Readability of long lines

[dandv]

Since npm doesn't support arrays in package.json script, are there some ways to split horribly long lines into something more readable?

Here's what I have right now:

"build:js": "uglifyjs node_modules/asteroid/node_modules/ddp.js/src/ddp.js node_modules/asteroid/node_modules/q/q.js node_modules/asteroid/dist/asteroid.chrome.js --screw-ie8 -c -m -o dist/vendor/asteroid.js && uglifyjs node_modules/css-selector-generator/build/css-selector-generator.min.js node_modules/selection-menu/node_modules/tether/dist/js/tether.min.js node_modules/selection-menu/src/selection-menu.js --screw-ie8 -c -m -o dist/vendor/selection-menu.js && cpy src/*.js dist/",

One way would be to artificially move parts of that command into prebuild and postbuild, but I might need to put legit command in pre and post later.

[keithamus]

See npm/npm#6943 for my suggestion. Otherwise, consider a few other solutions:

Use pre- and post- where it makes sense.

As you suggest, you can use pre- and post- to chain build commands.

"prebuild:js": "uglifyjs node_modules/asteroid/node_modules/ddp.js/src/ddp.js node_modules/asteroid/node_modules/q/q.js node_modules/asteroid/dist/asteroid.chrome.js --screw-ie8 -c -m -o dist/vendor/asteroid.js",
"build:js": uglifyjs node_modules/css-selector-generator/build/css-selector-generator.min.js node_modules/selection-menu/node_modules/tether/dist/js/tether.min.js node_modules/selection-menu/src/selection-menu.js --screw-ie8 -c -m -o dist/vendor/selection-menu.js",
"postbuild:js": "cpy src/*.js dist/",

Split them out into different run scripts, e.g.

"build:js:asteroid": "uglifyjs node_modules/asteroid/node_modules/ddp.js/src/ddp.js node_modules/asteroid/node_modules/q/q.js node_modules/asteroid/dist/asteroid.chrome.js --screw-ie8 -c -m -o dist/vendor/asteroid.js",
"build:js:selectionmenu": "uglifyjs node_modules/css-selector-generator/build/css-selector-generator.min.js node_modules/selection-menu/node_modules/tether/dist/js/tether.min.js node_modules/selection-menu/src/selection-menu.js --screw-ie8 -c -m -o dist/vendor/selection-menu.js",
"build:js": "npm run build:js:asteroid && npm build:js:selectionmenu && cpy src/*.js dist/",

Write some JS!

Just write a small JS file, put it in a folder like tasks/build-js.js and call it with npm:

"build:js": "node tasks/build-js.js"

You can even pass it args if you need to:

"build:js": "node tasks/build-js.js dist/"

[JeffML]

How about using npm package variables?

{
"ddp": "node_modules/asteroid/node_modules/ddp.js/src/ddp.js",
"build:js": "uglifyjs $node_package_ddp, ..."

[Heerschop]

I also struggled with this problem and I did not want to move my build logic to JavaScript. So I decided to build a npm packages script-launcher that enhances the package.json scripts with features like: menus, functions, arrays, concurrency etc.

With script launcher you can rewrite the example of dandv as:

{
  "build:js": [
    "src=node_modules/asteroid",
    "uglifyjs $src/node_modules/ddp.js/src/ddp.js $src/node_modules/q/q.js $src/dist/asteroid.chrome.js --screw-ie8 -c -m -o dist/vendor/asteroid.js",
    "uglifyjs node_modules/css-selector-generator/build/css-selector-generator.min.js node_modules/selection-menu/node_modules/tether/dist/js/tether.min.js node_modules/selection-menu/src/selection-menu.js --screw-ie8 -c -m -o dist/vendor/selection-menu.js",
    "cpy src/*.js dist/",
  ]
}

You can probably make it shorter by using the settings feature of script launcher. When using this you place your files in an array as well. Below is an example of what it would look like, but you have make it work, for you particular use case.

{
  "scripts": {
    "build:js": [
      {
        "repeater": "$launch_setting_files",
        "sequential": [
          "uglifyjs $_ --screw-ie8 -c -m -o dist/vendor/asteroid.js"
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "settings": {
    "files": [
      "node_modules/asteroid/node_modules/ddp.js/src/ddp.js",
      "node_modules/asteroid/node_modules/q/q.js",
      "node_modules/asteroid/dist/asteroid.chrome.js"
    ]
  }
}