Generator that alters existing files

Rails
1

What’s the best way to go about writing a generator that can add text
into an
existing file?

The point in the file is marked with a unique token, I want to insert a
few
lines after the line with the token on it.

Is this possible/easy/already done by someone?

Thanks

2

On Jun 2, 2006, at 6:01 AM, Gareth A. wrote:

Thanks

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It is a bit dangerous to add code to a file like that already has

content. But it can be done. I don’t think there is any direct
support for it in the generator stuff. But you could do something
like this:

in app/models/foo.rb

class Foo

def initialize
end

#REPLACEME

end

in generator or script

def add_to_file(filename, placeholder, replacement_code)
finished_product = IO.read(filename).gsub! /#{Regexp.quote
(placeholder)}/, replacement_code
File.open(filename, ‘w+’) { |f| f.write finished_product }
end

code =<<-EOF
def additional_method
# whatever here
end
EOF

placeholder = “#REPLACEME”

file = “#{RAILS_ROOT}/app/models/foo.rb”

add_to_file(file, placeholder, code)

foo.rb after the code is added to it

class Foo

def initialize
end

def additional_method
# whatever here
end

end

Cheers-
-Ezra