wheels generate snippets

Generate code snippets and boilerplate code for common patterns.

Synopsis

wheels generate snippets [pattern] [options]
wheels g snippets [pattern] [options]

Description

The wheels generate snippets command creates code snippets for common Wheels patterns and best practices. It provides ready-to-use code blocks that can be customized for your specific needs, helping you implement standard patterns quickly and consistently.

Arguments

Argument	Description	Default
pattern	Snippet pattern to generate	Shows available patterns

Options

Option	Description	Default
--list	List all available snippets	false
--category	Filter by category	All categories
--output	Output format (console, file, clipboard)	console
--customize	Interactive customization	false
--force	Overwrite existing files	false
--help	Show help information

Available Snippets

List All Snippets

wheels generate snippets --list

Output:

Available Snippets:
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Authentication:
  - login-form          Login form with remember me
  - auth-filter         Authentication filter
  - password-reset      Password reset flow
  - user-registration   User registration with validation

Model Patterns:
  - soft-delete         Soft delete implementation
  - audit-trail         Audit trail with timestamps
  - sluggable          URL-friendly slugs
  - versionable        Version tracking
  - searchable         Full-text search

Controller Patterns:
  - crud-actions       Complete CRUD actions
  - api-controller     JSON API controller
  - nested-resource    Nested resource controller
  - admin-controller   Admin area controller

View Patterns:
  - form-with-errors   Form with error handling
  - pagination-links   Pagination navigation
  - search-form        Search form with filters
  - ajax-form          AJAX form submission

Database:
  - migration-indexes  Common index patterns
  - seed-data         Database seeding
  - constraints       Foreign key constraints

Authentication Snippets

Login Form

wheels generate snippets login-form

Generates:

<!--- views/sessions/new.cfm --->
<h1>Login</h1>

#errorMessagesFor("user")#

#startFormTag(action="create", class="login-form")#
    
    <div class="form-group">
        #textField(
            objectName="user",
            property="email",
            label="Email",
            class="form-control",
            placeholder="[e-mail]",
            required=true,
            autofocus=true
        )#
    </div>
    
    <div class="form-group">
        #passwordField(
            objectName="user",
            property="password",
            label="Password",
            class="form-control",
            required=true
        )#
    </div>
    
    <div class="form-group">
        #checkBox(
            objectName="user",
            property="rememberMe",
            label="Remember me",
            value="1"
        )#
    </div>
    
    <div class="form-group">
        #submitTag(value="Login", class="btn btn-primary")#
        #linkTo(text="Forgot password?", route="forgotPassword", class="btn btn-link")#
    </div>
    
#endFormTag()#

<!--- controllers/Sessions.cfc --->
component extends="Controller" {
    
    function new() {
        user = model("User").new();
    }
    
    function create() {
        user = model("User").findOne(where="email='#params.user.email#'");
        
        if (IsObject(user) && user.authenticate(params.user.password)) {
            session.userId = user.id;
            
            if (params.user.rememberMe == 1) {
                cookie.rememberToken = user.generateRememberToken();
                cookie.userId = encrypt(user.id, application.encryptionKey);
            }
            
            flashInsert(success="Welcome back, #user.firstName#!");
            redirectTo(route="dashboard");
        } else {
            user = model("User").new(email=params.user.email);
            flashInsert(error="Invalid email or password.");
            renderView(action="new");
        }
    }
    
    function delete() {
        StructDelete(session, "userId");
        StructDelete(cookie, "rememberToken");
        StructDelete(cookie, "userId");
        
        flashInsert(success="You have been logged out.");
        redirectTo(route="home");
    }
    
}

Authentication Filter

wheels generate snippets auth-filter

Generates:

// In Controller.cfc or specific controller

function init() {
    filters(through="authenticate", except="new,create");
    filters(through="rememberUser", only="new");
}

private function authenticate() {
    if (!isLoggedIn()) {
        storeLocation();
        flashInsert(notice="Please log in to continue.");
        redirectTo(route="login");
    }
}

private function isLoggedIn() {
    return StructKeyExists(session, "userId") && session.userId > 0;
}

private function currentUser() {
    if (!StructKeyExists(request, "currentUser")) {
        if (isLoggedIn()) {
            request.currentUser = model("User").findByKey(session.userId);
        } else {
            request.currentUser = false;
        }
    }
    return request.currentUser;
}

