IntelliJ IDEA 2017.3 Help

Live Template Variables

Template variables in live templates enable user input. After a template is expanded, variables appear in the editor as input fields.

Variables within templates are declared in the following format:

$<variable_name>$

Variables are defined by expressions, and can accept some default values.

This expression may contain constructs of the following basic types:

  • String constants in double quotes.
  • The name of another variable defined in a live template.
  • Predefined functions with possible arguments.

Template variables are editable in the Edit Template Variables Dialog, which contains a complete list of available functions. For more information, see the list of predefined functions.

Predefined template variables

IntelliJ IDEA supports two predefined live template variables $END$ and $SELECTION$, both of them are read-only.

  • $END$ indicates the position of the cursor after the template is expanded. For example, the template return $END$; will be expanded into return ; with the cursor positioned right before the semicolon.
  • $SELECTION$ is used in surround templates and stands for the code fragment to be wrapped. After the template is expanded, the selected text is wrapped as specified in the template. For example, if you select EXAMPLE in your code and invoke the "$SELECTION$" template via the assigned abbreviation or by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T and selecting the desired template from the list, IntelliJ IDEA will wrap the selection in double quotes as follows: "EXAMPLE".

Predefined functions used in live template variables

FunctionDescription
annotated("annotation qname")Creates a symbol of type with an annotation that resides at the specified location. For an example, see Live Templates in the iterations group.
arrayVariable()Suggests all array variables applicable in the current scope. For an example, see Live Templates in the iterations group.
anonymousSuper()Suggests a supertype for a Kotlin object expression.
camelCase(String)Returns the string passed as a parameter, converted to camel case. For example, my-text-file/my text file/my_text_file will be converted to myTextFile.
capitalize(String)Capitalizes the first letter of the name passed as a parameter.
capitalizeAndUnderscore(sCamelCaseName)Capitalizes the all letters of a CamelCase name passed as a parameter, and inserts an underscore between the parts. For example, if the string passed as a parameter is FooBar, then the function returns FOO_BAR.
castToLeftSideType()Casts the right-side expression to the left-side expression type. It is used in the iterations group to have a single template for generating both raw-type and Generics Collections.
className()Returns the name of the current class (the class where the template is expanded).
classNameComplete()This expression substitutes for the class name completion at the variable position.
clipboard()Returns the contents of the system clipboard.
snakeCase(String) Returns CamelCase string out of snake_case string. For example, if the string passed as a parameter is foo_bar, then the function returns fooBar.
complete()This expression substitutes for the code completion invocation at the variable position.
completeSmart()This expression substitutes for the smart type completion invocation at the variable position.
componentTypeOf (<array variable or array type>)Returns component type of an array. For example, see the Live Templates in the iterations group in the other group.
currentPackage()Returns the current package name.
date(sDate) Returns the current system date in the specified format.

By default, the current date is returned in the default system format. However, if you specify date format in double quotes, the date will be presented in this format:

date_format
decapitalize(sName)Replaces the first letter of the name passed as a parameter with the corresponding lowercase letter.
descendantClassEnum(<String>)Shows the children of the class entered as a string parameter.
enum(sCompletionString1,sCompletionString2,...)List of comma-delimited strings suggested for completion at the template invocation.
escapeString(sEscapeString)Escapes the specified string.
expectedType()Returns the type which is expected as a result of the whole template. Makes sense if the template is expanded in the right part of an assignment, after return, etc.
fileName()Returns file name with extension.
fileNameWithoutExtension()Returns file name without extension.
firstWord(sFirstWord)Returns the first word of the string passed as a parameter.
groovyScript("groovy code")Returns Groovy script with the specified code.
You can use groovyScript macro with multiple arguments. The first argument is a script text that is executed or a path to the file that contains a script. The next arguments are bound to _1, _2, _3, ..._n variables that are available inside your script.
Also, _editor variable is available inside the script. This variable is bound to the current editor.
guessElementType (<container>)Makes a guess on the type of elements stored in a java.util.Collection. To make a guess, IntelliJ IDEA tries to find the places where the elements were added to or extracted from the container.
iterableComponentType(<ArrayOrIterable>)Returns the type of an iterable component, such as an array or a collection.
iterableVariable()Returns the name of a variable that can be iterated.
lineNumber()Returns the current line number.
lowercaseAndDash(String)Returns lower case separated by dashes, of the string passed as a parameter. For example, the string MyExampleName is converted to my-example-name.
methodName()Returns the name of the embracing method (where the template is expanded).
methodParameters()Returns the list of parameters of the embracing method (where the template is expanded).
methodReturnType()Returns the type of the value returned by the current method (the method within which the template is expanded).
qualifiedClassName()Returns the fully qualified name of the current class (the class where the template is expanded).

Clear the Shorten FQ names check box.

rightSideType()Declares the left-side variable with a type of the right-side expression. It is used in the iterations group to have a single template for generating both raw-type and Generics Collections.
snakeCase(sCamelCaseText) Returns snake_case string out of CamelCase string passed as a parameter.
spaceSeparated(String)Returns string separated with spaces out of CamelCase string passed as a parameter. For example, if the string passed as a parameter is fooBar, then the function returns foo bar.
subtypes(sType)Returns the subtypes of the type passed as a parameter.
suggestIndexName()Suggests the name of an index variable. Returns i if there is no such variable in scope, otherwise returns j if there is no such variable in scope, etc.
suggestVariableName()Suggests the name for a variable based on the variable type and its initializer expression, according to your code style settings that refer to the variable naming rules.
For example, if it is a variable that holds an element within iteration, IntelliJ IDEA makes a guess on the most reasonable names, also taking into account the name of the container being iterated.
suggestFirstVariableName(sFirstVariableName)Doesn't suggest true, false, this, super.
time(sSystemTime)Returns the current system time.
typeOfVariable(VAR)Returns the type of the variable passed as a parameter.
underscoresToCamelCase(sCamelCaseText)Returns the string passed as a parameter with CamelHump letters substituting for underscores. For example, if the string passed as a parameter is foo_bar, then the function returns fooBar.
underscoresToSpaces(sParameterWithSpaces)Returns the string passed as a parameter with spaces substituting for underscores.
user()Returns the name of the current user.
variableOfType(<type>)Suggests all variables that may be assigned to the type passed as a parameter, for example variableOfType("java.util.Vector"). If you pass an empty string ("") as a parameter, suggests all variables regardless of their types.
JsArrayVariable Returns JavaScript array name.
jsClassName()Returns the name of the current JavaScript class.
jsComponentType Returns the JavaScript component type.
jsMethodName()Returns the name of the current JavaScript method.
jsQualifiedClassName Returns the complete name of the current JavaScript class.
jsSuggestIndexName Returns a suggested name for an index.
jsSuggestVariableName Returns a suggested name for a variable.
Last modified: 6 March 2018

See Also