If I want to add a plugin that's in a local directory outside the project tree, what's the right way to do that? Say I clone something simple like https://github.com/steppenwells/sbt-sh.git to /tmp/sbt-sh - what do I put in my build.sbt file to use the plugin from /tmp/sbt-sh that will pick up any changes I make in /tmp/sbt-sh?
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Something like this in project/project/Build.scala
should do it:
import sbt._
object PluginDef extends Build {
lazy val projects = Seq(root)
lazy val root = Project("plugins", file(".")) dependsOn( shPlugin )
lazy val shPlugin = uri("file:///tmp/sbt-sh")
}
Note that that the doubly-nested project
directories are required. I'm not aware of any way to do this from an .sbt
file (there may be a way, but I don't know what it is).
This is documented here (see "1d) Project dependency").

James Moore
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Paul Butcher
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2Thanks. I saw that but it didn't occur to me that you could just use a file:// url. Seems like there should be a more straightforward way to do this though, something like addLocalSbtPlugin("/tmp/sbtsh") – James Moore Dec 20 '11 at 00:51
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2This might work too (I've not tried it): lazy val shPlugin = file("/tmp/sbt-sh") – Paul Butcher Dec 20 '11 at 00:55
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2Also, the error message you get if you put in the wrong filename is a bit misleading: Invalid build URI (no handler available): file:///tmp/sbt-shX/ (where sbt-shX doesn't exist) – James Moore Dec 20 '11 at 01:09
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1And yes, your file() suggestion works: lazy val webPlugin = file("/tmp/sbt-sh") – James Moore Dec 20 '11 at 01:11
13
In 0.13, there's a) a simple way to do this, and b) better documentation. @PaulButcher's answer pointed to section 1d of the sbt documentation for plugins, which now tells you to edit project/plugins.sbt:
Up to 0.13.0:
(@axel22 points out this has changed, so check the current doc before you copy this)
lazy val root = project.in( file(".") ).dependsOn( assemblyPlugin )
lazy val assemblyPlugin = uri("git://github.com/sbt/sbt-assembly#0.9.1")
And of course that uri(... can be replaced with a file("/tmp/sbt-sh").
Update:
After sbt 0.13.0 you'll need to wrap the uri or file with RootProject
. I.e.,
lazy val root = project.in( file(".") ).dependsOn( assemblyPlugin )
lazy val assemblyPlugin = RootProject(file("lib/sbt-sh"))

Shon
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James Moore
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