How To Use Electron's App.getpath() To Store Data?

I want to store images on the users computer, so I figure it should be stored in users data folder, as described here. app.getPath(name) name. Returns String - A path to a special

Solution 1:

Since the remote method is being considered deprecated, as shown here, I'd suggest you do this:

const {app} = require('electron');
console.log(app.getPath('userData'));

Solution 2:

remote is considered dangerous.

app.getPath will be always available in main process.

Here is how to do it in renderer process without using remote (electron 7+)

Basically you have to use invoke in renderer.

in main

ipcMain.handle('read-user-data', async (event, fileName) => {
  const path = electron.app.getPath('userData');
  const buf = await fs.promises.readFile(`${path}/${fileName));
  return buf
})

in renderer

ipcRenderer.invoke('read-user-data', 'fileName.txt').then(result=>doSomething());

Solution 3:

Here is what I use when I need to switch between dev and release

const electron = require('electron');
exportconst userDataPath = (electron.app || electron.remote.app).getPath(
  'userData'
);

Solution 4:

Another way to prevent the error "getPath is not a function" is to make the code work both in the renderer process and the main process:

const electron = require('electron');

const configDir =  (electron.app || electron.remote.app).getPath('userData');
console.log(configDir);

Solution 5:

I had trouble with app.getPath('userData') to save/load config files, etc and ended up using OS specific env vars in the meantime:

constgetAppBasePath = () => {
        //devif (process.env.RUN_ENV === 'development') return'./'if (!process.platform || !['win32', 'darwin'].includes(process.platform)) {
        console.error(`Unsupported OS: ${process.platform}`)
        return'./'
    }
        //prodif (process.platform === 'darwin') {
        console.log('Mac OS detected')
        return`/Users/${process.env.USER}/Library/Application\ Support/${YOUR_APP_NAME}/`
    } elseif (process.platform === 'win32') {
        console.log('Windows OS detected')
        return`${process.env.LOCALAPPDATA}\\${YOUR_APP_NAME}\\`
    }
}