Less client side compilation problem.

[tapansoda]

I have changed configuration in the backend -> Store - > Configuration -> Advanced Developer -> Under Front-end development workflow, in the Workflow type field, select the compilation mode as client side compilation and save the configuration. Once configuration is saved, backend and frontend both breaks. Looks to me that compilation does not work properly.

At frontend I see an error 'FileError: 'http://localhost/magento2/pub/static/frontend/Magento/luma/en_US/Magento_Sendfriend/css/source/_module.less' wasn't found (404).

[tapansoda]

The following issues looks to be similiar to me.
#1619
#1623

[gotbahn]

Hello @tapansoda,
seems you have an outdated version, because current one have fixed this problem:
app/design/frontend/Magento/luma/Magento_SendFriend/
Please update your fork to the latest version.

[tapansoda]

Hello Godman, thanks for your quick response.

It does work now, but I think the script runs really slow. Due to slowness it seems at times the script does not get complete. Any reason behind it ?

[tapansoda]

Also we did notice that the same does not work with sample data usage.

[gotbahn]

@tapansoda client side compilation mode via browser mostly used for quick changes, it is not the best way to develop.

I recommend you to switch to local compilation with Grunt http://devdocs.magento.com/guides/v2.0/frontend-dev-guide/css-topics/css_debug.html#grunt_prereq

[tapantechno2007]

I have referred this link previously, I tried to compile using grunt watch but it does not work, I have made multiple changes inside LESS file but grunt watch does not compile at all.

If there any configuration that needs to be done for grunt watch, it keeps on saying waiting but at last there is no result.

I followed the entire documentation to install grunt, grunt exec, grunt watch command but grunt halts the process and does not resume at all. Wondering that issue it could be ?

For testing purpose I am trying to change background color of navigation, for the first time it works well, I fresh page, compilation works, but next time when I use the same process and refresh page OR use grunt watch it does not get complied.

Looking forward to your response.

[gotbahn]

@tapantechno2007 gotcha, currently we are working on documentation to better describe basic scenarios. One of them:

• use grunt refresh for initial run - it will clean up everything, generates symlinks and compile styles
• than run grunt watch - it start watching for symlinks changes

please note that, if you adding, rename files or change collectors files (that includes @magento_imports, as example styles-m.less) you need to regenerate symlinks with grunt refresh

[tapantechno2007]

@godban I tried running grunt refresh and then grunt watch as you suggested. Attached is the screenshot, the same happens grunt watch does not work.

[gotbahn]

@tapansoda please make sure that you have latest magento version, this bug was fixed since last week

[tapantechno2007]

I am on master branch and have taken latest pull till today ? Is that enough OR anything else needs to be done ?

[tapantechno2007]

@godban In order to take the latest pull, I follow the following is that correct ?

1. Go to root of magento2 setup in GIT Bash.
2. Make sure it is on master branch
3. Take git pull origin master.

OR do I need to switch to develop and take pull ? And always work on develop branch ? It is not that bugs once fixed are at master branch and we need to take pull of master branch ?

Highly appreciate your response on the same !!

[gotbahn]

@tapantechno2007 latest changes (bugfixes) are in develop branch, you can merge develop branch into yours with git merge origin/develop

[tapantechno2007]

Thanks @godban I will give it a try in some time and let you know the outcome.

[tapantechno2007]

Hello @godban I still have the same issue after taking latest pull from develop branch. It still throws the same error 'Cannot create symlink' when running 'grunt refresh'

[tapantechno2007]

I see a solution here which works but behaves differently. http://magento.stackexchange.com/questions/64802/magento-2-404-error-for-scipts-and-css.

For the first time grunt refresh works fine, but subsequent time neither grunt refresh NOR grunt less:theme works. Also grunt watch does not work at all

I am not sure if the solution given in the link is correct OR not as develop branch does not have that code updated. I am working on windows 8 system with wamp 2.5 and maybe symlink has some permission issues with working correctly.

Looking forward to your response.