Jermolene
commented
10 years ago Developing plugins using Node.js and GitHub stops at
./qbld.shand I'm wary of that because I get the impression it'll produce a standalone HTML TiddlyWiki rather than an easy-to-iterate multi-file Node.js setup.
That is correct, the instructions are telling you how to build a standalone TiddlyWiki HTML file that incorporates a plugin that you've got under development. The instructions cover the case of the plugin being in it's own GitHub repo.
It's pretty much the process that I use for development of TiddlyWiki. I make code changes in the editor, run qbld.sh and then flick to the browser and refresh the HTML file. It's generally more convenient than testing in the client server configuration because one doesn't need to press control-c to exit the server.
Anyhow, your comment implies that you were expecting something else?
- How to create plugins in the browser is even worse when it comes to assuming far too much knowledge on the part of the reader.
OK, I can respond more easily to specific questions.
- Working with the TiddlyWiki5 repository seems to explain how to set up a Node.js TW5 setup for development purposes, but doesn't say anything about questions like these:
- Do I just replace
./qbld.shwithsudo npm link; ./serve.shand then develop the plugin as if it were a core TiddlyWiki 5 component?
Bear in mind what it says in http://tiddlywiki.com/#Scripts%20for%20TiddlyWiki%20on%20Node.js:
The TiddlyWiki5 repo contains several scripts that are used to build and deploy TiddlyWiki5 (.sh for *nix and .cmd for Windows). They can serve as a useful starting point for your own scripts.
Scripts like qbld.sh are supplied to show you how TiddlyWiki5 gets built, and to use as a starting point for custom scripts that you'll need when developing plugins.
- Which types of files require the node process to be manually restarted and which will automatically be updated on file save?
You always have to restart the server process after making changes to the file system. Although it's useful to be able to reach in and change tiddler files directly it's preferable to use the API.
None of these "how to develop" pages provide a complete explanation of how to perform a "code, build, test, repeat" cycle:
./qbld.shand I'm wary of that because I get the impression it'll produce a standalone HTML TiddlyWiki rather than an easy-to-iterate multi-file Node.js setup../qbld.shwithsudo npm link; ./serve.shand then develop the plugin as if it were a core TiddlyWiki 5 component?(To give context, I have some experience developing for TiddlyWiki 2.x but working with Node.js is still on my TODO list.)