Problem when the working directory is not the app directory

[Gregoire-M]

Hi,

I've a problem with the uptime app, related to the config module.

I'd like to run uptime as a service on my Ubuntu 12.04 server, but my problem is that I can't launch the app from anywhere on my server. It seems that I need to be in the uptime directory, otherwise I get this error:

$ /usr/local/bin/node /var/www/uptime/app.js
Cannot write runtime.json file Error: ENOENT, no such file or directory '/home/gregoire/config/runtime.json'

fs.js:837
    throw errnoException(errno, 'watch');
          ^
Error: watch ENOENT
    at errnoException (fs.js:806:11)
    at FSWatcher.start (fs.js:837:11)
    at Object.fs.watch (fs.js:861:11)
    at Config.watchForConfigFileChanges (/var/www/uptime/node_modules/config/lib/config.js:468:37)
    at /var/www/uptime/node_modules/config/lib/config.js:1089:20
    at Module._compile (module.js:420:14)
    at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:467:10)
    at Module.load (module.js:356:32)
    at Function.Module._load (module.js:312:12)
    at Module.require (module.js:362:17)

It searches "config/runtime.json" in the working directory instead of searching it in the application root directory.
Is it a behavior that you can fix?

Thanks.

PS: the issue on uptime's repo fzaninotto/uptime#123

[lorenwest]

Hi Grégoire,

The $NODE_CONFIG_DIR environment variable is there to help. Normally node-config looks into the ./config directory of the running application. In cases where you need more control, it first checks the $NODE_CONFIG_DIR environment variable. Just set it before running your app, and you should be good.

Uptime looks very cool. Hope this helps!

-Loren

[Gregoire-M]

Okay, thank you for this trick!

[ghost]

Good to know 👍