At CrossCompute we want our tools to deliver an efficient experience to all our users. One of the key features of our framework, designed to significantly boost productivity, is the auto-refresh functionality. Auto-refresh, as the name suggests, is a functionality that automatically updates the document or page when the system detects a file change. In this article, let’s delve into the three primary instances where auto-refresh can speed up your tool development and report automation: updates to configuration files, changes to your script, and modifications to your templates or styles.
Updates to Configuration Files
As we have seen in earlier articles, the configuration file serves as the backbone of your tool. Within our automate.yml file, we set the names of our tool, indicate its version, define our tool’s inputs and outputs, specify input presets, list the needed datasets, specify script paths and configure how the results are displayed. Auto-refresh on CrossCompute is programmed to detect modifications to the configuration file. This ensures that the latest settings are always in use, saving creators from constantly restarting or reloading their application, leading to a more streamlined workflow. In the examples, the tool pages will auto-refresh when you save the automate.yml configuration file.
Changes To Your Scripts
During development, our scripts constantly evolve with changes ranging from bug fixes to the introduction of new features. Auto-refresh plays a vital role here by automatically reloading the script whenever you save the script. This immediate feedback loop allows developers and report authors to see the impacts of their changes instantly, facilitating a more dynamic and responsive development process. In the examples, the tool pages will auto-refresh when you save the run.py script.
Modifying Your Templates and Styles
In the context of report automation and tool development, templates and styles dictate the appearance and layout of the output. Changes to these elements are common and with auto-refresh, any alterations to templates or styles are immediately reflected in the application or report. This feature is particularly beneficial for designers and front-end developers, as it allows them to see how their changes affect the overall look and feel in real-time. In the examples, the tool pages will auto-refresh when you save the input.md, output.md, or styles.css.
Embracing Auto-Refresh in Practice
Now that we’ve explored the key instances where auto-refresh can enhance the development and automation process, it’s time to check out this feature in action. Experience the auto-refresh feature in action by visiting Learn Examples in JupyterLab where you can modify one of our many tools to see the auto-refresh magic first hand. Or follow along in the next article where we demonstrate auto-refresh.
Try out CrossCompute today at Learn Examples in JupyterLab