6

All I can find for this are solutions that require installing an npm package that will start up an http server for hosting the file. My only requirement however is opening a very simple generated html file from the local computer into the browser via a npm script, no server required, is this doable without a package?

cbr
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b.stevens.photo
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  • Does this answer your question? [How to use nodejs to open default browser and navigate to a specific URL](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/8500326/how-to-use-nodejs-to-open-default-browser-and-navigate-to-a-specific-url) Especially the second answer - its suggested solution has no package dependencies. – cbr Mar 17 '20 at 17:49
  • Regarding my previous comment, you'd first need to write the contents into a file if you're generating the HTML in the script. [`fs.mkdtemp`](https://nodejs.org/api/fs.html#fs_fs_mkdtemp_prefix_options_callback) may be useful to you. – cbr Mar 17 '20 at 17:54
  • I'm attempting to do this through the scripts without javascript, I found that I can create a bash script with contents "start chrome "$(realpath "./jest/report.html")"" and then run that script from node – b.stevens.photo Mar 17 '20 at 17:58
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    On macOS the default shell that npm-scripts utilizes is `sh`. Therefore you can utilize the built-in [`open`](https://ss64.com/osx/open.html) utility in npm scripts. For example, you can define the following npm-script in the `scripts` section of your _package.json_: `"quux": "open -a \"Safari\" ./path/to/index.html"` - Then run `npm run quux` - _Note: you can change the "Safari" part in the aforementioned npm script to another preferred browser, e.g Google Chrome, etc. Also ensure you redefined the `/path/to/index.html` part as necessary._. For a x-platform solution you'll need to use node.js – RobC Mar 17 '20 at 18:17

4 Answers4

2

I tried the Daniel's answer, but it does not works to me.

Based on his answer, I found the open-cli package.

npm i -D open-cli

and use it (open-cli) in package.json script object like so

{
  "name": "somename",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "",
  "main": "index.js",
  "scripts": {
    "open-my-html": "open-cli path/to/your/index.html",
    "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1"
  },
  "devDependencies: {
    "open-cli": "^6.0.1"
  },
  "author": "",
  "license": "ISC"
}

then run

npm run open-my-html

Now it works opening the html file on default browser.

xXx
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1

Found that I could create a bash script with contents

#!/bin/bash
start chrome "$(realpath "./jest/report.html")"

And then run that using 

"test": "jest && bash ./open-browser.sh"
b.stevens.photo
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    Consider putting the bash code inline in the npm script itself to avoid using a separate file. For instance: `"test": "jest && bash -c \"start chrome \"$(realpath ./jest/report.html)\"\""` – RobC Mar 17 '20 at 18:46
  • Not a cross-browser solution – Amin Feb 20 '21 at 19:31
  • The question didnt ask for a cross browser solution, just how to do it without a package – b.stevens.photo Feb 20 '21 at 19:39
1

Supposing that your node script and index.html are in the same folder

const open = require('open');

(async () => {
        await open('index.html', {"wait": true });
})();

Take a look at this package: https://www.npmjs.com/package/open

abhnv
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0

the easiest way to do this is to install the open package

npm i open --save-dev

and use it in package.json script object like so

{
  "name": "somename",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "",
  "main": "index.js",
  "scripts": {
    "open-my-html": "open path/to/your/index.html",
    "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1"
  },
  "devDependencies: {
    "open": "^7.3.0"
  },
  "author": "",
  "license": "ISC"
}

then run

npm run open-my-html
Daniel
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