How to create a method that encapsulates the T4 template text section?

Question

Instead of this .tt:

<#@ template debug=\"false\" hostspecific=\"true\" language=\"C#\" #>
<#@ import namespace=\"System.IO\" #>
<#@ output extens         


        

Answer 1

This is an alternative solution not using class feature blocks <#+ ... #>. Using a lambda expression inside usual statement blocks <# ... #> allows defining a local function as follows:

<#@ template language="C#" #>
<#@ output extension=".txt" #>

<# Action output = () => { #>
loooooooong text <#= "message" #>
<# }; #>

<# output(); #>

This template produces the output below:

loooooooong text message

Answer 2

Actually you're very close with what you've got there. I find it helps to remember that the template is essentially a C#/VB class under the hood, so when you use a <#+ #> block, you're really just adding a member to the class.

Once you've started using the <#+ #> notation, you have to keep using it, as you're still adding stuff to the class at the member level, not adding the the TransformText() method which regular <# #> tags do.

The correct syntax would be

<#+ public void output() { #>
blah blah blah etc. very complex example with embedded expression like     <#=message#>

<#+ }
#>