how do i use/build this?

[laurencefass]

Your docs say:

Build your webapp in your capacitor initiated project ('npm run build' for example).
Run npm i @capacitor-community/electron in your webapp project directory. This will install the platform for use with the @capacitor/cli.
Run npx cap add @capacitor-community/electron to initiate the platform, this will create the electron folder in your webapp project.
Run npx cap open @capacitor-community/electron to start your app in electron.

I dont just want to install it I want to create an image but there is no advice how to do any of it in the docs.

I asked the AI it came up with this. I have no idea how accurate it is, so Im hoping this could serve as the basis for future documentation:

My question:

ive added electron to my capacitor project. how do i sync it? how do i run it on windows?

AI:

Step-by-Step Guide
Install Electron and Build Tools

Ensure you have the necessary tools installed on your VPS.

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npm install --save @capacitor-community/electron
Add Electron Platform

Add Electron as a platform in your Capacitor project.

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npx cap add @capacitor-community/electron
Sync Your Project

Sync the project to ensure that the Electron platform is correctly set up.

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npx cap sync @capacitor-community/electron
Build Web Assets

Build your web assets.

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npm run build
Build Electron App

Navigate to the Electron directory and build the Electron app for Windows.

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cd electron
npm install
npm run build
Package the Electron App

Use Electron Packager or Electron Builder to create a distributable package.

Using Electron Packager:

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npm install electron-packager --save-dev
npx electron-packager . --platform=win32 --arch=x64 --out=dist --overwrite
Using Electron Builder:

First, install Electron Builder:

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npm install electron-builder --save-dev
Then, add a build script to your package.json:

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"scripts": {
  "build": "next build",
  "start": "next start",
  "electron:build": "electron-builder"
}
And create an Electron Builder configuration in package.json:

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"build": {
  "appId": "com.yourapp.id",
  "productName": "YourAppName",
  "directories": {
    "output": "dist"
  },
  "files": [
    "build/**/*",
    "main.js"
  ],
  "win": {
    "target": "nsis"
  }
}
Now, run the build script:

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npm run electron:build
Transfer the Executable to Windows

Once the build is complete, the executable will be in the dist directory. Transfer this file to your Windows machine using SCP, FTP, or any other file transfer method.

Using SCP:

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scp user@your_vps:/path/to/your/project/electron/dist/YourAppName-Setup.exe C:\path\to\your\local\machine\
Run the Executable on Windows

After transferring the executable, navigate to its location on your Windows machine and run it.

Example Commands
Build the Electron App:

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cd electron
npm install
npm run build
Package the Electron App (with Electron Packager):

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npx electron-packager . --platform=win32 --arch=x64 --out=dist --overwrite
Package the Electron App (with Electron Builder):

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npm run electron:build
Transfer the Executable:

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scp user@your_vps:/path/to/your/project/electron/dist/YourAppName-Setup.exe C:\path\to\your\local\machine\
By following these steps, you can build your Electron app on your VPS, transfer the executable to your Windows machine, and run it locally. This approach allows you to develop and package your app in a headless environment and then test and run it on your local machine.