Replace strings in files when using a .NET item template

Question

I am creating my first template for a .NET solution. For the most part it works, but I have a string "MyService" at some places in the Program.cs that I would like to replace with "NewService" when I create a solution with this template.

{
  "$schema": "http://json.schemastore.org/template",
  "author": "ich",
  "classifications": [ "Solution", "Service" ],
  "identity": "Service.Template",
  "name": "Service Template",
  "shortName": "my-service",
  "sourceName": "Services.MyService",
  "preferNameDirectory": true,
  "placeholderFilename": ".keep",
  "symbols": {
    "Company": {
      "type": "parameter",
      "datatype": "string",
      "defaultValue": "not",
      "description": "not saying"
    },
    "ServiceName": {
      "type": "parameter",
      "datatype": "string",
      "defaultValue": "MyService",
      "description": "Kurzname des Service"
    }
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "modifiers": [
        {
          "condition": "true",
          "replaces": [
            {
              "replace": "MyService",
              "with": "{ServiceName}",
              "files": "**/*.cs"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "tags": {
    "language": "C#",
    "type": "solution"
  }
}

After installing the template, I use it with this command:

dotnet new my-service -n TestService --ServiceName=NewService

At the places I have to replace a string, I tried using:

c.SwaggerEndpoint("v1/swagger.json", "MyService Service v1");

c.SwaggerEndpoint("v1/swagger.json", "{ServiceName} Service v1");

c.SwaggerEndpoint("v1/swagger.json", "{{ServiceName}} Service v1");

c.SwaggerEndpoint("v1/swagger.json", "__ServiceName__ Service v1");

What am I doing wrong?

Thank you for your help.

Guru Stron · Accepted Answer · 2025-11-05 15:51:15Z

As far as I remember/understand, you can just add replaces to the symbol and remove the sources handling:

"ServiceName": {
  "type": "parameter",
  "datatype": "string",
  "defaultValue": "MyService",
  "description": "Kurzname des Service",
  "replaces": "MyService" // <- here
}

And in the template code:

Console.WriteLine("MyService Service v1");

Also probably it would be better to use a more meaningful replace marker. For example:

"replaces": "{TemplateServiceName}"
Console.WriteLine("{TemplateServiceName} Service v1");

Full template.json used:

{
  "$schema": "http://json.schemastore.org/template",
  "author": "sest",
  "classifications": [ "Common", "Web" ],
  "identity": "ExampleTemplate.AsyncProject",
  "name": "Example templates: async project",
  "shortName": "sesttemplate",
  "sourceName":"WebAppTemplate",
  "tags": {
    "language": "C#",
    "type": "project"
  },
  "symbols": {
    "ServiceName": {
      "type": "parameter",
      "datatype": "string",
      "defaultValue": "MyService",
      "description": "Kurzname des Service",
      "replaces": "{TemplateServiceName}"
    }
  }
}

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