.env variables missing from build

[stefnotch]

Steps to reproduce

1. Create a .env file with VITE_CAT=meow
2. Go to electron/main.index.ts and add console.log(import.meta.env.VITE_CAT);
3. Run npm run dev and look at the output in the terminal.

Bug
It will say undefined

Expected
It should say meow

The issue is here, this line should probably be deleted

vite-plugin-electron/packages/electron/src/config.ts

Line 32 in 841cbd1

envFile: false,

[caoxiemeihao]

Thanks for your feedback.

For the Electron-Main process, it's more like Node.js. So we don't have to use the Vite-specifice import.meta.env. Using process.env is mor natural.

At present, Vite cann't be handled process.env.XXX. May be supported in the near future.
vitejs/vite#8843

[stefnotch]

True, being able to use process.env. environment variables in the main-process would be much neater.

Any idea how I should work around process.env.VITE_CAT or import.meta.env.VITE_CAT not working at all? Especially for a build, I'd like to have them replaced with the contents of the .env file.

Currently I'm using such .env variables to set the URL of a server that the Electron app needs. Should I just hardcode the URL for now?

[stefnotch]

I found a workaround that I'll try using https://github.com/ElMassimo/vite-plugin-environment#inside-the-box-

[caoxiemeihao]

Support envFile options #46