How can I avoid EmacsClient to wait under MacOSX when it starts the alternate editor?

Question

Note: I had asked this question before under https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/181007/emacsclient-waits-when-alternate-editor-is-used.

I created the following script emc to invoke emacs (if already an emacs instance is running, the arguments should be opened in this instance, otherwise, a new instance should be started; the -n causes emacsclient not to wait):

#!/bin/bash
/Applications/MacPorts/Emacs.app/Contents/MacOS/bin/emacsclient --alternate-editor "/Applications/MacPorts/Emacs.app/Contents/MacOS/Emacs" --no-wait  ${1+"$@"}

When already an emacs is running, the script works as expected; if, however, no emacs is running so far, a new one is started and the files are opened, but emacsclient waits until this instance is closed and gives the following output:

computerName:bin user$ emc .
/Applications/MacPorts/Emacs.app/Contents/MacOS/bin/emacsclient: 
can't find socket; have you started the server?
To start the server in Emacs, type "M-x server-start".

How can I avoid this waiting?

Answer 1

I think the wait may be because of the command you specified for the alternate editor. The no wait flag, wont help you here, as that flag is for emacsclient not emacs. As you're probably aware the alternate editor will be run, if there is no emacs instance running, so try using Emacs -Q or Emacs -q if those work without the wait, then try: Emacs --debug-init as it may be something in your configuration causing the wait.

To get rid of the message you can add a 2> /dev/null at the end of your command.

I use OS X but I compile my own emacs, I use it as follows and have no wait time, I don't specify an alternate editor command, this ensures that the emacs daemon starts if not already running.

/Applications/Emacs.app/Contents/MacOS/bin/emacsclient -a "" -n -c "$@" 2> /dev/null

To run on the terminal I use:

/Applications/Emacs.app/Contents/MacOS/bin/emacsclient -a "" -t "$@" 2> /dev/null

I experience no wait time using the above method. This should work with your macports version as well as with any other version, I use this same script in Linux without issues.

I hope this helps.