Dotenv: Isn't setting process.env in Electron app

[tashoecraft]

I am running an electron application with webpack and it seems to be pulling in the values from the .env file, but process.env isn't getting set.

I have placed the require('dotenv').config() at the entrance to the application where webpack starts building, which is my where all my vendor files live.

If I set a variable to the result of the require, it stores my variables, but when I go to use them only my Node_ENV variable is available.

.env

GAUTHID=secretID

vendor.js

module.exports = function() {
require('dotenv').config();
//lots of modules loaded in below
}

home.js

console.log(process.env)

logs => {NODE_ENV: 'Development'}

Wondering why it seems to access the values fine, but isn't saving them. I've tried different locations, using .load(), but all have no effect.

[maxbeatty]

Can you provide a gist or similar example code to demonstrate how your project is laid out and the order of operations? As-is, I can't help 😿

[calebmer]

I am also experiencing this problem.

[maxbeatty]

@calebmer will you provide more details or example code to demonstrate the issue?

[tashoecraft]

@maxbeatty The project was based off the electron react boilerplate (https://github.com/chentsulin/electron-react-boilerplate), angular has been swapped for react but that shouldn't make a difference. I'm requiring in dotenv in the vendor.js file.

[maxbeatty]

I got dotenv working with that stack here. I'm very much so a webpack newbie. As I understand what was happening, their use of DefinePlugin to specify process.env overwrote everything in node's original process.env (hence only seeing NODE_ENV). Closing as a configuration issue.

[tashoecraft]

@maxbeatty That works perfectly. Should have assumed it was a webpack issue. Thank you.

[Tolsee]

I guess the problem was not getting process.env in the Node side.

[fc]

I'm also using electron-react-boilerplate and in webpack.config.main.prod.js, I added the following to inject the dotenv vars into webpack at build time:

import dotenv from 'dotenv';

/* webpack stuff */

    new webpack.EnvironmentPlugin({
      NODE_ENV: 'production',
      ...dotenv.config().parsed // <-- this line
    }),