Forgot about the existence of --link for a second. I think this is a good solution (not temporary). watch can be an enhancement to this solution. This might get people like Joe Bowser and other people who do native dev to give cordova-cli a try (only maybe though).
On Thu, Sep 26, 2013 at 4:25 PM, Braden Shepherdson <bra...@chromium.org> wrote: > If the proposal above is temporary, what's permanent? cordova watch? I want > to make sure we're on the same page. > > Braden > > > On Thu, Sep 26, 2013 at 6:08 AM, Anis KADRI <anis.ka...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> No I didn't mean implement `plugman --watch`. I don't think plugman >> needs a `watch` command. >> >> I was indeed talking about `cordova watch` which should watch for >> changes in plugins/ (and maybe in merges/ and www/ as well) and update >> the platform projects (prepare?) on every change. I am happy to know >> that it's on the wish list. >> >> As far as the original proposal, I believe it is a descent temporary >> solution for plugin developers who want to use cordova-cli. >> >> On Wed, Sep 25, 2013 at 7:17 PM, Michal Mocny <mmo...@chromium.org> wrote: >> > Braden, thats has been on the wish list (cordova watch), but I suspect >> Anis >> > was suggesting something different with plugman --watch, to do >> specifically >> > with plugin development. Am I right, Anis? How does your idea compare >> > with using --link with cordova watch? Would plugman --watch be useful >> for >> > non cli projects? >> > >> > -Michal >> > >> > >> > On Wed, Sep 25, 2013 at 10:31 AM, Braden Shepherdson < >> bra...@chromium.org>wrote: >> > >> >> We've had a vague feature planned for a while now to do a cordova >> watch. It >> >> would watch your plugins/, www/, and merges/* for any changes. If any >> >> changes are detected, it would re-run cordova prepare, so that your >> native >> >> projects are always up-to-date. >> >> >> >> I'm open to checking (hashes?) which files have changed and which have >> not, >> >> but hashing them all is touching them all anyway, and it might be faster >> >> for small files to just copy them instead of checking first. We'll have >> to >> >> try it and see; for v1 I'm going with the simple option of copying >> >> everything. >> >> >> >> Braden >> >> >> >> >> >> On Wed, Sep 25, 2013 at 9:44 AM, Michal Mocny <mmo...@chromium.org> >> wrote: >> >> >> >> > The idea for plugin dev outside of plugins/ folder was to use "plugin >> add >> >> > --link". Matter of fact, braden suggested that "plugin create" should >> >> > default to --link-ing to some external location so that you don't risk >> >> > deleting your only copy inside plugins/. (I personally don't think >> >> thats a >> >> > necessary concern, but I think its a conversation for later). >> >> > >> >> > I'm not even sure what a 'watch' would do, just uninstall & install >> each >> >> > time the plugin changes? I think that ends up being just slightly >> worse >> >> > than the current proposal if you factor in that we already do support >> >> > --link (except without the above change its been useless). >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > However, we may still want some form of 'watch' command for devs using >> >> > plugman directly. I had assumed that those devs just edit in place, >> >> since >> >> > they don't use a prepare step anyway. >> >> > >> >> > -Michal >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > On Wed, Sep 25, 2013 at 7:50 AM, Anis KADRI <anis.ka...@gmail.com> >> >> wrote: >> >> > >> >> > > If we're talking about developing plugins inside the >> >> > > plugins/org.myplugin.id folder than I think it's a great workflow >> and >> >> > > I would just hide the cached version of plugin.xml inside that >> >> > > plugins/org.myplugin.id folder. >> >> > > >> >> > > However, if you're developing a plugin outside of a cordova CLI >> >> > > project, I think a `watch` (and add --watch) command is more >> >> > > appropriate. One of the reasons you would develop a plugin outside >> of >> >> > > a cordova CLI project is for easier version control (each plugin >> would >> >> > > have its own repository). The other cool thing about `watch` is that >> >> > > it would copy the files that have actually changed and not >> everything >> >> > > (some plugins have a LOT of files [1]). >> >> > > >> >> > > [1] https://github.com/phonegap/phonegap-facebook-plugin >> >> > > >> >> > > On Wed, Sep 25, 2013 at 3:30 AM, James Jong <wjamesj...@gmail.com> >> >> > wrote: >> >> > > > +1 This is a cleaner workflow and should reduce some confusion. >> >> > > > >> >> > > > -James Jong >> >> > > > >> >> > > > On Sep 24, 2013, at 3:09 PM, Michal Mocny <mmo...@chromium.org> >> >> wrote: >> >> > > > >> >> > > >> Just to add, the reason for the "if" statement in step (2) is >> that >> >> > > >> uninstall & reinstall take a lot longer than just moving a few >> >> files, >> >> > > which >> >> > > >> is the 99.9% case for most end users who aren't making >> modifications >> >> > to >> >> > > >> plugins. >> >> > > >> >> >> > > >> This way, we only do the heavy lifting if your plugin structure >> >> > actually >> >> > > >> changed. Doing it automatically means we no longer have to >> advise >> >> > users >> >> > > >> that making edits inside plugin/ folder is useless. Now we just >> >> > advise >> >> > > >> them to run "prepare" after making changes to either www/ or >> >> plugins/. >> >> > > >> >> >> > > >> This key insight was Braden's idea and I think its just an >> awesome >> >> > > change >> >> > > >> for workflow. >> >> > > >> >> >> > > >> -Michal >> >> > > >> >> >> > > >> >> >> > > >> On Tue, Sep 24, 2013 at 2:58 PM, Braden Shepherdson < >> >> > > bra...@chromium.org>wrote: >> >> > > >> >> >> > > >>> Michal and I were discussing how to make the plugin developer >> >> > > experience >> >> > > >>> better, by having `cordova prepare` update the platform projects >> >> > > properly >> >> > > >>> when you change a plugin in place. >> >> > > >>> >> >> > > >>> I propose the following changes: >> >> > > >>> >> >> > > >>> 1. On plugin install, we cache the plugin.xml in >> $PROJECT/.cordova >> >> > > >>> somewhere. >> >> > > >>> 2. On 'cordova prepare', compare each plugin's plugin.xml >> against >> >> the >> >> > > >>> cached one. >> >> > > >>> a. If they have changed, uninstall the plugin using the old >> >> > > plugin.xml, >> >> > > >>> then reinstall using the new one (and update the cached >> >> plugin.xml). >> >> > > >>> b. If they are identical, copy all the native code files from >> >> the >> >> > > >>> plugin into the project again. >> >> > > >>> >> >> > > >>> The idea is that you can change your plugin's native code, JS >> >> > modules, >> >> > > or >> >> > > >>> assets, and after a prepare you'll be running the latest. We >> >> already >> >> > > have >> >> > > >>> cordova plugin add foo --link, but it wasn't very useful. This >> will >> >> > > make >> >> > > >>> plugin development a much smoother flow, without too much >> >> > > implementation >> >> > > >>> effort. >> >> > > >>> >> >> > > >>> Checking for changes to plugin.xml lets us know that no files >> have >> >> > been >> >> > > >>> added or removed, that <config-file> edits haven't changed, and >> so >> >> > on, >> >> > > >>> meaning that simply copying the native code again will be >> >> sufficient. >> >> > > >>> >> >> > > >>> What do people think? Any gotchas that I overlooked? >> >> > > >>> >> >> > > >>> Braden >> >> > > >>> >> >> > > > >> >> > > >> >> > >> >> >>
