I am making an electron app and the user to be able to open as many instances of the main window (the one that opens by default) as they would like.
I would like them to be able to do this by simply clicking a button within the index.html.
How would this be possible within the following default apps code ?
main.js
const { app, BrowserWindow } = require('electron')
function createWindow () {
// Create the browser window.
const win = new BrowserWindow({
width: 800,
height: 600,
webPreferences: {
nodeIntegration: true
}
})
// and load the index.html of the app.
win.loadFile('index.html')
// Open the DevTools.
win.webContents.openDevTools()
}
// This method will be called when Electron has finished
// initialization and is ready to create browser windows.
// Some APIs can only be used after this event occurs.
app.whenReady().then(createWindow)
// Quit when all windows are closed.
app.on('window-all-closed', () => {
// On macOS it is common for applications and their menu bar
// to stay active until the user quits explicitly with Cmd + Q
if (process.platform !== 'darwin') {
app.quit()
}
})
app.on('activate', () => {
// On macOS it's common to re-create a window in the app when the
// dock icon is clicked and there are no other windows open.
if (BrowserWindow.getAllWindows().length === 0) {
createWindow()
}
})
// In this file you can include the rest of your app's specific main process
// code. You can also put them in separate files and require them here.
index.html
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Hello World!</title>
<!-- https://electronjs.org/docs/tutorial/security#csp-meta-tag -->
<meta http-equiv="Content-Security-Policy" content="script-src 'self' 'unsafe-inline';" />
</head>
<body>
<button onclick="openWindow()">click to open new window</button>
</body>
</html>
All you need to do is send a message to your main process when you click your button, then in main.js create a new window whenever we receive that message.
So first send a message to main.js from your openWindow() function like this:
var ipcRenderer = require('electron').ipcRenderer;
function openWindow () {
ipcRenderer.send('asynchronous-message', 'createNewWindow');
}
Then we listen for the message in main.js like this:
var ipcMain = require('electron').ipcMain;
ipcMain.on('asynchronous-message', function (evt, message) {
if (message == 'createNewWindow') {
// Message received.
// Create new window here.
}
});
Then all you need to do is create a new window when you receive the 'createNewWindow' message.
See docs for sending a message to the main process
See docs for receiving messages in the main process
You can achieve your goal in two ways.
You should change your index.html to like this as pre-requirements
At your index.html
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Hello World!</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Hello World!</h1>
<body>
<button onclick="require('./renderer.js').openWindow()">click to open new window</button>
</body>
<!-- All of the Node.js APIs are available in this renderer process. -->
We are using Node.js <script>document.write(process.versions.node)</script>,
Chromium <script>document.write(process.versions.chrome)</script>,
and Electron <script>document.write(process.versions.electron)</script>.
<script>
// You can also require other files to run in this process
require('./renderer.js')
</script>
</body>
</html>
Using ipc Communiation.
At your main.js
const {app, BrowserWindow, ipcMain} = require('electron')
let browserWindows = [];
function createWindow () {
// Create the browser window.
let newWindow = new BrowserWindow({
width: 800,
height: 600,
webPreferences: {
nodeIntegration: true
}
})
newWindow.loadFile('index.html')
newWindow.on('closed', function () {
newWindow = null
})
browserWindows.push(newWindow)
}
app.on('ready', createWindow)
// Quit when all windows are closed.
app.on('window-all-closed', function () {
if (process.platform !== 'darwin') {
app.quit()
}
})
ipcMain.on('createNewWindow', (evnet, args) => {
createWindow();
})
At your renderer.js
const { ipcRenderer } = require('electron')
module.exports.openWindow = event => {
ipcRenderer.send('createNewWindow', {});
}
Not using ipc.
you can create directly. Create browserWindow directly at your renderer without ipc
Communitaion. Hence you enable the node api at your renderer. So that
At your renderer.js
const {BrowserWindow} = require('electron').remote
module.exports.openWindow = event => {
const newWindow = new BrowserWindow({
width: 800,
height: 600,
webPreferences: {
nodeIntegration: true
}
})
// and load the index.html of the app.
