“Module did not self-register” when page is reloaded

The first time I run my NW.js application the modules are loaded without errors (and works). If I refresh the page (CTRL+R, F5 or SHIFT+F5) I get the error: Module did not self-register. This only happens when ffi or ref is required.

const ffi = require('ffi');
const ref = require('ref');

In Electron it works without problems.

ffi and ref were installed using npm install ffi and npm install ref followed by nw-gyp rebuild --target=0.18.8 --arch=ia32 from each of the two folders node_modules/ffi and node_modules/ref

Any ideas?

nw.js v0.18.8   
Node v7.2.0   
Chromium 54.0.2840.99   
ffi@2.2.0  
ref@1.3.3

Here’s the full error output:

Uncaught Error: Module did not self-register.(…)
  Module._extensions..node	@	VM1704 module.js:640
  Module.load	@	VM1704 module.js:512
  tryModuleLoad	@	VM1704 module.js:471
  Module._load	@	VM1704 module.js:463
  Module.require	@	VM1704 module.js:522
  require	@	VM1705 module.js:20
  bindings	@	C:\Users\Even\Desktop\nwjs-sdk-v0.18.8-win-ia32\app\node_modules\bindings\bindings.js:76
  (anonymous function)	@	C:\Users\Even\Desktop\nwjs-sdk-v0.18.8-win-ia32\app\node_modules\ref\lib\ref.js:5
  Module._compile	@	VM1704 module.js:595
  Module._extensions..js	@	VM1704 module.js:610
  Module.load	@	VM1704 module.js:512
  tryModuleLoad	@	VM1704 module.js:471
  Module._load	@	VM1704 module.js:463
  Module.require	@	VM1704 module.js:522
  require	@	VM1705 module.js:20
  (anonymous function)	@	C:\Users\Even\Desktop\nwjs-sdk-v0.18.8-win-ia32\app\node_modules\ffi\lib\ffi.js:6
  Module._compile	@	VM1704 module.js:595
  Module._extensions..js	@	VM1704 module.js:610
  Module.load	@	VM1704 module.js:512
  tryModuleLoad	@	VM1704 module.js:471
  Module._load	@	VM1704 module.js:463
  Module.require	@	VM1704 module.js:522
  require	@	VM1705 module.js:20
  (anonymous function)	@	C:\Users\Even\Desktop\nwjs-sdk-v0.18.8-win-ia32\app\FsuipcMonitor.js:22
  Module._compile	@	VM1704 module.js:595
  Module._extensions..js	@	VM1704 module.js:610
  Module.load	@	VM1704 module.js:512
  tryModuleLoad	@	VM1704 module.js:471
  Module._load	@	VM1704 module.js:463
  Module.require	@	VM1704 module.js:522
  require	@	VM1705 module.js:20
  self.require	@	VM1758:11
  (anonymous function)	@	mainpage_renderer.js:15

[noviwiden]

It seems as if you can’t re-require native modules (.node files) in Node.js. Can it be related to this?

https://nodejs.org/dist/latest-v8.x/docs/api/modules.html#modules_require_cache https://github.com/nodejs/node/issues/6160 https://github.com/nodejs/node/issues/5016

I have the same problem, and worked around it for now by initializing the native module only in Node context, and then exposing it to the browser context via global. Only the browser context get reloaded on navigator.reload(). This solution only works without --mixed-context though, as far as I can see.

[rogerwang]

It should be a bug. Will look to fix it soon.