.net code generation solutions: how can I write less code?

Question

What solutions are there to avoid writing repetitive code? For example code generators, etc.

More specifically for translating objects between the several tiers of my application (from one service to another, from the service to the client (ObservableCollections etc)).

Of course more generic solutions are also welcome.

Answer 1

VS includes a number of tools.

Including:

• Class designer
• LINQ to SQL
• Entity framework.

But in your case you might want to look at what can be dome with T4 templates.

Answer 2

Here's a shameless plug for my own tool, Gauntlet. It differs from T4 primarily in that it works inside or outside of Visual Studio (ie. from a plain old MSBuild run).

HTH, Kent