in my src folder, since i'm using Vim it uses the .swp files, which is fine with me.
once i type 'make clean' they go away, however, recently i have a swap file that is there, but it isnt there?

$ ls -a outputs
.handler.c.swp

plus the rest of the files, but when i type 'rm -f .handler.c.swp' it states that there is no file or directory by that name.
it is annoying because now every time i create ctags or 'make' it spits out an error.

anyone come across this?

When you open a file in vim, it creates that swap file. Simplifying things a lot, it means that the file is in use. So, if you have a vim session running, the swap file will be there. Otherwise, you can delete the swap files. Try: ls .*.swp to find them.

(By the way, if the swap file is in the outputs directory, you need to rm outputs/.handler.c.swp)

What is the error you get from make?

The error message I now realize isn't from 'make', it is however from my ctags command
within the make file. The ctags command must be trying to read from the .swp file because
the output of the error says that there is no file or directory by that name.

BTW, you were right, i ran 'ps' and it said there was a Vim session running. Is there a way to set the time limit on an idle process? Or is there a way to bash script i can write that kills all idle processes?

You don't really want to kill idle processes. Just type: 'kill <pid>' if you are sure that you're not using that process anymore.

What is your ctags command invocation? You shouldn't really be picking up .swp files.

Don't know off the top of my head (@work right now)
What do you use? Perhaps I can compare and figure out what went wrong.

tags:
        @echo Making tag file…
        @ctags –c++-kinds=+cdefgmnpstuv –fields=+iaS –extra=+q *.cpp *.h *.hpp

Thanks!
P.s. 300th post!