Creating Entity Json File Manually

In this document, we will explain how to use ASP.NET Zero Power Tools without the Visual Studio extension.

Purpose of the ASP.NET Zero Power Tools VS Extension is to create an input file. So, in order to use it without extension, input file needs to be created manually.

Creating Input File

For creating JSON file manually, you need to learn fields of the JSON file (configuration for entity).

Properties are written as an array in JSON file. Add an object to that array for every property of your entity. There will be some unnecessary fields depending on property type. For example, you don't have to set regular expression for a numeric property or don't have to set range for a string.

You have to fill the fields of the JSON file for your entity. However, some of the fields must match our constants.

A property should be one of those types:

bool
byte
short
DateTime
decimal
double
Guid
int
long
string

or one of the ENUMs you declared in EnumDefinitions.

You can find specification of the JSON file fields in the table below;

Fields Table

Name	Description
IsRegenerate	Set `true` if you have generated this entity before.
MenuPosition	`main` or `admin`
RelativeNamespace	Namespace of your entity (not including project's namespace)
EntityName	Entity Name
EntityNamePlural	Entity Name Plural
TableName	Database Table Name (might be same with plural name)
PrimaryKeyType	Type of primay key. Can be `int`, `long`, `string`, `Guid`
BaseClass	Base class of your entity. Can be `Entity`, `AuditedEntity`, `CreationAuditedEntity`, `FullAuditedEntity`
EntityHistory	Set `true` to track history of this entity.
AutoMigration	`true` add-migration automatically, false do not add migration (you need to add migration manually)
UpdateDatabase	`true` update-database automatically, false do not update-database (you need to update-database manually)
CreateUserInterface	`true` creates/modifies ui layer files
CreateViewOnly	`true` creates a view-only modal in actions button in table of your entity in ui
CreateExcelExport	`true` adds excel report button in ui
IsNonModalCRUDPage	`true` creates non-modal pages.
PagePermission	Multitenancy `"PagePermission":{"Host": [ISHOSTALLOWED],"Tenant":[ISTENANTALLOWED]}`
Properties	Properties of your entity. See Properties Table for more.
NavigationProperties	Navigation properties of your entity. See NavigationProperties Table for more.
EnumDefinitions	Enum definitions you use on your entity. See EnumDefinitions Table for more.

Properties Table(Array):

Name	Description
Name	Property Name
Type	Type of property. Can be string, bool, byte, short, DateTime, decimal, double, Guid, int, long, enum
MaxLength	If type is string max length of string
MinLength	If type is string min length of string
Range	If type can have range value range of property "Range": {"IsRangeSet": [ISRANGESET],"MinimumValue": [MINVAL],"MaximumValue": [MAXVAL]}
Required	Is property required
Nullable	Is property nullable
Regex	specifies the regex that this property should match
UserInterface	Will this property be listed, have a filter and editable in ui? "UserInterface": {"List": true,"AdvancedFilter": true,"CreateOrUpdate": true}

NavigationProperties Table(Array):

Name	Description
Namespace	Namespace of entity
ForeignEntityName	Foreign Entity Name
ForeignEntityNamePlural	Foreign Entity Name Plural
IdType	Type of Foreign Key. See Entity -> PrimaryKeyType
IsNullable	Is nullable
PropertyName	Property name (Property name for that entity which will store Foreign Key)
DisplayPropertyName	Property name of foreign entity. It will be displayed by that property on pages.
DuplicationNumber	If you have two navigation property that navigates to same foreign entity, number them starting from 1. If not, just skip this.
RelationType	single is the only option.

EnumDefinitions Table:

Name	Description
Name	Name
Namespace	Namespace
EnumProperties	Properties "EnumProperties":[{"Name":"[PROPERYNAME]","Value":[PROPERYVALUE]}]

Example JSON Input

{
  "IsRegenerate": false,
  "MenuPosition": "main",
  "RelativeNamespace": "Products",
  "EntityName": "Product",
  "EntityNamePlural": "Products",
  "TableName": "Products",
  "PrimaryKeyType": "int",
  "BaseClass": "Entity",
  "EntityHistory": false,
  "AutoMigration": true,
  "UpdateDatabase": true,
  "CreateUserInterface": true,
  "CreateViewOnly": true,
  "CreateExcelExport": true,
  "IsNonModalCRUDPage": false,
  "PagePermission": {
    "Host": true,
    "Tenant": true
  },
  "Properties": [
    {
      "Name": "Name",
      "Type": "string",
      "MaxLength": 25,
      "MinLength": 2,
      "Range": {
        "IsRangeSet": false,
        "MinimumValue": 0,
        "MaximumValue": 0
      },
      "Required": true,
      "Nullable": false,
      "Regex": "",
      "UserInterface": {
        "List": true,
        "AdvancedFilter": true,
        "CreateOrUpdate": true
      }
    },
    {
      "Name": "Type",
      "Type": "ProductType",
      "MaxLength": 0,
      "MinLength": 0,
      "Range": {
        "IsRangeSet": false,
        "MinimumValue": 0,
        "MaximumValue": 0
      },
      "Required": false,
      "Nullable": false,
      "Regex": "",
      "UserInterface": {
        "List": true,
        "AdvancedFilter": true,
        "CreateOrUpdate": true
      }
    }
  ],
  "NavigationProperties": [
    {
      "Namespace": "Volosoft.RadToolExplainer.Authorization.Users",
      "ForeignEntityName": "User",
      "IdType": "long",
      "IsNullable": true,
      "PropertyName": "UserId",
      "DisplayPropertyName": "Name",
      "DuplicationNumber": 0,
      "RelationType": "single"
    }
  ],
  "EnumDefinitions": [
    {
      "Name": "ProductType",
      "Namespace": "Volosoft.RadToolExplainer",
      "EnumProperties": [
        {
          "Name": "Liquid",
          "Value": 1
        },
        {
          "Name": "Solid",
          "Value": 2
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Note: Please Keep in mind that JSON file is completely case sensitive.