electron-builder: Application entry file reset to default (react-cra detected and config changed incorrectly)

Version: 19.24.1
Target: OSX

Hi, I have an issue where every time i run build it resets the package.json to the default path build/electron.js and thus giving me this error: Error: Application entry file "build/electron.js" does not exist. Seems like a wrong configuration.

this is my initial package.json

{
  "name": "xxx",
  "description": "xxx",
  "version": "0.2.0",
  "private": true,
  "author": "XXX",
  "updateURL": "xxx",
  "homepage": ".",
  "main": "main.js",
  "build": {
    "asar": false,
    "productName": "xxx",
    "appId": "com.xxx.xxx",
    "files": [
      {
        "from": ".",
        "to": ".",
        "filter": [
            "electron",
            "images",
            "node_modules",
            "main.js",
            "package.json"
        ]
        },
        {
            "from": "./xxx/build",
            "to": ".",
            "filter": ["**/*"]
        }
    ],
    "mac": {
      "artifactName": "${productName}-${version}-osx.${ext}",
      "category": "public.app-category.productivity",
      "target": [
        "dmg",
        "zip"
      ]
    },
    "linux": {
      "artifactName": "${productName}-${version}-${arch}-linux.${ext}",
      "maintainer": "xxxx",
      "target": [
        "tar.gz",
        "deb",
        "rpm"
      ]
    },
    "win": {
      "target": [
        "zip",
        "dir"
      ]
    }
  },
  "dependencies": {
    "asar": "^0.13.0",
    "electron-updater": "^2.4.4",
    "fs-extra": "^3.0.1",
    "moment": "^2.18.1",
    "mv": "^2.1.1",
    "node-notifier": "^5.1.2"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "electron": "^1.7.5",
    "electron-builder": "^19.24.1",
    "react-scripts": "^1.0.11"
  },
  "scripts": {
    "clean": "node ./build/clean",
    "build": "",
    "pack": "build"
  }
}

{
  "name": "xxx",
  "description": "xx",
  "version": "0.2.0",
  "private": true,
  "author": "xxx",
  "updateURL": "xxx",
  "homepage": ".",
  "main": "build/electron.js",
  "dependencies": {
    "asar": "^0.13.0",
    "electron-updater": "^2.4.4",
    "fs-extra": "^3.0.1",
    "moment": "^2.18.1",
    "mv": "^2.1.1",
    "node-notifier": "^5.1.2"
  }
}

this is my folder structure

assets
build
cache
dist
electron
images
logbook
main.js
node_modules
package.json
website

About this issue

Original URL
State: closed
Created 7 years ago
Comments: 20 (2 by maintainers)

Commits related to this issue

https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder/issues/2030 — committed to kimsk/electron-react-typescript by deleted user 6 years ago
Fix with the workaround from https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder/issues/2030#issuecomment-327155801 — committed to baruchiro/israeli-bank-scrapers-desktop by baruchiro 4 years ago
Fix with the workaround from https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder/issues/2030#issuecomment-327155801 — committed to SuperStar511/Israeli-bank-react by SuperStar511 4 years ago

Most upvoted comments

Workaround: please add "extends": null to build.

+55

develar on Sep 5, 2017

I was having the same issue with CRA and setting build.extraMetadata.main to my app’s entry file fixed this issue for me without setting build.extends to null.

here’s it from my package.json file:

"build": {
  "extraMetadata": {
    "main": "build/main.js"
  }
}

where "build/main.js" is my electron’s entry file.

+37

nghtalex on May 1, 2020

For those who are using react in your app, you should use “react-scripts build” before trying to run electron-builder… “react-scripts build” will generate “build” folder which used by electron-builder(when preset=react-cra)… For those, who don’t - you should set “extends”: null, to avoid situation, when “preset=react-cra”. When this situation is possible? Quote from documentation:

If react-scripts in the app dependencies, react-cra will be set automatically. Set to null to disable automatic detection.

+35

v-rumak on May 2, 2019

@develar Thanks, you fixed my problem. Do you mind briefly explaining why adding "extends": null works and why all of a sudden I was having this issue? The current documentation about the extends option is not too helpful.

+15

genepool99 on May 4, 2018

I am having the exact same issue. I have tried all fixes suggested above, but none of them work for me. Any updates for this?

bramvbilsen on Dec 30, 2018

As always, make sure you double-check the casing on your file names… too embarrassed to say how much time I just sunk into this. 😭

BrandonBoone on Aug 3, 2020

For me it solved by : pass in the entry file path externally, using files param then over write the “main” with that file name using extraMetadata param

as follows:

    "appId": "com.electron.xxx",
    "mac": {
      "category": "your.app.category.type"
    },
    "files":[
      "./main.tsx"
    ],
    "extraMetadata": {
      "main": "main.tsx"
    }
  }`

usman250994 on Jun 7, 2021

make sure guys to build electron app before run the builder comment. specially if using ts.

Malnasser on Aug 6, 2019