How to Fix the Blank Screen Issue After Packing Your Angular App with Electron Builder

Discover a step-by-step guide to resolve the `blank screen` issue when using Electron Builder with your Angular application. Learn how to modify your configuration for successful packing.
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How to Fix the Blank Screen Issue After Packing Your Angular App with Electron Builder

Creating desktop applications using Angular and Electron can be a rewarding challenge, but running into issues can be frustrating. One such problem many developers face is encountering a blank screen when launching their Electron application after packing it with Electron Builder. If you're experiencing a similar issue, you're not alone. Let’s break down the problem and walk you through the solution step by step.

The Problem: Blank Screen and Errors

After packing your Angular application with Electron Builder, you might launch the executable file only to be met with a white screen. Along with this, you may find a console error message that reads "not allowed to load local resource." This error typically indicates that the application cannot find your index.html file inside the app.asar archive.

Typical Causes

The dist folder is missing inside the app.asar file.

Incorrect file paths specified in your main Electron file (main.js).

The Solution: Step-by-Step Fix

Fortunately, this issue can be resolved with a few simple modifications to your project configuration. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Update angular.json

The first step involves changing the output path in your angular.json file. This will ensure that the built Angular application gets placed in the correct folder.

Open your angular.json file.

Locate the outputPath property and change it as follows:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This change directs Angular to compile the build outputs into the out/electronn directory.

Step 2: Change the loadURL Path in main.js

Next, you need to adjust the way your Electron application loads your index.html file. Open your main.js file and find the line where win.loadURL is used.

Update it to reflect the new output path:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 3: Build and Package Your Application

Finally, you are ready to build and package your application. Run the following command to compile your Angular app and package it with Electron:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This command first builds your application inside the out folder and then packages it into the dist folder for Electron, ensuring that everything is in place for a successful launch.

Conclusion

By following these steps, the blank screen issue you encountered after packaging your Angular application with Electron Builder can be resolved. These changes to your configuration will ensure your application can find the necessary files and dependencies correctly.

Additional Tips

It can be helpful to unzip the app.asar file for debugging if you encounter similar issues in the future.

Always double-check your paths when configuring your application, as it can save time and hassle.

Now you should be ready to launch your desktop application without a hitch! Good luck with your development journey, and may your applications run smoothly. If you have any further questions or run into other issues, don’t hesitate to ask for help.

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