How To Call Local Dll Files In Electron App

DLL (Dynamic Link Library) files are essential components of Windows applications, often containing code and resources that multiple programs can use. In an Electron app, which allows you to create cross-platform desktop applications using web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, incorporating local DLL files can provide additional functionalities or interact with system-level features.

To call local DLL files in an Electron app, you’ll need to utilize Node.js modules and the Node Native Addons (NAN) to bridge the gap between JavaScript and native C++ code. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to achieve this:

1. **Setting Up Your Electron Project**:
Before proceeding, make sure you have Node.js installed on your system. Create a new Electron project or use an existing one. You can initialize a new Electron project with the Electron CLI by running the following command:

npx create-electron-app my-electron-app

2. **Create a Node.js Addon**:
In your Electron project directory, create a new folder for your Node.js addon. Within this folder, you’ll need to create a C++ source file (e.g., addon.cc) where you will implement the logic to interact with your DLL file.

3. **Include Necessary Libraries and Declare Functions**:
In your addon.cc file, include the required headers for interfacing with the Node.js addon API and your DLL file. Declare the functions you want to call from your DLL within this file.

4. **Implement Functionality**:
Write the logic to load and call functions from your DLL file. You can use native C++ code to interface with the DLL functions and handle data manipulation.

5. **Build the Node.js Addon**:
To compile your Node.js addon, create a binding.gyp file in the same folder as your addon.cc file. This file specifies the compilation settings and dependencies. You can use the following template:

{
  "targets": [
    {
      "target_name": "addon",
      "sources": [ "addon.cc" ],
      "include_dirs": [
        "<!@(node -p "require('node-addon-api').include")"
      ],
      "libraries": [ "path/to/your/dll.dll" ]
    }
  ]
}

Run the following command in your Node.js addon folder to build the addon:

node-gyp configure
node-gyp build

6. **Require the Node.js Addon in Your Electron App**:
In your Electron app’s main script (e.g., main.js), require your Node.js addon using:

const addon = require('./path/to/your/nodejs-addon/build/Release/addon');

7. **Call DLL Functions in Your Electron App**:
You can now use the functions exposed by your Node.js addon to call the functions defined in your DLL file within your Electron app's JavaScript code.

By following these steps, you can effectively call local DLL files in your Electron app, enabling closer integration with system-level functionality and enhancing the capabilities of your desktop application.