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Using Toolkits#

Toolkits contain patterns which are essentially templates that can be used to automate the creation of other code/projects in your IDE.

A Toolkit is a major top-level concept in automate, used to install coding patterns into a codebase. It contains a published and versioned Pattern, obtained from its creator.

You will need to have installed at least one toolkit in order to create a Draft. The toolkit provides the patterns that you can use to create a Draft.

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To use toolkits in your IDE, you will need to have the automateplugin installed into JetBrains Rider on your machine. (see Installing plugin)

Warning

The IDE plugin is currently under-development (in the Plugin Project). Designs and plans for its development are to be found here: Prototypes-Plugin

Toolkits#

Obtaining a toolkit#

Toolkits come in *.toolkit files, obtained from their creators who make and publish them, like from a team's Tech Lead, or Tech Consultant.

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Since they are single files they can be: emailed, dropped in Slack, downloaded from Dropbox, or shared in all the common ways that files can be transferred to you.

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Toolkits can also be installed into a codebase (installed by other contributors or creators).

Installing a toolkit#

To install a toolkit yourself:

  1. Open the "automate" tool window in the IDE (View | Tool Windows | automate)
  2. Then, you will need to have downloaded a *.toolkit file to somewhere on your local machine.
    • For example: A toolkit file like AToolkit_0.1.0.toolkit, could be located on your desktop or downloads folder.
  3. In the toolbar of the tool window, click the Install Toolkit button
  4. Select the toolkit file on your computer. e.g. C:\mydesktop\AToolkit_0.1.0.toolkit

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The toolkit will be installed, and it will become the 'active' toolkit for subsequent use.

Tip

When you install a toolkit into a codebase, add its files to source control, and then be accessible to all contributors on a team. No need for every contributor to install the same toolkit on each of their machines.

Warning

Even if the toolkit has been added to source control, to use it, every contributor will need to install automate to their machine.