newWindow.loadFile('index.html')
}
In this way, you don't need to change your main.js
Related
Long story short I am working on a single page application that sends commands over a local network. Testing out Electron JS and I can't even seem to get a simple button to work. I feel like I am not linking the logic between main.js and index.js somehow but for the life of me I cannot figure out the correct way to do it. I have even put breakpoints in index.js and through main.js & index.html but none of the breakpoints are hit aside from the ones in main.js. I put a simple function in a preload.js file and that function is correctly called but the one I am trying to attach to a button located in index.html and index.js is never even being hit. A lot of the commented out code is things I want to remember or things I have noticed a different method of creating and just wanted to try and see if that worked. If anyone has any answers or guidance it would be greatly appreciated! :D
Below is my main.js
//#region ---for dev only | hot reload
try {
require('electron-reloader')(module)
} catch (_) {}
//#endregion
const electron = require('electron');
const {app, BrowserWindow, Menu} = require('electron');
const path = require('path');
const ipcMain = electron.ipcMain;
//#region globals
const SRC_DIR = '/src/'
const IMG_DIR = '/assets/images'
//#endregion
function createWindow () {
const win = new BrowserWindow({
width: 800,
height: 600,
//frame: false,
webPreferences: {
contextIsolation: true,
preload: path.join(__dirname, 'preload.js')
}
});
//Used to auto open dev tools for debugging
//win.openDevTools();
win.loadFile('src/index.html');
// win.loadURL(url.format({
// pathname: path.join(__dirname, 'index.html'),
// protocol: 'file',
// slashes: true
// }));
}
app.whenReady().then(() => {
//nativeTheme.shouldUseDarkColors = true;
createWindow();
})
//closes app processes when window is closed
app.on('window-all-closed', function () {
if (process.platform !== 'darwin') app.quit();
})
var menu = Menu.buildFromTemplate([
{
label: 'Menu',
submenu: [
{label: 'Edit'},
{type: 'separator'},
{
label: 'Exit',
click() {
app.quit();
}
}
]
}
])
Menu.setApplicationMenu(menu);
Here is index.html
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta http-equiv="Content-Security-Policy" content="default-src 'self'; script-src 'self'">
<meta http-equiv="X-Content-Security-Policy" content="default-src 'self'; script-src 'self'">
<title>Ecas Software</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
<p id="myText">Let's get started :)</p>
<button id="myBtn">Change Text</button>
<script type="text/javascript" src="./index.js" ></script>
</body>
</html>
Lastly here is my index.js (aka my first and only renderer?)
const electron = require('electron');
const chgBtn = document.getElementById('myBtn');
function replaceText(selector, text){
const element = document.getElementById(selector);
if (element) element.innerText = text;
}
chgBtn.onclick = function() {
replaceText('myText', 'no boom...');
}
// chgBtn.addEventListener('click', function(){
// // if (document.getElementById('myText').innerText == 'boom'){
// // replaceText('myText','no boom...');
// // } else {
// // replaceText('myText','boom');
// // }
// document.alert("working function");
// });
//chgBtn.addEventListener('click', replaceText('myText','no boom...'));
Why you have this error
The problem here is that you didn't use your scripts files the way Electron was intended.
If you use the Devtools Console (by uncommenting win.openDevTools()), you should see this error in your console :
Uncaught ReferenceError: require is not defined (from index.js file)
This is because your index.js file is loaded as a "normal javascript file". If you want to use the Node syntaxe (aka the "require" syntaxe), you need to do it in your preload script. Only the preload script can use the require syntaxe, since it is the only script allowed by Electron to use Node.
You can also use other javascripts files, by import it in your HTML as you did for the index.js file, but you should remove the require call. As the "require" call (on the first line) will throw and error, all the following code will not run. This is why your button did not react on click.
The correct way to do it
If you need to use some methods from the Electron Renderer API (such as the ipcRenderer), you need to put it in your preload script.
If you want to use your own script, in a separate file, you can also do it, you will not be able to directly call Electron API. There is a solution if you want to call the Electron API in your own script, it is called the Context Bridge. This allows you to create an object in your preload script, that can use the Electron API. You can give this object a name, and then call it from your others script by using the window global object.
