Merge pull request #51 from ColdBox/copilot/add-app-path-setting

Auto-detect app layout and generate files in correct path (flat vs modern)

Author: lmajano

README.md

@@ -486,6 +486,62 @@ The CLI detects BoxLang projects using three methods (in order of precedence):
 }
 ```
 
+### 🗂️ App Layout Detection
+
+The CLI automatically detects whether your project uses a **modern** or **flat** layout and generates files in the correct location.
+
+| Layout | Detection | App Code Location | Tests Location |
+| ------ | --------- | ----------------- | -------------- |
+| **Modern** | Both `app/` and `public/` directories exist | `/app/models`, `/app/handlers`, etc. | `/tests/` |
+| **Flat** | Default (no `app/` + `public/`) | `/models`, `/handlers`, etc. | `/tests/` |
+
+#### Modern Layout (e.g. `boxlang`, `modern` templates)
+
+```text
+/app             - Application source code
+  /config        - Configuration
+  /handlers      - Event handlers
+  /models        - Models & services
+  /views         - View templates
+  /layouts       - Layout wrappers
+  /interceptors  - Interceptors
+/public          - Web root
+/modules         - ColdBox modules
+/tests           - Test suites
+/resources       - Migrations, seeders, etc.
+```
+
+#### Flat Layout (e.g. `flat`, legacy templates)
+
+```text
+/config          - Configuration
+/handlers        - Event handlers
+/models          - Models & services
+/views           - View templates
+/layouts         - Layout wrappers
+/interceptors    - Interceptors
+/modules         - ColdBox modules
+/tests           - Test suites
+```
+
+When you run a generation command in a modern-layout project, the CLI automatically targets the correct directory:
+
+```bash
+# In a flat layout project → creates /handlers/users.cfc
+# In a modern layout project → creates /app/handlers/users.cfc
+coldbox create handler users
+
+# In a flat layout project → creates /models/User.cfc
+# In a modern layout project → creates /app/models/User.cfc
+coldbox create model User
+```
+
+You can always override the target directory explicitly:
+
+```bash
+coldbox create model User directory=app/models
+```
+
 #### 🚀 Usage Examples
 
 ```bash

changelog.md

@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Added
+
+- Automatic app layout detection for code generation commands. The CLI now detects whether the project uses a modern layout (with `app/` and `public/` directories) or a flat layout, and automatically places generated files in the correct location (e.g., `app/models` vs `models`, `app/handlers` vs `handlers`, etc.).
+
 ## [8.9.0] - 2026-04-07
 
 ### Updates

commands/coldbox/create/handler.cfc

@@ -42,11 +42,11 @@ component aliases="coldbox create controller" extends="coldbox-cli.models.BaseCo
 		required name,
 		actions                  = "",
 		boolean views            = true,
-		viewsDirectory           = "views",
+		viewsDirectory           = getAppPrefix( getCWD() ) & "views",
 		boolean integrationTests = true,
 		appMapping               = "/",
 		testsDirectory           = "tests/specs/integration",
-		directory                = "handlers",
+		directory                = getAppPrefix( getCWD() ) & "handlers",
 		description              = "I am a new handler",
 		boolean open             = false,
 		boolean rest             = false,

commands/coldbox/create/interceptor.cfc

@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ component extends="coldbox-cli.models.BaseCommand" {
 		description     = "I am a new interceptor",
 		boolean tests   = true,
 		testsDirectory  = "tests/specs/interceptors",
-		directory       = "interceptors",
+		directory       = getAppPrefix( getCWD() ) & "interceptors",
 		boolean open    = false,
 		boolean force   = false,
 		boolean boxlang = isBoxLangProject( getCWD() )

commands/coldbox/create/layout.cfc

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ component extends="coldbox-cli.models.BaseCommand" {
 	function run(
 		required name,
 		boolean helper  = false,
-		directory       = "layouts",
+		directory       = getAppPrefix( getCWD() ) & "layouts",
 		boolean open    = false,
 		boolean force   = false,
 		content         = "<h1>#arguments.name# Layout</h1>#variables.utility.BREAK#",

commands/coldbox/create/model.cfc

@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ component extends="coldbox-cli.models.BaseCommand" {
 		persistence                 = "transient",
 		boolean tests               = true,
 		testsDirectory              = "tests/specs/unit",
-		directory                   = "models",
+		directory                   = getAppPrefix( getCWD() ) & "models",
 		description                 = "I am a new Model Object",
 		boolean open                = false,
 		boolean accessors           = true,

commands/coldbox/create/orm-crud.cfc

@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ component extends="coldbox-cli.models.BaseCommand" {
 	function run(
 		required entity,
 		pluralName        = "",
-		handlersDirectory = "handlers",
-		viewsDirectory    = "views",
+		handlersDirectory = getAppPrefix( getCWD() ) & "handlers",
+		viewsDirectory    = getAppPrefix( getCWD() ) & "views",
 		boolean tests     = true,
 		testsDirectory    = "tests/specs/integration",
 		boolean boxlang   = isBoxLangProject( getCWD() )

commands/coldbox/create/orm-entity.cfc

@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ component extends="coldbox-cli.models.BaseCommand" {
 	function run(
 		required entityName,
 		table                = "",
-		directory            = "models",
+		directory            = getAppPrefix( getCWD() ) & "models",
 		boolean activeEntity = false,
 		primaryKey           = "id",
 		primaryKeyColumn     = "",

commands/coldbox/create/orm-service.cfc

@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ component extends="coldbox-cli.models.BaseCommand" {
 	 **/
 	function run(
 		required serviceName,
-		directory             = "models",
+		directory             = getAppPrefix( getCWD() ) & "models",
 		boolean queryCaching  = false,
 		boolean eventHandling = true,
 		cacheRegion           = "",

commands/coldbox/create/orm-virtual-service.cfc

@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ component extends="coldbox-cli.models.BaseCommand" {
 	 **/
 	function run(
 		required entityName,
-		directory             = "models",
+		directory             = getAppPrefix( getCWD() ) & "models",
 		boolean queryCaching  = false,
 		boolean eventHandling = true,
 		cacheRegion           = "",