Robowatch

Configurable filesystem observer and script runner.

NEW uses Facebook Watchman 🔥if available 🚀

• Listens to changes to the filesystem and runs scripts based on events defined in Robo -file
• Multiple files and directory trees can be followed
• Ignore pattern !something
• Events can be delayed using debounce
• Configuration changes are loaded dynamically
• You can have comments like ; here is explanation what this should do

You can use it to create local build pipelines, automatic test runs etc.

Getting Started

First install the command line utility rwatch

npm install -g robowatch

Then create a file Robo with watch instructions, following the chokidar format.

watch src/**.ts {
  shell {
    debounce 3 "waiting 3 seconds"
    "cd src && tsc"
  }
}

Comments

; here is a comment
watch somefile {

}

Running commands in the shell

Pure Shell commands are quoted like 'echo "Hello World"'

Each quoted command is run as separate exec under selected shell.

watch somefile {
  shell {
    ; single quotes
    'ls -al'

    ; double quotes
    "ls -al"

    ; back-trick
    `cd dir;
      echo $(dirname "$FILE");
      echo $FILE;
    `

  }
}

Select the shell

The shell command can have use "/bin/bash" to select the running shell

watch (
    !./**/node_modules/**
    ./**/package.json
  ) {
  shell use "/bin/bash" {
    ; display which shell we are using
    'echo $0'
  }
}

debounce

Debounce will some seconds before starting. If new events arrive the startup is delayed N seconds more.

 debounce 3 "waiting 3 seconds"

Example

watch *.css {
  shell use "/bin/bash" {
    debounce 5 "waiting before "

$FILE

Show the changed filename

watch src/**.ts {
  shell {
    `
      echo $(dirname "$FILE");
      echo $FILE;
    `
  }
}

Multiple files

Multiple files can be observer

watch (
    file1
    file2
    robowatch/src/**/*.ts
  ) {

}

Ignoring files

Do not follow changes in node_modules

watch (
    ./**.ts
    !./**/node_modules/**
  ) {

}

Examples

Audit package.json files

Example uses MacOS osascript to display messages to user

watch (
    !./**/node_modules/**
    ./**/package.json
  ) {
  shell use "/bin/bash" {
    debounce 5 "auditing package.json"
    `
      DIR=$(dirname "$FILE");
      echo $DIR;
      cd $DIR;
      RVOF=$(npm audit);
      retVal=$?
      if [ $retVal -ne 0 ]; then
        MSG='say "You loser! npm audit for ';
        MSG+="$FILE";
        MSG+=' failed"';
        echo "$MSG" | osascript;
      else
        MSG='display notification "✅ npm audit for ';
        MSG+="$FILE";
        MSG+=' was success!"';
        echo "$MSG" | osascript;
      fi;
    `
  }
}