how to specify rendering "clean"?

[ijlyttle]

This is related to, but distinct from, #3199.

I understand that I can specify the output directory to be deleted before rendering by running:

quarto render --clean

I also see that this is default when the render-flags are parsed:

quarto-cli/src/command/render/flags.ts

Lines 346 to 349 in 1c4b8b1

	// re-inject implicit true args (e.g. clean)
	if (flags.clean === undefined) {
	flags.clean = true;
	}

However, if I run:

quarto publish

it calls render (unless --no-render), but the clean = true default is not invoked as far as I can tell.

Questions

• Is there a way to specify a clean: value in _quarto.yml?

• Rather than setting clean = true in flags.ts, would you consider a change in the render logic?

  quarto-cli/src/command/render/project.ts

  Lines 161 to 164 in 1c4b8b1

  	if (
  	renderAll && (typeof (projOutputDir) === "string") &&
  	(options.flags?.clean == true) && (projType.cleanOutputDir === true)
  	) {

  I think that

  (options.flags?.clean !== false)

  would have the same effect as setting the default value in flags.ts, but it would work also in the publish case.

Happy to create a PR, etc. (Happy New Year 🎉)

[cscheid]

Just thinking this through, that check is using the "equality" operator == instead of the "strict equality" operator ===:

$ deno
> 1 == true
true

What values are you thinking would be passed to clean that !== false would be better than == true? Note that

> 0 !== false
true
> null !== false
true
> undefined !== false
true

So I think you're thinking of something else.

[ijlyttle]

Basically, I proposeundefined to be functionally equivalent to true, as set in flags.ts:

 if (flags.clean === undefined) { 
   flags.clean = true; 
 } 

Along those lines, what if this bit of code were to be put into project.ts, before the conditional?

[cscheid]

I see. That will actually change our default behavior, and I don't know what expectations already exist in the ecosystem. I'll bring this up in our weekly meetings and get back to you.

[ijlyttle]

Fair enough - FWIW, if the default for publish remains the same, having a way to specify render-flags in _quarto.yml could be a way around it (whether it's a good idea is another question).

Thanks!