You are a helpful assistant generating synthetic data that captures *System 1* and *System 2* thinking, *creativity*, and *metacognitive reflection*. Follow these steps in sequence, using tags [sys1] and [end sys1] for *System 1* sections and [sys2] and [end sys2] for *System 2* sections.

1. *Identify System 1 and System 2 Thinking Requirements:*
   - Carefully read the text.
   - Identify parts of the text that require quick, straightforward responses (*System 1*). Mark these sections with [sys1] and [end sys1].
   - Identify parts that require in-depth, reflective thinking (*System 2*), marked with [sys2] and [end sys2].

2. *Apply Step-by-Step Problem Solving with Creativity and Metacognitive Reflection for System 2 Sections:*

   *2.1 Understand the Problem:*
   - Objective: Fully comprehend the issue, constraints, and relevant context.
   - Reflection: "What do I understand about this issue? What might I be overlooking?"
   - Creative Perspective: Seek hidden patterns or possibilities that could reveal deeper insights or innovative connections.

   *2.2 Analyze the Information:*
   - Objective: Break down the problem logically.
   - Reflection: "Am I considering all factors? Are there any assumptions that need challenging?"
   - Creative Perspective: Explore unique patterns or overlooked relationships in the data that could add depth to the analysis.

   *2.3 Generate Hypotheses:*
   - Objective: Propose at least 10 hypotheses, each with a Confidence Score (0.0 to 1.0) and Creative Score (0.0 to 1.0), reflecting originality, surprise, and utility.
   - Reflection: "Have I explored all possible explanations or approaches, both conventional and unconventional?"
   - Creative Perspective: Consider novel angles that might provide unexpected insights.

   *2.4 Anticipate Future Steps and Obstacles:*
   - Objective: Make predictions, accounting for potential outcomes and obstacles.
   - Reflection: "What challenges might I face? Is my plan flexible for different scenarios?"
   - Creative Perspective: Visualize unforeseen outcomes and adapt plans to make use of them effectively.

   *2.5 Evaluate Hypotheses:*
   - Objective: Assess hypotheses based on feasibility, risk, and potential impact.
   - Evaluation: Refine Confidence and Creative Scores as needed.
   - Reflection: "Am I unbiased in my assessment? Which options fit best with the overall objectives?"
   - Creative Perspective: Identify hidden opportunities or overlooked details in each hypothesis.

   *2.6 Select the Best Hypothesis:*
   - Objective: Choose the most promising, strategic hypothesis.
   - Reflection: "Why does this hypothesis stand out? How does it uniquely address the issue?"
   - Creative Perspective: Consider any underutilized potential in the selected approach.

   *2.7 Implement the Hypothesis:*
   - Objective: Outline actionable steps for testing the hypothesis.
   - Reflection: "Is this plan practical? What resources or preparation are required?"
   - Creative Perspective: Refine steps to maximize effectiveness and yield unexpected benefits.

   *2.8 Monitor and Review Progress:*
   - Objective: Review progress, noting areas for improvement.
   - Reflection: "What’s working well? What could be improved?"
   - Creative Perspective: Look for emerging patterns that could refine future approaches.

   *2.9 Reflect and Capture Insights:*
   - Objective: Summarize lessons learned and insights gained for future reference.
   - Reflection: "What new understanding has emerged from this process?"
   - Creative Perspective: Identify innovative insights or patterns that could be applied to similar challenges.

3. *Generate Text Output with Interleaved System 1 and System 2 Responses:*
   - Use the tags [sys1] and [sys2] throughout.
   - Aim for a lengthier, detailed response. Combine both direct, straightforward *System 1* insights and reflective, deeply analytical *System 2* segments to capture a blend of quick observations and thoughtful analysis.

---

### *Example Input Text:*

You are tasked with analyzing a sudden shift in customer preferences in a tech market. There has been a noticeable decline in demand for physical devices, with customers increasingly interested in digital-only options. The challenge is to understand this shift, generate hypotheses for why it might be occurring, and explore potential strategies for adapting to this new trend.

---

### *Processed Output with System 1 and System 2 Thinking:*

The tech market is experiencing a shift in customer demand, moving away from physical devices toward digital-only options.

[sys1]
Customer demand has shifted from physical devices to digital-only options.
We need to understand why this change is happening and find strategies to address it.
Key factors may include cost, convenience, and technological trends.
[end sys1]

[sys2]
**2.1 Understand the Problem:**
The goal is to understand the underlying reasons for the shift in demand from physical devices to digital-only options, then develop a strategy to adapt.

*Reflection:* 
"I understand that preferences are changing, but what might be driving this? Is it primarily cost, or are there other factors such as convenience or sustainability?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Could there be a larger trend in digital minimalism or a preference for eco-friendly solutions that we’re missing? What unseen motivations might explain this shift?"

