Issues with glob copying

[tommy-mitchell]

I recently tried updating a template to support copying/deleting via glob patterns (https://github.com/tommy-mitchell/cli-template), but some files are seemingly being ignored. I'm using these commands:

# setup project

- copy: ./template/**/*.*
  to: ./

# finish

- remove: ./template/**/*.*
- remove: .tmplr.yml

However, these files are not being copied or removed:

\__ template/
    \__ .github/
        \__ workflows/
            \__ main.yml
    \__ test/
        \__ fixtures/
            \__ .gitkeep
    \__ .gitignore
    \__ .xo-config.json

It looks like files/folders starting with a period are being ignored.

[loreanvictor]

That is by design (as per minimatch), to avoid accidentally copying files and folders that should not be copied (or updated, or removed, etc.). If you need to copy / update / remove those files / folders, you need to specify the dot explicitly (sandbox):

steps:
  - copy: ./template/**/*
    to: ./dest

  - copy: ./template/**/.**/**/*
    to: ./dest

  - copy: ./template/**/.*
    to: ./dest

  - copy: ./template/**/.**/**/.*
    to: ./dest

A hidden argument could be added to copy / update / remove commands to also include hidden files and folders, though this would be a bit of an unsafe option.

[tommy-mitchell]

Ah, I didn’t realize. I’ll try out those commands tomorrow. Thanks :)

Here’s how fast-glob and globby handle dot files, for reference.

[tommy-mitchell]

That worked perfectly for copying everything, but I'm having trouble removing the empty folders now. For example, with your sandbox:

steps:
  - copy: ./template/**/*
    to: ./dest

  - copy: ./template/**/.**/**/*
    to: ./dest

  - copy: ./template/**/.*
    to: ./dest

  - copy: ./template/**/.**/**/.*
    to: ./dest

  - remove: ./dest/**/*
  - remove: ./dest/**/.**/**/*
  - remove: ./dest/**/.*
  - remove: ./dest/**/.**/**/.*

This leaves:

\__ dest/
    \__ .hidden/
    \__ stuff/

Command output

``` ❯ npx tmplr ✔ Copied: template/doc.md -> dest/doc.md ✔ Copied: template/stuff/code.js -> dest/stuff/code.js ✔ Copied: template/.hidden/other-code.js -> dest/.hidden/other-code.js ✔ Copied: template/.stuff -> dest/.stuff ✔ Copied: template/.hidden/.other-file -> dest/.hidden/.other-file ✔ Removed: dest/doc.md ✔ Removed: dest/stuff/code.js ✔ Removed: dest/.hidden/other-code.js ✔ Removed: dest/.stuff ✔ Removed: dest/.hidden/.other-file ```

[loreanvictor]

Ah yes, I have inadvertently introduced an issue to remove command, where it can't remove directories any more (I need to add some e2e tests to the CLI itself 😅). Since this is a separate issue, I'll create a different issue for tracking and discussing it.

[loreanvictor]

@tommy-mitchell you should be able to directly remove folders by specifying their names (again), which should? cover most use cases.

[tommy-mitchell]

Great, that works for now :) Feel free to close this issue.

[loreanvictor]

I'm gonna leave it open as I feel the current solution is a bit clunky, and adding a hidden parameter to copy command would be a good solution for this.

[loreanvictor]

76baf4d adds a include hidden option to copy / update / remove, to also include hidden files when a glob pattern is provided. You can access this feature from 0.2.5 upwards.