How to specify if a T4 file should produce any output

I am using T4 for generation of some DTO classes + mappers.

I am splitting the files in a number of re-usable bits (some of which containing common methods, some others common procedures) and including them into the T4 templates that开发者_运维知识库 will produce my output - which is all good.

My problem is that the re-usable .tt files will try and produce their own output and fail (because they are coupled to some other .tt files) every time I make a change to them, which plain sucks.

I am pretty sure I saw somewhere some directive to specify a given file shouldn't try and produce any output, but I can't seem to track it back.

Any help appreciated!

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You can specify invalid extension to suppress the output of your template, for example:

<#@ output extension="\n" #>

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In the properties (select file and press F4) of the T4 files for which you'd like to suppress output, clear the 'Custom Tool' entry.

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I don't have enough 'StackOverflow street cred' to reply to Stanislav Kniazev's answer, so will have to post my own here. Thanks for the lead Stanislav Kniazev.

The following worked; but if you are using a T4 syntax highlighter (like Tangible T4) you will find that it stuffs up the highlighting.

<#@ output extension="\n" #>

So I found setting the extension to something that is not an escape char like this:

<#@ output extension="" #>

and then in the code section programmatically setting the file extension, like this:

Host.SetFileExtension("\n");

T4 highlighting is then restored.

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rename them to .ttinclude and see how that goes for ya....