Electron fork(child.js) on mac win32 build does not work. Building on windows works. #5980

[leopucci]

• Version: electron-builder version=22.11.7 os=20.1.0 ==> MACOS

• Electron Version: v12.0.7
• Electron Type (current, beta, nightly): current

• Target: platform=win32 arch=x64 WINDOWS 10

I am forking inside main. Like this:
const p = fork(path.join(__dirname, 'child.js'));
p.on('exit', function (code) { console.log('Child exited with code ' + code); });

What happens is that when I build at windows (electron-builder version=22.11.7 os=10.0.19043), install on it, the fork is made and code runs properly. as expected.

When i build at Mac, and install on windows, I get exit code 1.

I have already compared the app.asar file, and the hierarchy of the forked file is the same on both.

[leopucci]

Not a clue why this not works.

My first assumption was that it is a app.asar problem.

So I found some related details electron/electron#2708 (comment)
With that info added. I made several tests using fork cwd atribute.
The mission was to create a relative path from outside of the app.asar. (C:\Program Files\App.Name\resources)
Even using this relative path trick from outside the app.asar, as people used to be on other versions, nothing worked.
Also tried \ windows style path and / linux/mac path...

Nothing worked.

[leopucci]

reopened #5980

[mmaietta]

I'm not sure if this has much to do with electron-builder. AFAICT, you're running into the nature of how electron works on different platforms.