diff --git a/SConscript b/SConscript
index f525a97..ed198c5 100644
--- a/SConscript
+++ b/SConscript
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import copy
 import enum
 import glob
 import inspect
-import jinja2
 import json
 import multiprocessing
 import os
@@ -540,6 +539,11 @@ def _target_entry(target_value):
     return target_value[0]
 
 def _generate_project(project_type: str) -> None:
+    try:
+        import jinja2
+    except ImportError:
+        _error(None, 'Project generation requires the jinja2 to be installed.')
+
     source_folder, target_folder = {
         'clion': (os.path.join(_spp_dir.abspath, 'util', 'clion_project_template'), Dir('#.idea').abspath),
         'vscode': (os.path.join(_spp_dir.abspath, 'util', 'vscode_project_template'), Dir('#.vscode').abspath)
diff --git a/addons/jinja.py b/addons/jinja.py
index ff7349a..8ff501a 100644
--- a/addons/jinja.py
+++ b/addons/jinja.py
@@ -31,8 +31,19 @@ def _wrap_jinja(orig_jinja):
         return target
     return _wrapped
 
+def _file_size(env, fname: str) -> int:
+    return env.File(fname).get_size()
+
+def _file_content_hex(env, fname: str) -> str:
+    bytes = env.File(fname).get_contents()
+    return ','.join([hex(byte) for byte in bytes])
+
 env.AddMethod(_wrap_jinja(env.Jinja), 'Jinja')
 env.Append(JINJA_FILTERS = {'load_config': _jinja_load_config})
+env.Append(JINJA_GLOBALS = {
+    'file_size': lambda *args: _file_size(env, *args),
+    'file_content_hex': lambda *args: _file_content_hex(env, *args)
+})
 env.Append(JINJA_TEMPLATE_SEARCHPATH = ['data/jinja'])
 env['JINJA_CONFIG_SEARCHPATH'] = [env.Dir('#data/config')]
 Return('env')