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# template_ctx

A context object that is passed to the action template expansion function.

## Members

* [args](#args)
* [declare\_file](#declare_file)
* [declare\_subdirectory](#declare_subdirectory)
* [run](#run)

## args

```
Args template_ctx.args()
```

Returns an Args object that can be used to build memory-efficient command lines.

## declare\_file

```
File template_ctx.declare_file(filename, *, directory)
```

Declares that implementation creates a file with the given filename within the specified directory.

Remember that in addition to declaring a file, you must separately create an action that emits the file. Creating that action will require passing the returned `File` object to the action's construction function.

### Parameters

| Parameter   | Description                                                                             |
| ----------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `filename`  | [string](../core/string); required  The relative path of the file within the directory. |
| `directory` | [File](../builtins/File); required  The directory in which the file should be created.  |

## declare\_subdirectory

```
File template_ctx.declare_subdirectory(subdirectory, *, directory)
```

Declares that implementation creates a subdirectory with the given name within the specified directory.

Remember that in addition to declaring a subdirectory, you must separately create an action that emits the subdirectory. Creating that action will require passing the returned `File` object to the action's construction function.

### Parameters

| Parameter      | Description                                                                                     |
| -------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `subdirectory` | [string](../core/string); required  The relative path of the subdirectory within the directory. |
| `directory`    | [File](../builtins/File); required  The directory in which the subdirectory should be created.  |

## run

```
None template_ctx.run(*, outputs, inputs=[], executable, tools=None, arguments=[], progress_message=None)
```

Creates an action that runs an executable.

### Parameters

| Parameter          | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `outputs`          | [sequence](../core/list) of [File](../builtins/File)s; required  List of the output files of the action.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| `inputs`           | [sequence](../core/list) of [File](../builtins/File)s; or [depset](../builtins/depset); default is `[]`  List or depset of the input files of the action.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| `executable`       | [File](../builtins/File); or [string](../core/string); or [FilesToRunProvider](../providers/FilesToRunProvider); required  The executable file to be called by the action.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| `tools`            | [sequence](../core/list); or [depset](../builtins/depset); or `None`; default is `None`  List or [`depset`](../builtins/depset) of any tools needed by the action. Tools are executable inputs that may have their own runfiles which are automatically made available to the action. When a list is provided, it can be a heterogenous collection of:  \* `File`s \* `FilesToRunProvider` instances \* `depset`s of `File`s  `File`s from [`ctx.executable`](../builtins/ctx#executable) and `FilesToRunProvider`s which are directly in the list will have their runfiles automatically added. All tools are implicitly added as inputs. |
| `arguments`        | [sequence](../core/list); default is `[]`  Command line arguments of the action. Must be a list of strings or [`actions.args()`](#args) objects.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| `progress_message` | [string](../core/string); or `None`; default is `None`  Progress message to show to the user during the build.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |