Is there a way of auto-generating elements.xml etc files for sharepoint development?

I have matched the "12 hive" structure in my solution, and I am using SPDeploy to create and deploy .wsp files and to deploy to my test servers.

I am about to add a whole bunch of files throughout the structure and there is quite a lot of redundancy in the elements.xml and feature.xml files. Has anyone done the work to assist in the creation of these files?

Edit: The first commenter is exactly right it is things in the elements.xml that are a pain to hand craft, though I am happy for all my xml to be as auto generated as possible... I think I have some sort of allergic reaction to hand written xml...

From stackoverflow

• Have you tried the WSPBuilder from CodePlex? It generates the necessary feature.xml files for a given feature. Or maybe you are looking for some tool with a GUI for dragging in a bunch of files, and the elements.xml will be updated accordinlgy?

  Henrique Zacchi : I use WSPBuilder as well and it's really handy for deploying a solution.

  LeonZandman : As far as I know WSPBuilder does NOT generate Feature.xml files! It only processes all features and generates a WSP file. It's a mighty handy tool, but not what the poster is asking for.

  Magnus Johansson : @Stingray. My experience with the WSP Builder VS extensions differs from yours.

  Peter Walke : We manually work with our elements.xml's. WSP builder might help you, but it wasn't that much of an issue for us. I'd stay away from VS Extensions.

  Magnus Johansson : @Peter Walke. I would really be interested in why you recommend people staying away from Visual Studio Extensions. Can you ellaborate on the reason? Thanks.

• I believe Visual Studio Extensions for WSS version 1.3 (VSeWSS v1.3) does this, but I'm not certain. It seems to be the next progression in development tools for SharePoint. Note that it requires Visual Studio 2008, if I recall correctly.

  Here are some links on this that you may find useful:

  • http://channel9.msdn.com/posts/kirke/SharePoint-for-Developers-Part-1-Introducing-VSeWSS-13/Default.aspx#Page=1
  • http://channel9.msdn.com/posts/kirke/SharePoint-for-Developers-Part-2-Working-with-Features/
  • http://wiki.threewill.com/display/enterprise/Visual+Studio+Extensions+for+WSS+(VSeWSS)+1.3

  Note that the second blog in the series focuses on features.

  Peter Walke : VS Extensions hide and assume too much. We used them and then reverted to creating our own elements and feature xml's. We are able to better control what goes into our WSP's.

• If you want auto generated feature.xml files you probably have to switch to VSeWSS 1.3, it's Microsoft's official tool for SharePoint solution building.

  But with VSeWSS you will also have to change your solution structure as you cannot match it to the whole 12 hives structure. But it contains other concepts to place files and stuff in 12 hives.

• Why not creating your own Visual Studio templates from your project or from specific elements files within your project ? Exporting any file from your project to a template is a great way to reuse painfull hand made CAML files.