How exactly do templates resolve in a blueprint

Question

Frustratingly probably a simple resolution, but I cannot see the problem I'm having with my new templates in my custom blueprint, they are not found, but they are there.

Generated a blueprint template with jhipster generate-blueprint. Added some new files to the generators/server/templates folder.

Possibly related to how and when to use npm run update-snapshots in a blueprint development cycle.

After adding the new templates, I run npm run update-snapshots and run fails with:

...
1) SubGenerator server of devhipster JHipster blueprint
       run
         "before all" hook for "should succeed":
     Error: Template file helm/Chart.lock was not found at ~/Development/devhipster/generators/server/templates,~/Development/devhipster/node_modules/generator-jhipster/generators/server/templates
      at renderTemplate (node_modules/generator-jhipster/generators/generator-base.js:2521:17)
      at ~/Development/devhipster/node_modules/generator-jhipster/generators/generator-base.js:2681:69
      at Array.map (<anonymous>)
      at default.writeFiles (node_modules/generator-jhipster/generators/generator-base.js:2681:53)
      at default.writingTemplateTask (file://~/Development/devhipster/generators/server/generator.mjs:21:20)
      at Object.<anonymous> (node_modules/generator-jhipster/node_modules/yeoman-generator/lib/index.js:1091:23)
      at ~/Development/devhipster/node_modules/run-async/index.js:49:25
      at new Promise (<anonymous>)
      at ~/Development/devhipster/node_modules/run-async/index.js:26:19
      at ~/Development/devhipster/node_modules/generator-jhipster/node_modules/yeoman-generator/lib/index.js:1092:9
      at new Promise (<anonymous>)
      at default.executeTask (node_modules/generator-jhipster/node_modules/yeoman-generator/lib/index.js:1063:12)
      at runLoop.add.once (node_modules/generator-jhipster/node_modules/yeoman-generator/lib/index.js:1043:14)
      at Immediate.<anonymous> (node_modules/grouped-queue/lib/subqueue.js:48:34)
      at processImmediate (node:internal/timers:466:21)

The file is there. I can see it at ~/Development/devhipster/generators/server/templates/helm/Chart.lock

The generator.mjs for the server uses the following priority and code...

  ...
  ...
  get [WRITING_PRIORITY]() {
    return {
      async writingTemplateTask() {
        await this.writeFiles({
          sections: {
            files: [{
              templates: ['helm/Chart.lock'],
            }],
          },
          context: this,
        });
      },
    };
  }
  ...
  ...

Little more than a replacement of the template-file-server that was there.

diff --git a/generators/server/generator.mjs b/generators/server/generator.mjs
index f15e19f2..88b0518e 100644
--- a/generators/server/generator.mjs
+++ b/generators/server/generator.mjs
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@ export default class extends ServerGenerator {
       async writingTemplateTask() {
         await this.writeFiles({
           sections: {
-            files: [{ templates: ['template-file-server'] }],
+            files: [{
+              templates: ['helm/Chart.lock'],
+            }],
           },
           context: this,
         });

It's a vexing gap in the dev workflow documentation and how using snapshots fits into that workflow, especially as changes are committed and pipelines deploy the blueprint for consumtion.

Answer 1

Well, that wes simple. I'll have write up some documentation on that for the website.

noEjs: true, in the template file object array.

diff --git a/generators/server/generator.mjs b/generators/server/generator.mjs
index f15e19f2..0e97d3b1 100644
--- a/generators/server/generator.mjs
+++ b/generators/server/generator.mjs
@@ -20,7 +20,15 @@ export default class extends ServerGenerator {
       async writingTemplateTask() {
         await this.writeFiles({
           sections: {
-            files: [{ templates: ['template-file-server'] }],
+            files: [{
+              templates: [
+                {
+                  sourceFile: 'helm/Chart.lock',
+                  destinationFile: 'helm/Chart.lock',
+                  noEjs: true,
+                },
+              ],
+            }],
           },
           context: this,
         });

Answer 2

JHipster defaults to ejs because almost every template is ejs.

An alternative for v7 is to pass transform: false to file block:

  ...
  ...
  get [WRITING_PRIORITY]() {
    return {
      async writingTemplateTask() {
        await this.writeFiles({
          sections: {
            files: [{
              transform: false,
              templates: ['helm/Chart.lock'],
            }],
          },
          context: this,
        });
      },
    };
  }
  ...
  ...

At JHipster 8, noEjs support will probably be dropped. You can see a WIP definition for v8.