edit.sh

#!/bin/bash
#set -x

# This is an improved version of my edit script. The original one is
# still available as edit.old. This one does not use any window
# manager trickery to see if the daemon is already there. This one
# just starts it if it is not already there.
#
# TODO: see if we can have some output when the daemon is not there,
# it is now very silent
# TODO: there is a mention of server-visit-hook not running when no
# file is passed in in edit.old. I have not seen any ill effects, so
# left that out
#
# This script starts emacs daemon if it is not running, opens whatever file
# you pass in and changes the focus to emacs.  Without any arguments, it just
# opens the current buffer or *scratch* if nothing else is open.
EMACSCLIENT="/usr/local/bin/emacsclient --quiet --no-wait"

# Number of current visible frames,
# Emacs daemon always has a visible frame called F1
visible_frames() {
  $EMACSCLIENT --alternate-editor="" --eval '(length (visible-frame-list))' 2>/dev/null
}

change_focus() {
  $EMACSCLIENT --eval "(select-frame-set-input-focus (selected-frame))" > /dev/null
}

# Editting stdin, part 1: save the input to a file
save_stdin() {
    TMPSTDIN="$(mktemp /tmp/emacsstdinXXX)";
    cat >"$TMPSTDIN";
}

# if the file argument is '-', treat this as stdin
# TODO: pass $@ further down?
if [ "X$1" == "X-" ]; then
    save_stdin
    # Recursive call!
    edit $TMPSTDIN;
    rm $TMPSTDIN;
    exit 0;
fi

# try switching to the frame incase it is just minimized
# This will start a server if not running
test "$(visible_frames)" -eq "1" && change_focus

XARGS=$@
if [ "X$XARGS" == "X" ]; then
  XARGS='~/untitled'
fi
if [ "$(visible_frames)" -lt  "2" ]; then
    # need to create a frame
    # -c $@ with no args just opens the scratch buffer
    $EMACSCLIENT --create-frame $XARGS && change_focus
else
    # there is already a visible frame besides the daemon, change focus
    # -n $@ errors if there are no args
    test  "$#" -ne "0" && $EMACSCLIENT $XARGS
fi