For example, if you want to use ipcRenderer.send(channel, payload) :
// Preload script
const { contextBridge, ipcRenderer } = require('electron')
contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld('theNameYouWant',
{
send: (channel, payload) => ipcRenderer.send(channel, payload)
}
)
// index.js file, imported in your HTML file
window.theNameYouWant.send("channel-name", { someData: "Hello" })
In your example
// Add this in your main.js file to see when a user click on the button from main process
ipcMain.on("button-clicked", (event, data) => console.log(data))
// Preload script
const { contextBridge, ipcRenderer } = require("electron")
contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld("electron", {
send: (channel, payload) => ipcRenderer.send(channel, payload),
})
// index.js
const chgBtn = document.getElementById("myBtn")
function replaceText(selector, text) {
const element = document.getElementById(selector)
if (element) element.innerText = text
}
chgBtn.onclick = function () {
replaceText("myText", "no boom...")
window.electron.send("button-clicked", { someData: "Hello" })
}
I'm in the process of learning to use Electron, and while trying to have my application communicate with the front end I am aware I need to use the ipcRenderer to gain a reference to the DOM elements and then pass that information to ipcMain.
I tried to follow much of the advice suggested here and here, but both of these examples use require('electron').ipcMain and whenever I try to include my script that will be interacting with the front-end into my HTML, nothing occurs since Uncaught ReferenceError: require is not defined. I've been searching for a few hours and haven't had any luck finding a solution - so clearly I'm doing something wrong.
My main.js is very simple, I just create my window and then I create an ipc listener as so:
const { app, BrowserWindow } = require("electron");
const ipc = require('electron').ipcMain;
function createWindow() {
const window = new BrowserWindow({
transparent: true,
frame: false,
resizable: false,
center: true,
width: 410,
height: 550,
});
window.loadFile("index.html");
}
app.whenReady().then(createWindow);
ipc.on('invokeAction', (event, data) => {
var result = "test result!";
event.sender.send('actionReply', result);
})
Within the file that I wish to manipulate the DOM with, I attempt to get the element ID and then add an event listener as seen here:
const ipc = require('electron').ipcRenderer;
const helper = require("./api");
var authenticate_button = ipcRenderer.getElementById("authenticate-button");
var authButton = document.getElementById("authenticate-button");
authButton.addEventListener("click", () => {
ipc.once('actionReply', (event, response) => {
console.log("Hello world!");
})
ipc.send('invokeAction');
});
function onAuthenticateClick() {
helper.authenticateLogin(api_public, api_secret, access_public, access_secret);
}
and finally, my HTML only consists of a button that I wish to attach my event listener to:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" />
<title>Project Test</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="style.css" />
</head>
<body>
<div class="main-container">
<button id="authenticate-button" type="submit" onclick="">Authenticate</button>
<p id="status-label">Not Authenticated</p>
</div>
<script src="script.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
If anyone could help point me in the right direction as to how to get this basic functionality to work, it would be very helpful!
As mentioned by AlekseyHoffman, the reason you can't access ipcRenderer in your frontend js file is because you have nodeIntegration set to false. That said, there's a reason it's set to false by default now; it makes your app far less secure.
Let me suggest an alternate approach: rather than trying to access ipcRenderer directly from your frontend js by setting nodeIntegration to true, access it from preload.js. In preload.js, you can selectively expose ipcMain functions (from your main.js file) you want to access on the frontend (including those that can send data back from main.js), and call them via ipcRenderer there. In your frontend js, you can access the preload.js object that exposes those functions; preload.js will then call those main.js functions via ipcRenderer and return the data back to the frontend js that called it.
Here's a simple, but fully working example (these files should be sufficient to build an electron app with two-way communication between main.js and frontend. In this example, all of the following files are in the same directory.):
main.js
// boilerplate code for electron..
const {
app,
BrowserWindow,
ipcMain,
contextBridge
} = require("electron");
const path = require("path");
let win;
/**
* make the electron window, and make preload.js accessible to the js
* running inside it (this will allow you to communicate with main.js
* from the frontend).
