Sublime Text 3: Build System - node.js. NPM module not executing

Question

I'm trying to execute node-dev in a sublime text 3 build system. node-dev is in my path:

cmd node-dev diplay

Yet when I run this build script:

{
  "cmd": ["node-dev", "$file"],
  "selector": "*.js"
}

I get this error, which also shows that npm is in my path.

npm in path img

yet when I run with the same build script using node instead of node-dev it executes just fine.

I've also tried to include the "path" variable pointing at the node-dev bin folder, which didn't help at all.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Can you try updating full path of node-dev in cmd tag? Eg: ["c:\nodejs\bin\node-dev", "$file"] — vmx
– vmx, Commented Dec 30, 2013 at 19:59
Note: (added 2023-02-17) Some content in this thread may reference stale links to the SublimeText docs. Readers may experience better results by replacing BEFORE http://docs.sublimetext.info/en/latest with AFTER https://docs.sublimetext.io/guide. Also known as: "Sublime Text Community Documentation" — dreftymac
– dreftymac, Commented Feb 17, 2023 at 15:09

Wand Maker · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-11 10:46:45Z

21

Following worked for me in Sublime Text 3 on Windows

Tools -> Build System -> New Build System...
Enter the below text in the new file
Save the file as "nodejs.sublime-build"

{
  "shell_cmd": "node ${file}",
  "selector" : "source.js"
}

Prerequisite is to have node.js installed

answered Jul 11, 2015 at 10:46

Wand Maker

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3 Comments

Peteris Over a year ago

I had to use the following { "shell_cmd": "node ${file/ /\\\\ /}", "selector" : "source.js" } because Sublime Text would otherwise not parse empty spaces in the filename.

Anwar Over a year ago

Works in Linux, too

OdatNurd Over a year ago

Using a bare $file is not recommended because as @Peteris noted, it doesn't handle spaces in file names properly. That's not a Sublime thing though; the shell_command is passed to the system to interpret so it's the system command processor that has a problem. Better to use node \"$file\" instead so that the filename is quoted for the shell (the regex also works but arguably quoting is a bit easier to interpret).

gre_gor · Accepted Answer · 2022-06-12 12:49:47Z

17

Sublime text docs:

https://www.sublimetext.com/docs/build_systems.html

shell

Optional. If true, cmd will be run through the shell (cmd.exe, bash…)

Try to add "shell : true

{
  "cmd": ["node-dev", "$file"],
  "selector": "source.js",
  "windows" : {
     "shell": true
  }
}

edited Jun 12, 2022 at 12:49

gre_gor

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answered Jan 2, 2014 at 21:13

Ilan Frumer

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3 Comments

Tarik Over a year ago

I think this should have been marked as answer. It solved my problem. Thanks!

Green Over a year ago

Where is that .sublime-build file on Windows? It is not in \AppData\Roaming\Sublime Text 3\Packages

daronwolff Over a year ago

I used "cmd": ["node", "$file"], instead of node-env. Thanks

Timotei · Accepted Answer · 2014-10-25 15:37:31Z

6

The command is incorrect for Sublime Text 3 :)

This is one example of running node as build system:

{
    "shell_cmd": "taskkill /F /IM node.exe & node ${file}"
}

Please note that the array-version doesn't work like in Sublime Text 2.

answered Oct 25, 2014 at 15:37

Timotei

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2 Comments

VictorKilo Over a year ago

I think you should add some [escaped] quotes around ${file}. If there are any spaces in the file path the command is broken. "shell_cmd": "taskkill /F /IM node.exe & node \"${file}\""

DrBug Over a year ago

Actually this is the only way to make it work in Windows 10 and ST3

Emma Marcier · Accepted Answer · 2019-08-17 19:09:47Z

2

For macOS, this worked for me on Sublime Text 3:

{
    "cmd": ["node","$file","$file_base_name"],
    "working_dir": "${project_path:${folder}}",
    "selector":"source.js"
}

Selector Note

My selector setting was:

"selector":"*.js"

and OdatNurd advised that:

The reason is that the selector is not correct; it doesn't match file names, it matches syntax scopes (i.e. it's based on the syntax in use regardless of file extension); changing it to source.js from *.js should get it working.

answered Aug 17, 2019 at 19:09

Emma Marcier

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Comments

Tanuj Chakraborty · Accepted Answer · 2017-01-02 07:14:02Z

1

If you are a windows user.

Try applying the following snippet

{
    "selector": "source.js",
    "cmd": ["C:\\Program Files\\nodejs\\node", "<", "$file"],
    "windows": {
        "shell": true
    }
}

Save this as node.sublime-build file.

For more info you can refer to http://docs.sublimetext.info/en/latest/ for more.

answered Jan 2, 2017 at 7:14

Tanuj Chakraborty

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