New Watcher Dialog

File type

Use this list to specify the expected type of input files. The File Watcher will consider only files of this type as subject for analyzing and processing. File types are recognised based on associations between file types and file extensions.

Scope

Use this list to define the range of files the File Watcher can be applied to.

Changes in these files will invoke the File Watcher either immediately or upon save or frame deactivation, depending on the status of the Auto-save edited files to trigger the watcher checkbox.

Select one of the predefined scopes from the list. For a project-level File Watcher, you can also click to configure a custom scope in the Scopes dialog that opens.

• All Places: all the scopes listed below.

• Project Files: all the files within the project content roots (refer to Content roots).

• Project Production Files: all the files within the project content roots excluding test sources.

• Project Test Files: all the files within the project test source roots.

• Scratches and Consoles: all the files from the Scratches and Consoles directory located in the Project tool window.

• Open Files: all the files that are currently opened in the editor.

• Current File: the file opened in the active editor tab.

VCS Scopes: these scopes are only available if your project is under version control.

• All Changed Files: all changed files, that is, all files associated with all existing changelists.

• Default Changelist: all the files associated with the changelist  Default.

Alternatively, click and configure a custom scope in the Scopes dialog that opens.

Track only root files

A root file is a file that is not included (for example via import) in any other file within the specified scope.

• When this checkbox is selected, the File Watcher runs only against the root files.

• When the checkbox is cleared, the File Watcher runs against the file from which it is invoked and against all the files in which this file is included recursively within the specified scope.

Note that the Scope setting overrides the Track only root files checkbox setting: if a dependency is outside the specified scope, the File Watcher is not applied to it.

Example Suppose you have two files root.scss and another.scss where root.scss imports another.scss. With the Track only root files checkbox selected, editing another.scss invokes the File Watcher only on root.scss. Otherwise, if the checkbox is cleared, the File Watcher processes both of these files.

Program

In this field, specify the path to the tool's executable file (.com, .exe, .cmd, .bat, or other depending on the specific tool.)

Arguments

In this field, define the arguments to pass to the tool and thus influence its behaviour.

Arguments are usually specified using macros, for example, $FileName$ or $FileNameWithoutExtension$, that will be replaced with the actual filenames.

Type the macros manually or click and select the relevant pattern fom the list in the Macros dialog that opens.

Output paths to refresh

In this field, tell IntelliJ IDEA where it should search for the tool's output: the resulting source code, source maps, dependencies, or the file itself. The location of the output is tool-specific.

Output paths are usually specified using macros. You can type them manually or click and select the relevant one from the list in the dialog that opens.

Working directory

In this field, specify the directory to which the tool will be applied. Because the tool is always invoked in the context of a file, the default working directory is the directory of the current file. The default working directory is specified in all predefined templates with the $FileDir$ macro. To specify a custom working directory, type the path to it in the field, or click and select the directory in the Select Path dialog, or click and select the desired macro from the list in the Macros dialog.

Environment variables

In this field, specify the environment variables that the tool requires but that are not specified at the operating system level.

Auto-save edited files to trigger the watcher

• When this checkbox is selected, IntelliJ IDEA immediately saves a file as soon as you edit it so the File Watcher wakes up immediately.

• When the checkbox is cleared, the File Watcher starts upon save (File | Save All) or when you move the focus from IntelliJ IDEA (on frame deactivation).

Trigger the watcher on external changes

• When this checkbox is selected, the File Watcher wakes up on any changes to a file from its scope, including changes made outside IntelliJ IDEA or the changes after you check out a branch in your version control system.

• When the checkbox is cleared, the File Watcher starts only when a file from its scope is updated from IntelliJ IDEA and ignores other changes, for example, changes received from your version control system.

Trigger watcher regardless of syntax errors

• When the checkbox is selected, the File Watcher start regardless of the syntactical correctness of a file. The File Watcher will start upon update, save, or frame deactivation, depending on the status of the Auto-save edited files to trigger the watcher checkbox.

• When this checkbox is cleared, the File Watcher ignores all triggers in files that are syntactically invalid and starts only in error-free files.

Create output file from stdout

• In most cases, this checkbox should be cleared because most tools write their output to the relevant files directly.

• When this checkbox is selected, IntelliJ IDEA reads the native tool's output standard output stream (stdout) and generates the resulting file from it. The name of the generated file is taken from the Output paths to refresh field. If the field contains several names, the first one in the list is used.

Show console

From this list, select when you want the File Watcher to open the console.

• Always: with this option, the console always opens after the tool execution is completed.

• On error: with this option, the console opens after the tool execution only when the Exit code is different from 0.

• Never: choose this option to suppress opening the console at all.

Output Filters

In this field, specify the output filters associated with the tool. Based on these filters, absolute file paths and line numbers in the tool's output are converted into hyperlinks. Clicking those links opens the corresponding files in the editor.

For example, to get useful error messages displayed, type $FILE_PATH$:$LINE$ $MESSAGE$