Unable to load native addon after electron-builder

• Version: 19.35.1

• Target: Windows 10 x64

Hi all, I’m trying to package an Electron application with a custom native addon (i.e. written by me), and have been unsuccessful so far. The app builds, but when I run it, it’s unable to load the native module, and exits.

Running the app locally, with electron . works just fine, which leads me to believe that the native module has not been packaged with the executable.

My package.json looks like this:

{
  "build": {
    "appId": "App name",
    "productName": "App company",
    "copyright": "Copyright © 2017 App Inc.",
    "nsis": {},
    "win": {
      "target": "nsis"
    },
    "mac": {
      "target": "dmg"
    }
  },
  "scripts": {
    "pack": "electron-builder --dir",
    "dist": "electron-builder -w --x64 --ia32"
  },
  "postinstall": "electron-builder install-app-deps",
  "devDependencies": {
    "electron-builder": "^19.6.3"
  }
}

And the app directory structure like this:

application-root-dir
	-app
		-addon
			-build
				-Release
					-addon.node
				-addon.sln
		-node_modules
		-main.js
		-package.json
	-build
	-node_modules
	-package.json

Addon source code and MSVC project files, as well as *.node files are all in application-root-dir/app/addon/*

When I run npm run dist, I get the following output:

> electron-builder -w --x64 --ia32

electron-builder 19.35.1
No native production dependencies
Packaging for win32 x64 using electron 1.6.14 to dist\win-unpacked
No native production dependencies
Packaging for win32 ia32 using electron 1.6.14 to dist\win-ia32-unpacked
Building nsis installer (x64 and ia32)

So, everything seemingly builds just fine, and the app installs successfully, but when I try to run, it’s unable to load the native module (from main.js), and just exits. Below is the manner in which I load/require the module:

var addon

try {
  addon= worker (
    path.join(__dirname, './addon/build/Release/addon'), 
    {name: 'addon'}
  );
}
catch(err) {
  try {
    addon= worker (
      path.join(__dirname, './addon/build/Debug/addon'),
      {name: 'addon'}
    );
  }
  catch(err) {
    log.error('Unable to load addon, exiting app...')
    app.exit()
  }
}

Any help would be appreciated.

[nikola-matic]

Settings "nodeGypRebuild":"true" in root package.json solved above issue.

[nikola-matic]

@Cprofessor3 unfortunately not; in the end, we moved away from electron and used CEF instead.