private function rememberUser() {
    if (!isLoggedIn() && StructKeyExists(cookie, "rememberToken")) {
        user = model("User").findOne(
            where="rememberToken='#cookie.rememberToken#' AND rememberTokenExpiresAt > NOW()"
        );
        
        if (IsObject(user)) {
            session.userId = user.id;
            user.updateRememberToken();
        }
    }
}

private function storeLocation() {
    if (request.method == "GET") {
        session.returnTo = request.cgi.path_info;
        if (Len(request.cgi.query_string)) {
            session.returnTo &= "?" & request.cgi.query_string;
        }
    }
}

private function redirectBackOrTo(required string route) {
    if (StructKeyExists(session, "returnTo")) {
        local.returnTo = session.returnTo;
        StructDelete(session, "returnTo");
        redirectTo(location=local.returnTo);
    } else {
        redirectTo(route=arguments.route);
    }
}

Model Patterns

Soft Delete

wheels generate snippets soft-delete

Generates:

// In Model init()
property(name="deletedAt", sql="deleted_at");

// Soft delete callbacks
beforeDelete("softDelete");
afterFind("excludeDeleted");

// Default scope
function excludeDeleted() {
    if (!StructKeyExists(arguments, "includeSoftDeleted") || !arguments.includeSoftDeleted) {
        if (StructKeyExists(this, "deletedAt") && !IsNull(this.deletedAt)) {
            return false; // Exclude from results
        }
    }
}

// Soft delete implementation
private function softDelete() {
    this.deletedAt = Now();
    this.save(validate=false, callbacks=false);
    return false; // Prevent actual deletion
}

// Scopes
function active() {
    return this.findAll(where="deleted_at IS NULL", argumentCollection=arguments);
}

function deleted() {
    return this.findAll(where="deleted_at IS NOT NULL", argumentCollection=arguments);
}

function withDeleted() {
    return this.findAll(includeSoftDeleted=true, argumentCollection=arguments);
}

// Restore method
function restore() {
    this.deletedAt = "";
    return this.save(validate=false);
}

// Permanent delete
function forceDelete() {
    return this.delete(callbacks=false);
}

Audit Trail

wheels generate snippets audit-trail --customize

Interactive customization:

? Include user tracking? (Y/n) › Y
? Track IP address? (y/N) › Y
? Track changes in JSON? (Y/n) › Y

Generates:

// models/AuditLog.cfc
component extends="Model" {
    
    function init() {
        belongsTo("user");
        
        property(name="modelName", sql="model_name");
        property(name="recordId", sql="record_id");
        property(name="action", sql="action");
        property(name="changes", sql="changes");
        property(name="userId", sql="user_id");
        property(name="ipAddress", sql="ip_address");
        property(name="userAgent", sql="user_agent");
        
        validatesPresenceOf("modelName,recordId,action");
    }
    
}

// In audited model
function init() {
    afterCreate("logCreate");
    afterUpdate("logUpdate");
    afterDelete("logDelete");
}

private function logCreate() {
    createAuditLog("create", this.properties());
}

private function logUpdate() {
    if (hasChanged()) {
        createAuditLog("update", this.changedProperties());
    }
}

private function logDelete() {
    createAuditLog("delete", {id: this.id});
}

private function createAuditLog(required string action, required struct data) {
    model("AuditLog").create({
        modelName: ListLast(GetMetaData(this).name, "."),
        recordId: this.id,
        action: arguments.action,
        changes: SerializeJSON(arguments.data),
        userId: request.currentUser.id ?: "",
        ipAddress: request.remoteAddress,
        userAgent: request.userAgent
    });
}

private function changedProperties() {
    local.changes = {};
    local.properties = this.properties();
    
    for (local.key in local.properties) {
        if (hasChanged(local.key)) {
            local.changes[local.key] = {
                from: this.changedFrom(local.key),
                to: local.properties[local.key]
            };
        }
    }
    
    return local.changes;
}

// Audit log migration
component extends="wheels.migrator.Migration" {
    
    function up() {
        createTable(name="audit_logs") {
            t.increments("id");
            t.string("model_name", null=false);
            t.integer("record_id", null=false);
            t.string("action", null=false);
            t.text("changes");
            t.integer("user_id");
            t.string("ip_address");
            t.string("user_agent");
            t.timestamps();
            
            t.index(["model_name", "record_id"]);
            t.index("user_id");
            t.index("created_at");
        };
    }
    
    function down() {
        dropTable("audit_logs");
    }
    
}

Controller Patterns

CRUD Actions

wheels generate snippets crud-actions

Generates complete CRUD controller with error handling, pagination, and filters.

