regex - PHP Code generator based on templates -

i want generate code based on templates.

suppose in /templates have files structured as:

/templates 

• vendor/plugin/config.xml
• vendor/plugin/model/plugin.php
• vendor/plugin/view/plugin.phtml

and files have following contents(variables enclosed {{ }} needs parsed):

vendor/plugin/config.xml:

<?xml version="1.0"?> <config>     <module>{{vendor}}/{{plugin}}</module>     <version>{{version}}</version>      {{if $hastable}}     <database>         <table>{{tablename}}</table>         <pk>{{primarykey}}</pk>         <fields>             {{foreach $fields}}             <field>                 <name>{{fields.name}}</name>                 <label>{{fields.label}}</label>                 <type>{{fields.type}}</type>             </field>             {{/foreach}}         </fields>     </database>     {{/if}}  </config> 

vendor/plugin/model/plugin.php:

<?php  /**  * @category {{vendor}}_{{plugin}}  * @author  {{author}}  */ class {{vendor}}_{{plugin}}_model_{{plugin}} extends core_model_abstract {     public function __construct()     {         parent::__construct();     }      {{if $hastable}}     public function settable()     {         $this->_tablename = '{{tablename}}';     }     public function setprimarykey()     {         $this->_primarykey = '{{primarykey}}';     }     public function setfields()     {         $this->_fields = core::config('database/table/fields');     }     {{/if}} } 

vendor/plugin/view/plugin.phtml:

{{tablename}} rows <table>     <tr>         {{foreach $fields}}             <th>{{$fields.label}}</th>         {{/foreach}}     </tr>      <?php foreach ($data $_data) ?>         <tr>             {{foreach $fields}}                 <td><?php echo $_data['{{$fields.name}}'] ?></td>             {{/foreach}}         </tr>     <?php endforeach; ?>  </table> 

how code generator should work?

1> gui form let users add @ least following fields

vendor: plugin: version: author:

has tables?: if selected yes, allow users add more fields table name, it's fields etc.

2> on submitting form, generates code /templates folder directory logic can be: preparing variables fed coregenerator (class developed), read template files , re-generates them parsing variables.

expected output /template be: (suppose if have following valures user input

vendor: foo plugin: bar version: 1.0.0 author: john doe <john.doe@example.com> has tables?: yes table name: blog primary key: blog_id fields: + name: title, label: title, type: text + name: status, label: status, type:int ... 

)

/generated 

• foo/bar/config.xml
• foo/bar/model/bar.php
• foo/bar/view/bar.phtml <- note case sensitivty)

generated contents:

foo/bar/config.xml:

<?xml version="1.0"?> <config>     <module>foo/bar</module>     <version>1.0.0</version>      <database>         <table>blog</table>         <pk>blog_id</pk>         <fields>              <field>                 <name>title</name>                 <label>title</label>                 <type>text</type>             </field>             <field>                 <name>status</name>                 <label>status</label>                 <type>int</type>             </field>             <!--... -->          </fields>     </database>  </config> 

foo/bar/model/bar.php:

<?php  /**  * @category foo_bar  * @author  john doe <john.doe@example.com>  */ class foo_bar_model_bar extends core_model_abstract {     public function __construct()     {         parent::__construct();     }       public function settable()     {         $this->_tablename = 'blog';     }     public function setprimarykey()     {         $this->_primarykey = 'blog_id';     }     public function setfields()     {         $this->_fields = core::config('database/table/fields');     }  } 

foo/bar/view/bar.phtml:

blog rows <table>     <tr>         <th>title</th>         <th>status</th>     </tr>      <?php foreach ($data $_data) ?>         <tr>             <td><?php echo $_data['title'] ?></td>             <td><?php echo $_data['status'] ?></td>         </tr>     <?php endforeach; ?>  </table> 

so main concern code generator class/library collect placeholder values user input, read files /templates folder , regenerate them after parsing variables (simple, conditional, loop etc.) /generated folder.

any insights on this, how should start with? rough idea, solutions & references highly appreciated. in advance.

i suggest use instead gui interface cli interface. because in way more customizable.

as reference can use yeoman large scaffold tool, documented, can build generator less efforts. http://yeoman.io/

for inspiration, take @ generator demo: https://github.com/daftmonk/generator-angular-fullstack