Electron - How to create deep-linking on linux - linux

Question

I have an ElectronJS project and I use the protocols (deep-link) in this one. It's work on MacOS and Windows but on Linux I can't understand how to create this protocol.
I have looked in the ElectronJS documentation as well as on the web for issues etc. but I can't figure out how to initialize protocol on Linux. All I want is to achieve, as I have succeeded on MacOS and Windows, a protocol to interact with the app in deep-link.
Code that works on MacOS and Windows :
// main.ts
// –– B ––– PROTOCOL HANDLER –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
ProtocolUtils.setDefaultProtocolClient();
// eslint-disable-next-line default-case
switch (process.platform) {
case 'darwin':
ProtocolUtils.setProtocolHandlerOSX();
break;
case 'win32':
ProtocolUtils.setProtocolHandlerWin32();
break;
}
// –– E ––– PROTOCOL HANDLER –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
// protocol.ts
export abstract class ProtocolUtils {
/**
* #description Create default protocole for call this app.
* Ex : in your browser => myapp://test
*/
public static setDefaultProtocolClient(): void {
if (!app.isDefaultProtocolClient('myapp')) {
// Define custom protocol handler.
// Deep linking works on packaged versions of the application!
app.setAsDefaultProtocolClient('myapp');
}
}
/**
* #description Create logic (WIN32) for open url from protocol
*/
public static setProtocolHandlerWin32(): void {
// Force Single Instance Application on win32
const gotTheLock = app.requestSingleInstanceLock();
app.on('second-instance', (e: Electron.Event, argv: string[]) => {
// Someone tried to run a second instance, we should focus our window.
if (MainWindow.mainWindow) {
if (MainWindow.mainWindow.isMinimized()) MainWindow.mainWindow.restore();
MainWindow.mainWindow.focus();
} else {
MainWindow.openMainWindow(); // Open main windows
}
app.whenReady().then(() => {
MainWindow.mainWindow.loadURL(this._getDeepLinkUrlForWin32(argv)); // Load URL in WebApp
});
});
if (gotTheLock) {
app.whenReady().then(() => {
MainWindow.openMainWindow(); // Open main windows
MainWindow.mainWindow.loadURL(this._getDeepLinkUrlForWin32()); // Load URL in WebApp
});
} else {
app.quit();
}
}
/**
* #description Create logic (OSX) for open url from protocol
*/
public static setProtocolHandlerOSX(): void {
app.on('open-url', (event: Electron.Event, url: string) => {
event.preventDefault();
app.whenReady().then(() => {
MainWindow.openMainWindow(); // Open main windows
MainWindow.mainWindow.loadURL(this._getUrlToLoad(url)); // Load URL in WebApp
});
});
}
/**
* #description Format url to load in mainWindow
*/
private static _getUrlToLoad(url: string): string {
// Ex: url = myapp://deep-link/test?params1=paramValue
// Ex: Split for remove myapp:// and get deep-link/test?params1=paramValue
const urlSplitted = url.split('//');
// Generate URL to load in WebApp.
// Ex: file://path/index.html#deep-link/test?params1=paramValue
const urlToLoad = format({
pathname: Env.BUILDED_WEBAPP_INDEX_PATH,
protocol: 'file:',
slashes: true,
hash: `#${urlSplitted[1]}`,
});
return urlToLoad;
}
/**
* #description Resolve deep link url for windows from process argv
*/
private static _getDeepLinkUrlForWin32(argv?: string[]): string {
let url: string;
const newArgv: string[] = !isNil(argv) ? argv : process.argv;
// Protocol handler for win32
// argv: An array of the second instance’s (command line / deep linked) arguments
if (process.platform === 'win32') {
// Get url form precess.argv
newArgv.forEach((arg) => {
if (/myapp:\/\//.test(arg)) {
url = arg;
}
});
if (!isNil(url)) {
return this._getUrlToLoad(url); // Load URL in WebApp
} else if (!isNil(argv) && isNil(url)) {
throw new Error('URL is undefined');
}
}
}
}
I have no worries for macOS and windows, but on linux the protocol does not exist even with the line :
ProtocolUtils.setDefaultProtocolClient(); who is responsible for creating the myapp: // protocol...
When I run this command : xdg-open myapp://deep-link/test?toto=titi An error tells me that this protocol does not exist
If anyone has an example for me to configure on Linux or can just help me ?
Thanks

