# webContents `webContents` is an [EventEmitter](http://nodejs.org/api/events.html#events_class_events_eventemitter). It is responsible for rendering and controlling a web page and is a property of the [`BrowserWindow`](browser-window.md) object. An example of accessing the `webContents` object: ```javascript var BrowserWindow = require('browser-window'); var win = new BrowserWindow({width: 800, height: 1500}); win.loadUrl("http://github.com"); var webContents = win.webContents; ``` ## Events The `webContents` object emits the following events: ### Event: 'did-finish-load' Emitted when the navigation is done, i.e. the spinner of the tab has stopped spinning, and the `onload` event was dispatched. ### Event: 'did-fail-load' Returns: * `event` Event * `errorCode` Integer * `errorDescription` String * `validatedUrl` String This event is like `did-finish-load` but emitted when the load failed or was cancelled, e.g. `window.stop()` is invoked. ### Event: 'did-frame-finish-load' Returns: * `event` Event * `isMainFrame` Boolean Emitted when a frame has done navigation. ### Event: 'did-start-loading' Corresponds to the points in time when the spinner of the tab started spinning. ### Event: 'did-stop-loading' Corresponds to the points in time when the spinner of the tab stopped spinning. ### Event: 'did-get-response-details' Returns: * `event` Event * `status` Boolean * `newUrl` String * `originalUrl` String * `httpResponseCode` Integer * `requestMethod` String * `referrer` String * `headers` Object Emitted when details regarding a requested resource are available. `status` indicates the socket connection to download the resource. ### Event: 'did-get-redirect-request' Returns: * `event` Event * `oldUrl` String * `newUrl` String * `isMainFrame` Boolean * `httpResponseCode` Integer * `requestMethod` String * `referrer` String * `headers` Object Emitted when a redirect is received while requesting a resource. ### Event: 'dom-ready' Returns: * `event` Event Emitted when the document in the given frame is loaded. ### Event: 'page-favicon-updated' Returns: * `event` Event * `favicons` Array - Array of Urls Emitted when page receives favicon urls. ### Event: 'new-window' Returns: * `event` Event * `url` String * `frameName` String * `disposition` String - Can be `default`, `foreground-tab`, `background-tab`, `new-window` and `other`. * `options` Object - The options which will be used for creating the new `BrowserWindow`. Emitted when the page requests to open a new window for a `url`. It could be requested by `window.open` or an external link like ``. By default a new `BrowserWindow` will be created for the `url`. Calling `event.preventDefault()` will prevent creating new windows. ### Event: 'will-navigate' Returns: * `event` Event * `url` String Emitted when a user or the page wants to start navigation. It can happen when the `window.location` object is changed or a user clicks a link in the page. This event will not emit when the navigation is started programmatically with APIs like `webContents.loadUrl` and `webContents.back`. Calling `event.preventDefault()` will prevent the navigation. ### Event: 'crashed' Emitted when the renderer process has crashed. ### Event: 'plugin-crashed' Returns: * `event` Event * `name` String * `version` String Emitted when a plugin process has crashed. ### Event: 'destroyed' Emitted when `webContents` is destroyed. ## Instance Methods The `webContents` object has the following instance methods: ### `webContents.session` Returns the `session` object used by this webContents. See [session documentation](session.md) for this object's methods. ### `webContents.loadUrl(url[, options])` * `url` URL * `options` Object (optional), properties: * `httpReferrer` String - A HTTP Referrer url. * `userAgent` String - A user agent originating the request. Loads the `url` in the window, the `url` must contain the protocol prefix, e.g. the `http://` or `file://`. ### `webContents.getUrl()` ```javascript var BrowserWindow = require('browser-window'); var win = new BrowserWindow({width: 800, height: 600}); win.loadUrl("http://github.com"); var currentUrl = win.webContents.getUrl(); ``` Returns URL of the current web page. ### `webContents.getTitle()` Returns the title of the current web page. ### `webContents.isLoading()` Returns whether web page is still loading resources. ### `webContents.isWaitingForResponse()` Returns whether the web page is waiting for a first-response from the main resource of the page. ### `webContents.stop()` Stops any pending navigation. ### `webContents.reload()` Reloads the current web page. ### `webContents.reloadIgnoringCache()` Reloads