A crossplatform way to create file associations #409

sunabozu · 2016-05-16T09:18:06Z

There are the extend-info option and installer.nsi.tpl template that allow you to create file association on OS X and Windows separately, but from the application's perspective it's the same thing. Can we have a metadata field in package.json for describing file extensions we are interested in? It might look like this:

"build": {
  ...
  "file-associations": "txt|xyz|pdf"
}

Then it could be translated to specific entries in Info.plist and installer.nsi.tpl respectively. It would be very handy.

The text was updated successfully, but these errors were encountered:

develar · 2016-05-17T06:43:09Z

We don't use NSIS installer anymore.

And Squirrel.Windows is a pathetic parody (sorry, sorry, I am really sorry, but to be honest — it is true) to OS X app. Much better than NSIS and other windows installers, but still just a pathetic parody.

So, Squirrel.Windows doesn't support declarative way to create shortcuts or file associations. It is your responsibility in your app code to setup it during first run (or on update — events --squirrel-install or --squirrel-updated). First google result — https://www.npmjs.com/package/windows-registry (I didn't check, just google).

We are not commercial organization, so, I am not going to fix Squirrel.Windows in my free time. It is relatively easy to fix, though (we DO already our own fork to fix some obvious things, but I want to touch windows code only when it is really needed).

I see two ways to fix it:

Magic app wrapper. i.e. you will be forced to use some framework. Don't like it.
Info.json in the setup package. Before call --squirrel-install or --squirrel-updated handlers, we read descriptor and perform required actions. Yep — it is very easy to implement.

If you want to help — https://github.com/develar/Squirrel.Windows/tree/build (main branch is build). Sorry, I am not going to do it. No time. And no pleasure to touch dead *** windows.

sunabozu · 2016-05-17T08:01:34Z

Thank you for a such detailed explanation. I'll try to handle it in the application itself.

develar · 2016-07-11T09:37:06Z

Since NSIS outperforms Squirrel.Windows in all aspects, issue is reopened and will be implemented. For NSIS only. Because once #529 will be implemented, NSIS will be set as default windows target.

#563

develar · 2016-07-11T09:38:19Z

@sunabozu Your confirmation that file associations are the same for both platforms (example of your config) is very appreciated.

Part of electron-userland#409 Close electron-userland#563

rwlnd · 2016-08-05T16:00:04Z

Following up on this, it would be nice if you could supply an image/icon for the file association in the build config.

develar · 2016-08-05T17:28:37Z

@rwlnd mac or win?

rwlnd · 2016-08-08T08:03:02Z

@develar - I'm sure it can be done on win , not sure about mac as I don't use that actively
The process to add an icon for a file association is descrbed in this stackoverflow

Right click the new key and create a subkey DefaultIcon.
Set the new key's default value to C:\Some\Path\To\Your\Icon\Ressource.ico,0 (the 0 is the index of the icon to be used; if there's only one icon in the ressource, it has to be 0).

develar · 2016-08-08T08:13:09Z

Windows — we should use http://nsis.sourceforge.net/FileAssoc instead of current implementation to specify icon.

develar · 2016-08-16T06:52:30Z

@rwlnd next version (5.28.0): just create ext.ico in the build directory (where ext is your ext). Or set icon (relative to build).

sfraise · 2016-08-18T05:36:40Z

Is this supposed to be working in the current build now?

I tried the following but didn't seem to work.
"build": {
"fileAssociations": {
"ext": "myext",
"name": "MYEXT"
}

develar · 2016-08-18T10:21:18Z

@sfraise Yes. Please specify target OS and targets (nsis — boring or one-click, per-machine or not. Currently tested only for per-machine. Not per current user.

sfraise · 2016-08-18T15:53:01Z

@develar Thanks, I wasnt setting perMachine: true, all is golden now. Very very very awesome!

sfraise · 2016-08-26T12:17:46Z

This doesn't seem to work on Macs?

develar · 2016-08-26T12:48:08Z

@sfraise Planned to implemented. Currently, I am very busy :) Cannot promise. Is it critical for you?

sfraise · 2016-08-26T12:52:49Z

It is kind of, app goes to client Monday. Primary device will be surface pro 3's so the windows installer is the most important but some will be using macs so has to be an option.

Is there anything I can do to help out?

develar · 2016-08-26T13:00:50Z

Is there anything I can do to help out?

Well, you always can use extend-info (#397) Ok, I increase priority.

sfraise · 2016-08-26T13:09:28Z

If I have to I can try to manually add the association to the plist but your implementation is a heck of a lot more simple lol. Do you have a rough idea on when you'll have a chance to get to it?

develar · 2016-08-26T16:31:17Z

Do you have a rough idea on when you'll have a chance to get to it?

2 days.

sfraise · 2016-08-26T16:51:04Z

Perfect, I really appreciate it.

sfraise · 2016-08-29T05:33:42Z

Hey Develar, we hand this app over to the client in about 7 hours so just wanted to see if you had a chance to do any more with the Mac implementation? I'm sure we'll be pushing out a revision soon anyway but just wanted to see if we might still be able to sneak this into this initial release.

develar · 2016-08-29T06:06:43Z

@sfraise Will be pushed in 10-20 minutes after test. And published after push in 10 minutes.

develar · 2016-08-29T06:38:51Z

If Linux is required for you — feel free to file new issue about it. Currently, no short-term plans to add file associations for Linux and new issue about it will be an indicator of interest. In the original description stated only "allow you to create file association on OS X and Windows separately".

