Checked in bazel run configurations in .ijwb/.run are unstable

[beala-stripe]

Some users in our repo have started creating and checking in run configurations in the .ijwb/.run directory. When a run configuration is added to this directory, it is loaded whenever the repo is opened.

The issue is that these run configurations are unstable when generated by the bazel plugin. Depending on much the plugin knows about the target kind, it will generate different run configurations. This dirties the repo and is confusing. Users never know if they're supposed to check in the changed file or not.

The source of this instability appears to be these lines:

intellij/base/src/com/google/idea/blaze/base/run/BlazeCommandRunConfiguration.java

Lines 255 to 260 in ab966d7

	private void updateHandler() {
	BlazeCommandRunConfigurationHandlerProvider handlerProvider =
	BlazeCommandRunConfigurationHandlerProvider.findHandlerProvider(
	getTargetState(), getTargetKind());
	updateHandlerIfDifferentProvider(handlerProvider);
	}

Here, the correct handlerProvider is detected. This depends on the target state and target kind. When a run configuration is modified, and the target is not synced, the kind is set to null. This causes BlazeCommandGenericRunConfigurationHandlerProvider to be selected. If the target is synced and the plugin knows the rule kind is java_binary it will select BlazeJavaRunConfigurationHandlerProvider. When this change is synced back to the run config in .ijwb/.run it dirties the repo.

I'm currently testing out the instructions provided here on how to share run configs, but it would be nice if the bazel plugin supported checking in .ijwb/.run.

This issue was also reported here #2575 but it was closed without resolution.

[beala-stripe]

I might be mistaken the .ijwb should be checked in. Providing clarification in this following ticket would be helpful: #3250

[blorente]

Hello @beala-stripe
The .ijwb directory is designed to be ephemeral, as it contains a lot of data relative to the user's filesystem (amongst other reasons).
Please follow this comment for advice: #3250 (comment)

To share run configurations, you may store them elsewhere in the repo, and import them via the .bazelproject file