Why is my ipcMain not sending to ipcRenderer in Electron?
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/")
})
Answer
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:
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.