Don't create empty file

[jasonkarns]

If no source files are matched, prevent the creation of an empty destination file.

The nonull option is great if you want to error-out when src is empty, which is desirable for debugging situations. But it seems more reasonable (for non debug scenarios) to simply not create the destination file.

Creating an empty file (or file with nothing but banner) doesn't seem like it would ever be the expected result. The only two scenarios I would expect when src file(s) is empty are:

1. error out (possible: just use nonull)
2. silently do nothing (no input = no output)

[renege]

I'm getting an empty file after a concat. How to debug it?

[bogdan-kulynych]

@renege I have the same thing. Similarly, no idea.

[shama]

I think this can be argued both ways. Some may have builds that conditionally include content and want empty files created; some, like yourself, would prefer not. With the current setup, you can use nonull: true and it will warn you when src files don't exist and not write the file.

For some precedence, cat idont exist > newfile will issue warnings that both idont and exist dont exist but still create an empty file named newfile. So I think the current operation is likely the most commonly expected behavior.

A workaround, would be to write a task that checks if given files are empty and delete them. Then put that task any place as needed.

grunt --verbose will list all the files it operates on. So either nonull: true or that can help @renege and @bogdan-kulynych debug.

[akhoury]

I think this can be argued both ways

true. It sounds that both use cases are valid. could this be an independent option?

i.e: createEmptyFiles or dontCreateEmptyFiles (or whatever else in that sense)