Guide 05

C# → TypeScript workflow

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If your pattern already has a GeneXus .NET implementation, the fastest faithful path is to transcribe the editor classes to TypeScript against @kbbridge/genexus-sdk, which mirrors the GeneXus .NET pattern SDK.

Method

Put the pattern's .NET sources in a git-ignored reference/ folder (never published).
Find the three editor classes — they are usually small even when the whole pattern is large:
- the CustomTypeSupport (custom types),
- the EditorHelper (CustomShowElement + GetCommands),
- each PatternEditorCommand subclass.
Transcribe class-by-class, annotating each TS class with // Equivalent to <C# file>.

Only the editor behavior matters. Code generation, build/delete processes, validators and the instance object model are out of scope — KB Editor never runs them.

The .NET → SDK mapping

GeneXus .NET (`Artech.Packages.Patterns.*`)	`@kbbridge/genexus-sdk` (TypeScript)
`PatternCustomTypeSupport.GetTypeEditor`	`IPatternCustomTypeSupport.getTypeEditor`
`PatternCustomTypeEditor.GetComboValues(...)`	`IPatternCustomTypeEditor.getValues(ctx): CustomTypeValue[]`
`PatternEditorHelper.CustomShowElement(el, ref caption, ref icon): bool`	`customShowElement(el, ctx): {handled, caption, icon}`
`PatternEditorHelper.GetCommands(el)`	`getCommands(el): PatternEditorCommand[]`
`PatternEditorCommand` (`Text`/`Query`/`Exec`)	`PatternEditorCommandBase` (`text`/`query`/`exec`)
`element.Type`	`element.elementType`
`element.Attributes.GetPropertyValue<T>("x")`	`element.attributes['x']`
`Children.AddNewElement(tag)`	`new PatternInstanceElement({tag,attributes,children}, parent, i, path)` + `parent.addChild(...)`
IDE dialogs (`GenexusUIServices.*`)	VS Code APIs (`QuickPick`, `showInputBox`, …)

Worked example

The kbbridge-editor-pattern-genexus-workwith project is a complete, faithful transcription of the GeneXus Work With editor behavior. Read its ai/EXAMPLES.md for a file-by-file walkthrough.

Rules

Never ship the .NET sources (or anything decompiled) — only your original TypeScript.
Transcribe from your pattern's sources (or a pattern you have the rights to). If porting a GeneXus-distributed pattern, add a NOTICE attributing GeneXus and confirm distribution terms.

Next: Getting started.

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The extensibility mechanisms

Getting started