {
		"type": "parameter",
		"datatype": "integer",
		"description": "Port number to use for the HTTPS endpoint in launchSettings.json.",
		"defaultValue": "44347"
	},
	"HttpsPortGenerated": {
		"type": "generated",
		"generator": "port",
		"parameters": {
		"low": 44300,
		"high": 44399
		}
	},
	"HttpsPortReplacer": {
		"type": "generated",
		"generator": "coalesce",
		"parameters": {
		"sourceVariableName": "HttpsPortCustom2",
		"fallbackVariableName": "HttpsPortGenerated"
		},
		"replaces": "44348"
	}
},

If the user deletes the default value and leaves it blank nothing is created. Will work with Phil when he is back to see what's happening there.