LinuxCommandLibrary

middleman

Static website development with dynamic features

TLDR

Create a new Middleman project

$ middleman init "[project_name]"
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Start local server for current project on port 4567
$ middleman server
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Start local server for current project on a specified port
$ middleman server -p "[port]"
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Build the project in the current directory to prepare for deployment
$ bundle exec middleman build
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Deploy the Middleman project in the current directory
$ middleman deploy
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SYNOPSIS

middleman

DESCRIPTION

The 'middleman' command in Linux is not a standard, pre-installed utility. It's essentially a placeholder command. Often, when a package or application is uninstalled without completely removing all associated configuration or startup scripts, a call to a missing executable may remain. When this happens, and a command with the missing executable's name is run, it will be resolved via $PATH, and if nothing matches, this "middleman" will be hit. Its main function (if one were to exist) would be to handle errors and inform users that the intended program is not available, thus acting as a middleman between the user and the system. Currently, the "middleman" package does not provide extra options or parameters, other than to identify that the called package is in fact missing. It helps in troubleshooting by indicating that a specific program dependency is missing from the system. Often it outputs error messages like "command not found" or similar. It is particularly useful in debugging system administration tasks related to path and environment configuration.

CAVEATS

The 'middleman' command itself doesn't actually exist as a functional program in most standard Linux distributions. It represents a situation where a command is called, but the corresponding executable isn't found in the system's PATH. Therefore, it does not accept any parameters.

TROUBLESHOOTING

If you encounter 'middleman' errors, the first step is to identify which application or process is attempting to execute the missing command. Once identified, you can either reinstall the application, correct the system's PATH environment variable, or remove the configuration files that are trying to call the non-existent command. Examine startup scripts (e.g., in /etc/init.d/, /etc/systemd/system/) and user-specific shell configuration files (e.g., .bashrc, .zshrc) for references to the missing executable.

ALTERNATIVES

Instead of a true "middleman" command, the shell's built-in error handling usually takes effect. When a command isn't found, the shell outputs an error like "command not found" or "No such file or directory". Consider using `which ` or `type ` to check if a command is available in your PATH. If the command exists, but you still get the error, ensure that your PATH variable is correctly set.

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