IntelliJ Idea, run code regardless of errors in unrelated project files

Question

One thing that I miss from Eclipse is that I can't run code for testing various things (think short main()) if some totally unrelated files in my project contain errors. I've read in FAQ that I can use Eclipse compiler with -proceedOnErrors argument but it still doesn't work. Temporarily fixing unfinished code to compile is not really what I want.

I should note that I use Scala plugin too but still majority of my code are Java files.

score 77 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:25

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Modify your configuration to use Make, no error check option instead of Make.

For more information see this answer

Note that this may not be enough in your use case. Last resort is to use the solution provided by Vics answer.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:25

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answered Dec 19 '13 at 09:09

Lovro Pandžić

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Great, destroy all error handling. What about compile and execute this *** main method in isolation – mjs Jan 05 '15 at 07:47
@momo Compiler still generates errors, it's just the `make`r that ignores them afterwards. Also, as explained in 'see this answer' above, change compiler to eclipse because javac indeed stops at the first error whereas eclipse gladly continues. – Mark Jeronimus Mar 26 '16 at 13:51

Vic · Answer 2 · 2019-04-11T14:59:48.450

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Well, you can do it. The important part, of course, that the class with the main function compiles.

There are two ways you can go:

Compile the class that you want to run only (CTRL Shift F9). Run the main function with a right click. It will fail, but IntelliJ will automagically create a temporary running configuration for this main function. Now edit this configuration and uncheck the option to "Make before launch". Then go back to the file and launch the main as before.
Go to the configurations screen, then Defaults and then Application pane. Uncheck the "Make before launch" option and then you're good to go, as in section one, for any main function you'll encounter/create in this project.

Edit

This answer is outdated, and @ipandzic's answer should be used

edited Apr 11 '19 at 14:59

answered Jun 01 '12 at 23:12

Vic

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It's still not as easy as in Eclipse (I have to compile and run separately) but at least I don't have to fix whole project. Thank you. – woky Jun 02 '12 at 12:43
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This was quite a process. – mjs Jan 05 '15 at 07:46
What about compile and execute this main method in isolation. That would be an idea. Now I have to open a new project just to execute a java file without having to go through ten menus first. – mjs Jan 05 '15 at 07:48
This will probably disable compiling, right? How to compile, but run even if errors? – Dims May 27 '15 at 18:33
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Looks like Idea is (again) not as intelligent as advertised :-D – Clint Eastwood Aug 06 '15 at 13:01
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There's no option of "make before launch" in intellij 2018. :( – Heisenberg Jun 01 '18 at 15:41
@Heisenberg you're right... Looks like lpandzic's answer is the only way to go now – Vic Jun 02 '18 at 08:22
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Even in IntelliJ 2018 there is the option "make before launch". Run/Debug Configurations -> Your Application -> Configuration -> Before launch: Build, Activate tool window -> remove the "Build" line with the Minus symbol. That works! :) Thank You Vic! – Hartmut Pfarr Oct 31 '18 at 00:52
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Removing the build before launch is no option I think, but there is also a "Build, no error checks" that looks promising. Run/Debug Configurations -> Your Application -> Configuration -> Before launch: Build, Activate tool window -> replace the "Build" line with "Build, no error checks". – Nils Rommelfanger Apr 11 '19 at 08:24

score 9 · Answer 3 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:25

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As this answer suggests (https://stackoverflow.com/a/14793361/986160) you can use Settings > Build,Execution,Deployment > Compilers > Excludes and add the parts of the projects that are unrelated to be excluded from compilation. Make sure that the part you are trying to run doesn't have imports from those excludes.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:25

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answered Dec 19 '16 at 21:58

Michail Michailidis

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I don't know why it was downvoted, this is exactly the solution to my problem. I have a new package that does not compile yet. This lets me run the program. – Florian F Nov 26 '17 at 13:54

score 8 · Answer 4 · answered Dec 18 '18 at 03:51

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Edit the configuration.

With latest versions of IntelliJ, we need to remove the build from 'make before launch' option by clicking '-'. Below is the screenshot.

answered Dec 18 '18 at 03:51

Prateep Gedupudi

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Just remember to Recompile manually the classes you make changes before to launch. Build->Recompile (Ctrl+Shift+F9) – Edu Costa Feb 14 '19 at 11:09
This works for me. But I think instead of remove "Build" just select "Build no error check". (Intellij IDEA 2019.1.2) – Danail Tsvetanov Oct 28 '19 at 14:18

score 1 · Answer 5 · answered May 29 '18 at 22:53

For whatever reason, none of the above solutions worked for me, on my large legacy Gradle project. However, the error that I had was just because some method in IntelliJ wasn't wired up correctly (i.e. no obvious compilation errors with other areas of the code). As such, I ended up running gradle clean build idea which worked for my purposes. After that, my test class ran without issue.

IntelliJ Idea, run code regardless of errors in unrelated project files

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