Linux, Bug, Docs. executableName does not produce result according to docs

[kroko]

• Version: 22.10.5

• Electron Version: 12.0.5
• Electron Type (current, beta, nightly): Current

• Target: linux, AppImage

The docs state that

executableName String - The executable name. Defaults to productName. Cannot be specified per target, allowed only in the linux.

However, the produced executable has name of package.json name, not productName

Thus

package.json

{
  "name": "bwleee-app-electron",
  "productName": "BeautifulName"
}

will produce executable bwleee-app-electron.

Meanwhile, explicitly setting executableName works.

.electron-builder.config.js

const pkg = require(path.resolve(__dirname, 'package.json'));
// ...

  linux: {
    // https://github.com/electron/electron/issues/28956
    executableName: pkg.productName,
   // ...
  }

Related

#5409

Sideffects

electron/electron#28956
Most DEs for apps that use Tray produces tooltips. Assume that tooltip is not programmatically overridden in app - in that case tooltip text would be the same as executable name. Having cryptic executable name (package.json name is more likely to be cryptic and has to follow strict rules, productName is more likely to be something human readable) results in an sideffect.

Actually IMHO having it to default to productName would open other sideffects, the observed behaviour where it uses name is OK, docs just need correction.

executableName String - The executable name. Defaults to name. Cannot be specified per target, allowed only in the linux.

[mmaietta]

Thanks for calling that out. Would you be willing to open a PR to update those docs?
It's located on the docs branch
https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md#documentation

[kroko]

@mmaietta well, given that i have spent two months each day working on an app i can say - docs are full of bugs / non updated stuff. one has to read source. or knowingly create invalid configuration so the builder will throw and report the correct schema is an option.

now I see why - to contribute one must pip3, manualy copy mkdocs.yml, edit it, mkdocs build. i'm not bashing, dont kill the messenger 😄 just yeah.. it produces things like below.

fails as mkdocs throws.

╭─[email protected] ~/Downloads/electron-builder
╰─➤  pip3 --version
pip 21.1.1

╭─[email protected] ~/Downloads/electron-builder
╰─➤  pip3 list
Package                    Version
-------------------------- --------
click                      7.1.2
future                     0.18.2
Jinja2                     2.11.3
joblib                     1.0.1
livereload                 2.6.3
lunr                       0.5.8
Markdown                   3.3.4
markdown-include           0.6.0
MarkupSafe                 1.1.1
mkdocs                     1.1.2
mkdocs-material            7.1.3
mkdocs-material-extensions 1.0.1
nltk                       3.6.2
pip                        21.0.1
Pygments                   2.9.0
pymdown-extensions         8.1.1
PyYAML                     5.4.1
regex                      2021.4.4
setuptools                 54.1.2
six                        1.15.0
TBB                        0.1
tornado                    6.1
tqdm                       4.60.0
wheel                      0.36.2

╭─[email protected] ~/Downloads/electron-builder
╰─➤  mkdocs build
INFO    -  Cleaning site directory
INFO    -  Building documentation to directory: /Users/reinis/Downloads/electron-builder/site
INFO    -  The following pages exist in the docs directory, but are not included in the "nav" configuration:
  - generated/DebOptions.md
  - generated/LinuxTargetSpecificOptions.md
  - generated/Metadata.md
  - generated/NsisOptions.md
  - generated/PlatformSpecificBuildOptions.md
  - generated/TargetSpecificOptions.md
  - generated/appimage-options.md
  - generated/s3-options.md
  - generated/snap-store-options.md
  - generated/spaces-options.md
  - includes/hooks.md
  - includes/platform-specific-configuration-note.md
  - tutorials/test-update-on-s3-locally.md
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/bin/mkdocs", line 8, in <module>
    sys.exit(cli())
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/click/core.py", line 829, in __call__
    return self.main(*args, **kwargs)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/click/core.py", line 782, in main
    rv = self.invoke(ctx)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/click/core.py", line 1259, in invoke
    return _process_result(sub_ctx.command.invoke(sub_ctx))
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/click/core.py", line 1066, in invoke
    return ctx.invoke(self.callback, **ctx.params)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/click/core.py", line 610, in invoke
    return callback(*args, **kwargs)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/mkdocs/__main__.py", line 152, in build_command
    build.build(config.load_config(**kwargs), dirty=not clean)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/mkdocs/commands/build.py", line 285, in build
    _build_theme_template(template, env, files, config, nav)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/mkdocs/commands/build.py", line 108, in _build_theme_template
    output = _build_template(template_name, template, files, config, nav)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/mkdocs/commands/build.py", line 87, in _build_template
    output = template.render(context)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/jinja2/environment.py", line 1090, in render
    self.environment.handle_exception()
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/jinja2/environment.py", line 832, in handle_exception
    reraise(*rewrite_traceback_stack(source=source))
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/jinja2/_compat.py", line 28, in reraise
    raise value.with_traceback(tb)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/material/404.html", line 4, in top-level template code
    {% extends "main.html" %}
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/material/main.html", line 4, in top-level template code
    {% extends "base.html" %}
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/material/base.html", line 118, in top-level template code
    {% block header %}
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/material/base.html", line 119, in block "header"
    {% include "partials/header.html" %}
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/material/partials/header.html", line 7, in top-level template code
    {% include "partials/logo.html" %}
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/material/partials/logo.html", line 5, in top-level template code
    <img src="{{ config.theme.logo | url }}" alt="logo">
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/mkdocs/utils/filters.py", line 14, in url_filter
    return normalize_url(value, page=context['page'], base=context['base_url'])
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/mkdocs/utils/__init__.py", line 262, in normalize_url
    path = path_to_url(path or '.')
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/mkdocs/utils/__init__.py", line 290, in path_to_url
    return '/'.join(path.split('\\'))
AttributeError: 'dict' object has no attribute 'split'

See

mkdocs/mkdocs#2156

[mmaietta]

Oh lordy.

Yeah, I joined recently, and yeah the docs definitely are out of date.
Happy to also accept suggestions on ways we can improve documentation so that it doesn't exist explicitly in a separate branch, or is as difficult to track.
https://github.com/electron-userland/electron-builder/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md#documentation
For instance, why are we avoiding google indexing to require the docs branch?

[stale]

Is this still relevant? If so, what is blocking it? Is there anything you can do to help move it forward?

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs.

[mmaietta]

@kroko I'm looking to find a better way of automating doc generation, particularly by consolidating it back into the release process / in master branch.
Do you have pro tips on improving to achieve that for this project?