current page and ignores cache. ### `webContents.canGoBack()` Returns whether the browser can go back to previous web page. ### `webContents.canGoForward()` Returns whether the browser can go forward to next web page. ### `webContents.canGoToOffset(offset)` * `offset` Integer Returns whether the web page can go to `offset`. ### `webContents.clearHistory()` Clears the navigation history. ### `webContents.goBack()` Makes the browser go back a web page. ### `webContents.goForward()` Makes the browser go forward a web page. ### `webContents.goToIndex(index)` * `index` Integer Navigates browser to the specified absolute web page index. ### `webContents.goToOffset(offset)` * `offset` Integer Navigates to the specified offset from the "current entry". ### `webContents.isCrashed()` Whether the renderer process has crashed. ### `webContents.setUserAgent(userAgent)` * `userAgent` String Overrides the user agent for this web page. ### `webContents.getUserAgent()` Returns a `String` representing the user agent for this web page. ### `webContents.insertCSS(css)` * `css` String Injects CSS into the current web page. ### `webContents.executeJavaScript(code[, userGesture])` * `code` String * `userGesture` Boolean (optional) Evaluates `code` in page. In the browser window some HTML APIs like `requestFullScreen` can only be invoked by a gesture from the user. Setting `userGesture` to `true` will remove this limitation. ### `webContents.setAudioMuted(muted)` + `muted` Boolean Mute the audio on the current web page. ### `webContents.isAudioMuted()` Returns whether this page has been muted. ### `webContents.undo()` Executes the editing command `undo` in web page. ### `webContents.redo()` Executes the editing command `redo` in web page. ### `webContents.cut()` Executes the editing command `cut` in web page. ### `webContents.copy()` Executes the editing command `copy` in web page. ### `webContents.paste()` Executes the editing command `paste` in web page. ### `webContents.pasteAndMatchStyle()` Executes the editing command `pasteAndMatchStyle` in web page. ### `webContents.delete()` Executes the editing command `delete` in web page. ### `webContents.selectAll()` Executes the editing command `selectAll` in web page. ### `webContents.unselect()` Executes the editing command `unselect` in web page. ### `webContents.replace(text)` * `text` String Executes the editing command `replace` in web page. ### `webContents.replaceMisspelling(text)` * `text` String Executes the editing command `replaceMisspelling` in web page. ### `webContents.hasServiceWorker(callback)` * `callback` Function Checks if any ServiceWorker is registered and returns a boolean as response to `callback`. ### `webContents.unregisterServiceWorker(callback)` * `callback` Function Unregisters any ServiceWorker if present and returns a boolean as response to `callback` when the JS promise is fulfilled or false when the JS promise is rejected. ### `webContents.print([options])` `options` Object (optional), properties: * `silent` Boolean - Don't ask user for print settings, defaults to `false` * `printBackground` Boolean - Also prints the background color and image of the web page, defaults to `false`. Prints window's web page. When `silent` is set to `false`, Electron will pick up system's default printer and default settings for printing. Calling `window.print()` in web page is equivalent to calling `webContents.print({silent: false, printBackground: false})`. **Note:** On Windows, the print API relies on `pdf.dll`. If your application doesn't need the print feature, you can safely remove `pdf.dll` to reduce binary size. ### `webContents.printToPDF(options, callback)` `options` Object, properties: * `marginsType` Integer - Specify the type of margins to use * 0 - default * 1 - none * 2 - minimum * `pageSize` String - Specify page size of the generated PDF. * `A4` * `A3` * `Legal` * `Letter` * `Tabloid` * `printBackground` Boolean - Whether to print CSS backgrounds. * `printSelectionOnly` Boolean - Whether to print selection only. * `landscape` Boolean - `true` for landscape, `false` for portrait. `callback` Function - `function(error, data) {}` * `error` Error * `data` Buffer - PDF file content. Prints window's web page as PDF with Chromium's preview printing custom settings. By default, an empty `options` will be regarded as: ```javascript { marginsType: 0, printBackground: false, printSelectionOnly: false, landscape: false } ``` ```javascript var BrowserWindow = require('browser-window'); var fs = require('fs'); var win = new BrowserWindow({width: 800, height: 600}); win.loadUrl("http://github.com"); win.webContents.on("did-finish-load", function() { // Use default printing options win.webContents.printToPDF({}, function(error, data) { if (error) throw error; fs.writeFile("/tmp/print.pdf", data, function(error) { if (error) throw error; console.log("Write PDF successfully."); }) }) }); ``` ### `webContents.addWorkSpace(path)` * `path` String Adds the specified path to DevTools workspace. ### `webContents.removeWorkSpace(path)` * `path` String Removes the specified path from DevTools workspace. ### `webContents.send(channel[, args...])