How to create custom scaffold templates in ASP.NET MVC5?

Question

I'm using ASP.NET MVC5 and VS2013

I've tried to copy CodeTemplates folder from

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 12.0\Common7\IDE\VWDExpress\ItemTemplates\CSharp\Web\MVC 4\CodeTemplates

with subfolders "AddController", "AddView" and T4 templates inside them, then I modified some templates, but nothing happened when I tried to add View nor Controller..

Answer 1

First, it looks like you have Visual Studio 2013 and 2012 both installed on your computer. I tried looking up the path you provided, I couldn't find it. On your path it looks like you're trying to use MVC4 templates. Here is my path:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 12.0\
Common7\IDE\Extensions\Microsoft\Web\Mvc\Scaffolding\Templates

Below is how I customized my scaffold template for the BaseController:

1. Create folder called "CodeTemplates" directly in the project folder.

2. Go to below path, find MvcControllerWithActions folder copy all to folder "CodeTemplates"

   C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 12.0\
   Common7\IDE\Extensions\Microsoft\Web\Mvc\Scaffolding\Templates
   

3. Go to CodeTemplates -> MvcControllerWithActions in your project.

4. There are two files, Controller.cs.t4 and Controller.vb.t4 in MvcControllerWithActions, if you used C#, you can delete Controller.vb.t4.

5. Open the Controller.cs.t4 file, modify the Controller name to BaseController, like below:

   public class <#= ControllerName #> : BaseController
   {
   }
   

6. Now, when you try to create MVC5 Controller using "add new scaffold item", it'll use the template you customized.

Hope it helps.