Emacs-BPR (Background Process Runner)

This package provides logic for async process execution.

It's similar to async-shell-command, but:

• bpr spawns processes asynchronously without displaying output buffers.
• bpr shows progress messages for running processes in echo area.
• bpr can display buffer with process output in case of errors.
• bpr can use projectile for assigning process directory.
• bpr can format process output (understands ansi escape codes).
• you can add handlers for completion/success/error events
• you can set different options for different processes.

bpr is very handy for running tests/builds, but you can run any processes with it.

Example

Given this configuration:

(require 'bpr)

;; Set global config for bpr.
;; Variables below are applied to all processes.
(setq bpr-colorize-output t)
(setq bpr-close-after-success t)

;; define function for running desired process
(defun run-tests ()
  "Spawns 'grunt test' process"
  (interactive)
  ;; Set dynamic config for process.
  ;; Variables below are applied only to particular process
  (let* ((bpr-scroll-direction -1))
    (bpr-spawn "grunt test --color")))

;; set key-binding
(define-key global-map "\C-ct" 'run-tests)

You get this behavior for success: And this for error:

What's happening:

• User enters predefined key-binding, which invokes function run-tests.
• bpr-spawn starts async process grunt test --color and writes progress messages in echo area.
• If process ends successfully - success message is being shown.
• If process ends with error - error message is being shown and window with output buffer is being opened.

Installation

MELPA

M-x package-install bpr

Manually

;; If you have cloned this repo into `~/some-path/emacs-bpr/`
(add-to-list 'load-path "~/some-path/emacs-bpr/")
(require 'bpr)

Configuration

If you want to set options globally for all processes:

(require 'bpr)

;; use ansi-color-apply-on-region function on output buffer
(setq bpr-colorize-output t)

;; use comint-mode for processes output buffers instead of shell-mode
(setq bpr-process-mode #'comint-mode)

;; call `do-something` whenever bpr-spawn's process is compelted
(setq bpr-on-completion #'do-something)

If you want to set options to particular process, set them dynamically right before bpr-spawn:

(let* (;; don't erase process output buffer before starting this process again.
       (bpr-erase-process-buffer nil)
       ;; don't show progress messages (only success/error messages will be displayed)
       (bpr-show-progress nil)
       ;; call `do-something` when process below is successfully completed
       (bpr-on-success #'do-something))
    (bpr-spawn "ping -c 4 www.wikipedia.org"))

Default directory for processes is default-directory of current buffer, but with projectile installed, bpr would use projectile-project-root function. To disable projectile support, set bpr-use-projectile to nil. If you want to set custom logic for project root detection, just reimplement bpr-try-get-project-root function.

Default major mode for process's output buffer is shell-mode. Note, that this buffer is only showed in case of error, but you can manually open it at any time by bpr-open-last-buffer. Template for buffers names: *process-name (process-directory)*

Commands

bpr-spawn (cmd)

Executes string CMD asynchronously in background.

bpr-open-last-buffer ()

Opens the buffer of the last spawned process.

Options

bpr-close-after-success nil

Indicates whether the process output window is closed on success.

bpr-open-after-error t

Indicates whether the process output window is shown on error.

bpr-window-creator #'split-window-vertically

Function for creating window for process.

bpr-process-mode #'shell-mode

Mode for process's buffer.

bpr-process-directory nil

Directory for process. If not nil, it will be assigned to default-direcotry. If nil, standard default-direcotry will be used, or projectile-project-root, if it's available and bpr-use-projectile isn't nil.

bpr-use-projectile t

Whether to use projectile-project-root (if available) for process's directory.

bpr-erase-process-buffer t

Indicates whether the process buffer is erased at the start of the new process.

bpr-scroll-direction 1

Scroll text in error window, -1 for scroll up, 1 - scroll down.

bpr-show-progress t

Whether to show progress messages for process.

bpr-poll-timout 0.2

Progress update interval.

bpr-colorize-output nil

Whether to colorize process output buffer. For this operation `ansi-color-apply-on-region' is used.

bpr-on-success '(lambda (process))

Function which is called in case of success. If function is interactive, it's called interactively; if not, it's called in a normal way with one argument - process.

bpr-on-error '(lambda (process))

Function which is called in case of error. If function is interactive, it's called interactively; if not, it's called in a normal way with one argument - process.

bpr-on-completion '(lambda (process))

Function, which is always called when process is completed. If function is interactive, it's called interactively; if not, it's called in a normal way with one argument - process.

Examples for different use cases

Running tests

(defun my-test-runner ()
  "Spawns test process"
  (interactive)
  (let* ((bpr-scroll-direction -1) ;; scroll to the top of the output window (which is being shown in case of error)
         (bpr-close-after-success t)) ;; close error window after process ended successfully (if it's not already closed)
    (bpr-spawn "rake tests")))

Running builds

(defun my-build-runner ()
  "Spawns build process"
  (interactive)
  (let* ((bpr-process-directory "~/chromium/") ;; spawn process in this directory (instead of default-directory or projectile-project-root)
         (bpr-poll-timout 60.0)) ;; show progress messages once in 60 seconds
    (bpr-spawn "make long-build")))