Running npm run watch command in gradle - grails

Question

I'm new to both gradle and npm and I'm trying to get a grails3 - angularjs2 example application up and running.
This is the application
https://github.com/agileorbit/grails3-angular2-starter
When I try and run the application, I get the following exception which appears to be happening here
task startTscWatch(type: SpawnProcessTask, dependsOn: [copyNodeModules, cleanUpPid]) {
command "npm run watch"
ready 'Compilation complete. Watching for file changes.'
}
I don't fully understand the exception, so if someone could help point me in the right direction, it would be greatly appreciated.
BUILD FAILED
Total time: 7.063 secs | Error Failed to start server (NOTE: Stack trace has been filtered. Use --verbose to see entire
trace.) org.gradle.tooling.BuildException: Could not execute build
using Gradle distribution
'https://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-2.9-bin.zip'.
at org.gradle.tooling.internal.consumer.ResultHandlerAdapter.onFailure(ResultHandlerAdapter.java:57)
at org.gradle.tooling.internal.consumer.async.DefaultAsyncConsumerActionExecutor$1$1.run(DefaultAsyncConsumerActionExecutor.java:57)
at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.DefaultExecutorFactory$StoppableExecutorImpl$1.run(DefaultExecutorFactory.java:64)
at org.gradle.tooling.internal.consumer.BlockingResultHandler.getResult(BlockingResultHandler.java:46)
at org.gradle.tooling.internal.consumer.DefaultBuildLauncher.run(DefaultBuildLauncher.java:71)
at org.grails.cli.gradle.GradleUtil$_runBuildWithConsoleOutput_closure4.doCall(GradleUtil.groovy:107)
at org.grails.cli.gradle.GradleUtil$_withProjectConnection_closure2.doCall(GradleUtil.groovy:87)
at org.grails.cli.gradle.GradleUtil$_withProjectConnection_closure2.call(GradleUtil.groovy)
at grails.io.support.SystemOutErrCapturer.withNullOutput(SystemOutErrCapturer.groovy:64)
at org.grails.cli.gradle.GradleUtil.withProjectConnection(GradleUtil.groovy:86)
at org.grails.cli.gradle.GradleUtil.runBuildWithConsoleOutput(GradleUtil.groovy:102)
at org.grails.cli.gradle.GradleInvoker.invokeMethod(GradleInvoker.groovy:50)
at run-app.run(run-app.groovy:48)
at org.grails.cli.profile.commands.script.GroovyScriptCommand.handle(GroovyScriptCommand.groovy:146)
at org.grails.cli.profile.DefaultProfile.handleCommand(DefaultProfile.groovy:177)
at org.grails.cli.GrailsCli.handleCommand(GrailsCli.groovy:235)
at org.grails.cli.GrailsCli$_handleCommandWithCancellationSupport_closure4.doCall(GrailsCli.groovy:305)
at org.grails.cli.GrailsCli$_handleCommandWithCancellationSupport_closure4.call(GrailsCli.groovy)
Caused by: org.gradle.internal.exceptions.LocationAwareException:
Execution failed for task ':startTscWatch'.
at org.gradle.initialization.DefaultExceptionAnalyser.transform(DefaultExceptionAnalyser.java:74)
at org.gradle.initialization.MultipleBuildFailuresExceptionAnalyser.transform(MultipleBuildFailuresExceptionAnalyser.java:47)
at org.gradle.initialization.StackTraceSanitizingExceptionAnalyser.transform(StackTraceSanitizingExceptionAnalyser.java:30)
at org.gradle.initialization.DefaultGradleLauncher$1.create(DefaultGradleLauncher.java:101)
at org.gradle.initialization.DefaultGradleLauncher$1.create(DefaultGradleLauncher.java:93)
at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.run(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:90)
at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.run(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:62)
at org.gradle.initialization.DefaultGradleLauncher.doBuild(DefaultGradleLauncher.java:93)
at org.gradle.initialization.DefaultGradleLauncher.run(DefaultGradleLauncher.java:82)
at org.gradle.launcher.exec.InProcessBuildActionExecuter$DefaultBuildController.run(InProcessBuildActionExecuter.java:94)
at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.runner.BuildModelActionRunner.run(BuildModelActionRunner.java:46)
at org.gradle.launcher.exec.ChainingBuildActionRunner.run(ChainingBuildActionRunner.java:35)
at org.gradle.tooling.internal.provider.runner.SubscribableBuildActionRunner.run(SubscribableBuildActionRunner.java:58)
at org.gradle.launcher.exec.ChainingBuildActionRunner.run(ChainingBuildActionRunner.java:35)
at org.gradle.launcher.exec.InProcessBuildActionExecuter.execute(InProcessBuildActionExecuter.java:43)
at org.gradle.launcher.exec.InProcessBuildActionExecuter.execute(InProcessBuildActionExecuter.java:28)
at org.gradle.launcher.exec.ContinuousBuildActionExecuter.execute(ContinuousBuildActionExecuter.java:77)