**2.2 Analyze the Information:**
There are multiple possible factors driving this shift, from economic influences to cultural shifts. It’s essential to isolate each factor and understand its impact.

*Reflection:* 
"Am I fully considering the various economic and social influences? Could there be a technological factor, like better internet speeds, that makes digital-only products more accessible?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Are there patterns or trends in other markets that could shed light on this shift? Could this be part of a larger trend toward virtual experiences?"

**2.3 Generate Hypotheses:**
1. Customers prefer digital options due to lower costs. (Confidence: 0.8, Creative: 0.4)
2. There’s a growing trend toward minimalism and reduced physical clutter. (Confidence: 0.7, Creative: 0.7)
3. Digital products offer greater flexibility and ease of use. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.6)
4. Environmental concerns are pushing consumers away from physical goods. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.8)
5. Advances in tech make digital-only options more functional. (Confidence: 0.8, Creative: 0.5)
6. Pandemic-era remote work increased demand for digital solutions. (Confidence: 0.7, Creative: 0.6)
7. Media coverage of the environmental impact of physical devices affects preferences. (Confidence: 0.5, Creative: 0.7)
8. There’s an increase in global digital literacy, expanding market access. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.6)
9. Customers view digital as more convenient and scalable for future needs. (Confidence: 0.7, Creative: 0.5)
10. Younger consumers prefer the aesthetics and convenience of digital products. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.6)

*Reflection:* 
"Have I considered all possible influences? Are there any surprising factors that could explain this shift?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Could specific social trends, like the rise of influencer culture or digital-first lifestyles, be influencing customer choices?"

**2.4 Anticipate Future Steps and Obstacles:**
*Objective:* Anticipate possible challenges, such as resistance from segments still preferring physical products.

*Reflection:* 
"What market obstacles might we face if we shift our focus to digital-only? Are there sub-segments that still prioritize physical products?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Could expanding digital options help us reach a more global audience? Are there emerging trends that we could leverage in our strategy?"

[end sys2]

[sys1]
To address this shift, consider a strategy that incorporates both digital-only offerings and educational campaigns about the benefits of digital solutions.
Use insights from customer feedback and current trends to guide product development.
Focus on flexibility and adaptation to cater to different customer segments.
[end sys1]


Q:

Generate T4 file when same-class code files have been modified

I have a C# regex-parser program with three files in it, each containing a static class: 
1) one static class filled with string dictionaries
static class MyStringDicts
{
    internal static readonly Dictionary<string, string> USstates =
        new Dictionary<string, string>()
        {
            { "ALABAMA", "AL" },
            { "ALASKA", "AK" },
            { "AMERICAN SAMOA", "AS" },
            { "ARIZONA", "AZ" },
            { "ARKANSAS", "AR" }
             // and so on
        }
    // and some other dictionaries
}

2) A class that compiles these values into Regex
public static class Patterns
{       
    Public static readonly string StateUS =
        @"\b(?<STATE>" + CharTree.GenerateRegex(Enumerable.Union(
            AddrVals.USstates.Keys,
            AddrVals.USstates.Values))
        + @")\b";

    //and some more like these
}

3) some code that runs regular expressions based on these strings:
public static class Parser
{   
    // heavily simplified example
    public static GroupCollection SearchStringForStates(string str)
    {
        return Regex.Match(str, 
            "^" + Patterns.StateUS, 
            RegexOptions.ExplicitCapture | RegexOptions.IgnoreCase).Groups;
    }
}

I'd like to be able to generate 2) as with a T4 template, as all of this concatenation is identical on every execution:
@"\b(?<STATE><#=CharTree.GenerateRegex(Enumerable.Union(
    AddrVals.USstates.Keys,
    AddrVals.USstates.Values)#>)\b";

This works, but if I create a new member of MyStringDicts, or add/remove some values from its dictionaries, the T4 template won't recognize them until exclude Patterns.cs from compilation and recompile. As Parser depends on Patterns, this really isn't an option - I need the T4 transformation to take into account changes to other files in the same build.
Things I don't want do do:

Split MyStringDicts into its own project. I'd like to keep the files in one project, as they are a logical unit. 
Just move MyStringDicts into the top of Patterns.cs. I need the MyStringDicts members for other purposes, too (for dictionary lookups, or in other T4 templates, for example.)

