Building Electron app symlink error

[Jflinchum]

• Version: 10.3.0

• Target: macOS

When trying to run build --mac for my Electron app, I get this error:

yarn run v0.17.9
$ build --mac
Skip app dependencies rebuild because npmRebuild is set to false
⚠️  Packaging using asar archive is disabled — it is strongly not recommended.
Please enable asar and use asarUnpack to unpack files that must be externally available.
Packaging for darwin x64 using electron 1.4.7 to dist/mac
Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory, symlink 'Versions/Current/Electron Framework' -> '/Users/jflinchum/Documents/myApp/dist/mac/Electron.app/Contents/Resources/app/node_modules/electron-prebuilt/dist/Electron.app/Contents/Frameworks/Electron Framework.framework/Electron Framework'
    at Error (native)
From previous event:
    at /Users/jflinchum/Documents/myApp/node_modules/electron-builder/src/util/fs.ts:178:13
    at next (native)
From previous event:
    at walk (/Users/jflinchum/Documents/myApp/node_modules/electron-builder/out/util/fs.js:236:26)
    at /Users/jflinchum/Documents/myApp/node_modules/electron-builder/src/util/fs.ts:74:44
    at /Users/jflinchum/Documents/myApp/node_modules/graceful-fs/polyfills.js:279:18
    at FSReqWrap.oncomplete (fs.js:123:15)
From previous event:
    at /Users/jflinchum/Documents/myApp/node_modules/electron-builder/src/util/fs.ts:62:10
    at runCallback (timers.js:574:20)
    at tryOnImmediate (timers.js:554:5)
    at processImmediate [as _immediateCallback] (timers.js:533:5)
From previous event:
    at /Users/jflinchum/Documents/myApp/node_modules/electron-builder/src/util/fs.ts:59:27
    at next (native)
    at go$readdir$cb (/Users/jflinchum/Documents/myApp/node_modules/graceful-fs/graceful-fs.js:149:14)
    at FSReqWrap.oncomplete (fs.js:123:15)
From previous event:
    at walk (/Users/jflinchum/Documents/myApp/node_modules/electron-builder/out/util/fs.js:90:22)
    at copyDir (/Users/jflinchum/Documents/myApp/node_modules/electron-builder/src/util/fs.ts:176:3)
    at /Users/jflinchum/Documents/myApp/node_modules/electron-builder/src/platformPackager.ts:250:17
From previous event:
    at MacPackager.doPack (/Users/jflinchum/Documents/myApp/node_modules/electron-builder/out/platformPackager.js:321:11)
    at /Users/jflinchum/Documents/myApp/node_modules/electron-builder/src/macPackager.ts:78:28
    at next (native)
From previous event:
    at MacPackager.pack (/Users/jflinchum/Documents/myApp/node_modules/electron-builder/out/macPackager.js:162:11)
    at /Users/jflinchum/Documents/myApp/node_modules/electron-builder/src/packager.ts:132:22
From previous event:
    at Packager.doBuild (/Users/jflinchum/Documents/myApp/node_modules/electron-builder/out/packager.js:260:11)
    at /Users/jflinchum/Documents/myApp/node_modules/electron-builder/src/packager.ts:100:38
    at next (native)
    at runCallback (timers.js:574:20)
    at tryOnImmediate (timers.js:554:5)
    at processImmediate [as _immediateCallback] (timers.js:533:5)
From previous event:
    at Packager.build (/Users/jflinchum/Documents/myApp/node_modules/electron-builder/out/packager.js:212:11)
    at /Users/jflinchum/Documents/myApp/node_modules/electron-builder/src/builder.ts:241:40
    at next (native)
From previous event:
    at build (/Users/jflinchum/Documents/myApp/node_modules/electron-builder/out/builder.js:89:21)
    at Object.<anonymous> (/Users/jflinchum/Documents/myApp/node_modules/electron-builder/out/cli/build-cli.js:68:41)
    at Module._compile (module.js:556:32)
    at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:565:10)
    at Module.load (module.js:473:32)
    at tryModuleLoad (module.js:432:12)
    at Function.Module._load (module.js:424:3)
    at Module.runMain (module.js:590:10)
    at run (bootstrap_node.js:394:7)
    at startup (bootstrap_node.js:149:9)
    at bootstrap_node.js:509:3

When I downgrade to 10.0.0, I don't seem to encounter the issue.
Node version: 6.6.0
Electron version: 1.4.7

[SxMShaDoW]

You may want to include a "scrubbed version" of your package.json for the build settings

[Jflinchum]

package.json build settings:

"build": {
    "appId": "",
    "asar": false,
    "category": "",
    "npmRebuild": false,
    "win": {
      "target": "nsis",
      "iconUrl": ""
    },
    "nsis": {
      "guid": "",
      "oneClick": true,
      "warningsAsErrors": false,
      "perMachine": true
    },
    "publish": {
      "provider": "generic",
      "url": ""
    }
}

[develar]

electron-prebuilt must be not in your app dependencies.

[develar]

I don't see any problems in the code. Since you must not include electron-prebuilt as production dependency, I am not going to investigate why symlinks failed.

Or, maybe problem that electron-builder incorrectly not filtered out electron-prebuilt even if it is in the dev dependency — please check it. Also, please attach debug log: set env DEBUG=electron-builder

[Jflinchum]

Here is the debug log. We don't include electron-prebuilt as an app dependency.

[develar]

@Jflinchum Please

• provide output of npm ls
• search string electron-prebuilt in your project.
• provide output of find . -name electron-prebuilt

[Jflinchum]

I believe I found the issue. We don't have electron-prebuilt as a dependency, but we have electron-rebuild as a dependency, which depends on electron-prebuilt. When I remove electron-rebuild, it builds successfully.

[develar]

You must not use electron-rebuild at all. If electron-builder cannot build native deps for you properly — please file issue.