Including python script in packaged electron app

Question

After packaging my app for a linux system, the python script for doing some background tasks fails to execute, probably because it is not packaged correctly. I’ve looked through several threads now, stumbled over ASAR, extraResources etc. but I’m not really getting it to work.

My folder structure is the following

- App.Root
   |-public
   |    -background.html
   |
   |-scripts
        -python.py

This is the content of my background.html:

<script>
const { PythonShell } = require('python-shell');
const { ipcRenderer } = require('electron');
const path = require('path');

let pyshell

ipcRenderer.on('START_PROCESSING', (event, args) => {

    console.log("Loading Python")

    const { data } = args;
    pyshell = new PythonShell(path.join(__dirname, '/../scripts/python.py'), {
        pythonPath: 'python3',
        pythonOptions:['-u'],
        args: [data]
    });

    pyshell.on('message', function (results) {
        ipcRenderer.send('MESSAGE_FROM_BACKGROUND', { message: results });
    });

});

ipcRenderer.on('QUIT_PYTHON', (event, args) => {
    pyshell.kill();
    ipcRenderer.send('CLOSE_BACKGROUND');
});

ipcRenderer.send('BACKGROUND_READY');

I already tried including the scripts folder like this and I think it worked since it appeared in the "dist" folder but dont know where to go from here:

 "extraResources": [
{
    "from": "scripts",
    "to": "scripts"
}

I understand that this is an issue with paths and how electron is packaging the app, but since I`m new to all of this I feel a bit overwhelmed. People posted a bunch of different solutions which weren’t working for me, or the problem was never solved.

I’d be glad if somebody who’s familiar with packaging electron apps can chime in.

//EDIT:

This is my current build{} config:

    "build": {
    "files": [
      "build/**/*",
      "node_modules/**/*"
    ],
    "asarUnpack":"./scripts/**",
    "extraResources": "./scripts/**",

    "publish": {
      "provider": "github",
      "repo": "test",
      "owner": "Test"
    }
  },

I also changed:

pyshell = new PythonShell(path.join(__dirname, '/../scripts/python.py')

To:

pyshell = new PythonShell(path.join(process.resourcesPath, '/scripts/python.py')

cause it was obivously wrong.

Asked By: Traxan

||

Source

Answer 1

I am also using Python scripts in my Electron application.

i need see your entire build {} config to see better, but i think that the issue is because your asar doesn’t include correctly your ./script folder

In my electron-builder config i have this

"asarUnpack": "./scripts/**",
"extraResources": ["./scripts/**", "./scripts/database/**"], //Note that I also include a folder named database inside my ./script folder

With this lines my folder ./scripts is include correctly

EDIT: //
My block with a script that loging me in my app:

ipcMain.on(`login`, async (event, args) => {
    let command = ``;

    if (process.platform === `linux`) {
        command = await exec(`./scripts/login ${args.user} ${args.password}`);
    } 
    command.stdout.on(`data`, (data) => {
        // do something when scripts runs

    command.on(`exit`, (code) => {
        console.log(code);
    });

Answered By: Mole de Astoria

Answer 2

After some more hours of research and troubleshooting I’d like to post my answer here: Because of my own incompetence I missed that python-shell actually has an error output. After activating this I realized that the script was in fact bundled and loaded. However python couldn’t execute because apparently a module that I imported was not installed. Then it hit me.

I changed

pythonPath: 'python3',

To:

pythonPath: 'python',

Now it works. Maybe this will help somebody in the future.

Answered By: Traxan

Including python script in packaged electron app

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