fs cannot read out of .asar archive

[amenders]

• Node.js Version: 8.11.3
• OS: Windows 10
• Scope (install, code, runtime, meta, other?): code
• Module (and version) (if relevant): File System

I am trying to read files out of a .asar archive using readdirSync, and am having trouble. Attempting to read out of the archive returns this error:

Error: ENOTDIR: not a directory, scandir 'C:\Users\xxxx\Desktop\xxxxxx\xxxxxx\dist\win-unpacked\resources\app.asar'
    at Object.fs.readdirSync (fs.js:904:18)

Code to reproduce:

var fs = require('fs');
fs.readdirSync('C:/path/to/app.asar');

For context, this is the app.asar file from my electron-builder output, but I expected that fs would allow me to read the contents of the archive. I've also tried constructing the path with path.join(...) but that did not make a difference.

Archive is a file, not a directory. You can't use readdirSync on it. The archive has to be unpacked firstly.

> npm install -g asar
> asar extract C:/path/to/app.asar C:/path/to/app

and then

var fs = require('fs');
fs.readdirSync('C:/path/to/app');

[amenders]

Thanks @djmangoo;
I've saw from other posts/links that Electron packaged .asar files will be appropriately handled as directories when using readdirSync(...) (see this post, or these docs). But perhaps this question would be better posed in an electron or electron-builder issue.

I've saw from other posts/links that Electron packaged .asar files will be appropriately handled as directories

Yes, but only if you access it using electron. Standard Node.js fs module doesn't treat archives as directories.

[amenders]

Good to know, thanks!

[gireeshpunathil]

closing as answered, please let me know if this is still outstanding.