API Controller

wheels generate snippets api-controller

Generates:

component extends="Controller" {
    
    function init() {
        provides("json");
        filters(through="setApiHeaders");
        filters(through="authenticateApi");
        filters(through="logApiRequest", except="index,show");
    }
    
    private function setApiHeaders() {
        header name="X-API-Version" value="1.0";
        header name="X-RateLimit-Limit" value="1000";
        header name="X-RateLimit-Remaining" value=getRateLimitRemaining();
    }
    
    private function authenticateApi() {
        local.token = getAuthToken();
        
        if (!Len(local.token)) {
            renderUnauthorized("Missing authentication token");
        }
        
        request.apiUser = model("ApiKey").authenticate(local.token);
        
        if (!IsObject(request.apiUser)) {
            renderUnauthorized("Invalid authentication token");
        }
    }
    
    private function getAuthToken() {
        // Check Authorization header
        if (StructKeyExists(getHttpRequestData().headers, "Authorization")) {
            local.auth = getHttpRequestData().headers.Authorization;
            if (Left(local.auth, 7) == "Bearer ") {
                return Mid(local.auth, 8, Len(local.auth));
            }
        }
        
        // Check X-API-Key header
        if (StructKeyExists(getHttpRequestData().headers, "X-API-Key")) {
            return getHttpRequestData().headers["X-API-Key"];
        }
        
        // Check query parameter
        if (StructKeyExists(params, "api_key")) {
            return params.api_key;
        }
        
        return "";
    }
    
    private function renderUnauthorized(required string message) {
        renderWith(
            data={
                error: {
                    code: 401,
                    message: arguments.message
                }
            },
            status=401
        );
    }
    
    private function renderError(required string message, numeric status = 400) {
        renderWith(
            data={
                error: {
                    code: arguments.status,
                    message: arguments.message
                }
            },
            status=arguments.status
        );
    }
    
    private function renderSuccess(required any data, numeric status = 200) {
        renderWith(
            data={
                success: true,
                data: arguments.data
            },
            status=arguments.status
        );
    }
    
    private function renderPaginated(required any query) {
        renderWith(
            data={
                success: true,
                data: arguments.query,
                pagination: {
                    page: arguments.query.currentPage,
                    perPage: arguments.query.perPage,
                    total: arguments.query.totalRecords,
                    pages: arguments.query.totalPages
                }
            }
        );
    }
    
}

View Patterns

Form with Errors

wheels generate snippets form-with-errors

AJAX Form

wheels generate snippets ajax-form

Generates:

<!--- View file --->
<div id="contact-form-container">
    #startFormTag(
        action="send",
        id="contact-form",
        class="ajax-form",
        data={
            remote: true,
            method: "post",
            success: "handleFormSuccess",
            error: "handleFormError"
        }
    )#
        
        <div class="form-messages" style="display: none;"></div>
        
        <div class="form-group">
            #textField(
                name="name",
                label="Name",
                class="form-control",
                required=true
            )#
        </div>
        
        <div class="form-group">
            #emailField(
                name="email",
                label="Email",
                class="form-control",
                required=true
            )#
        </div>
        
        <div class="form-group">
            #textArea(
                name="message",
                label="Message",
                class="form-control",
                rows=5,
                required=true
            )#
        </div>
        
        <div class="form-group">
            #submitTag(
                value="Send Message",
                class="btn btn-primary",
                data={loading: "Sending..."}
            )#
        </div>
        
    #endFormTag()#
</div>

<script>
// AJAX form handler
document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() {
    const form = document.getElementById('contact-form');
    
    form.addEventListener('submit', function(e) {
        e.preventDefault();
        
        const submitBtn = form.querySelector('[type="submit"]');
        const originalText = submitBtn.value;
        const loadingText = submitBtn.dataset.loading;
        
        // Disable form
        submitBtn.disabled = true;
        submitBtn.value = loadingText;
        