at org.gradle.launcher.exec.ContinuousBuildActionExecuter.execute(ContinuousBuildActionExecuter.java:47)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.ExecuteBuild.doBuild(ExecuteBuild.java:52)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.BuildCommandOnly.execute(BuildCommandOnly.java:36)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.api.DaemonCommandExecution.proceed(DaemonCommandExecution.java:120)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.WatchForDisconnection.execute(WatchForDisconnection.java:37)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.api.DaemonCommandExecution.proceed(DaemonCommandExecution.java:120)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.ResetDeprecationLogger.execute(ResetDeprecationLogger.java:26)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.api.DaemonCommandExecution.proceed(DaemonCommandExecution.java:120)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.RequestStopIfSingleUsedDaemon.execute(RequestStopIfSingleUsedDaemon.java:34)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.api.DaemonCommandExecution.proceed(DaemonCommandExecution.java:120)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.ForwardClientInput$2.call(ForwardClientInput.java:74)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.ForwardClientInput$2.call(ForwardClientInput.java:72)
at org.gradle.util.Swapper.swap(Swapper.java:38)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.ForwardClientInput.execute(ForwardClientInput.java:72)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.api.DaemonCommandExecution.proceed(DaemonCommandExecution.java:120)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.health.DaemonHealthTracker.execute(DaemonHealthTracker.java:47)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.api.DaemonCommandExecution.proceed(DaemonCommandExecution.java:120)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.LogToClient.doBuild(LogToClient.java:66)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.BuildCommandOnly.execute(BuildCommandOnly.java:36)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.api.DaemonCommandExecution.proceed(DaemonCommandExecution.java:120)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.EstablishBuildEnvironment.doBuild(EstablishBuildEnvironment.java:72)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.BuildCommandOnly.execute(BuildCommandOnly.java:36)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.api.DaemonCommandExecution.proceed(DaemonCommandExecution.java:120)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.health.HintGCAfterBuild.execute(HintGCAfterBuild.java:41)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.api.DaemonCommandExecution.proceed(DaemonCommandExecution.java:120)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.exec.StartBuildOrRespondWithBusy$1.run(StartBuildOrRespondWithBusy.java:50)
at org.gradle.launcher.daemon.server.DaemonStateCoordinator$1.run(DaemonStateCoordinator.java:246)
at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ExecutorPolicy$CatchAndRecordFailures.onExecute(ExecutorPolicy.java:54)
at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.StoppableExecutorImpl$1.run(StoppableExecutorImpl.java:40)
Caused by: org.gradle.api.tasks.TaskExecutionException: Execution
failed for task ':startTscWatch'.
at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.executeActions(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:69)
at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.execute(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:46)
at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.PostExecutionAnalysisTaskExecuter.execute(PostExecutionAnalysisTaskExecuter.java:35)
at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipUpToDateTaskExecuter.execute(SkipUpToDateTaskExecuter.java:64)
at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ValidatingTaskExecuter.execute(ValidatingTaskExecuter.java:58)
at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipEmptySourceFilesTaskExecuter.execute(SkipEmptySourceFilesTaskExecuter.java:52)
at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipTaskWithNoActionsExecuter.execute(SkipTaskWithNoActionsExecuter.java:52)
at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.SkipOnlyIfTaskExecuter.execute(SkipOnlyIfTaskExecuter.java:53)
at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteAtMostOnceTaskExecuter.execute(ExecuteAtMostOnceTaskExecuter.java:43)
at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskGraphExecuter$EventFiringTaskWorker.execute(DefaultTaskGraphExecuter.java:203)
