switch from guard to simpler solution

The weird problem when using guard

I have recently encounter a problem: when using guard to watch file changes, and run tasks automatically, they run multiple times, or remove the result. Some similiar issues on github

Fix the problem or avoid it

It seems the problem may be caused by editor, OS, or some gems, I have tried some time, but can’t find a solution. All I need is just run some task automatically when file changes. So I try this rubygem: when-files-change It should be simpler than Guard, and I don’t need to write config file, just type:

when-files-change -- rake test
when-files-change --ignore 'build' -- make

That is all. I can leave the task run by itself without manually invoke them.

Guard come back to work

When I create a new project later, some guard tasks run normally. Maybe my previous problem is caused by some rubygem dependencies.

Other solutions that run tasks from vim by key mappings

use tmux to run tasks asynchronously

create a new tmux session:

tmux new-session -n development

tmux can send keys to another pane like

tmux send-keys -t development.1 "echo test" C-m
tmux send-keys -t development.1 "rake" C-m

use fifo or pipe to run tasks:

mkfifo test-commands

in one screen: cat test-commands
in another screen: echo test-commands

So now we can use the fifo/pipe to send the command over.

sh -c "$(cat test-commands)"

to make it run forever:

while true; do sh -c "$(cat test-commands)"; done

use vim mapping to run the command on current file, silently through the shortcut, and redraw:

remap <leader>E :w\|:silent !echo "bundle exec ruby %" > test-commands<cr>\|:redraw!<cr>

write a run-test.sh to avoid create the fifo manually, because fifo can’t check into git repository:

if [ ! -p test-commands ]
then
  mkfifo test-commands
fi

while true; do
  sh -c "$(cat test-commands)"
done