Electron-forge: Creating/Starting new project fails with error "Error: Electron version 1.4.15 is either too old or too new"

[leifwells]

• [x] I have read the contribution documentation for this project.
• [x] I agree to follow the code of conduct that this project follows, as appropriate.
• [x] I have searched the issue tracker for an issue that matches the one I want to file, without success.

Please describe your issue:
Created a new application, started the application and received the following error:

App threw an error during load
Error: Electron version 1.4.15 is either too old or too new (While processing preset: "/Users/leifwells/Code/electron/ef-test/node_modules/babel-preset-env/lib/index.js")
    at getTargets (/Users/leifwells/Code/electron/ef-test/node_modules/babel-preset-env/lib/index.js:144:13)
    at buildPreset (/Users/leifwells/Code/electron/ef-test/node_modules/babel-preset-env/lib/index.js:209:17)
    at /Users/leifwells/Code/electron/ef-test/node_modules/babel-core/lib/transformation/file/options/option-manager.js:317:46
    at Array.map (native)
    at OptionManager.resolvePresets (/Users/leifwells/Code/electron/ef-test/node_modules/babel-core/lib/transformation/file/options/option-manager.js:275:20)
    at OptionManager.mergePresets (/Users/leifwells/Code/electron/ef-test/node_modules/babel-core/lib/transformation/file/options/option-manager.js:264:10)
    at OptionManager.mergeOptions (/Users/leifwells/Code/electron/ef-test/node_modules/babel-core/lib/transformation/file/options/option-manager.js:249:14)
    at OptionManager.init (/Users/leifwells/Code/electron/ef-test/node_modules/babel-core/lib/transformation/file/options/option-manager.js:368:12)
    at File.initOptions (/Users/leifwells/Code/electron/ef-test/node_modules/babel-core/lib/transformation/file/index.js:216:65)
    at new File (/Users/leifwells/Code/electron/ef-test/node_modules/babel-core/lib/transformation/file/index.js:139:24)

Console output when you run electron-forge with the environment variable DEBUG=electron-forge:*. (Instructions on how to do so here). Please include the stack trace if one exists.

Put the console output here

What command line arguments are you passing?

electron-forge init ef-test
cd ef-test
electron-forge start

What does your config.forge data in package.json look like?

"config": {
    "forge": {
      "make_targets": {
        "win32": [
          "squirrel"
        ],
        "darwin": [
          "zip"
        ],
        "linux": [
          "deb",
          "rpm"
        ]
      },
      "electronPackagerConfig": {},
      "electronWinstallerConfig": {
        "name": "ef_test"
      },
      "electronInstallerDebian": {},
      "electronInstallerRedhat": {},
      "github_repository": {
        "owner": ""
      },
      "windowsStoreConfig": {
        "packageName": "",
        "name": "eftest"
      }
    }
  },

Please provide either a failing minimal testcase (with a link to the code) or detailed steps to
reproduce your problem. Using electron-forge init is a good starting point, if that is not the
source of your problem.

[MarshallOfSound]

It looks like we've lost some lines of the error trace including the message itself. Can you add those back in.

Initial idea though is you are using babel-env and simply need to update it to a newer version

[leifwells]

Sorry for the improper formatting of my error message. I've updated it and made sure the whole message appears.

[MarshallOfSound]

Yeah, looks like my guess was on the right path. Can you try blowing away your node_modules folder and reinstalling. (How long ago did you create this app?)

Can you also post your .compilerc

[swashcap]

Seeing a similar error on an app init-ed five minutes ago:

$ electron-forge start
✔ Checking your system
✔ Locating Application
✔ Preparing native dependencies
✔ Launching Application
App threw an error during load
Error: Electron version 1.4.15 is either too old or too new (While processing preset: "/Users/creed/Sites/electron-forge-test/node_modules/babel-preset-env/lib/index.js")
    at getTargets (/Users/creed/Sites/electron-forge-test/node_modules/babel-preset-env/lib/index.js:144:13)
    at buildPreset (/Users/creed/Sites/electron-forge-test/node_modules/babel-preset-env/lib/index.js:209:17)
    at /Users/creed/Sites/electron-forge-test/node_modules/babel-core/lib/transformation/file/options/option-manager.js:317:46
    at Array.map (native)
    at OptionManager.resolvePresets (/Users/creed/Sites/electron-forge-test/node_modules/babel-core/lib/transformation/file/options/option-manager.js:275:20)
    at OptionManager.mergePresets (/Users/creed/Sites/electron-forge-test/node_modules/babel-core/lib/transformation/file/options/option-manager.js:264:10)
    at OptionManager.mergeOptions (/Users/creed/Sites/electron-forge-test/node_modules/babel-core/lib/transformation/file/options/option-manager.js:249:14)
    at OptionManager.init (/Users/creed/Sites/electron-forge-test/node_modules/babel-core/lib/transformation/file/options/option-manager.js:368:12)
    at File.initOptions (/Users/creed/Sites/electron-forge-test/node_modules/babel-core/lib/transformation/file/index.js:216:65)
    at new File (/Users/creed/Sites/electron-forge-test/node_modules/babel-core/lib/transformation/file/index.js:139:24)

