A wrapper and enhancements for fs.watch
npm install node-watchA wrapper and enhancements for fs.watch.
``bash`
npm install node-watch
`js
var watch = require('node-watch');
watch('file_or_dir', { recursive: true }, function(evt, name) {
console.log('%s changed.', name);
});
`
Now it's fast to watch deep directories on macOS and Windows, since the recursive option is natively supported except on Linux.
`js`
// watch the whole disk
watch('/', { recursive: true }, console.log);
* Some editors will generate temporary files which will cause the callback function to be triggered multiple times.
* The callback function will only be triggered once on watching a single file.
* Missing an option to watch a directory recursively.
* Recursive watch is not supported on Linux or in older versions of nodejs.
* Keep it simple, stupid.
The usage and options of node-watch are compatible with fs.watch.persistent: Boolean
* (default true)recursive: Boolean
* (default false)encoding: String
* (default 'utf8')
Extra options
* filter: RegExp | Function
Return that matches the filter expression.
`js
// filter with regular expression
watch('./', { filter: /\.json$/ });
// filter with custom function
watch('./', { filter: f => !/node_modules/.test(f) });
`
Each file and directory will be passed to the filter to determine whether
it will then be passed to the callback function. Like Array.filter does in JavaScript.
There are three kinds of return values for filter function:
* true: Will be passed to callback.
* false: Will not be passed to callback.
* skip: Same with false, and skip to watch all its subdirectories.
On Linux, where the recursive option is not natively supported,skip
it is more efficient to skip ignored directories by returning the flag:
`js
watch('./', {
recursive: true,
filter(f, skip) {
// skip node_modules
if (/\/node_modules/.test(f)) return skip;
// skip .git folder
if (/\.git/.test(f)) return skip;
// only watch for js files
return /\.js$/.test(f);
}
});
`
If you prefer glob patterns you can use minimatch or picomatch
together with filter:
`js
const pm = require('picomatch');
let isMatch = pm('*.js');
watch('./', {
filter: f => isMatch(f)
});
`
* delay: Number (in ms, default 200)
Delay time of the callback function.
`js`
// log after 5 seconds
watch('./', { delay: 5000 }, console.log);
The events provided by the callback function is either update or remove, which is less confusing to fs.watch's rename or change.
`js
watch('./', function(evt, name) {
if (evt == 'update') {
// on create or modify
}
if (evt == 'remove') {
// on delete
}
});
`
The watch function returns a fs.FSWatcher like object as the same as fs.watch (>= v0.4.0).
#### Watcher events
`js
let watcher = watch('./', { recursive: true });
watcher.on('change', function(evt, name) {
// callback
});
watcher.on('error', function(err) {
// handle error
});
watcher.on('ready', function() {
// the watcher is ready to respond to changes
});
`
#### Close
`js
// close
watcher.close();
// is closed?
watcher.isClosed()
`
#### List of methods
* .on
*
*
*
*
*
*
##### Extra methods
* .isClosed detect if the watcher is closed.getWatchedPaths
* get all the watched paths
Windows, node < v4.2.5
* Failed to detect remove event
* Failed to get deleted filename or directory name
MacOS, node 0.10.x
* Will emit double event if the directory name is of one single character.
#### 1. Watch multiple files or directories in one place
`js`
watch(['file1', 'file2'], console.log);
#### 2. Customize watch command line tool
`js
#!/usr/bin/env node
// https://github.com/nodejs/node-v0.x-archive/issues/3211
require('epipebomb')();
let watcher = require('node-watch')(
process.argv[2] || './', { recursive: true }, console.log
);
process.on('SIGINT', watcher.close);
`
Monitoring chrome from disk:bash``
$ watch / | grep -i chrome
#### 3. Got ENOSPC error?
If you get ENOSPC error, but you actually have free disk space - it means that your OS watcher limit is too low and you probably want to recursively watch a big tree of files.
Follow this description to increase the limit:
https://confluence.jetbrains.com/display/IDEADEV/Inotify+Watches+Limit
* chokidar
* gaze
* mikeal/watch
Thanks goes to all wonderful people who have helped this project.
Copyright (c) 2012-2021 yuanchuan