*/
async function createWindow() {
// Create the browser window.
win = new BrowserWindow({
width: 800,
height: 600,
webPreferences: {
nodeIntegration: false, // is default value after Electron v5
contextIsolation: true, // protect against prototype pollution
enableRemoteModule: false,
preload: path.join(__dirname, "./preload.js") // path to your preload.js file
}
});
// Load app
win.loadFile(path.join(__dirname, "index.html"));
}
app.on("ready", createWindow);
// end boilerplate code... now on to your stuff
/**
* FUNCTION YOU WANT ACCESS TO ON THE FRONTEND
*/
ipcMain.handle('myfunc', async (event, arg) => {
return new Promise(function(resolve, reject) {
// do stuff
if (true) {
resolve("this worked!");
} else {
reject("this didn't work!");
}
});
});
Note, I'm using an example of ipcMain.handle because it allows two-way communication and returns a Promise object - i.e., when you access this function from the frontend via preload.js, you can get that Promise back with the data inside it.
preload.js:
// boilerplate code for electron...
const {
contextBridge,
ipcRenderer
} = require("electron");
// All of the Node.js APIs are available in the preload process.
// It has the same sandbox as a Chrome extension.
window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
const replaceText = (selector, text) => {
const element = document.getElementById(selector)
if (element) element.innerText = text
}
for (const type of ['chrome', 'node', 'electron']) {
replaceText(`${type}-version`, process.versions[type])
}
})
// end boilerplate code, on to your stuff..
/**
* HERE YOU WILL EXPOSE YOUR 'myfunc' FROM main.js
* TO THE FRONTEND.
* (remember in main.js, you're putting preload.js
* in the electron window? your frontend js will be able
* to access this stuff as a result.
*/
contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld(
"api", {
invoke: (channel, data) => {
let validChannels = ["myfunc"]; // list of ipcMain.handle channels you want access in frontend to
if (validChannels.includes(channel)) {
// ipcRenderer.invoke accesses ipcMain.handle channels like 'myfunc'
// make sure to include this return statement or you won't get your Promise back
return ipcRenderer.invoke(channel, data);
}
},
}
);
renderer process (i.e. your frontend js file - I'll call it frontend.js):
// call your main.js function here
console.log("I'm going to call main.js's 'myfunc'");
window.api.invoke('myfunc', [1,2,3])
.then(function(res) {
console.log(res); // will print "This worked!" to the browser console
})
.catch(function(err) {
console.error(err); // will print "This didn't work!" to the browser console.
});
index.html
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>My Electron App</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Hello Beautiful World</h1>
<script src="frontend.js"></script> <!-- load your frontend script -->
</body>
</html>
package.json
{
"name": "myapp",
"main": "main.js",
"scripts": {
"start": "electron ."
}
}
The files above should be sufficient to have a fully working electron app with communication between main.js and the frontend js. Put them all in one directory with the names main.js, preload.js, frontend.js, and index.html, and package.json and launch your electron app using npm start. Note that in this example I am storing all the files in the same directory; make sure to change these paths to wherever they are stored on your system.
See these links for more info and examples:
Electron documentation on inter-process communication
An overview of why IPC is needed and the security issues of setting nodeintegration to true
The require is not defined because you didn't enable nodeIntegration on the window. Set it to true in your window config:
const window = new BrowserWindow({
transparent: true,
frame: false,
resizable: false,
center: true,
width: 410,
height: 550,
webPreferences: {
nodeIntegration: true
}
})
New to electron I've figured out how to send from Renderer to Main but I'm trying to learn how to go from Main to Renderer. In my research I've read:
IPC send from main process to renderer and tried:
main.js:
const { app, ipcMain, Menu } = require('electron')
const appVersion = process.env.npm_package_version
const mainWindow = require('./renderer/mainWindow')
app.on('ready', () => {
mainWindow.createWindow(),
console.log(`Trying to send app version to renderer: ${appVersion}`),
mainWindow.webContents.send('app-version', appVersion),
Menu.setApplicationMenu(mainMenu)
})
but I get an error of:
Uncaught Exception TypeError Cannot read property 'send' of undefined
After reading "Send sync message from IpcMain to IpcRenderer - Electron" I tried:
ipcMain.on('app-version', (event) => {
console.log(`Sent: ${appVersion}`)
event.sender.send(appVersion)
}),
but nothing happens or errors out. My renderer.js:
const { ipcRenderer } = require('electron')
ipcRenderer.on('app-version', (event, res) => {
console.log(res)
})
Why is my ipcMain not sending to my ipcRenderer?