The process hangs. Here’s the _.compilerc_:

{
  "env": {
    "development": {
      "application/javascript": {
        "presets": [
          [
            "env",
            {
              "targets": {
                "electron": "1.4.15"
              }
            }
          ],
          "react"
        ],
        "plugins": [
          "transform-async-to-generator"
        ],
        "sourceMaps": "inline"
      }
    },
    "production": {
      "application/javascript": {
        "presets": [
          [
            "env",
            {
              "targets": {
                "electron": "1.4.15"
              }
            }
          ],
          "react"
        ],
        "plugins": [
          "transform-async-to-generator"
        ],
        "sourceMaps": "none"
      }
    }
  }
}

Relevant stats:

• OS: OS X 10.12.3
• Node.js: 7.5.0
• npm: 4.1.2
• electron-forge: 2.8.1

[swashcap]

Blowing away _node_modules_ and re-installing produces an identical error. :scream:

[janwiemers]

Having the same error tried upgrading to electron v1.6.1 and now have the following message

> [email protected] start /Users/jansoeren.wiemers/Repositories/NSDKIS
> electron-forge start

✔ Checking your system
✔ Locating Application
✔ Preparing native dependencies
✔ Launching Application
App threw an error during load
Error: Electron version 1.6.1 is either too old or too new (While processing preset: "/Users/jansoeren.wiemers/Repositories/NSDKIS/node_modules/babel-preset-env/lib/index.js")
    at getTargets (/Users/jansoeren.wiemers/Repositories/NSDKIS/node_modules/babel-preset-env/lib/index.js:144:13)
    at buildPreset (/Users/jansoeren.wiemers/Repositories/NSDKIS/node_modules/babel-preset-env/lib/index.js:209:17)
    at /Users/jansoeren.wiemers/Repositories/NSDKIS/node_modules/babel-core/lib/transformation/file/options/option-manager.js:317:46
    at Array.map (native)
    at OptionManager.resolvePresets (/Users/jansoeren.wiemers/Repositories/NSDKIS/node_modules/babel-core/lib/transformation/file/options/option-manager.js:275:20)
    at OptionManager.mergePresets (/Users/jansoeren.wiemers/Repositories/NSDKIS/node_modules/babel-core/lib/transformation/file/options/option-manager.js:264:10)
    at OptionManager.mergeOptions (/Users/jansoeren.wiemers/Repositories/NSDKIS/node_modules/babel-core/lib/transformation/file/options/option-manager.js:249:14)
    at OptionManager.init (/Users/jansoeren.wiemers/Repositories/NSDKIS/node_modules/babel-core/lib/transformation/file/options/option-manager.js:368:12)
    at File.initOptions (/Users/jansoeren.wiemers/Repositories/NSDKIS/node_modules/babel-core/lib/transformation/file/index.js:216:65)
    at new File (/Users/jansoeren.wiemers/Repositories/NSDKIS/node_modules/babel-core/lib/transformation/file/index.js:139:24)

• OS: macOS (10.11.6)
• Node: v7.6.0
• NPM: v4.1.2
• electron-forge: v2.8.1

[malept]

The workaround is: pin babel-preset-env to 1.1.8.

[janwiemers]

I figured that the version of electron-to-chrome is pretty old and returns undefined. The latest version of this library will support the updated version of both chrome and electron.
The library is loaded in babel-present-env

[janwiemers]

haha^^ to late :)

[malept]

@janwiemers yeah, I think you're right, my guess is that https://github.com/babel/babel-preset-env/pull/144 is causing it.

[malept]

I think I can make a PR to babel-preset-env for this problem, let me take a crack at it.

[malept]

People affected by this bug, please use the workaround in my earlier comment until https://github.com/Kilian/electron-to-chromium/pull/4 is merged & released.

[malept]

This bug should be fixed! I have verified it on the app I was using to test the behavior. Please let me know if this specific error still persists after running npm update or whatever the yarn equivalent is.

[janwiemers]

@malept yeah I can confirm it's working fine now.
Thanks