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README.md

Svelte & NW.js for Windows XP

This repository provides a template for creating Windows XP-compatible software using NW.js 15.4 (the last XP-supported version) and SvelteKit for a lightweight and efficient UI framework.

🔧 Prerequisites

1️⃣ Node.js & NVM Setup

  • Install NVM and Node.js v6.2.2 (matching NW.js 0.15.4’s internal Node.js version).
  • This ensures that incompatible code is detected early.

2️⃣ Folder Structure

BuiltApp/
└── XPlor/
    ├── locales/
    ├── package.nw/
    │   ├── fonts/
    │   ├── images/
    │   ├── public/
    │   │   ├── build/
    │   │   ├── data/
    │   │   ├── ignore/
    │   │   ├── images/
    │   │   ├── scripts_compiled/
NW_Cache/
├── nwjs-sdk-v0.15.4-win-ia32/
│   ├── locales/
│   ├── pnacl/
├── nwjs-sdk-v0.93.0-win-x64/
│   ├── locales/
│   ├── swiftshader/
├── nwjs-v0.12.3-win-ia32/
│   ├── locales/
├── NWTemp/
│   ├── nwjs-sdk-v0.15.4-win-ia32/
│   │   ├── locales/
│   │   ├── pnacl/
│   ├── nwjs-v0.12.3-win-ia32/
│   │   ├── locales/
│   ├── nwjs-v0.15.4-win-ia32/
│       ├── locales/
├── package.nw/
│   ├── public/
│   │   ├── scripts/
│   │       ├── executables/
SourceCode/   <== 🗂 This Repository
├── rollup.config.js
├── package.json
├── CompileBabel.js
├── BuildApp.js
├── .env
├── .gitignore
├── BuildAppTools/
│   ├── npmInstall.cmd
├── fonts/
├── images/
├── lib/
│   ├── dts/
│   │   ├── jquery/
├── node_modules/
├── public/
│   ├── index.html
│   ├── package.json
│   ├── global.css
│   ├── devTools.js
│   ├── build/
│   │   ├── bundle.js
│   │   ├── bundle.css
│   ├── scripts_compiled/
│   │   ├── executables/
│   │   ├── main/
│   │   ├── modules/
├── src/
│   ├── main.js
│   ├── App.svelte
│   ├── components/
│   ├── scripts/
│   │   ├── main/
│   │   ├── modules/

🚀 Development Workflow

1️⃣ Start Development Mode

npm run dev
  • This compiles src/ into public/build/bundle.js
  • Refresh the app to see changes.

2️⃣ Building for Release

node BuildApp.js
  • Modify BuildApp.js before running.
  • Output location: 
    BuiltApp/{YourProjectName}/{YourProjectName}.exe

📦 Running Multiple Instances

Include multipleInstances.js in index.html:

<script src="multipleInstances.js"></script>

Why?

  • NW.js prevents multiple instances of the same package.json by default.
  • This script generates a UUID-based app name per run.

⚠ Issue: NW.js fills %LOCALAPPDATA% with {AppName}-{RandomNumber} folders.
Solution: Use the following launch parameter:

--user-data-dir=./NWProfile
  • This anchors all profiles into NWProfile/, avoiding clutter.

🔒 Packing & Hiding Source Code

To hide your source code inside the executable:

  1. Navigate to package.nw
  2. Select all files → Zip them
  3. *Rename package.zip* → *package.nw
  4. Merge into the executable: 
    copy /b YourProject.exe+package.nw FinalExecutable.exe
  5. Done! Your code is now embedded in the EXE.

⚠ Warning: NW.js extracts the package on launch, so this slows down startup
depending on file count and size.

⚠ Important Notes About NW.js & Windows XP

Any NW.js version higher than 0.12.3 has an issue on Windows XP:

  • If you use child_process, http, or https, and there is no internet, the application will crash.
  • For offline applications, use NW.js 0.12.3.
  • For online applications, use NW.js 0.15.4.

🛠 Built-in Utilities

File Description
element.js Utility functions for HTML element calculations.
multipleInstances.js Enables multiple NW.js instances at once.

🛠 Developer Instructions

📌 Setting Up NW.js Versions.

  1. Open package.json, add available NW.js versions.
  2. Set the desired version in .env (set APPLICATION_NAME here).
  3. Run: 
    npm run dev

📌 JavaScript Modules

If you're using custom .js scripts:

1️⃣ Write Your Scripts

  • Place them inside: 
    src/scripts/**/*

2️⃣ Watch & Compile JS

npm run watch_js_modules

3️⃣ File Output

  • For NW.js 0.15.4 and earlier → Transpiled with Babel
    → Stored in public/scripts_compiled/**/*
  • For NW.js 0.16+ → Only copied, no transpilation.

4️⃣ Include Scripts

<script src="public/scripts_compiled/my_script.js"></script>

📦 Creating a Portable Build

  1. Modify public/package.json
  2. Adjust & run: 
    node BuildApp.js
  3. Final portable version in: 
    BuiltApp/{YourProjectName}/
  4. Optional: Create an installer in the root directory.
    • Configure .env with APPLICATION_NAME
    • Use Inno Setup or similar to package everything.
    • For reference, check the XPCode repository.

📢 Future Improvements

  • SCSS support
  • Enhanced build automation
  • Better XP compatibility

See also