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Creating Feature Modules

Feature modules bundle a database table, its model, controller, and templates. You can scaffold them automatically from Developer Tools or build them manually by copying demo assets.

Quick path: Developer Tools at /Dev/Manage

  1. Add the table to your schema: mirror the demo tables in App_Data/sql/demo.sql, then append the CREATE TABLE to App_Data/sql/database.sql and create a dated script under App_Data/sql/updates/ for deployments.
  2. Open Developer Tools at /Dev/Manage and use the Create Model form. Pick your table and optional model name; the action reads the schema and generates the model file for you.
  3. Create the controller from the same screen. Select the model, provide a target URL/title, and choose controller type (dynamic, Vue, lookup, or API). The generator copies demo templates, rewrites URLs/titles, configures config.json, writes the controller class, and adds a menu item.
  4. Restart the project or apply hot reload, then navigate to the new controller URL.
  5. Review and tweak config.json in the generated template folder (see dynamic controller config).
  6. Prune unused partials/includes in the generated template folder so only the needed pages and widgets remain.

How /Dev/Manage scaffolding works

  • CreateModelAction converts the selected table into an entity description (DevEntityBuilder.table2entity) and passes it to DevCodeGen.createModel, which clones demo model templates and adjusts names/fields based on schema metadata.
  • CreateControllerAction builds a temporary entity with the chosen model and controller options, loads dev/db.json, and calls DevCodeGen.createController. The generator copies the demo controller/templates (dynamic or Vue), rewrites URLs/titles, regenerates config.json, writes the controller class, and appends/updates menu_items.

Manual creation from the demo module

If you need full control, replicate what the generators do:

  1. Database table

    • Define the table in App_Data/sql/database.sql and add a migration under App_Data/sql/updates/ for environments that need incremental updates.
    • Keep naming consistent: snake_case plural table names (e.g., orders), include system columns (status, add_time, add_users_id, upd_time, upd_users_id) for built-in behaviors.

  2. Model class

    • Copy App_Code/models/DemoDicts.cs (or DemosDemoDicts.cs for junction tables) to a new file named after your model.
    • Update table_name, optional field mappings (field_id, field_iname, field_status, etc.), and row properties to match your columns.
    • Add helper methods (select options, validations, derived calculations) similar to Demos and related demo models.

  3. Controller

    • Copy the closest demo controller (static: AdminDemosController; dynamic: AdminDemosDynamic or AdminDemosVue) and rename the class/file.
    • Adjust base_url, required_fields, save_fields, and related model wiring in init. Tailor list/show/showform logic and validation to your schema.
    • Expose extra actions (autocomplete, file uploads, junction updates) as needed by your feature.

  4. Templates and config

    • Duplicate the matching folder under App_Data/template/admin/ (for example, demos or demosdynamic) to a folder named after your controller URL.
    • Replace hardcoded titles/URLs inside url.html, title.html, and other snippets. Update config.json so save_fields, list columns, and lookup dropdowns mirror your schema and foreign keys (see dynamic controller config).
    • Prune unused partials or fields in index/, show/, and showform/ templates and keep layout hooks (return URLs, list filters, buttons) aligned with your controller logic.

  5. Navigation and permissions

    • Either add a static link to the admin sidebar template or insert/update a menu_items row that points to the controller URL and display name so the sidebar shows your module.
    • Confirm access_level on the controller (e.g., Users.ACL_MANAGER or, with RBAC enabled, Users.ACL_VISITOR gated by roles) matches who should reach the module and ensure any lookup controllers are registered in fwcontrollers if they support dropdowns.

Following these steps replicates what the Developer Tools automate while letting you tailor every file.