Add VBS launcher for windowless execution and fix system tray in pkg builds

Amtrtm · claude · Amtrtm · commit 6bbb665e6cf2 · 2026-03-08T22:16:24.000+02:00
- Add launcher/RedAlert.vbs to run RedAlert.exe with hidden console window
- Fix systray2 require in pkg builds by using absolute path instead of bare module name
- Update MSI shortcuts (Start Menu, Startup, post-install) to launch via wscript.exe + VBS
- Bump version to 1.2.0

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 &lt;noreply@anthropic.com&gt;
diff --git a/docs/plans/2026-03-08-vbs-launcher-design.md b/docs/plans/2026-03-08-vbs-launcher-design.md
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# VBS Launcher for Windowless Execution
+
+**Goal:** Hide the console window on Windows by launching RedAlert.exe via a VBS wrapper.
+
+**Architecture:** A VBScript sits alongside the .exe and launches it with `vbHide` (window style 0). MSI shortcuts target `wscript.exe` with the VBS as argument.
+
+## Changes
+
+| File | Change |
+|------|--------|
+| `launcher/RedAlert.vbs` | New — 2-line VBS wrapper |
+| `scripts/build.js` | Copy VBS to dist for Windows builds |
+| `installer/RedAlert.wxs` | Add VBS component, point all shortcuts to wscript.exe + VBS |
+
+## How It Works
+
+- `wscript.exe` runs the VBS silently (no console)
+- VBS uses `WshShell.Run` with window style `0` (hidden) to launch RedAlert.exe
+- The exe runs completely in the background — only the system tray icon is visible
+- Start Menu shortcut, Startup shortcut, and post-install launch all use this path
diff --git a/installer/RedAlert.wxs b/installer/RedAlert.wxs
@@ -17,9 +17,19 @@
     <MajorUpgrade DowngradeErrorMessage="A newer version of RedAlert is already installed." />
     <MediaTemplate EmbedCab="yes" />
 
+    <Icon Id="RedAlertIcon" SourceFile="$(var.DistDir)\assets\icon.ico" />
+    <Property Id="ARPPRODUCTICON" Value="RedAlertIcon" />
+
     <Directory Id="TARGETDIR" Name="SourceDir">
       <Directory Id="LocalAppDataFolder">
-        <Directory Id="INSTALLFOLDER" Name="RedAlert" />
+        <Directory Id="INSTALLFOLDER" