diff --git a/docs/fiddles/system/protocol-handler/launch-app-from-URL-in-another-app/index.html b/docs/fiddles/system/protocol-handler/launch-app-from-URL-in-another-app/index.html index 1c89c4ce49b1..a3ddd1b933fc 100644 --- a/docs/fiddles/system/protocol-handler/launch-app-from-URL-in-another-app/index.html +++ b/docs/fiddles/system/protocol-handler/launch-app-from-URL-in-another-app/index.html @@ -1,92 +1,81 @@ - - - Hello World! - + + + + + + + app.setAsDefaultProtocol Demo + + -
-
-

- Protocol Handler -

-

The app module provides methods for handling protocols.

-

These methods allow you to set and unset the protocols your app should be the default app for. Similar to when a browser asks to be your default for viewing web pages.

+

App Default Protocol Demo

-

Open the full app API documentation(opens in new window) in your browser.

-
+

The protocol API allows us to register a custom protocol and intercept existing protocol requests.

+

These methods allow you to set and unset the protocols your app should be the default app for. Similar to when a + browser asks to be your default for viewing web pages.

-
- - -
-

You can set your app as the default app to open for a specific protocol. For instance, in this demo we set this app as the default for electron-api-demos://. The demo button above will launch a page in your default browser with a link. Click that link and it will re-launch this app.

-
Packaging
-

This feature will only work on macOS when your app is packaged. It will not work when you're launching it in development from the command-line. When you package your app you'll need to make sure the macOS plist for the app is updated to include the new protocol handler. If you're using electron-packager then you can add the flag --extend-info with a path to the plist you've created. The one for this app is below.

-
Renderer Process
- 

-            const {shell} = require('electron')
-            const path = require('path')
-            const protocolHandlerBtn = document.getElementById('protocol-handler')
-            protocolHandlerBtn.addEventListener('click', () => {
-                const pageDirectory = __dirname.replace('app.asar', 'app.asar.unpacked')
-                const pagePath = path.join('file://', pageDirectory, '../../sections/system/protocol-link.html')
-                shell.openExternal(pagePath)
-            })
-
-
Main Process
- 

-            const {app, dialog} = require('electron')
-            const path = require('path')
+  
Open the full protocol API documentation in your
+    browser.

 
-            if (process.defaultApp) {
-                if (process.argv.length >= 2) {
-                    app.setAsDefaultProtocolClient('electron-api-demos', process.execPath, [path.resolve(process.argv[1])])
-                }
-            } else {
-                app.setAsDefaultProtocolClient('electron-api-demos')
-            }
+  -----
 
-            app.on('open-url', (event, url) => {
-                dialog.showErrorBox('Welcome Back', `You arrived from: ${url}`)
-            })
+  
Demo

+  

+    First: Launch current page in browser
+    
+  

 
-
-
macOS plist
- 

-            
-                
-                    
-                        
-                            CFBundleURLTypes
-                            
-                                
-                                    CFBundleURLSchemes
-                                    
-                                        electron-api-demos
-                                    
-                                    CFBundleURLName
-                                    Electron API Demos Protocol
-                                
-                            
-                            ElectronTeamID
-                            VEKTX9H2N7
-                        
-                    
-                
-
-
-
- -
+

+ Then: Launch the app from a web link! + Click here to launch the app +

+ + ---- + +

You can set your app as the default app to open for a specific protocol. For instance, in this demo we set this app + as the default for electron-fiddle://. The demo button above will launch a page in your default + browser with a link. Click that link and it will re-launch this app.

+ + +

Packaging

+

This feature will only work on macOS when your app is packaged. It will not work when you're launching it in + development from the command-line. When you package your app you'll need to make sure the macOS plist + for the app is updated to include the new protocol handler. If you're using electron-packager then you + can add the flag --extend-info with a path to the plist you've created. The one for this + app is below:

+ +

+

macOS plist
+ 

+    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+    <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
+            <plist version="1.0">
+                <dict>
+                    <key>CFBundleURLTypes</key>
+                    <array>
+                        <dict>
+                            <key>CFBundleURLSchemes</key>
+                            <array>
+                                <string>electron-api-demos</string>
+                            </array>
+                            <key>CFBundleURLName</key>
+                            <string>Electron API Demos Protocol</string>
+                        </dict>
+                    </array>
+                    <key>ElectronTeamID</key>
+                    <string>VEKTX9H2N7</string>
+                </dict>
+            </plist>
+        
+
+

+ + + - - - + \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/docs/fiddles/system/protocol-handler/launch-app-from-URL-in-another-app/main.js b/docs/fiddles/system/protocol-handler/launch-app-from-URL-in-another-app/main.js index fe3918e6a1a7..0dd559ef397b 100644 --- a/docs/fiddles/system/protocol-handler/launch-app-from-URL-in-another-app/main.js +++ b/docs/fiddles/system/protocol-handler/launch-app-from-URL-in-another-app/main.js @@ -1,10 +1,39 @@ // Modules to control application life and create native browser window -const { app, BrowserWindow, dialog } = require('electron') +const { app, BrowserWindow, ipcMain, shell } = require('electron') const path = require('path') -// Keep a global reference of the window object, if you don't, the window will -// be closed automatically when the JavaScript object is garbage collected. -let mainWindow +let mainWindow; + +if (process.defaultApp) { + if (process.argv.length >= 2) { + app.setAsDefaultProtocolClient('electron-fiddle', process.execPath, [path.resolve(process.argv[1])]) + } +} else { + app.setAsDefaultProtocolClient('electron-fiddle') +} + +const gotTheLock = app.requestSingleInstanceLock() + +if (!gotTheLock) { + app.quit() +} else { + app.on('second-instance', (event, commandLine, workingDirectory) => { + // Someone tried to run a second instance, we should focus our window. + if (mainWindow) { + if (mainWindow.isMinimized()) mainWindow.restore() + mainWindow.focus() + } + }) + + // Create mainWindow, load the rest of the app, etc... + app.whenReady().then(() => { + createWindow() + }) + + app.on('open-url', (event, url) => { + dialog.showErrorBox('Welcome Back', `You arrived from: ${url}`) + }) +} function createWindow () { // Create the browser window. @@ -12,58 +41,23 @@ function createWindow () { width: 800, height: 600, webPreferences: { - nodeIntegration: true + preload: path.join(__dirname, 'preload.js'), } }) - // and load the index.html of the app. mainWindow.loadFile('index.html') - - // Open the DevTools. - mainWindow.webContents.openDevTools() - - // Emitted when the window is closed. - mainWindow.on('closed', function () { - // Dereference the window object, usually you would store windows - // in an array if your app supports multi windows, this is the time - // when you should delete the corresponding element. - mainWindow = null - }) } -// This method will be called when Electron has finished -// initialization and is ready to create browser windows. -// Some APIs can only be used after this event occurs. -app.whenReady().then(createWindow) - -// Quit when all windows are closed. +// Quit when all windows are closed, except on macOS. There, it's common +// for applications and their menu bar to stay active until the user quits +// explicitly with Cmd + Q. app.on('window-all-closed', function () { - // On macOS it is common for applications and their menu bar - // to stay active until the user quits explicitly with Cmd + Q - if (process.platform !== 'darwin') { - app.quit() - } + if (process.platform !== 'darwin') app.quit() }) -app.on('activate', function () { - // On macOS it is common to re-create a window in the app when the - // dock icon is clicked and there are no other windows open. - if (mainWindow === null) { - createWindow() - } -}) - -// In this file you can include the rest of your app's specific main process -// code. You can also put them in separate files and require them here. - -if (process.defaultApp) { - if (process.argv.length >= 2) { - app.setAsDefaultProtocolClient('electron-api-demos', process.execPath, [path.resolve(process.argv[1])]) - } -} else { - app.setAsDefaultProtocolClient('electron-api-demos') -} - -app.on('open-url', (event, url) => { - dialog.showErrorBox('Welcome Back', `You arrived from: ${url}`) +// Handle window controls via IPC +ipcMain.on('shell:open', () => { + const pageDirectory = __dirname.replace('app.asar', 'app.asar.unpacked') + const pagePath = path.join('file://', pageDirectory, 'index.html') + shell.openExternal(pagePath) }) diff --git a/docs/fiddles/system/protocol-handler/launch-app-from-URL-in-another-app/preload.js b/docs/fiddles/system/protocol-handler/launch-app-from-URL-in-another-app/preload.js new file mode 100644 index 000000000000..1eebf784ad67 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/fiddles/system/protocol-handler/launch-app-from-URL-in-another-app/preload.js @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +// All of the Node.js APIs are available in the preload process. +// It has the same sandbox as a Chrome extension. +const { contextBridge, ipcRenderer } = require('electron') + +// Set up context bridge between the renderer process and the main process +contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld( + 'shell', + { + open: () => ipcRenderer.send('shell:open'), + } +) \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/docs/fiddles/system/protocol-handler/launch-app-from-URL-in-another-app/renderer.js b/docs/fiddles/system/protocol-handler/launch-app-from-URL-in-another-app/renderer.js index 8aa314d3c2c0..525f25ff2e76 100644 --- a/docs/fiddles/system/protocol-handler/launch-app-from-URL-in-another-app/renderer.js +++ b/docs/fiddles/system/protocol-handler/launch-app-from-URL-in-another-app/renderer.js @@ -1,14 +1,8 @@ -const { shell } = require('electron') -const path = require('path') +// This file is required by the index.html file and will +// be executed in the renderer process for that window. +// All APIs exposed by the context bridge are available here. -const openInBrowserButton = document.getElementById('open-in-browser') -const openAppLink = document.getElementById('open-app-link') -// Hides openAppLink when loaded inside Electron -openAppLink.style.display = 'none' - -openInBrowserButton.addEventListener('click', () => { - console.log('clicked') - const pageDirectory = __dirname.replace('app.asar', 'app.asar.unpacked') - const pagePath = path.join('file://', pageDirectory, 'index.html') - shell.openExternal(pagePath) -}) +// Binds the buttons to the context bridge API. +document.getElementById('open-in-browser').addEventListener('click', () => { + shell.open(); +}); \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/docs/tutorial/launch-app-from-url-in-another-app.md b/docs/tutorial/launch-app-from-url-in-another-app.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000000..f8f44e42b21f --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/tutorial/launch-app-from-url-in-another-app.md @@ -0,0 +1,175 @@ +--- +title: launch-app-from-URL-in-another-app +description: This guide will take you through the process of setting your electron app as the default handler for a specific protocol. +slug: launch-app-from-url-in-another-app +hide_title: true +--- + +# Launching Your Electron App From A URL In Another App + +## Overview + + + +This guide will take you through the process of setting your electron app as the default +handler for a specific [protocol](https://www.electronjs.org/docs/api/protocol). + +By the end of this tutorial, we will have set our app to intercept and handle +any clicked URLs that start with a specific protocol. In this guide, the protocol +we will use will be "`electron-fiddle://`". + +## Examples + +### Main Process (main.js) + +First we will import the required modules from `electron`. These modules help control our application life and create a native browser window. + +```js +const { app, BrowserWindow, shell } = require('electron') +const path = require('path') +``` + +Next, we will proceed to register our application to handle all "`electron-fiddle://`" protocols. + +```js +if (process.defaultApp) { + if (process.argv.length >= 2) { + app.setAsDefaultProtocolClient('electron-fiddle', process.execPath, [path.resolve(process.argv[1])]) + } +} else { + app.setAsDefaultProtocolClient('electron-fiddle') +} +``` + +We will now define the function in charge of creating our browser window and load our application's `index.html` file. + +```js +function createWindow () { + // Create the browser window. + mainWindow = new BrowserWindow({ + width: 800, + height: 600, + webPreferences: { + preload: path.join(__dirname, 'preload.js') + } + }) + + mainWindow.loadFile('index.html') +} +``` + +In this next step, we will create our `BrowserWindow` and tell our application how to handle an event in which an external protocol is clicked. + +This code will be different in WindowsOS compared to MacOS and Linux. This is due to Windows requiring additional code in order to open the contents of the protocol link within the same electron instance. Read more about this [here](https://www.electronjs.org/docs/api/app#apprequestsingleinstancelock). + +### Windows code: + +```js +const gotTheLock = app.requestSingleInstanceLock() + +if (!gotTheLock) { + app.quit() +} else { + app.on('second-instance', (event, commandLine, workingDirectory) => { + // Someone tried to run a second instance, we should focus our window. + if (mainWindow) { + if (mainWindow.isMinimized()) mainWindow.restore() + mainWindow.focus() + } + }) + + // Create mainWindow, load the rest of the app, etc... + app.whenReady().then(() => { + createWindow() + }) + + // handling the protocol. In this case, we choose to show an Error Box. + app.on('open-url', (event, url) => { + dialog.showErrorBox('Welcome Back', `You arrived from: ${url}`) + }) +} +``` + +### MacOS and Linux code: + +```js +// This method will be called when Electron has finished +// initialization and is ready to create browser windows. +// Some APIs can only be used after this event occurs. +app.whenReady().then(() => { + createWindow() +}) + +// handling the protocol. In this case, we choose to show an Error Box. +app.on('open-url', (event, url) => { + dialog.showErrorBox('Welcome Back', `You arrived from: ${url}`) +}) +``` + +Finally, we will add some additional code to handle when someone closes our application + +```js +// Quit when all windows are closed, except on macOS. There, it's common +// for applications and their menu bar to stay active until the user quits +// explicitly with Cmd + Q. +app.on('window-all-closed', function () { + if (process.platform !== 'darwin') app.quit() +}) +``` + +## Important Note: + +### Packaging + +This feature will only work on macOS when your app is packaged. It will not work when you're launching it in development from the command-line. When you package your app you'll need to make sure the macOS `plist` for the app is updated to include the new protocol handler. If you're using [`electron-packager`](https://github.com/electron/electron-packager) then you +can add the flag `--extend-info` with a path to the `plist` you've created. The one for this app is below: + +### Plist + +```XML +

+

macOS plist
+ 

+    
+        
+            
+                
+                    CFBundleURLTypes
+                    
+                        
+                            CFBundleURLSchemes
+                            
+                                electron-api-demos
+                            
+                            CFBundleURLName
+                            Electron API Demos Protocol
+                        
+                    
+                    ElectronTeamID
+                    VEKTX9H2N7
+                
+            
+        
+
+

+``` + +## Conclusion + +After you start your electron app, you can now enter in a URL in your browser that contains the custom protocol, for example `"electron-fiddle://open"` and observe that the application will respond and show an error dialog box. + + + +```fiddle docs/fiddles/system/protocol-handler/launch-app-from-url-in-another-app + +``` + +