#inDir() should also accept a source path to preload a testing dir with contents

[blai]

This will help testing scenarios of running a generator in a folder with existing project contents.

var temp = path.join(__dirname, 'temp');
var contentToBeUpdated = path.join(__dirname, 'fixtures', 'update-app');

helpers.run('../../generator-foo/app')
  .inDir(temp, contentToBeUpdated)
...

[eddiemonge]

Im running into this problem as well but I think the second param should be a boolean which should mean: if true, don't delete the contents of the temp directory otherwise do.

[SBoudrias]

Or maybe just giving control via a callback once the dir is cleaned? In this callback you manually copy or generates files or whatever really.

[eddiemonge]

callback is better.

[blai]

I'd prefer both callback and a function to automate it, and giving it a second thought, maybe the following is better?

helpers.run('../../generator-foo/app')
  .inDir(path.join(__dirname, 'temp'))
  .withContents(path.join(__dirname, 'fixtures', 'some-content-to-update'))
  .withContents(path.join(__dirname, 'fixtures', 'some-other-content'), path.join(__dirname, 'fixtures', 'some-more-content'))
...

[eddiemonge]

I think the callback syntax is enough:

helpers.run('../../generator-foo/app')
  .inDir(path.join(__dirname, 'temp'), function (dir) {
    console.log(dir); // resolved directory
  });

You could just a npm module to move files and call it in the callback

[SBoudrias]

@eddiemonge ++ I like that syntax and it is way more flexible than having too many predefined behavior.

We'd just need to handle async action too. this.async might make sense.

[blai]

@eddiemonge cool, this is indeed clean and flexible, and I can take care of it after I clean up #570. On a side thought, do we want to handle the case when the callback is doing something async?

Without async, the change could be as simple as:

RunContext.prototype.inDir = function (dirPath, cb) {
  var release = this._holdExec();
  helpers.testDirectory(dirPath, _.compose(cb || _.noop, release));
  return this;
};

As you see, calling release will release the generator. But if my callback needs to handle an async task (most file operations are async), I really don't want to release it until I am done creating the contents in the temp folder.

Thoughts? @SBoudrias

[SBoudrias]

Done!