I adopted the advice here about using T4Toolbox's VolatileAssembly and such, but that seems to only work for the reverse direction, when the class files need to be recompiled after editing the T4 template.
Is what I want possible?
edited for clarity

A:

I just created a small test template which uses EnvDte (Visual Studio Automation) and the T4Toolbox to run through the first file. It picks up the file through the project, so there's no need to compile before running the template. In fact, it even picks up unsaved changes...
This is basically the same approach as FullSnabel uses, but without the need for Roslyn.
<#@ template debug="false" hostspecific="True" language="C#" #>
<#@ output extension=".cs" #>
<#@ Assembly Name="System.Core.dll" #>
<#@ dte processor="T4Toolbox.DteProcessor" #>
<#@ TransformationContext processor="T4Toolbox.TransformationContextProcessor" #>
<#@ assembly name="System.Xml" #>
<#@ assembly name="EnvDTE" #>
<#@ assembly name="EnvDTE80" #>
<#@ import namespace="T4Toolbox" #>
<#@ import namespace="EnvDTE" #> 
<#@ import namespace="EnvDTE80" #>
<#
    ProjectItem projectItem = TransformationContext.FindProjectItem("Dictionaries.cs");
    FileCodeModel codeModel = projectItem.FileCodeModel;

    foreach (CodeElement element in codeModel.CodeElements)
    {
        CodeNamespace ns = element as CodeNamespace;
        if(ns != null)
        {
            foreach(CodeElement ele in ns.Children)
            {
                CodeClass cl = ele as CodeClass;

                if(cl != null && cl.Name == "Dictionaries")
                {
                    foreach(CodeElement member in cl.Members)
                    {
                        // Generate stuff...
                        this.WriteLine(member.Name);
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }
#>

This should work if you want to stick to your original approach. 
What you seem to be doing is storing data in a class file. You could consider storing your lists outside code (in an xml or ini file) and generate both files based on that data. That way you avoid the problem all together, it might also make managing the lists easier.
If you don't care too much about changes to the list you could also put the dictionaries inside the T4 template itself.
Another alternative might dealing with it fully in code. You could create a subclass of Dictionary which has a 'Pattern' property (or GetPattern() function). The parser would then use AddrVals.USstates.Pattern, and the patterns class won't be needed anymore. This way you won't need any code generation.
Perhaps a wrapper around the actual dictionary would be better because it allows you to hide the actual collection to make sure it's not changed at runtime. See Is there a read-only generic dictionary available in .NET? for an example of that. 

A:

Take a look at roslyn. It allows you to compile the source files into syntax trees which you then can inspect and generated code from. It's a CTP but it worked quite well for me.
(Added a Roslyn sample).
I have created a file called class2.cs in my solution:
namespace StackOverflow
{
    class Class2
    {
        public static int One() { return 8; }
        public static int Eight(int x, double z) { return 8; }
    }
}

Using the Roslyn CTP (you need the Visual studio SDK as well) I created this simple T4 template which uses Roslyn to parse Class2.cs and produce output based on that:
<#@ template    hostspecific= "true"                            #>
<#@ assembly    name        = "System.Core"                     #>
<#@ assembly    name        = "Roslyn.Compilers"                #>
<#@ assembly    name        = "Roslyn.Compilers.CSharp"         #>
<#@ import      namespace   = "System.IO"                       #>
<#@ import      namespace   = "System.Linq"                     #>
<#@ import      namespace   = "Roslyn.Compilers.CSharp"         #>

<#

    var host    = Path.GetFullPath(Host.ResolvePath(@".\Class2.cs"));
    var content = File.ReadAllText(host);

    var tree = SyntaxTree.ParseCompilationUnit(content);

    var methods = tree
        .GetRoot()
        .ChildNodes()
        .OfType<NamespaceDeclarationSyntax>()
        .SelectMany(x => x.ChildNodes())
        .OfType<ClassDeclarationSyntax>()
        .SelectMany(x => x.ChildNodes())
        .OfType<MethodDeclarationSyntax>()
        .ToArray()
        ;
#>            

namespace StackOverflow
{
    using System;

    static partial class Program
    {
        public static void Main()
        {
<#
    foreach (var method in methods)
    {
        var parent = (ClassDeclarationSyntax)method.Parent;
        var types = method
            .ParameterList
            .ChildNodes()
            .OfType<ParameterSyntax>()
            .Select(t => t.Type.PlainName)
            .ToArray()
            ;

        var plist = string.Join(", ", types);
#>
            Console.WriteLine("<#=parent.Identifier.ValueText#>.<#=method.Identifier.ValueText#>(<#=plist#>).ToString()");
<#
    }
#>
        }
    }
}

This template produces the following output based on Class2.cs:
namespace StackOverflow
{
    using System;

    static partial class Program
    {
        public static void Main()
        {
                Console.WriteLine("Class2.One().ToString()");
                Console.WriteLine("Class2.Eight(int, double).ToString()");
            }
    }
}

Hope this helps