make watch wierd error

[j-mcnally]

running make watch

yields strange error instead of watching

justin-dev:tower justin$ make watch
grunt start --config ./grunt.coffee
Running "coffee:all" (coffee) task

Running "copy:packageJSON" (copy) task
Copied 142 files.

Running "build:client" (build) task

Running "copy:clientForTests" (copy) task
Copied 1 files.

Running "coffee:tests" (coffee) task

Running "watch" task
Waiting...
Error: watch EMFILE
    at errnoException (fs.js:806:11)
    at FSWatcher.start (fs.js:837:11)
    at Object.fs.watch (fs.js:861:11)
    at watchFile (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/grunt/tasks/watch.js:118:37)
    at Array.forEach (native)
    at Object.module.exports (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/grunt/tasks/watch.js:153:16)
    at Object.task.registerTask.thisTask.fn (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/grunt/lib/grunt/task.js:58:16)
    at Task.<anonymous> (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/grunt/lib/util/task.js:341:36)
    at Task.<anonymous> (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/grunt/lib/util/task.js:317:9)
    at Task.<anonymous> (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/grunt/lib/util/task.js:344:11)
make: *** [watch] Error 1

[lancejpollard]

Ah yeah, this is because there is a default maximum number of files you can watch (or have open?) at once on the mac. We're working on a fix to this in grunt's watch task itself, but for now you can increase the default max like this:

ulimit -n 65536

You have to type that into the current terminal window you're using, I'm not sure how to make this the global default. But that's what I'm using and it works fine.

nodejs/node-v0.x-archive#2479

[lancejpollard]

[10:57am] justin_: I'm on osx
[10:57am] justin_: ulimit returns unlimited
[10:57am] justin_: justin-dev:tower justin$ ulimit -n 65536
[10:57am] justin_: -bash: ulimit: open files: cannot modify limit: Invalid argument
[10:58am] viatropos: this is osx 10.8?
[10:58am] justin_: yes
[10:58am] justin_: 10.8.1
[10:59am] viatropos: maybe it's different on that? I'm still on 10.6.8 :0
[11:00am] viatropos: not sure, maybe `ulimit -m`? https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4267111?start=0&tstart=0
[11:02am] justin_: u are correct
[11:02am] justin_: ulimit -n is 256
[11:02am] justin_: but how to change it
[11:03am] viatropos: can you just enter it in the terminal window?
[11:03am] viatropos: maybe with sudo?
[11:03am] justin_: o ok
[11:03am] justin_: no its fine
[11:03am] justin_: ur number was too big
[11:03am] viatropos: oh ok
[11:03am] justin_: from what i know of binary
[11:03am] justin_: 65535
[11:03am] justin_: is probably the largest value
[11:03am] viatropos: oh ok
[11:03am] justin_: o maybe not
[11:03am] justin_: still too big
[11:04am] viatropos: what if you did 16384
[11:04am] justin_: 1000 seems to be max
[11:04am] viatropos: hmm
[11:04am] viatropos: maybe it's the new OS treating it differently? I used 65535
[11:06am] justin_: hmm
[11:06am] justin_: ok ill dig around
[11:06am] viatropos: k
[11:06am] justin_: 1000 is plenty so far
[11:07am] justin_: that did fix it
[11:07am] viatropos: k cool

[denisos]

ulimit -n 1000 worked for me too..thanks!

[sebv]

To set to 65536 do the following in ML:

sudo sysctl -w kern.maxfiles=65536
sudo ulimit -n 65536

It is reset with each reboot.