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/Electron

shell

Manage files and URLs using their default applications.

Process: Main, Renderer

The shell module provides functions related to desktop integration.

An example of opening a URL in the user’s default browser:

const {shell} = require('electron')

shell.openExternal('https://github.com')

Methods

The shell module has the following methods:

shell.showItemInFolder(fullPath)

  • fullPath String

Returns Boolean - Whether the item was successfully shown

Show the given file in a file manager. If possible, select the file.

shell.openItem(fullPath)

  • fullPath String

Returns Boolean - Whether the item was successfully opened.

Open the given file in the desktop’s default manner.

shell.openExternal(url[, options, callback])

  • url String
  • options Object (optional) macOS
    • activate Boolean - true to bring the opened application to the foreground. The default is true.
  • callback Function (optional) - If specified will perform the open asynchronously. macOS
    • error Error

Returns Boolean - Whether an application was available to open the URL. If callback is specified, always returns true.

Open the given external protocol URL in the desktop’s default manner. (For example, mailto: URLs in the user’s default mail agent).

shell.moveItemToTrash(fullPath)

  • fullPath String

Returns Boolean - Whether the item was successfully moved to the trash

Move the given file to trash and returns a boolean status for the operation.

shell.beep()

Play the beep sound.

shell.writeShortcutLink(shortcutPath[, operation], options) Windows

  • shortcutPath String
  • operation String (optional) - Default is create, can be one of following:
    • create - Creates a new shortcut, overwriting if necessary.
    • update - Updates specified properties only on an existing shortcut.
    • replace - Overwrites an existing shortcut, fails if the shortcut doesn’t exist.
  • options ShortcutDetails

Returns Boolean - Whether the shortcut was created successfully

Creates or updates a shortcut link at shortcutPath.

shell.readShortcutLink(shortcutPath) Windows

  • shortcutPath String

Returns ShortcutDetails

Resolves the shortcut link at shortcutPath.

An exception will be thrown when any error happens.

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Licensed under the MIT license.
https://electron.atom.io/docs/api/shell/