NSIS build failure (makensis exited with code 84, main argv conversion failed)

• Version: electron-builder 18.6.2 It broke after upgrading from 16.7.1, it build again properly if I roll back. Building from linux.

• Target: NSIS 32+64bits

• CLI Output:

electron-builder 18.6.2
Skip app dependencies rebuild because platform is different
Packaging for win32 x64 using electron 1.7.3 to release/win-unpacked
Skip app dependencies rebuild because platform is different
Packaging for win32 ia32 using electron 1.7.3 to release/win-ia32-unpacked
Building NSIS installer
  Packaging NSIS installer for arch x64
  Packaging NSIS installer for arch ia32
Error: /home/michael/.cache/electron-builder/nsis/nsis-3.0.1.13/linux/makensis exited with code 84
Output:
FATAL: main argv conversion failed!

NSIS script:
!addincludedir "/home/michael/dev/arbore/node_modules/electron-builder/templates/nsis/include"
!addplugindir /x86-unicode "/home/michael/.cache/electron-builder/nsis-resources/nsis-resources-3.0.0/plugins/x86-unicode"
!addplugindir /x86-unicode "/home/michael/dev/arbore/resources/x86-unicode"
!include "/tmp/electron-builder-VFfb3e/0-2-messages.nsh"
!include "/tmp/electron-builder-VFfb3e/0-3-messages.nsh"
Var startMenuLink
Var desktopLink

!include "common.nsh"
!include "MUI2.nsh"
!include "multiUser.nsh"
!include "allowOnlyOneInstallerInstance.nsh"

!ifdef INSTALL_MODE_PER_ALL_USERS
  !ifdef BUILD_UNINSTALLER
    RequestExecutionLevel user
  !else
    RequestExecutionLevel admin
  !endif
!else
  RequestExecutionLevel user
!endif

!ifdef ONE_CLICK
  !include "oneClick.nsh"
!else
  !include "boringInstaller.nsh"
!endif

!ifmacrodef customHeader
  !insertmacro customHeader
!endif

!ifdef BUILD_UNINSTALLER
  SilentInstall silent
!else
  Var appExe
!endif

Function .onInit
  !ifmacrodef preInit
    !insertmacro preInit
  !endif
  !ifdef BUILD_UNINSTALLER
    WriteUninstaller "${UNINSTALLER_OUT_FILE}"
    !insertmacro quitSuccess
  !else
    !insertmacro check64BitAndSetRegView

    !ifdef ONE_CLICK
      !insertmacro ALLOW_ONLY_ONE_INSTALLER_INSTANCE
    !else
      ${IfNot} ${UAC_IsInnerInstance}
        !insertmacro ALLOW_ONLY_ONE_INSTALLER_INSTANCE
      ${EndIf}
    !endif

    !insertmacro initMultiUser

    !ifmacrodef customInit
      !insertmacro customInit
    !endif
  !endif
FunctionEnd

!ifndef BUILD_UNINSTALLER
  !include "installUtil.nsh"
!endif

Section "install"
  !ifndef BUILD_UNINSTALLER
    !include "installSection.nsh"
  !endif
SectionEnd

!ifdef BUILD_UNINSTALLER
  !include "uninstaller.nsh"
!endif

• Config:

"build": {
    "productName": "Arbore",
    "appId": "org.michaelmure.arbore",
    "dmg": {
      "contents": [
        {
          "x": 130,
          "y": 220
        },
        {
          "x": 410,
          "y": 220,
          "type": "link",
          "path": "/Applications"
        }
      ]
    },
    "files": [
      "dist/",
      "node_modules/",
      "app.html",
      "main.js",
      "main.js.map",
      "package.json"
    ],
    "win": {
      "target": [
        "nsis"
      ]
    },
    "nsis": {
      "oneClick": false,
      "multiLanguageInstaller": true,
      "allowToChangeInstallationDirectory": true
    },
    "linux": {
      "target": [
        "deb",
        "rpm",
        "AppImage"
      ]
    },
    "directories": {
      "buildResources": "resources",
      "output": "release"
    }
  },

[joshwnj]

Thanks!

If anyone else lands here, the things that helped me to resolve this error message were:

• using the sample travis config linked to from here: https://www.electron.build/multi-platform-build#docker
• upgrading to the latest version of electron-builder (19.50.0 at the time of writing)

[zdenbe]

Great, thank you. It’s working.