Edit:
mainWindow.js:
// Modules
const { BrowserWindow } = require('electron')
// export mainWindow
exports.createWindow = () => {
// BrowserWindow options
// https://electronjs.org/docs/api/browser-window#new-browserwindowoptions
this.win = new BrowserWindow({
minWidth: 400,
minHeight: 400,
frame: false,
webPreferences: {
nodeIntegration: true,
backgroundThrottling: false
}
})
// Devtools
this.win.webContents.openDevTools()
// Load main window content
this.win.loadURL(`file://${__dirname}/index.html`)
// Handle window closed
this.win.on('closed', () => {
this.win = null
})
}
I've also tried:
main.js:
app.on('ready', () => {
mainWindow.createWindow(),
mainWindow.win.webContents.send('app-version', appVersion),
Menu.setApplicationMenu(mainMenu)
})
renderer.js:
console.log("Trying")
ipcRenderer.on('app-version', (args) => {
console.log(`Node version is ${args}`)
})
For some reason now the applied answer I've written ipcMain sends to renderer several times and renders the console message repeatedly
Trying to send app version to renderer: 1.0.0
Trying to send app version to renderer: 1.0.0
Trying to send app version to renderer: 1.0.0
Trying to send app version to renderer: 1.0.0
Trying to send app version to renderer: 1.0.0
Now the application flashes but in the console.log it shows it once and I do not understand why.
Edit
To respond to the answer.
I'm aware of app.getVersion I was just using ENV to learn how to send to main. After testing the code this approach doesn't work.
Coping this:
app.on('ready', () => {
const win = mainWindow.createWindow(),
console.log(`Trying to send app version to renderer: ${appVersion}`),
win.webContents.send('app-version', appVersion),
Menu.setApplicationMenu(mainMenu)
})
throws the error of:
Missing initializer in const declaration
so modified to this:
app.on('ready', () => {
const win = mainWindow.createWindow()
console.log(`Trying to send app version to renderer: ${appVersion}`)
win.webContents.send('app-version', appVersion)
Menu.setApplicationMenu(mainMenu)
})
but when adding the return at the end of exports.createWindow throws this error of:
win is not defined
adding let.win before exports.createWindow will not throw a code but nothing is sent over.
Electron Fiddle
index.html:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Electron learning</title>
<!-- CSS Bootstrap -->
<!-- <link rel="stylesheet" href="../node_modules/bootstrap/dist/css/bootstrap.css"> -->
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/4.0.0/css/bootstrap.min.css" integrity="sha384-Gn5384xqQ1aoWXA+058RXPxPg6fy4IWvTNh0E263XmFcJlSAwiGgFAW/dAiS6JXm" crossorigin="anonymous">
<!--
Font Awesome
https://fontawesome.com/v4.7.0/cheatsheet/
-->
<!-- <link rel="stylesheet" href="../node_modules/font-awesome/css/font-awesome.css"> -->
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://stackpath.bootstrapcdn.com/font-awesome/4.7.0/css/font-awesome.min.css">
<!-- Custom CSS -->
<style>
body {
-webkit-app-region: drag;
}
footer {
position: fixed;
bottom: 0;
width: 100%;
}
#close_app,
#site {
cursor: pointer;
}
</style>
</head>
<body class="d-flex flex-column h-100">
<header>
<nav class="navbar navbar-expand navbar-dark fixed-top bg-dark">
<a class="navbar-brand text-white">Foobar</a>
<div class="collapse navbar-collapse justify-content-between">
<div class="navbar-nav">
<a id="site" class="nav-link"><small><u id="application"></u></small></a>
</div>
<div class="navbar-nav">
<a id="close_app" class="nav-item nav-link"><i class="fa fa-times-circle"></i></a>
</div>
</div>
</nav>
</header>
<main role="main" class="flex-shrink-0">
<div class="container">
<h1>Hello World!</h1>
<!-- All of the Node.js APIs are available in this renderer process. -->
We are using Node.js <script>document.write(process.versions.node)</script>,
Chromium <script>document.write(process.versions.chrome)</script>,
and Electron <script>document.write(process.versions.electron)</script>.
Electron app version <script>document.write(process.versions.electron)</script>.
