From 0cf3873cd17a7dd79702f5bda3c9dc276070bb30 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: BJ Dierkes <derks@datafolklabs.com>
Date: Fri, 9 May 2025 18:49:17 -0500
Subject: [PATCH] feat: support template_dirs config settings

Resolves Issue #746
---
 CHANGELOG.md                  |  3 ++-
 CONTRIBUTORS.md               |  1 +
 cement/core/foundation.py     | 29 ++++++++++++++++++-----
 tests/core/test_foundation.py | 43 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 4 files changed, 69 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-)

diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 011e6da4..06ea9f68 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ Bugs:
 
 Features:
 
-- None
+- `[core.foundation]` Support for App.Meta.template_dirs.
+  - [Issue #746](https://github.com/datafolklabs/cement/issues/749)
 
 Refactoring:
 
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTORS.md b/CONTRIBUTORS.md
index 11578bcf..bc72957d 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTORS.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTORS.md
@@ -23,3 +23,4 @@ documentation, or testing:
 - Christian Hengl (rednar)
 - sigma67
 - Blake Jameson (blakejameson)
+- Tom Freudenberg (TomFreudenberg)
diff --git a/cement/core/foundation.py b/cement/core/foundation.py
index dab44b95..9e739a39 100644
--- a/cement/core/foundation.py
+++ b/cement/core/foundation.py
@@ -497,6 +497,7 @@ class App(meta.MetaMixin):
             'plugin_dir',
             'ignore_deprecation_warnings',
             'template_dir',
+            'template_dirs',
             'mail_handler',
             'cache_handler',
             'log_handler',
@@ -1521,6 +1522,17 @@ class App(meta.MetaMixin):
             'home_dir': fs.HOME_DIR,
         }
 
+        # Check if template_dirs is overridden by config
+        config_template_dirs = []
+        if 'template_dirs' in self.config.keys(self._meta.config_section):
+            config_template_dirs = self.config.get(self._meta.label, 'template_dirs')
+
+            if isinstance(config_template_dirs, str):
+                config_template_dirs = [x.strip() for x in config_template_dirs.split(',')]
+
+            # reverse it becuase it will be reverse again (keep user preference)
+            config_template_dirs.reverse()
+
         # generate a final list of directories based on precedence (user level
         # paths take precedence).
 
@@ -1529,7 +1541,17 @@ class App(meta.MetaMixin):
             if d not in template_dirs:
                 template_dirs.append(d)
 
-        for d in self._meta.template_dirs:
+        # If config overrides template_dirs, use config instead of meta template_dirs
+        if config_template_dirs:
+            for d in config_template_dirs:
+                template_dirs.append(d)
+        else:
+            for d in self._meta.template_dirs:
+                d = d.format(**template_dict)
+                if d not in template_dirs:
+                    template_dirs.append(d)
+
+        for d in self._meta.core_user_template_dirs:
             d = d.format(**template_dict)
             if d not in template_dirs:
                 template_dirs.append(d)
@@ -1538,11 +1560,6 @@ class App(meta.MetaMixin):
             d = self._meta.template_dir.format(**template_dict)
             template_dirs.append(d)
 
-        for d in self._meta.core_user_template_dirs:
-            d = d.format(**template_dict)
-            if d not in template_dirs:
-                template_dirs.append(d)
-
         # reset final list
         self._meta.template_dirs = []
 
diff --git a/tests/core/test_foundation.py b/tests/core/test_foundation.py
index 53c19a35..e17eb962 100644
--- a/tests/core/test_foundation.py
+++ b/tests/core/test_foundation.py
@@ -779,6 +779,49 @@ def test_template_dirs(tmp, rando):
         assert tmp.dir in app._meta.template_dirs
 
 
+def test_template_dirs_config_override(tmp, rando):
+    class ThisTestApp(TestApp):
+        class Meta:
+            label = rando
+            template_dirs = ['/original/path']
+
+    with ThisTestApp() as app:
+        # Set template_dirs in config - should override Meta.template_dirs
+        app.config.set(app._meta.config_section, 'template_dirs', [tmp.dir, '/config/path2'])
+        app._setup_template_handler()
+        assert tmp.dir in app._meta.template_dirs
+        assert '/config/path2' in app._meta.template_dirs
+        assert '/original/path' not in app._meta.template_dirs
+
+
+def test_template_dirs_string_conversion(tmp, rando):
+    class ThisTestApp(TestApp):
+        class Meta:
+            label = rando
+
+    with ThisTestApp() as app:
+        # Set template_dirs as comma-separated string - should convert to list
+        app.config.set(app._meta.config_section, 'template_dirs', f'{tmp.dir}, /path2 , /path3')
+        app._setup_template_handler()
+        assert tmp.dir in app._meta.template_dirs
+        assert '/path2' in app._meta.template_dirs
+        assert '/path3' in app._meta.template_dirs
+
+
+def test_template_dir_and_dirs_interaction(tmp, rando):
+    class ThisTestApp(TestApp):
+        class Meta:
+            label = rando
+            template_dir = '/single/dir'
+
+    with ThisTestApp() as app:
+        # Both template_dir and template_dirs should be processed
+        app.config.set(app._meta.config_section, 'template_dirs', [tmp.dir])
+        app._setup_template_handler()
+        assert tmp.dir in app._meta.template_dirs
+        assert '/single/dir' in app._meta.template_dirs
+
+
 def test_core_system_plugin_dirs(tmp, rando):
     class ThisTestApp(TestApp):
         class Meta: