How to integrate Electron ipcRenderer into Angular 2 app based on TypeScript?

Question

I want to use ipcMain / ipcRenderer on my project to communicate from Angular to Electron and back.

The Electron side is pretty clear:

const
  electron = require('electron'),
  ipcMain = electron.ipcMain,
;

ipcMain.on('asynchronous-message', function(event, arg) {
  console.debug('ipc.async', arg);
  event.sender.send('asynchronous-reply', 'async-pong');
});

ipcMain.on('synchronous-message', function(event, arg) {
  console.debug('ipc.sync', arg);
  event.returnValue = 'sync-pong';
});

But I have no idea how to integrate that Electron module into my Angular 2 app. I use SystemJS as module loader, but I'm a rookie with it.

Any help appreciated. Thanks.

--- Mario

Answer 1

There is conflict, because Electron use commonjs module resolving, but your code already compiled with systemjs rules.

Two solutions:

Robust way. Register object require returned:

<script>
    System.set('electron', System.newModule(require('electron')));
</script>

This is the best, because renderer/init.js script loads that module on start. SystemJS have to take it only, not loads.

Alternative way. Use dirty trick with declaration.

Get electron instance inside index.html:

<script>
    var electron = require('electron');
</script>

Declare it inside your typescript file this way:

declare var electron: any;

Use it with freedom )

electron.ipcRenderer.send(...)