Install app deps always trigger rebuild

[0181532686cf4a31163be0bf3e6bb6732bf]

• Version: 7.10.0

• Target: Mac and Linux

Hello, I'm using electron-builder with native module (https://github.com/lyssdod/node-libtorrent). The module itself uses node-pre-gyp and has precompiled binaries. It installs flawlessly if I'm not using electron-builder directly (running npm install from app directory works). But if I do, it fails with

Error output:
module.js:457
    throw err;
    ^

Error: Cannot find module 'adm-zip'
    at Function.Module._resolveFilename (module.js:455:15)
    at Function.Module._load (module.js:403:25)
    at Module.require (module.js:483:17)
    at require (internal/module.js:20:19)

The fun fact is, this module (adm-zip) is specified in node-libtorrent-ngs devDependencies and is handled by regular npm install just fine.

So my questions are:

1. Why electron-builder ignores default action of node-gyp-rebuild despite binaries are available?
2. Is there a way to debug 'install-app-deps' step?

Thanks!

[develar]

Why electron-builder ignores default action of node-gyp-rebuild despite binaries are available?

Binaries available for nodejs, but not for electron. Electron headers must be used.

The fun fact is, this module (adm-zip) is specified in node-libtorrent-ngs devDependencies and is handled by regular npm install just fine.

We use flag --production. And adm-zip is used in the https://github.com/lyssdod/node-libtorrent/blob/master/compile.js file. @lyssdod It seems it is your bug ;)?

Is there a way to debug 'install-app-deps' step?

As general nodejs app :)

There are flags to disable rebuild, but your app will not work correctly (native dep must be compiled for Electron, not for NodeJS).

[0181532686cf4a31163be0bf3e6bb6732bf]

@develar If I'll provide binaries for electron, is it possible to skip build step? What should I do to accomplish this? Handle --production flag?

[develar]

You can set npmRebuild to false. In this case it is your responsibility to provide correct native binaries (electron version and arch).

I suggest you to investigate why adm-zip is required to build and, if it is really required, just add it to production deps.

[0181532686cf4a31163be0bf3e6bb6732bf]

Thank you!

[0181532686cf4a31163be0bf3e6bb6732bf]

Hi, I'm still stuck here. Despite I've made separate binaries for electron (https://github.com/lyssdod/node-libtorrent/releases/tag/0.3.2), I still can't use 'em with electron-builder.

I've found out that:

1. Setting npmRebuild to false just skips module install:

   electron-builder/src/packager.ts

   Line 234 in 6735da5

   if (this.devMetadata.build.npmRebuild === false) {

   
   Whole application build itself goes fine though, but if I look inside build/Release dir of my module inside app's node_modules, it's empty — looks like package was just fetched, but no npm install (which will trigger node-pre-gyp, which in turn will download binaries) was called.
2. Somewhere npm option --build-from-source appears, which overrides default node-pre-gyp behaviour (to provide binaries in case they're available) — https://github.com/mapbox/node-pre-gyp/blob/2d57e8f33a319165c29daa0f6a396473b6b0f0b3/lib/install.js#L125
   If I try to install my module with npm install --production, everything goes smooth and node-pre-gyp fetches prebuilt binaries, but if I do npm install --production --build-from-source it fails with the same error as in the first post, because of trying to run compilation directly (without devDependencies which are ignored because of --production flag).

The obvious workarounds here are to fork node-pre-gyp to silence the --build-from-source option (so-so) or download binaries by myself (reinventing node-pre-gyp). However, I would like to find a more elegant solution. Can you point me in the right direction?

[darkshades42]

+1

[develar]

Again — are you sure that you will be able to provide correct binaries for ALL electron versions and for ALL archs? Your module is public, not only for you, right?

Yes — we force build from sources, please see #647

[develar]

Yes — if npmRebuild is false, it is your responsibility to install/compile/rebuild node modules.

[develar]

To be clear — I am not against and +100 to avoid native compilation. But npm/node-pre-gyp issues make this task not easy. For example, second call of npm install will not recompile binaries if arch/headers were changed.

So, as a robust solution, electron-builder should call node-pre-gyp directly to download correct binaries or, maybe, even do it yourself. PR welcome.

[0181532686cf4a31163be0bf3e6bb6732bf]

I'm pretty sure I will provide required binaries, since I'm bound to a specific electron version. When I'll switch to another version, I'll make binaries for it (though I already did that, I have binaries for 0.37.8 which's I'm currently using and for 1.2.3, which I hope to switch to). Is it possible to make --build-from-source option (#647) controlled by flag? For example, make a package.json's build.npmBuildFromSource setting which defaults to true and triggers current behavior, but when set to false it allows node-pre-gyp to behave as usual (download binaries if they're possible) ?

[develar]

@lyssdod Could please try it — I am not sure that binaries will be downloaded correctly. I mean — fork project and investigate.

[0181532686cf4a31163be0bf3e6bb6732bf]

@develar Sure! Will provide a result soon