electron/docs/api/shell.md

shell

Manage files and URLs using their default applications.

The shell module provides functions related to desktop integration.

An example of opening a URL in the user's default browser:

const {shell} = require('electron')

shell.openExternal('https://github.com')

Methods

The shell module has the following methods:

shell.showItemInFolder(fullPath)

• fullPath String

Returns Boolean - Whether the item was successfully shown

Show the given file in a file manager. If possible, select the file.

shell.openItem(fullPath)

• fullPath String

Returns Boolean - Whether the item was successfully opened.

Open the given file in the desktop's default manner.

shell.openExternal(url[, options])

• url String
• options Object (optional) macOS
  • activate Boolean - true to bring the opened application to the foreground. The default is true.

Returns Boolean - Whether an application was available to open the URL.

Open the given external protocol URL in the desktop's default manner. (For example, mailto: URLs in the user's default mail agent).

shell.moveItemToTrash(fullPath)

• fullPath String

Returns Boolean - Whether the item was successfully moved to the trash

Move the given file to trash and returns a boolean status for the operation.

shell.beep()

Play the beep sound.

shell.writeShortcutLink(shortcutPath[, operation], options) Windows

• shortcutPath String
• operation String (optional) - Default is create, can be one of following:
  • create - Creates a new shortcut, overwriting if necessary.
  • update - Updates specified properties only on an existing shortcut.
  • replace - Overwrites an existing shortcut, fails if the shortcut doesn't exist.
• options Object
  • target String - The target to launch from this shortcut.
  • cwd String (optional) - The working directory. Default is empty.
  • args String (optional) - The arguments to be applied to target when launching from this shortcut. Default is empty.
  • description String (optional) - The description of the shortcut. Default is empty.
  • icon String (optional) - The path to the icon, can be a DLL or EXE. icon and iconIndex have to be set together. Default is empty, which uses the target's icon.
  • iconIndex Integer (optional) - The resource ID of icon when icon is a DLL or EXE. Default is 0.
  • appUserModelId String (optional) - The Application User Model ID. Default is empty.

Returns Boolean - Whether the shortcut was created successfully

Creates or updates a shortcut link at shortcutPath.

shell.readShortcutLink(shortcutPath) Windows

• shortcutPath String

Returns Object:

• target String - The target to launch from this shortcut.
• cwd String (optional) - The working directory. Default is empty.
• args String (optional) - The arguments to be applied to target when launching from this shortcut. Default is empty.
• description String (optional) - The description of the shortcut. Default is empty.
• icon String (optional) - The path to the icon, can be a DLL or EXE. icon and iconIndex have to be set together. Default is empty, which uses the target's icon.
• iconIndex Integer (optional) - The resource ID of icon when icon is a DLL or EXE. Default is 0.
• appUserModelId String (optional) - The Application User Model ID. Default is empty.

Resolves the shortcut link at shortcutPath.

An exception will be thrown when any error happens.