[GRADLE-985] improve error messages for new user with missing build.gradle or src Created: 16/Jun/10  Updated: 10/Feb/17  Resolved: 10/Feb/17

Status: Resolved
Project: Gradle
Affects Version/s: 0.9
Fix Version/s: None

Type: Improvement
Reporter: Philip Crotwell Assignee: Unassigned
Resolution: Won't Fix Votes: 0


 Description   

I wonder is some of this can be cleared up by simply giving the java plugin a default task (likely "assemble") and making the error message more verbose in the case of either no build.gradle, or a build.gradle without a src directory. In some sense a new user types "gradle" and expects either something useful to happen, or at least a Usage that will point them in the correct direction. Currently you get a message about "No tasks", telling you to run gradle -t, which then says "No Tasks". Not terribly helpful someone new to gradle.

Perhaps in the case of no build.gradle you should get:

FAILURE: Unable to find 'build.gradle' in current directory.

  • What went wrong:
    There is not a build.gradle file in the current directory and one was not specified on the command line.
  • Try:
    Create a build.gradle file in the current directory. The simplest instance, for a java project is:

apply plugin: 'java'

See http://www.gradle.org/bla/bla/bla for more information on getting started with gradle.

And in the case of a build.gradle with apply plugin: 'java', but without a source directory, you currently get a successful build, with an empty jar file. Seems like the java plugin should make sure there is at least one source file, or maybe just a src/main/java before proceeding to the jar task. Maybe an error message like:

FAILURE: Could not find a source directory.

  • What went wrong:
    No source directory, usually src/main/java, exists.
  • Try:
    Create the src/main/java directory and place your java source files in it.

Even if there is a "make my directories" task, I think these changes would be helpful.



 Comments   
Comment by Hans Dockter [ 25/Jun/10 ]

I agree. We should do something in this direction. Thanks a lot for your proposals.

Comment by Benjamin Muschko [ 15/Nov/16 ]

As announced on the Gradle blog we are planning to completely migrate issues from JIRA to GitHub.

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We look forward to collaborating with you more closely on GitHub. Thank you for your contribution to Gradle!

Comment by Benjamin Muschko [ 10/Feb/17 ]

Thanks again for reporting this issue. We haven't heard back from you after our inquiry from November 15th. We are closing this issue now. Please create an issue on GitHub if you still feel passionate about getting it resolved.

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