Extending source files by parsing them

17 May 2006 3:45 PM

Rickard

I am trying to write a tool that takes a VB.NET source file containing a
class and produces another source file that contains code that depends
on some properties of the first file.

For example, the original file might contain:
Public Class MyClass
   Public Sub MySub
     ' blah
   End Sub
End Class

Then I want to produce a second source file that might contain:
Public Class MyGeneratedClass
   Public Sub DoWhateverOnMyClass(arg as MyClass)
   End Sub
End Class

Of course this example is very simplified. In reality I want to do a lot
of processing on the first class.

What I want is something like CodeDom for the first class, but VB.NET
has no CodeDom parser. I tried using
CodeProvider.CompileAssemblyFromFile, but this requires me to compile a
complex set of assemblies (and parsing VS project files, which might or
might not be easy depending on the VS API, I have not looked into this).

The problem is, I want only the basic parsing to be done, I don't need
an executable assembly.

Is there some way that lets me go through the VB.NET code without
requiring a full compile of the project? (And of course, short of
writing my own VB parser which is probably a little overkill...)

Is there some way of intercepting the compilation process before it
fails with "Type <whatever> is not defined", or in any way access the
work it did so far?

I am thankful for all input on this subject.

Regards
/ Rickard

19 May 2006 2:49 PM

Dmytro Lapshyn [MVP]

Hi Rickard,

There's no VB .NET parser available in .NET Framework. You can try 3rd party
products such as GoldParser (it's free AFAIR).

Show quote

"Rickard" <rniocskpaa***@enfofsspyasm.se> wrote in message
news:%23E1b6jceGHA.3996@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>I am trying to write a tool that takes a VB.NET source file containing a
>class and produces another source file that contains code that depends on
>some properties of the first file.
>
> For example, the original file might contain:
> Public Class MyClass
>   Public Sub MySub
>     ' blah
>   End Sub
> End Class
>
> Then I want to produce a second source file that might contain:
> Public Class MyGeneratedClass
>   Public Sub DoWhateverOnMyClass(arg as MyClass)
>   End Sub
> End Class
>
> Of course this example is very simplified. In reality I want to do a lot
> of processing on the first class.
>
> What I want is something like CodeDom for the first class, but VB.NET has
> no CodeDom parser. I tried using CodeProvider.CompileAssemblyFromFile, but
> this requires me to compile a complex set of assemblies (and parsing VS
> project files, which might or might not be easy depending on the VS API, I
> have not looked into this).
>
> The problem is, I want only the basic parsing to be done, I don't need an
> executable assembly.
>
> Is there some way that lets me go through the VB.NET code without
> requiring a full compile of the project? (And of course, short of writing
> my own VB parser which is probably a little overkill...)
>
> Is there some way of intercepting the compilation process before it fails
> with "Type <whatever> is not defined", or in any way access the work it
> did so far?
>
> I am thankful for all input on this subject.
>
> Regards
> / Rickard