Multiple template directories

[ISOR3X]

Hi, we are considering using copier for pytauri.

In short it's a project that allows using Tauri with Python.

For our template generator we require multiple templates, such as for the different frontend frameworks there are.
To keep the code organized we'd like to separate templates similar to how tauri does it

Is something like this possible with copier? We have searched through the documentation but have not found any information related to it.

[sisp]

The answer depends on whether the questionnaire for all frontend frameworks is (nearly) the same or whether each framework needs significantly different questions. If the questions are (nearly) the same, then you can use a templated _subdirectory setting in copier.yml to render the framework's template. For example:

_subdirectory: "templates/template-{{ framework }}"

framework:
  type: str
  help: Your frontend framework
  choices:
    - angular
    - blazor
    - dioxus
    # ...

# ... your remaining questions

Then, your filesystem layout (akin to your provided link) may be this:

📁 templates
├── 📁 template-angular
│   └── 📄 ...
├── 📁 template-blaxor
│   └── 📄 ...
├── 📁 template-dioxus
│   └── 📄 ...
└── 📁 template-...
📄 copier.yml

If, however, the questions are very different for the different frameworks, then this may get very cumbersome with many questions conditioned on a framework. Copier doesn't support multiple (independent) templates per Git repository.

[WSH032]

Wow, I never thought of such a clever solution! But I'm a bit concerned that using symlinks on Windows might make Git development unpleasant? (I mean need to set git config --global core.symlinks true manually ; I rarely use symlinks, so maybe my concern is unfounded.)

[sisp]

I see. I'm not experienced with Windows, our symlink tests do pass on Windows runners though. But according to my reading, there's some risk on Windows indeed.

But I just invented a likely novel workaround 😄:

_subdirectory: "template/" # ⚡️ Note that the subdirectory is *not* templated anymore

framework:
  type: str
  help: Your frontend framework
  choices:
    - angular
    - blazor
    - dioxus
    # ...

# ... your remaining questions

📁 template
├── 📁 {{ '.' }}
│   └── 📁 src-tauri
│       └── 📄 foo ...
├── 📁 {% if framework == 'angular' %}.{% endif %}
│   └── 📄 A ...
├── 📁 {% if framework == 'blazor' %}.{% endif %}
│   └── 📄 B ...
├── 📁 {% if framework == 'dioxus' %}.{% endif %}
│   └── 📄 C ...
└── 📁 ...
📄 copier.yml

This filesystem layout leverages directory structure generation in an unusual way by conditionally rendering the selected framework directory names as . as well as unconditionally rendering the formerly named _base_ directory as .. When multiple templated directory names are rendered as the same name, then their contents are merged. Naming a directory literally . is invalid, so we need to resort to {{ '.' }} that renders as .. Internally the rendered directory name . is merely a path part of the destination path and is dropped when the path is resolved (e.g., /foo/./bar resolves to /foo/bar). We can't render an empty string because such directory/file names are not generated – in fact, that's what we're doing to omit the other framework directories.

This isn't as pretty as the symlink approach, but it avoids using symlinks. What do you think?

[ISOR3X]

This looks like a good solution to me, thanks for helping us out so fast!

While we have you, is there a way for copier to run without supplying a destination path? So you'd have steps more similar to npm create, where you ask for the project name in the questionnaire first and then create a new folder with that name.

[sisp]

No, I'm afraid this isn't possible. You need to provide a destination path, it can also be .. Copier supports applying multiple templates to the same project, and those subprojects may be merged in the same root path or exist in different subdirectories of the project. For this to be flexible, Copier needs the destination path from the user.

If you require a different UX, perhaps even a fully tailored CLI for your template, you can create a wrapper and call Copier programatically.

[WSH032]

our symlink tests do pass on Windows runners though

Hi, here is our feedback 😇:

Refer to https://gitforwindows.org/symbolic-links.html, on Windows, to make symbolic links work properly when using git clone, the following conditions must be met:

• git config --global core.symlinks true
• Enable Developer Mode or have administrator privileges

I'm not sure how Copier "clones" the template, but @ISOR3X told me that neither git clone nor copier copy worked for him:

Here is the template: https://github.com/WSH032/create-pytauri/tree/refactor/simlink

So for now, we've decided to use the Jinja approach.