</div>
<p id="testSender"></p>
</main>
<footer class="footer mt-auto py-3 ">
<div class="container">
<span class="text-muted">Place sticky footer content here.</span>
</div>
</footer>
<script>
// jQuery
// window.jQuery = window.$ = $ = require('jquery')
// You can also require other files to run in this process
require('./renderer.js')
</script>
<!-- <script src="../node_modules/jquery/dist/jquery.min.js"></script> -->
<script src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery-3.2.1.slim.min.js" integrity="sha384-KJ3o2DKtIkvYIK3UENzmM7KCkRr/rE9/Qpg6aAZGJwFDMVNA/GpGFF93hXpG5KkN" crossorigin="anonymous"></script>
<!-- <script src="../node_modules/bootstrap/dist/js/bootstrap.min.js"></script> -->
<script src="https://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/4.0.0/js/bootstrap.min.js" integrity="sha384-JZR6Spejh4U02d8jOt6vLEHfe/JQGiRRSQQxSfFWpi1MquVdAyjUar5+76PVCmYl" crossorigin="anonymous"></script>
</body>
</html>
main.js:
'use strict'
// Modules to control application life and create native browser window
const { app, ipcMain, BrowserWindow, Menu } = require('electron')
const testMainSend = `Trying to send something to renderer`
let mainWindow
// Window state keeper
const windowStateKeeper = require('electron-window-state')
// export mainWindow
function createWindow () {
let winState = windowStateKeeper({
defaultWidth: 400,
defaultHeight: 400
})
// BrowserWindow options
// https://electronjs.org/docs/api/browser-window#new-browserwindowoptions
const win = new BrowserWindow({
width: winState.width,
height: winState.Height,
x: winState.x,
y: winState.y,
minWidth: 400,
minHeight: 400,
frame: false,
webPreferences: {
nodeIntegration: true,
backgroundThrottling: false
}
})
winState.manage(win)
// Devtools
win.webContents.openDevTools()
// Load main window content
win.loadURL(`file://${__dirname}/index.html`)
// Handle window closed
win.on('closed', () => {
this.win = null
})
return win
}
// This method will be called when Electron has finished
// initialization and is ready to create browser windows.
// Some APIs can only be used after this event occurs.
app.on('ready', () => {
createWindow()
// 1st attempt
// webContents.send('misc-sender', testMainSend)
// 2nd attempt
// const win = createWindow()
// win.webContents.send('misc-sender', testMainSend)
// 3rd attempt
const win = createWindow()
win.webContents.on('dom-ready', () => {
console.log(`Trying to send renderer: ${testMainSend}`)
mainWindow.win.webContents.send('misc-sender', testMainSend)
})
})
// Quit when all windows are closed.
app.on('window-all-closed', () => {
// On macOS it is common for applications and their menu bar
// to stay active until the user quits explicitly with Cmd + Q
if (process.platform !== 'darwin') {
app.quit()
}
})
app.on('activate', () => {
// On macOS it's common to re-create a window in the app when the
// dock icon is clicked and there are no other windows open.
if (mainWindow === null) {
createWindow()
}
})
// Close application from button
ipcMain.on('closing-app', () => {
app.quit()
console.log('Closed app from font awesome link')
})
renderer.js:
// This file is required by the index.html file and will
// be executed in the renderer process for that window.
// All of the Node.js APIs are available in this process.
const { ipcRenderer, shell } = require('electron')
const appVersion = require('electron').remote.app.getVersion()
// Devtron
// require('devtron').install()
// Close App
const closeApp = document.getElementById('close_app')
closeApp.addEventListener('click', () => {
ipcRenderer.send('closing-app')
})
// received from ipcMain test
ipcRenderer.on('misc-sender', (event, args) => {
appendTest = document.getElementById('testSender')
appendTest.innerHTML += args
})
// Getting version
const appVersioning = document.getElementById('application')
appVersioning.innerHTML = appVersion
// Open site
const homeURL = document.getElementById('site')
homeURL.addEventListener('click', (e) => {
e.preventDefault
shell.openExternal("https://www.google.com/")
})
After several searches and attempts I think I've finally figured out how to send my application version from package.json to main then to the renderer. My issue was in my app.on I was missing dom-ready which helped after reading IPC Communication not working between Electron and window:
main.js:
const appVersion = process.env.npm_package_version
app.on('ready', () => {
mainWindow.createWindow()
Menu.setApplicationMenu(mainMenu)
// Send version to renderer
mainWindow.win.webContents.on('dom-ready', () => {
console.log(`Trying to send app version to renderer: ${appVersion}`)
mainWindow.win.webContents.send('app-version', appVersion)
})
})
renderer.js:
ipcRenderer.on('app-version', (event, args) => {
const appVersion = document.getElementById('app_version')
console.log(`Node version is ${args}`)
appVersion.innerHTML += args
})
index.html:
<div id="app_version"></div>
There might be a better way to do this but after further research I read:
Electron - How to know when renderer window is ready
dom-ready from instance-events
and this works but next steps are to see if pulling the process.env is a good security practice. I do hope to see some other answers on a possible better approach if it exists.