at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskGraphExecuter$EventFiringTaskWorker.execute(DefaultTaskGraphExecuter.java:185)
at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.AbstractTaskPlanExecutor$TaskExecutorWorker.processTask(AbstractTaskPlanExecutor.java:66)
at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.AbstractTaskPlanExecutor$TaskExecutorWorker.run(AbstractTaskPlanExecutor.java:50)
at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskPlanExecutor.process(DefaultTaskPlanExecutor.java:25)
at org.gradle.execution.taskgraph.DefaultTaskGraphExecuter.execute(DefaultTaskGraphExecuter.java:110)
at org.gradle.execution.SelectedTaskExecutionAction.execute(SelectedTaskExecutionAction.java:37)
at org.gradle.execution.DefaultBuildExecuter.execute(DefaultBuildExecuter.java:37)
at org.gradle.execution.DefaultBuildExecuter.access$000(DefaultBuildExecuter.java:23)
at org.gradle.execution.DefaultBuildExecuter$1.proceed(DefaultBuildExecuter.java:43)
at org.gradle.execution.DryRunBuildExecutionAction.execute(DryRunBuildExecutionAction.java:32)
at org.gradle.execution.DefaultBuildExecuter.execute(DefaultBuildExecuter.java:37)
at org.gradle.execution.DefaultBuildExecuter.execute(DefaultBuildExecuter.java:30)
at org.gradle.initialization.DefaultGradleLauncher$4.run(DefaultGradleLauncher.java:154)
at org.gradle.internal.Factories$1.create(Factories.java:22)
at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.run(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:90)
at org.gradle.internal.progress.DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.run(DefaultBuildOperationExecutor.java:52)
at org.gradle.initialization.DefaultGradleLauncher.doBuildStages(DefaultGradleLauncher.java:151)
at org.gradle.initialization.DefaultGradleLauncher.access$200(DefaultGradleLauncher.java:32)
at org.gradle.initialization.DefaultGradleLauncher$1.create(DefaultGradleLauncher.java:99)
... 42 more Caused by: org.gradle.api.UncheckedIOException: java.io.IOException: Cannot run program "npm" (in directory "."):
CreateProcess error=2, The system cannot find the file specified
at org.gradle.internal.UncheckedException.throwAsUncheckedException(UncheckedException.java:43)
at org.gradle.internal.reflect.JavaMethod.invoke(JavaMethod.java:78)
at org.gradle.api.internal.project.taskfactory.AnnotationProcessingTaskFactory$StandardTaskAction.doExecute(AnnotationProcessingTaskFactory.java:227)
at org.gradle.api.internal.project.taskfactory.AnnotationProcessingTaskFactory$StandardTaskAction.execute(AnnotationProcessingTaskFactory.java:220)
at org.gradle.api.internal.project.taskfactory.AnnotationProcessingTaskFactory$StandardTaskAction.execute(AnnotationProcessingTaskFactory.java:209)
at org.gradle.api.internal.AbstractTask$TaskActionWrapper.execute(AbstractTask.java:585)
at org.gradle.api.internal.AbstractTask$TaskActionWrapper.execute(AbstractTask.java:568)
at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.executeAction(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:80)
at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.execution.ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.executeActions(ExecuteActionsTaskExecuter.java:61)
... 70 more Caused by: java.io.IOException: Cannot run program "npm" (in directory "."): CreateProcess error=2, The system cannot
find the file specified
at java_lang_ProcessBuilder$start$1.call(Unknown Source)
at com.wiredforcode.gradle.spawn.SpawnProcessTask.buildProcess(SpawnProcessTask.groovy:58)
at com.wiredforcode.gradle.spawn.SpawnProcessTask.spawn(SpawnProcessTask.groovy:29)
at org.gradle.internal.reflect.JavaMethod.invoke(JavaMethod.java:75)
... 77 more Caused by: java.io.IOException: CreateProcess error=2, The system cannot find the file specified
... 81 more | Error Failed to start server

Answer 1

I got the same exception and I think that, as me, you are using Windows. To avoid this exception, you can change the startTscWatch task definition in build.gradle by using command "cmd /C npm run watch" instead of command "npm run watch".
But unfortunately, you will get another exception:
Execution failed for task ':startTscWatch'.
> java.lang.NoSuchFieldException: pid
This times, the problem comes from the implementation of startTscWatch task, that uses reflection to access a pid property (see this issue). This doesn't work on Windows platform.
Concerning pid, and the reason why accessing a pid property is not cross platform, have look to How to get PID of process I've just started within java program?.

Answer 2

java.io.IOException
stands for Input/Output exception so gradle can not find specified file:
Cannot run program "npm" (in directory ".")