Feature request: Don't run prep: commands on first run

[andrewhowdencom]

This tool is super nice, and is benefiting me greatly with some web development stuff. However, each time I modify the config and restart it, all prep commands are run. They're then subsequently run when the files matching are modified.

I'm using the application to trigger application changes (so, clearing cache, recompiling CSS) when there are file changes. It's not necessary that all of these things be completed when modd is first run -- Only when it changes.

Is it possible to introduce a flag that disables the "inital run" option, and just runs on modification?

Thanks again!

[cortesi]

Hey there. This sounds like a sensible extension. I wonder if this is something that would best be done as a command-line flag, or whether we need to somehow support this in the config file on a per-rule basis. Do you have a use-case that leans either way?

Adding a flag do disable first-run would be really easy, and might be needed even if conf file support is desirable. I'd definitely merge a patch that does this. :)

[andrewhowdencom]

Per rule basis would suit me better - Cache clearing doesn't really need doing before the application has had a chance to build the cache. Intuitively, command line flag feels like the wrong interface for this, but that's just a feeling.

I can certainly have a crack into writing a patch, though this would be my first venture into golang. If you're happy for me to do so, I'll take a look sometime this weekend-ish.

[cortesi]

Hi Andrew. Yes, I think a +onchange flag for prep commands would do the trick here. So, the syntax would look like this:

prep +onchange: ./clear_cache

The parser for flags is already there, so this should be a relatively simple change. Please feel free to have a crack, and let me know if you'd like to discuss.

[andrewhowdencom]

Just wanted to thank @homburg for this!