Answer 1

Ok i have found the solution !
First, we removed electron-forge and replaced it with electron-builder (cf doc).
Then after reading a lot of documentation for deep links on Linux, Examples of documentation :
Desktop file
Specification of desktop entry
Electron builder desktop file
And my solution is :
# electron-builder.yml
appId: com.myapp.myapp
productName: myapp
directories:
output: out
linux:
icon: src/assets/icons/app/icon#256x256.png
category: Utility
mimeTypes: [x-scheme-handler/myapp] # Define MimeType
desktop: # Define desktop elem
exec: myapp %u # Define Exec
target:
- target: deb
arch:
- x64
So i defined the MimeType with the name of my protocol here myapp which could give:
myapp://toto?foo=bar
And in my desktop file define Exec with myapp %u because %u => A single URL. Local files may either be passed as file: URLs or as file path. (cf doc)
And for finish in my main.ts and protocol.utils.ts:
// main.ts
// –– B ––– PROTOCOL HANDLER –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
ProtocolUtils.setDefaultProtocolClient();
switch (process.platform) {
case 'darwin':
ProtocolUtils.setProtocolHandlerOSX();
break;
case 'linux':
case 'win32':
ProtocolUtils.setProtocolHandlerWindowsLinux();
break;
default:
throw new Error('Process platform is undefined');
}
// –– E ––– PROTOCOL HANDLER –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
// protocol.utils.ts
export abstract class ProtocolUtils {
public static setDefaultProtocolClient(): void {
if (!app.isDefaultProtocolClient('myapp')) {
// Define custom protocol handler.
// Deep linking works on packaged versions of the application!
app.setAsDefaultProtocolClient('myapp');
}
}
/**
* #description Create logic (WIN32 and Linux) for open url from protocol
*/
public static setProtocolHandlerWindowsLinux(): void {
// Force Single Instance Application
const gotTheLock = app.requestSingleInstanceLock();
app.on('second-instance', (e: Electron.Event, argv: string[]) => {
// Someone tried to run a second instance, we should focus our window.
if (MainWindow.mainWindow) {
if (MainWindow.mainWindow.isMinimized()) MainWindow.mainWindow.restore();
MainWindow.mainWindow.focus();
} else {
// Open main windows
MainWindow.openMainWindow();
}
app.whenReady().then(() => {
MainWindow.mainWindow.loadURL(this._getDeepLinkUrl(argv));
});
});
if (gotTheLock) {
app.whenReady().then(() => {
// Open main windows
MainWindow.openMainWindow();
MainWindow.mainWindow.loadURL(this._getDeepLinkUrl());
});
} else {
app.quit();
}
}
/**
* #description Create logic (OSX) for open url from protocol
*/
public static setProtocolHandlerOSX(): void {
app.on('open-url', (event: Electron.Event, url: string) => {
event.preventDefault();
app.whenReady().then(() => {
if (!isNil(url)) {
// Open main windows
MainWindow.openMainWindow();
MainWindow.mainWindow.loadURL(this._getUrlToLoad(url));
} else {
this._logInMainWindow({ s: 'URL is undefined', isError: true });
throw new Error('URL is undefined');
}
});
});
}
/**
* #description Format url to load in mainWindow
*/
private static _getUrlToLoad(url: string): string {
// Ex: url = myapp://deep-link/test?params1=paramValue
// Ex: Split for remove myapp:// and get deep-link/test?params1=paramValue
const splittedUrl = url.split('//');
// Generate URL to load in WebApp.
// Ex: file://path/index.html#deep-link/test?params1=paramValue
const urlToLoad = format({
pathname: Env.BUILDED_APP_INDEX_PATH,
protocol: 'file:',
slashes: true,
hash: `#${splittedUrl[1]}`,
});
return urlToLoad;
}
/**
* #description Resolve deep link url for Win32 or Linux from process argv
* #param argv: An array of the second instance’s (command line / deep linked) arguments
*/
private static _getDeepLinkUrl(argv?: string[]): string {
let url: string;
const newArgv: string[] = !isNil(argv) ? argv : process.argv;
// Protocol handler
if (process.platform === 'win32' || process.platform === 'linux') {
// Get url form precess.argv
newArgv.forEach((arg) => {
if (/myapp:\/\//.test(arg)) {
url = arg;
}
});
if (!isNil(url)) {
return this._getUrlToLoad(url);
} else if (!isNil(argv) && isNil(url)) {
this._logInMainWindow({ s: 'URL is undefined', isError: true });
throw new Error('URL is undefined');
}
}
}
And it's WORK :D