Update from comments, initial test function

command/run.go

@@ -118,18 +118,22 @@ func (c *RunCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 	var f io.Reader = os.Stdin
 	if path != "-" {
 		file, err := os.Open(path)
+		defer file.Close()
 		if err != nil {
 			c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Error opening file: %s", err))
 			return 1
 		}
-		defer file.Close()
 		f = file
 	}
 
 	// Parse the JobFile
 	job, err := jobspec.Parse(f)
 	if err != nil {
-		c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Error parsing job file %s: %s", f, err))
+		if path == "-" {
+			c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Error parsing job from STDIN: %s", err))
+		} else {
+			c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Error parsing job file %s: %s", f, err))
+		}
 		return 1
 	}
 

command/run_test.go

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package command
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
@@ -147,3 +148,40 @@ job "job1" {
 	ui.ErrorWriter.Reset()
 
 }
+
+func TestRunCommand_From_STDIN(t *testing.T) {
+	fromStdin, toFile, err := os.Pipe()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	defer os.Remove(toFile.Name())
+	_, err = toFile.WriteString(`
+job "job1" {
+	type = "service"
+	datacenters = [ "dc1" ]
+	group "group1" {
+		count = 1
+		task "task1" {
+			driver = "exec"
+			resources = {
+				cpu = 1000
+				disk = 150
+				memory = 512
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}`)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("err: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	ui := new(cli.MockUi)
+	ui.InputReader = fromStdin
+	cmd := &RunCommand{Meta: Meta{Ui: ui}}
+
+	if code := cmd.Run([]string{"-"}); code != 0 {
+		os.Stdout.Write([]byte(fmt.Sprintf("####OUTPUT\n%s\n\n", ui.OutputWriter.String())))
+		t.Fatalf("expected exit code 0, got: %d", code)
+	}
+}

website/source/docs/commands/run.html.md.erb

@@ -15,13 +15,16 @@ format.
 ## Usage
 
 ```
-nomad run [options] <file>
+nomad run [options] <path>
 ```
 
 The run command requires a single argument, specifying the path to a file
 containing a valid [job specification](/docs/jobspec/index.html). This file
 will be read and the job will be submitted to Nomad for scheduling.
 
+If the supplied path is "-", the jobfile is read from STDIN. Otherwise it is
+read from the file at the supplied path.
+
 By default, on successful job submission the run command will enter an
 interactive monitor and display log information detailing the scheduling
 decisions and placement information for the provided job. The monitor will
@@ -108,3 +111,14 @@ $ nomad run failing.nomad
       * Constraint "${attr.kernel.name} = linux" filtered 1 nodes
     Evaluation "67493a64" waiting for additional capacity to place remainder
 ```
+
+Schedule a job from STDIN:
+
+```
+$ cat job1.nomad | nomad run -
+==> Monitoring evaluation "52dee78a"
+    Allocation "5e0b39f0" created: node "3e84d3d2", group "group1"
+    Allocation "5e0b39f0" status changed: "pending" -> "running"
+    Evaluation status changed: "pending" -> "complete"
+==> Evaluation "52dee78a" finished with status "complete"
+```