        // Send AJAX request
        fetch(form.action, {
            method: form.method,
            body: new FormData(form),
            headers: {
                'X-Requested-With': 'XMLHttpRequest'
            }
        })
        .then(response => response.json())
        .then(data => {
            if (data.success) {
                handleFormSuccess(data);
            } else {
                handleFormError(data);
            }
        })
        .catch(error => {
            handleFormError({message: 'Network error. Please try again.'});
        })
        .finally(() => {
            submitBtn.disabled = false;
            submitBtn.value = originalText;
        });
    });
});

function handleFormSuccess(data) {
    const form = document.getElementById('contact-form');
    const messages = form.querySelector('.form-messages');
    
    // Show success message
    messages.className = 'form-messages alert alert-success';
    messages.textContent = data.message || 'Message sent successfully!';
    messages.style.display = 'block';
    
    // Reset form
    form.reset();
    
    // Hide message after 5 seconds
    setTimeout(() => {
        messages.style.display = 'none';
    }, 5000);
}

function handleFormError(data) {
    const form = document.getElementById('contact-form');
    const messages = form.querySelector('.form-messages');
    
    // Show error message
    messages.className = 'form-messages alert alert-danger';
    messages.textContent = data.message || 'An error occurred. Please try again.';
    messages.style.display = 'block';
    
    // Show field errors
    if (data.errors) {
        Object.keys(data.errors).forEach(field => {
            const input = form.querySelector(`[name="${field}"]`);
            if (input) {
                input.classList.add('is-invalid');
                const error = document.createElement('div');
                error.className = 'invalid-feedback';
                error.textContent = data.errors[field].join(', ');
                input.parentNode.appendChild(error);
            }
        });
    }
}
</script>

<!--- Controller action --->
function send() {
    contact = model("Contact").new(params);
    
    if (contact.save()) {
        if (isAjax()) {
            renderWith(data={
                success: true,
                message: "Thank you! We'll be in touch soon."
            });
        } else {
            flashInsert(success="Thank you! We'll be in touch soon.");
            redirectTo(route="home");
        }
    } else {
        if (isAjax()) {
            renderWith(data={
                success: false,
                message: "Please correct the errors below.",
                errors: contact.allErrors()
            }, status=422);
        } else {
            renderView(action="new");
        }
    }
}

Database Snippets

Migration Indexes

wheels generate snippets migration-indexes

Generates common index patterns:

// Performance indexes
t.index("email"); // Single column
t.index(["last_name", "first_name"]); // Composite
t.index("created_at"); // Timestamp queries

// Unique constraints
t.index("email", unique=true);
t.index(["user_id", "role_id"], unique=true);

// Foreign key indexes
t.index("user_id");
t.index("category_id");

// Full-text search
t.index("title", type="fulltext");
t.index(["title", "content"], type="fulltext");

// Partial indexes (PostgreSQL)
t.index("email", where="deleted_at IS NULL");

// Expression indexes
t.index("LOWER(email)", name="idx_email_lower");

Seed Data

wheels generate snippets seed-data

Custom Snippets

Create Custom Snippet

wheels generate snippets --create=my-pattern

Creates template in ~/.wheels/snippets/my-pattern/:

my-pattern/
├── snippet.json
├── files/
│   ├── controller.cfc
│   ├── model.cfc
│   └── view.cfm
└── README.md

snippet.json:

{
    "name": "my-pattern",
    "description": "Custom pattern description",
    "category": "custom",
    "author": "Your Name",
    "version": "1.0.0",
    "variables": [
        {
            "name": "modelName",
            "prompt": "Model name?",
            "default": "MyModel"
        }
    ],
    "files": [
        {
            "source": "files/controller.cfc",
            "destination": "controllers/${controllerName}.cfc"
        }
    ]
}

Output Options

Copy to Clipboard

wheels generate snippets login-form --output=clipboard

Save to File

wheels generate snippets api-controller --output=file --path=./controllers/Api.cfc

Interactive Mode

wheels generate snippets --customize

Best Practices

1. Review generated code: Customize for your needs

2. Understand the patterns: Don't blindly copy

3. Keep snippets updated: Maintain with framework updates

4. Share useful patterns: Contribute back to community

5. Document customizations: Note changes made

6. Test generated code: Ensure it works in your context

7. Use consistent patterns: Across your application

See Also

• wheels generate controller - Generate controllers
• wheels generate model - Generate models
• wheels scaffold - Generate complete resources