mocha --watch not working with ts-node

[sweetim]

I am using Typescript and node-ts for the mocha unit testing, but the mocha --watch option is not working with ts-node

Below is the command i pass to run the unit test

mocha -r ts-node/register test/**/**/*.test.ts --watch -R min

The version I am currently using

"mocha": "^3.2.0",
"ts-node": "^1.7.3",
"typescript": "^2.1.5"

It works on the first time, but when I change the file it doesnt run again?

How to fix this problem?

[blakeembrey]

Is this issue a duplicate of #113?

[sweetim]

@blakeembrey i could compile the code without problem

[blakeembrey]

Do you have an example project you'd be able to share? The only reason I can think of this happening is if there's a compilation error blocking the re-require. I don't think mocha does anything else that's special.

[sweetim]

I created a simple example to showcase this problem, below is the code:

Below, is my project directory

src
 > student.ts
test
 > mocha.opts
 > student.test.ts

// src/student.ts
export class Student {
 constructor(
 private _name: string,
 ) { }

 get name(): string {
 return this._name;
 }
}

// test/student.test.ts
import * as assert from 'assert';
import { Student } from '../src/student';

describe('Student', () => {
 describe('#getName()', () => {
 it('should return name', () => {
 let s = new Student('ali', 12);
 assert.strictEqual(s.name, 'ali');
 })
 });
});

// package.json
"scripts": {
 "test": "mocha",
 "test:watch": "npm run test -- --watch -R min"
 },
 "devDependencies": {
 "@types/mocha": "^2.2.38",
 "@types/node": "^7.0.4",
 "mocha": "^3.2.0",
 "ts-node": "^2.0.0",
 "typescript": "^2.1.5"
 }

// mocha.opts
--ui bdd
--recursive
--require ts-node/register
test/*.ts

// tsconfig.json
{
 "compilerOptions": {
 "target": "ES6",
 "module": "commonjs",
 "noEmitOnError": true,
 "noImplicitAny": true,
 "experimentalDecorators": true,
 "sourceMap": true,
 "sourceRoot": "src",
 "outDir": "bin",
 "typeRoots": [ // added to fix cannot find type definition file for node in windows
 "node_modules/@types"
 ]
 }
}

I try to run the watch mode, it will just get stuck there and it doesnt reload whenever I saved the file, or add and remove new file

I have tried this on Windows 10 and Linux, both OS doesnt work...

and I found another bug, when I am using ts-node on Windows, it will complain cannot find type definition file for node which is related to issue #216 , this doesnt happen at Linux

[snaptopixel]

I had this issue too, but just fixed it by adding --watch-extensions ts not sure if it's the same problem as #113

[elhigu]

@sweetim my setup didn't work either when I just used option mocha -r ts-node/register.

In README.md example says mocha --compilers ts:ts-node/register,tsx:ts-node/register which seems to work with --watch-extensions ts --watch correctly.

[jokester]

Oops, I was trying to apply advices from this thread, but got no luck in OSX by far.

Currently node_modules/.bin/mocha --opts mocha-ts.opts --watch from my boilerplate repo is like:

% node_modules/.bin/mocha --opts mocha-ts.opts --watch

running /Users/ME/sidekick/i-reflog/lib-ts/index.ts

 ✓ TestSuite testSync: 0ms
 ✓ TestSuite testAsync: 2ms

 2 passing (8ms)

(after I change a file and save)

running /Users/ME/sidekick/i-reflog/lib-ts/index.ts


 0 passing (0ms)

[sweetim]

As suggested by @snaptopixel , I added the watch-extension it is working now

Before

npm run test -- --watch -R min

After

npm run test -- --watch-extensions ts --watch -R min

[snaptopixel]

Note that although this is mostly working you may still experience #113 when syntax errors occur and you have to restart the watch

[Nepomuceno]

I am having still the same problem of @jokester that after I save a file it does not find the tests anymore.