up too late, whoops. however this is more awesome now.

lib/auton.js

@@ -1,13 +1,16 @@
 (function(){
 
   var 
-      watch   = require( 'watch-tree' ),
-      async   = require( 'asyncjs' ),
-      fs      = require( 'fs' ),
-      util    = require( 'util' ),
-      path    = require( 'path' ),
-      inspect = util.inspect,
-      plugins = require('./plugins');
+      watch    = require( 'watch-tree' ),
+      async    = require( 'asyncjs' ),
+      fs       = require( 'fs' ),
+      colorize = require( 'colorize' ),
+      console  = colorize.console,
+      util     = require( 'util' ),
+      path     = require( 'path' ),
+      inspect  = util.inspect,
+      fs       = require( 'fs' ),
+      plugins  = require('./plugins');
 
   module.exports.plugins  = plugins;
   module.exports.Compiler = Compiler;
@@ -21,6 +24,20 @@
     this.waitTime  = 100; // time to wait for write after noticing a change
     return this;
   }
+
+  var levelColorMap = {
+    'error'   : 'red',
+    'success' : 'green',
+    'msg'     : 'plain',
+    'info'    : 'cyan',
+    'warn'    : 'yellow'
+  };
+
+  Compiler.prototype.log   = function( level, coloredPart, plainPart ) {
+    var color = levelColorMap[level],
+        outputString = colorize.ansify("#" + color + "[ " + coloredPart + " ]") + " - " + plainPart;
+    util.log( outputString );
+  }
 
   Compiler.prototype.start = function() {
     var that      = this,
@@ -42,9 +59,9 @@
     watcher.on( 'fileDeleted',    _delete  );
     watcher.on( 'allPreexistingFilesReported', function(){
       if (watchMode) {
-        console.log("-----> Entering watch mode!");
+        that.log('info', "----->", "Entering watch mode!");
       } else {
-        console.log("-----> Done!");
+        that.log('info', "----->", "Done scanning for changed files!");
         watcher.end();
       }
     });
@@ -61,7 +78,7 @@
   Compiler.prototype.copy = function( test ) {
     this.rules.push({
       test: test,
-      outputFilenameFunction: function(type, filePath){ return type === 'original' ? filePath : null; },
+      outputFilenameFunction: function(type, filePath){ return (type === 'original' || type === '__age_check__') ? filePath : null; },
       ruleList: [plugins.read, plugins.save]
     });
   }
@@ -113,17 +130,47 @@
       rule:     rule,
       path:     file,
       save:     {   }
-    };
-    var go = function() {
+    },
+    go = function() {
       async.list(functions).call(args).end(function(e){
         if (e) {
-          console.log("---\n---\n---\n\nERROR IN FILE: "+file+"\n\nError: "+e+"\n\n---\n---\n---\n");
+          args.compiler.log( 'error', "Error in "+file, "\n" + e.toString() + "\n" );
         } else {
   //        console.log(" COMPILED: " + file);
         }
       });
     }
-    setTimeout( go, this.waitTime );
+
+    var ageCheckFilename = rule.outputFilenameFunction( '__age_check__', file );
+    if (ageCheckFilename) {
+      var infile  = path.join( this.rootDir,  file )
+          outfile = path.join( this.outputDir, ageCheckFilename );
+      fs.stat( infile, function(err, infileStats){
+        if (err) {
+          args.compiler.log( 'error', 'couldnt stat '+infile, err);
+          return;
+        }
+        path.exists( outfile, function(exists){
+          if (exists) {
+            fs.stat( outfile, function(err, outfileStats){
+              if (err) {
+                args.compiler.log( 'error', 'couldnt stat '+outfile, err);
+                return;
+              }
+              if (Date.parse(infileStats.mtime) > Date.parse(outfileStats.mtime)) {
+                setTimeout( go, args.compiler.waitTime );
+              } else {
+              }
+            });
+          } else {
+            setTimeout( go, args.compiler.waitTime );
+          }
+
+        });
+      });
+    } else {
+      setTimeout( go, args.compiler.waitTime );
+    }
   }
 
 

lib/plugins.js

@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ var plugins   = {},
             dirname  = path.dirname( fullPath );
 
         if (filename) {
-          util.log("Saved -> " + fullPath);
+          that.compiler.log('success', "Saved", fullPath);
           mkdir_p( dirname, function(e){
             if (e) { return next(e); }
 

package.json

@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@
     "uglify-js":     ">=1.0.6",
     "coffee-script": ">=1.1.1",
     "watch-tree":    ">=0.1.1",
-    "asyncjs":       ">=0.0.5"
+    "asyncjs":       ">=0.0.5",
+    "colorize":      ">=0.1.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {},
   "licenses":     [{