VanillaTransformer

VanillaTransformer is a simple generic text file transformer. It was designed for configuration transforming as an alternative for XML-Document-Transform tool. Unlike XML-DT, it works with any kind of text file (not only XML) and is much simpler to use.

How it works

• Prepare template files for your config files by replacing fragments that should be changed with placeholders
• Prepare TransformConfiguration file that describes all the transformations
• Run VanillaTransformer against TransformConfiguration file

How to install

The installation of VanillaTransformer depends on the use case. VanillaTransformer is shipped in the following forms:

• MsBuildTask - use Nuget to install VanillaTransformer package
• Console application - You can download the latest binaries from the Release section.
• dotnet CLI tool - install using dotnet tool install dotnet-configtransform

How to use it.

• Use as MSBuildTask
• Use as console application
• Use as dotnet cli tool

TransformConfiguration file formats

Currently Vanilla transformer supports the following formats for describing transformations:

• default - the default format invented at the beginning of VanillaTransformer
• deployment - an improve form of describing transformations, better aligned to deployments scenarios

Post-Transformations

VanillaTransformer supports post-transformations which are applied to a transformed configuration in the form of the pipelines. The way of defining post-transformations depends on the TransformConfiguration file format.

Currently available post-transformations:

• StripXMLComments
• ReFormatXML
• ReFormatJSON