Import Code XML

A CLI tool to import code files from an XML manifest with diff support, auto-skip identical files, and force-overwrite option. Perfect for importing generated code from AI assistants while preserving exact formatting.

Features

• Smart diff detection: Automatically skips identical files
• Visual diff display: Shows differences before overwriting
• Interactive prompts: Choose to overwrite, skip, or view diff again
• Force overwrite mode: Bypass prompts for batch operations
• Format preservation: Maintains exact line breaks, tabs, and whitespace

Installation

Option 1: Install from local package

# Navigate to package directory
cd /path/to/import-code-xml

# Install globally
npm install -g .

Option 2: Install from npm (if published)

npm install -g import-code-xml

After installation, the import-code command will be available globally.

Usage

Basic usage with prompts:

import-code -f import_code.xml

Force overwrite all files:

import-code -f import_code.xml --force-overwrite
# or
import-code -f import_code.xml --fo

XML File Format

The XML file should follow this structure:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<root>
  <item>
    <path>relative/or/absolute/path/to/file.extension</path>
    <content><![CDATA[
Your file content here
with exact formatting
including:
- Line breaks
- Tabs
- Indentation
- Special characters
]]></content>
  </item>
  
  <item>
    <path>another/file/path.js</path>
    <content><![CDATA[
function example() {
  return "Hello World";
}
]]></content>
  </item>
</root>

Important Notes:

1. Use <![CDATA[ ... ]]> to preserve all formatting exactly
2. Each file is defined in an <item> block
3. <path> should be the destination file path
4. <content> contains the exact file content

AI Assistant Prompt Template

When asking an AI chatbot (like Claude, ChatGPT, etc.) to generate code for import, use this prompt:

Please generate an XML file for code import with the following files. 
Use the exact format below with CDATA sections to preserve formatting:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<root>
  <item>
    <path>[FILE_PATH_1]</path>
    <content><![CDATA[
[EXACT_FILE_CONTENT_1]
]]></content>
  </item>
  
  <item>
    <path>[FILE_PATH_2]</path>
    <content><![CDATA[
[EXACT_FILE_CONTENT_2]
]]></content>
  </item>
</root>

Replace the bracketed placeholders with:
- [FILE_PATH_X]: The path where the file should be saved
- [EXACT_FILE_CONTENT_X]: The exact code with all formatting preserved

Files to include:
1. [Describe first file and its purpose]
2. [Describe second file and its purpose]
[Add more as needed]

Example AI Prompt:

Please generate an XML file for code import with the following files. 
Use the exact format below with CDATA sections to preserve formatting:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<root>
  <item>
    <path>utils/helpers.js</path>
    <content><![CDATA[
[EXACT_FILE_CONTENT_1]
]]></content>
  </item>
  
  <item>
    <path>config/settings.json</path>
    <content><![CDATA[
[EXACT_FILE_CONTENT_2]
]]></content>
  </item>
</root>

Files to include:
1. utils/helpers.js: A JavaScript utility module with helper functions
2. config/settings.json: Configuration file with default settings

Workflow Example

1. Prepare XML: Ask AI to generate code in the XML format
2. Save XML: Save the AI's response as import_code.xml
3. Run import: import-code -f import_code.xml
4. Review diffs: The tool will show differences and prompt for actions
5. Manage conflicts: Choose to overwrite (o), skip (s), or view diff again (d)

Behavior

• New files: Automatically created
• Identical files: Automatically skipped with notification
• Changed files: Shows diff and prompts for action
• Force overwrite: All files overwritten without prompts
• Missing directories: Automatically created

Dependencies

• xml2js: XML parsing library

Troubleshooting

Permission denied: Ensure you have write permissions for target directories

XML parsing errors: Verify XML format and CDATA sections are properly closed

diff command not found: On Windows, install diffutils or use Git Bash/Cygwin

Global command not found: Try npm link in the package directory

License

MIT