Custom icon files for macOS is not yet copied correctly — will be fixed in the next patch release (please note — defaults to application icon in any case).

sfraise · 2016-08-29T07:04:04Z

Sweet, you rock @develar!

sfraise · 2016-08-29T10:45:58Z

I'm getting an error trying to build on windows now when setting perMachine: true in the package.json file, any ideas?

develar · 2016-08-29T14:45:27Z

@sfraise It seems that you also set oneClick to false. Such combination was not initially supported and so, not tested (no tests at all). #700

sfraise · 2016-08-29T15:34:13Z

No, I have oneClick: true set

develar · 2016-08-29T15:36:52Z

@sfraise Please try 6.3.0 and if you still get error, please file new issue with error message

sfraise · 2016-08-29T21:09:18Z

no joy

sfraise · 2016-08-29T21:19:53Z

Fyi I'm using the szwacz electron boilerplate but wouldn't think that should matter? Here's my full package.json...

{
  "build": {
    "appId": "com.elite.planner",
    "app-category-type": "public.app-category.business",
    "win": {
      "target": [
        "nsis"
      ],
      "icon": "resources/windows/icon.ico"
    },
    "nsis": {
      "oneClick": true,
      "installerHeaderIcon": "resources/windows/setup-icon.ico"
    },
    "mac": {
      "icon": "resources/osx/icon.icns"
    },
    "dmg": {
      "target": [
        "nsis"
      ],
      "icon": "resources/osx/dmg-icon.icns",
      "background": "resources/osx/dmg-background.png"
    },
    "fileAssociations": {
      "ext": "elite",
      "name": "ELITE"
    }
  },
  "directories": {
    "buildResources": "resources"
  },
  "scripts": {
    "postinstall": "install-app-deps",
    "build": "gulp build",
    "prerelease": "gulp build --env=production",
    "release": "build --x64 --publish never",
    "start": "gulp start",
    "pretest": "gulp build-unit --env=test",
    "test": "electron-mocha app/specs.js.autogenerated --renderer --require source-map-support/register",
    "pree2e": "gulp build-e2e --env=test",
    "e2e": "mocha app/e2e.js.autogenerated --require source-map-support/register"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "chai": "^3.5.0",
    "electron": "1.3.3",
    "electron-builder": "^6.3.0",
    "electron-mocha": "^3.0.0",
    "fs-jetpack": "^0.9.0",
    "gulp": "^3.9.0",
    "gulp-batch": "^1.0.5",
    "gulp-less": "^3.0.3",
    "gulp-plumber": "^1.1.0",
    "gulp-util": "^3.0.6",
    "gulp-watch": "^4.3.5",
    "mocha": "^3.0.2",
    "rollup": "^0.34.7",
    "source-map-support": "^0.4.2",
    "spectron": "^3.3.0",
    "yargs": "^4.2.0"
  }
}

sfraise · 2016-08-29T21:32:17Z

If I put quotes around the true value (ie. "perMachine": "true") the build doesn't fail, haven't verified that the file association is working that way though yet. We shouldn't have to wrap a true/false value in quotes here correct?

develar · 2016-08-30T06:34:08Z

We shouldn't have to wrap a true/false value in quotes here correct?

Yes, must be not wrapped. Please file new issue and attach build log. Without error message I cannot help you.

sfraise · 2016-08-30T16:15:56Z

Well that seems to also be a problem, I was going to copy the npm-debug.log last night with the other stuff but for some reason its not writing it which is strange because it was before if a build failed. In my ide there is a blank spot where a file should be but no file.

Here's a screen shot of the error I get in the command line:

Just out of curiosity I set up a fresh new project and electron boilerplate install and got the same thing. Does electron builder use Visual Studio assets to actually do the build and could it be some issue with my VS setup?

develar · 2016-08-30T16:27:19Z

@sfraise Please create separate issue — please don't mix.

Just out of curiosity I set up a fresh new project and electron boilerplate install and got the same thing.

Please create new separate issue and attach sample project, I will test it.

sfraise · 2016-08-31T23:17:43Z

See new issue #715

develar closed this as completed May 17, 2016

develar added feature wontfix backlog windows and removed wontfix labels May 17, 2016

develar mentioned this issue May 19, 2016

Updated require for electron app. mongodb-js/electron-squirrel-startup#3

Merged

develar removed the backlog label Jul 11, 2016

develar reopened this Jul 11, 2016

develar removed the windows label Jul 18, 2016

develar added a commit to develar/electron-builder that referenced this issue Jul 18, 2016

feat: file associations

fd1e7da

Part of electron-userland#409 Close electron-userland#563

develar added a commit to develar/electron-builder that referenced this issue Aug 16, 2016

feat(nsis): custom icon for file association electron-userland#409

09497cc

develar closed this as completed in f8840e1 Aug 29, 2016

dependabot-preview bot mentioned this issue Mar 14, 2018

Bump electron-builder from 19.55.2 to 20.5.1 qcif/data-curator#563

Open

0916dhkim mentioned this issue Mar 15, 2020

Add File Association For Bookery Files 0916dhkim/bookery#55

Closed

icewolfz mentioned this issue Oct 15, 2022

Code editor: jumplist recent files icewolfz/jiMUD#185

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Omrisnyk mentioned this issue Sep 6, 2024

[Snyk] Security upgrade electron-updater from 4.0.6 to 6.3.0 Omrisnyk/trinity-wallet#88

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A crossplatform way to create file associations #409

A crossplatform way to create file associations #409

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A crossplatform way to create file associations #409

A crossplatform way to create file associations #409

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