Azure Functions Templates

This repository contains the templates used by the Azure Functions Portal and Visual Studio 2017 tooling. Templates are pre-defined functions that demonstrate a working scenario and could be used as a starting point for more complex ones.

Template Format

A template requires specific metadata files and folder structure so that Azure Functions Portal and Visual Studio 2017 tooling can understand and graphically present it. Certain C# templates cater only to portal whereas others are applicable to both Portal and Visual Studio 2017 tooling. The templates that are consumed by both hosts (Portal and Visual Studio) are structured differently. Please find more information on template format, individual files and their contents below.

Files used by portal

Binding.json: This is a metadata file for all the bindings and their possible configuration settings. It is common across all templates and is located here. It also contains metadata for binding related UI Elements and the corresponding text.
Function.json: This file contains binding data specific to each template. It provides valid values for the possible settings on a binding.
Code file: Code file holds the actual code executed by the template. The name of the file depends on the Target language used by the template. For all the languages, the file name is run, followed by the file extension specific to the language. Additionally, JavaScript also supports index.js as the name of the code file.
Metadata.json: UI related metadata specific to each template is present here. For e.g. Template Name, category.
Sample.dat: Sample.dat contains sample input data for each template. The Run text box in the portal will be populated by the contents of the sample.dat file.

Files used by Visual Studio (Only applicable to C# templates)

run.cs: The file holds the actual code for the templates along with the trigger and binding attributes required by Visual Studio tooling. Please note this a class file as opposed the C# script file (.csx) consumed by the portal.
.build.config/template.json: This is consumed by the dotnet templating engine implemented by Visual Studio 2017.
.build.config/vs-2017.3.host.json This is host config file for Visual Studio 2017 as required by the dotnet templating engine.

You can find more information on the templatting engine at the wiki page of the dotnet templating repository.

Please note that as part of the packaging process the folder build.config is renamed to .template.config as required by the dotnet templating engine.

Build

Generate templates for portal

Execute the getTools script from the root of the repository
Build the Functions.Templates/Functions.Templates.csproj via Visual studio or Execute msbuild Functions.Templates.csproj from Functions.Templates folder
The generated templates should be present in the Functions.Templates\bin\Portal\Release\Azure.Functions.Templates.Portal folder

Generate templates for Visual Studio

Execute the getTools script from the root of the repository
Execute msbuild Functions.Templates.csproj /target:VisualStudioTemplates /p:TemplatesVersion=1.0.0 from Functions.Templates folder
The generated templates should be present in the Functions.Templates\bin\VS\Release\ folder, Azure.Functions.Templates nuget pacakges

Adding New Templates

Adding new templates for portal only

Open Functions.Templates.sln
Portal at the minimum requires at least the following files for a template to be complete
- function.json
- metadata.json
- run.csx
Add the respective files in the solution
Add the following entries to this nuspec file

<file src="Templates/<TemplateFolderName>/<CodeFileName>" target="Templates/<TemplateFolderName>/run.<ext>" />
<file src="Templates/<TemplateFolderName>/function.json" target="Templates/<TemplateFolderName>/function.json" />
<file src="Templates/<TemplateFolderName>/metadata.json" target="Templates/<TemplateFolderName>/metadata.json" />
<file src="Templates/<TemplateFolderName>/project.json" target="Templates/<TemplateFolderName>/project.json" />

Make sure the strings present in metadata.json are added to the Resource file. Strings are reference by adding '$' before the string name. For example $TimerTriggerCSharp_description present in the metadata.json
Build the solution, verify your template is present in the build output

Adding new templates for Visual Studio only (C# Only)

Open Functions.Templates.sln
Visual Studio at the minimum requires at least the following files for a template to be complete
- run.cs
- .build.config/template.json
- .build.config/vs-2017.3.host.json
- .build.config/vs-2017.3/function_f.png: Can be copied from the any C# template.
Add the respective files in the solution
Add the following entries to this nuspec file

<file src="Templates/<TemplateFolderName>/<CodeFileName>.cs" target="content/<TemplateFolderName>/<CodeFileName>.cs" />
<file src="Templates/<TemplateFolderName>/build.config/template.json" target="content/<TemplateFolderName>/.template.config/template.json" />
<file src="Templates/<TemplateFolderName>/build.config/vs-2017.3.host.json" target="content/<TemplateFolderName>/.template.config/vs-2017.3.host.json" />
<file src="Templates/<TemplateFolderName>/build.config/vs-2017.3/function_f.png" target="content/<TemplateFolderName>/.template.config/vs-2017.3/function_f.png" />

Build the solution, verify your template is present in the build output

Adding new templates for portal and Visual Studio (C# only)

Follow the steps to create template for portal and for Visual Studio
Merge the contents of the code file for portal and Visual Studio as done in the sample file below

#if (portalTemplates) // Code applicable to portal only
using System;
public static void Run(TimerInfo myTimer, ILogger log)
#endif
#if (vsTemplates) // Code applicable to Visual Studio
using System;
using Microsoft.Azure.WebJobs;
using Microsoft.Azure.WebJobs.Host;
using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;

namespace Company.Function
{
    public static class TimerTriggerCSharp
    {
        [FunctionName("FunctionNameValue")]
        public static void Run([TimerTrigger("ScheduleValue")]TimerInfo myTimer, ILogger log)
#endif
// Code common to portal and Visual Studio
        {
            log.LogInformation($"C# Timer trigger function executed at: {DateTime.Now}");
        }
#if (vsTemplates)
    }
}
#endif

Testing

Testing portal templates

Execute the getTools script from the root of the repository
Build the Functions.Templates/Functions.Templates.csproj via Visual studio
The build solution will generate the following files in the Functions.Templates\bin\Portal\Test.
- templates.json
- bindings.json
Open https://functions.azure.com in chrome and login with your credentials.
Open developer Tools (F12) -> Application -> Local Storage
Expand Local Storage and select https://functions.azure.com
Create a new key dev-bindings and copy contents of bindings.json in the value column.
Create a new key dev-templates and copy contents of templates.json in the value column.
Refresh the portal page to reflect your template/binding changes.

Note: Newly added string will not appear in the portal when testing with this method

License

This project is under the benevolent umbrella of the .NET Foundation and is licensed under the MIT License

This project has adopted the Microsoft Open Source Code of Conduct. For more information see the Code of Conduct FAQ or contact opencode@microsoft.com with any additional questions or comments.

Related Github Repositories

Contribute Code or Provide Feedback

If you would like to become an active contributor to this project please follow the instructions provided in Microsoft Azure Projects Contribution Guidelines. If you encounter any bugs with the templates please file an issue in the Issues section of the project.

davetheunissen/azure-functions-templates