electron.app.relaunch doesn't work inside AppImage

• Version: 19.6.0
• Target: AppImage

Calling electron.app.relaunch() from within an AppImage does not properly relaunch the application upon electron.app.quit(). This is true both for the no-argument form of relaunch(), as well as if an execPath is provided, even if the execPath is outside the AppImage

e.g.:

electron.app.relaunch({execPath: '/usr/bin/zenity', args: ['--info', '--text=Hello']});
electron.app.quit();

Interestingly, the relaunch() method does work correctly if the application binary within the mounted AppImage is started directly. (e.g., run the AppImage once to cause the /tmp/.mount* to happen, and then go into that mountpoint while the first copy is still running and execute the electron binary directly. This second directly-executed copy is able to correctly relaunch, but the first copy is not)

[Skywalker13]

@peteringram0 the code below will launch the new AppImage–just be sure to exit

//I'm using the following to quit (upon upgrade)--I haven't tested whether just app.quit() works in place of this but I would think so
autoUpdater.quitAndInstall(true, true)

const execPath = path.join(getHomeFolder(), 'SomeApp.AppImage')
const { execFile } = require('child_process')
execFile(execPath)

Keep in mind AppImage’s execute from a temp directory, so I don’t think you can use __filename, which is why I’ve hardcoded the execPath and that feature simply doesn’t work if it’s moved from that location. If someone knows how to get the actual AppImage path when executing from a temp directory I’d love to hear how.

It’s my workaround:

  /* ... args ... */
  const {app} = require('electron');
  const options = {args};
  if (process.env.APPIMAGE) {
    options.execPath = process.env.APPIMAGE;
    options.args.unshift('--appimage-extract-and-run');
  }
  app.relaunch(options);
  app.exit(0);

[madmurl0c]

It’s my workaround:

  /* ... args ... */
  const {app} = require('electron');
  const options = {args};
  if (process.env.APPIMAGE) {
    options.execPath = process.env.APPIMAGE;
    options.args.unshift('--appimage-extract-and-run');
  }
  app.relaunch(options);
  app.exit(0);

After applying the workaround that @Skywalker13 mentioned the app did restart but I wasn’t able to execute any sudo ... commands anymore. (I know it’s not recommended but I use electron on raspberry pi based closed systems and need to change the hostname, touchscreen brightness, etc. from within electron.) I came up with this solution:

const options: RelaunchOptions = {
  args: process.argv.slice(1).concat(['--relaunch']),
  execPath: process.execPath
};
// Fix for .AppImage
if (app.isPackaged && process.env.APPIMAGE) {
  execFile(process.env.APPIMAGE, options.args);
  app.quit();
  return;
}
app.relaunch(options);
app.quit();

Hopefully it will save someone some time 😃