Before answering your question, looking at the message you are sending to the renderer ( if what you want to do is send your application version to the render process ) it can be done with app.getVersion. From your main process you have to set the app version with app.setVersion("1.0") and then from your render process you have to do this
const { remote: { app } } = require("electron");
app.getVersion();
To your actual question mainWindow.createWindow() needs to return an instance of BrowserWindow ( looking at your code you are not returning it and also you are not reading the win property object you set on mainWindow.js ). If you want to stick with the current code in your question you have to do this
mainWindow.win.webContents.send(...)
or you should do this from
mainWindow.js
// Modules
const { BrowserWindow } = require('electron')
// export mainWindow
exports.createWindow = () => {
// BrowserWindow options
// https://electronjs.org/docs/api/browser-window#new-browserwindowoptions
const win = new BrowserWindow({
minWidth: 400,
minHeight: 400,
frame: false,
webPreferences: {
nodeIntegration: true,
backgroundThrottling: false
}
})
// Devtools
win.webContents.openDevTools()
// Load main window content
win.loadURL(`file://${__dirname}/index.html`)
// Handle window closed
win.on('closed', () => {
this.win = null
})
return win;
}
main.js
const { app, ipcMain, Menu } = require('electron')
const appVersion = process.env.npm_package_version
const mainWindow = require('./renderer/mainWindow')
app.on('ready', () => {
const win = mainWindow.createWindow(),
console.log(`Trying to send app version to renderer: ${appVersion}`),
win.webContents.send('app-version', appVersion),
Menu.setApplicationMenu(mainMenu)
})
I have a simple application that needs to run a background process to get some data. I would like to show a loading indicator while the data is being retrieved and I am having trouble with getting that done.
I am using ipcrenderer to receive the message in the main window. My code is below:
//// main.js
const electron = require('electron');
const url = require('url');
const path = require('path');
const {
app,
BrowserWindow,
Menu,
ipcMain
} = electron
// SET ENV
//process.env.NODE_ENV = 'production';
let mainWindow;
let addWindow;
let workerWindow;
// Listen for app to be ready
app.on('ready', function () {
// Create new window
mainWindow = new BrowserWindow({});
// Load the HTML file into the window
mainWindow.loadURL(url.format({
pathname: path.join(__dirname, 'mainWindow.html'),
protocol: 'file',
slashes: true
}));
// Quit app when closed
mainWindow.on('closed', function () {
app.quit();
})
// Build menu from menu template
const mainMenu = Menu.buildFromTemplate(mainMenuTemplate);
// Insert menu
Menu.setApplicationMenu(mainMenu);
});
// Handle create worker window
function createWorkerWindow() {
mainWindow.webContents.send('status:showLoading'); // This does NOT work
// Create new window
workerWindow = new BrowserWindow({
width: 300,
height: 200,
title: 'workerWindow',
show: process.env.NODE_ENV == 'production' ? false : true
});
// Load the HTML file into the window
workerWindow.loadURL(url.format({
pathname: path.join(__dirname, 'worker.html'),
protocol: 'file',
slashes: true
}));
// Garbage collection
workerWindow.on('close', function () {
workerWindow = null;
})
mainWindow.webContents.send('status:hideLoading'); // This does NOT work
}
// Catch item:add-worker
ipcMain.on('item:add-worker', function(e, item){
console.log(item);
mainWindow.webContents.send('item:add-worker', item);
workerWindow.close();
});
// Create menu template
const mainMenuTemplate = [{
label: 'File',
submenu: [
{
label: 'Add Item from Worker',
click() {
mainWindow.webContents.send('status:showLoading'); // This does NOT work
createWorkerWindow();
}
},
{
label: 'Clear Items',
click(){
mainWindow.webContents.send('item:clear'); // This works
}
},
{
label: 'Show Loading',
click(){
mainWindow.webContents.send('status:showLoading'); // This works
}
},
{
label: 'Hide Loading',
click(){
mainWindow.webContents.send('status:hideLoading') // This works
}
},
{
label: 'Quit',
accelerator: process.platform == 'darwin' ? 'Command+Q' : 'Ctrl+Q',
click() {
app.quit();
}
}
]
}];
When I use the Show Loading and Hide Loading menu items, the main window receives the message and does what it needs to do. However, when I click the Add Item from Worker menu item, the message appears to not reach the main window.