` * `channel` String * `args...` (optional) Send `args...` to the web page via `channel` in an asynchronous message, the web page can handle it by listening to the `channel` event of the `ipc` module. An example of sending messages from the main process to the renderer process: ```javascript // In the main process. var window = null; app.on('ready', function() { window = new BrowserWindow({width: 800, height: 600}); window.loadUrl('file://' + __dirname + '/index.html'); window.webContents.on('did-finish-load', function() { window.webContents.send('ping', 'whoooooooh!'); }); }); ``` ```html ``` **Note:** 1. The IPC message handler in web pages does not have an `event` parameter, which is different from the handlers in the main process. 2. There is no way to send synchronous messages from the main process to a renderer process, because it would be very easy to cause dead locks. ### `webContents.enableDeviceEmulation(parameters)` `parameters` Object, properties: * `screenPosition` String - Specify the screen type to emulate (default: `desktop`) * `desktop` * `mobile` * `screenSize` Object - Set the emulated screen size (screenPosition == mobile) * `width` Integer - Set the emulated screen width * `height` Integer - Set the emulated screen height * `viewPosition` Object - Position the view on the screen (screenPosition == mobile) (default: `{x: 0, y: 0}`) * `x` Integer - Set the x axis offset from top left corner * `y` Integer - Set the y axis offset from top left corner * `deviceScaleFactor` Integer - Set the device scale factor (if zero defaults to original device scale factor) (default: `0`) * `viewSize` Object - Set the emulated view size (empty means no override) * `width` Integer - Set the emulated view width * `height` Integer - Set the emulated view height * `fitToView` Boolean - Whether emulated view should be scaled down if necessary to fit into available space (default: `false`) * `offset` Object - Offset of the emulated view inside available space (not in fit to view mode) (default: `{x: 0, y: 0}`) * `x` Float - Set the x axis offset from top left corner * `y` Float - Set the y axis offset from top left corner * `scale` Float - Scale of emulated view inside available space (not in fit to view mode) (default: `1`) Enable device emulation with the given parameters. ### `webContents.disableDeviceEmulation()` Disable device emulation enabled by `webContents.enableDeviceEmulation`. ### `webContents.sendInputEvent(event)` * `event` Object * `type` String (**required**) - The type of the event, can be `mouseDown`, `mouseUp`, `mouseEnter`, `mouseLeave`, `contextMenu`, `mouseWheel`, `keyDown`, `keyUp`, `char`. * `modifiers` Array - An array of modifiers of the event, can include `shift`, `control`, `alt`, `meta`, `isKeypad`, `isAutoRepeat`, `leftButtonDown`, `middleButtonDown`, `rightButtonDown`, `capsLock`, `numLock`, `left`, `right`. Sends an input `event` to the page. For keyboard events, the `event` object also have following properties: * `keyCode` String (**required**) - A single character that will be sent as keyboard event. Can be any UTF-8 character. For mouse events, the `event` object also have following properties: * `x` Integer (**required**) * `y` Integer (**required**) * `button` String - The button pressed, can be `left`, `middle`, `right` * `globalX` Integer * `globalY` Integer * `movementX` Integer * `movementY` Integer * `clickCount` Integer For the `mouseWheel` event, the `event` object also have following properties: * `deltaX` Integer * `deltaY` Integer * `wheelTicksX` Integer * `wheelTicksY` Integer * `accelerationRatioX` Integer * `accelerationRatioY` Integer * `hasPreciseScrollingDeltas` Boolean * `canScroll` Boolean ### `webContents.beginFrameSubscription(callback)` * `callback` Function Begin subscribing for presentation events and captured frames, the `callback` will be called with `callback(frameBuffer)` when there is a presentation event. The `frameBuffer` is a `Buffer` that contains raw pixel data, in the format of 32bit ARGB. ### `webContents.endFrameSubscription()` End subscribing for frame presentation events.