console.log calls from utility process don't work

[ThaUnknown]

reproduction steps:

import { utilityProcess } from 'electron'
import log from 'electron-log/main'

import forkPath from './background.js?modulePath'

log.initialize({ spyRendererConsole: true })
log.transports.file.level = 'debug'
log.transports.file.maxSize = 10 * 1024 * 1024 // 10MB
autoUpdater.logger = log

const util = utilityProcess.fork(forkPath)

then running any console calls inside background.js won't call logs in electron log

the fix is

const util = utilityProcess.fork(forkPath, [], { stdio: ['ignore', 'pipe', 'pipe'] })

util.stderr?.on('data', d => log.error('' + d))
util.stdout?.on('data', d => log.log('' + d))

expected fix: read log from electron stdout instead of consolespy? or maybe outline this problem in docs?

[BukJiang]

[Utility Process] Data can be returned to the main process for printing through process.parentPort.postMessage

process.parentPort.postMessage({ event: 'LOG', data })

[Main Process]

this.utilityProcess.on('message', (message: any) => {
  const { event, data } = message
  switch (event) {
    case 'LOG':
      return console.log(data)
    // do something ...
  }
})

[ThaUnknown]

yes, adn the issue is exactly about not needing custom code for it, just like with the renderer and main processes, also using stdio is way faster than port messages since its not blocking

[megahertz]

Currently, I'm considering two options:

• Provide electron-log/utility which uses postMessage under the hood
• Do not provide built-in support; provide the fix mentioned here as an example

I don't think there are any other universal solutions.

[ThaUnknown]

yeah I think adding a chapter about utilityProcess with the fix I provdied above is the best solution, an explanation of why it's required would be decent too I guess, just so it's documented so people don't waste 2h trying to figure out why debugging isn't working lmao

[ThaUnknown]

actually adding a way to log the messages from main process would also fix this i guess?

[FireUnderTheMountain]

Currently, I'm considering two options:

• Provide electron-log/utility which uses postMessage under the hood
• Do not provide built-in support; provide the fix mentioned here as an example

It really doesn't matter which, as long as it's documented and the utility messages can be distinct (so I know they're from utility processes) when I'm reading my logs.