Table of Contents

Contributing to DxfToCSharp

We welcome contributions to DxfToCSharp! Here's how you can help:

Development Setup

  1. Fork the repository on GitHub
  2. Clone your fork locally: 
    git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/DxfToCSharp.git
cd DxfToCSharp
  3. Install .NET 9 SDK from dotnet.microsoft.com
  4. Initialize submodules (for netDxf dependency): 
    git submodule update --init --recursive
  5. Restore dependencies: 
    dotnet restore
  6. Build the solution: 
    dotnet build

Project Structure

The solution consists of several projects:

  • DxfToCSharp.Core - Core library with code generation logic
  • DxfToCSharp.Compilation - Code compilation services
  • DxfToCSharp.Tool - Command-line tool
  • DxfToCSharp - GUI application (Avalonia UI)
  • DxfToCSharp.Tests - Unit tests

Running Tests

Run all tests:

dotnet test

Run tests with coverage:

dotnet test --collect:"XPlat Code Coverage"

Run specific test project:

dotnet test DxfToCSharp.Tests/

Code Style

We use EditorConfig and dotnet format for consistent code style:

# Check formatting
dotnet format --verify-no-changes

# Apply formatting
dotnet format

Coding Guidelines

  • Use C# naming conventions
  • Add XML documentation for public APIs
  • Write unit tests for new functionality
  • Keep methods focused and small
  • Use meaningful variable and method names

Making Changes

1. Create a Feature Branch

git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name

2. Make Your Changes

  • Write clean, well-documented code
  • Add tests for new functionality
  • Update documentation if needed
  • Follow existing code patterns

3. Test Your Changes

# Run all tests
dotnet test

# Test the CLI tool
dotnet run --project DxfToCSharp.Tool -- input.dxf output.cs

# Test the GUI (if applicable)
dotnet run --project DxfToCSharp

4. Commit Your Changes

git add .
git commit -m "Add feature: description of your changes"

Use clear, descriptive commit messages:

  • Add feature: support for spline entities
  • Fix bug: handle empty DXF files gracefully
  • Update docs: add examples for batch processing

5. Push and Create Pull Request

git push origin feature/your-feature-name

Then create a pull request on GitHub with:

  • Clear description of changes
  • Reference to any related issues
  • Screenshots (if UI changes)
  • Test results

Types of Contributions

Bug Fixes

  • Report bugs via GitHub Issues
  • Include minimal reproduction steps
  • Provide sample DXF files if relevant
  • Fix bugs with accompanying tests

New Features

  • Discuss major features in GitHub Issues first
  • Add support for new DXF entities
  • Improve code generation options
  • Enhance the GUI or CLI tools

Documentation

  • Improve API documentation
  • Add more examples
  • Fix typos and clarify instructions
  • Update README files

Testing

  • Add test cases for edge cases
  • Improve test coverage
  • Add integration tests
  • Test with various DXF files

Development Workflow

Adding New Entity Support

  1. Identify the entity in netDxf library
  2. Add generation option in DxfCodeGenerationOptions
  3. Implement generator method in DxfCodeGenerator
  4. Add unit tests in DxfToCSharp.Tests
  5. Update documentation with examples

Example: Adding Circle Entity Support

// 1. Add option in DxfCodeGenerationOptions.cs
public bool GenerateCircleEntities { get; set; } = false;

// 2. Add method in DxfCodeGenerator.cs
private void GenerateCircleEntities(StringBuilder sb, DxfDocument document)
{
    if (!options.GenerateCircleEntities) return;
    
    foreach (var circle in document.Circles)
    {
        // Generate C# code for circle
    }
}

// 3. Add test in CircleEntityTests.cs
[Fact]
public void GenerateCircleEntities_ShouldCreateValidCode()
{
    // Test implementation
}

Release Process

Maintainers handle releases, but contributors should:

  1. Update version numbers in project files
  2. Update CHANGELOG.md with new features/fixes
  3. Ensure all tests pass on all platforms
  4. Update documentation for new features

Getting Help

  • GitHub Issues - For bugs and feature requests
  • GitHub Discussions - For questions and general discussion
  • Code Review - Maintainers will review pull requests

Code of Conduct

Please be respectful and constructive in all interactions. We want to maintain a welcoming environment for all contributors.

Recognition

Contributors are recognized in:

  • Git commit history
  • Release notes
  • Contributors section (if added)

Thank you for contributing to DxfToCSharp! 🎉

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