How to create an evaluated Custom Parameter in a VSTemplate

Question

So I'm modifying a multi-project VS Template (Visual Studio project template), and I want to set a Custom Parameter in the root template to be used by the sub templates. However, I want to set it based on an existing parameter.

So, for example, this works fine:

<CustomParameter Name="$FaultProject$" Value="MyProject.FaultContracts"/>

The variable $FaultProject$ is replaced by MyProject.FaultContracts, as it should be.

This, however, does not work:

<CustomParameter Name="$FaultProject$" Value="$safeprojectname$.FaultContracts"/>

I expect $safeprojectname$ to be replaced by the correct value, but it is not. Instead, the variable $FaultProject$ is replaced by $safeprojectname$.FaultContracts. The $safeprojectname$ is interpreted as a literal rather than the parameter that it is.

This is in spite of the fact that in the same file, this works exactly as expected:

<ProjectTemplateLink ProjectName="$safeprojectname$.FaultContracts">WCFFaultContract\FaultContract.vstemplate</ProjectTemplateLink>

Any ideas would be helpful. I believe I might be able to write an IWizard class that would do this, but I'd rather avoid that for such a simple function, if possible.

Alternatively, if I can get a parameter that contains the value of the root template's $safeprojectname$, that would address my need as well (in the sub-templates, $safeprojectname$ is changed to the sub-project's name, not the value it had in the root template).

Answer 1

In a multi project template you can basically have replacement parameters only at the project level. The root template is at the solution level and you basically cannot have $safeprojectname$ in there. However you could implement IWizard interface and can have your own replacement parameters, substituted with the values you give.