<!-- mainWindow.html -->
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Security-Policy" content="default-src file: https:">
<title>Shopping List</title>
<!-- Compiled and minified CSS -->
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/materialize/1.0.0-beta/css/materialize.min.css">
<link rel="stylesheet" href="mainWindow.css">
</head>
<body>
<nav>
<div class="nav-wrapper">
<a class="brand-logo center">Shopping List</a>
<div id="loadingIndicator" class="progress">
<div class="indeterminate"></div>
</div>
</div>
</nav>
<ul></ul>
<script src="mainWindow.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
//// mainWindow.js
// Show Loading
ipcRenderer.on('status:showLoading', function(){
document.getElementById('loadingIndicator').style.display = 'block';
});
// Hide Loading
ipcRenderer.on('status:hideLoading', function(){
document.getElementById('loadingIndicator').style.display = 'none';
});
I tried to add the mainWindow.webContents.send('status:showLoading'); line in side the click() function for the menu item and inside the createWorkerWindow() function. Neither appear to work.
Any insight would be much appreciated.
Thank you.
The problem is that loading a url in a browser window isn't synchronous so when it runs createWorkerWindow it will send the status:showLoading message then it'll create the worker window and send the status:hideLoading all in a split second. If you wanted to hide the loading window after the worker window has finished loading you can use:
workerWindow.webContents.on('did-finish-load', function () {
mainWindow.webContents.send('status:hideLoading');
});
Although keep in mind this will run when any url is loaded not just the first one.
did-finish-load docs
Hi :] due to some digital certification policies in my application so I depend on the user to register a form from through the browser. I am having to implement this solution because the electron does not support extensions from Mozilla Firefox and I needed it exactly because in order for the user to send the form he must authenticate some documents about the company's ownership digitally and for this, he must select his digital certificate by the extension I mentioned above.
I've tried to run some examples present in documentation of the electron-shell but without success
My main.js
const electron = require('electron');
const app = electron.app;
const BrowserWindow = electron.BrowserWindow;
var Menu = require('menu');
var fs = require('fs');
var shell = require('shell');
var mainWindow = null;
require("babel-register")();
app.on('window-all-closed', function() {
if (process.platform != 'darwin') {
app.quit();
}
});
app.on('ready', function() {
mainWindow = new BrowserWindow({
autoHideMenuBar: false,
webPreferences: {
nodeIntegration: false
},
width: 1200,
height: 750
});
var template = [
require("./server").start()
.then((app) => {
mainWindow.loadURL('http://localhost:3000');
}).catch((err) => {
});
mainWindow.openDevTools();
mainWindow.on('closed', function() {
mainWindow = null;
});
});
ipcMain.on('loadGH', (event, arg) => {
shell.openExternal(arg);
});
My front-end plugins.
<link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/icon?family=Material+Icons">
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/materialize/0.100.2/css/materialize.min.css">
<script type="text/javascript" src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery-3.2.1.min.js"></script>
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/materialize/0.100.2/js/materialize.min.js"></script>
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/limonte-sweetalert2/6.9.1/sweetalert2.min.js"></script>
My instantiate the ICP module in head html
<script>
const ipc = require('electron').ipcRenderer;
</script>
Is my button which should open the Mozilla Firefox
<a class="indigo white-text btn" onclick="ipc.send('loadGH','http://google.com');"><i class="material-icons left">undo</i>OPEN BROWSER</a>
Thanks a lot for the help!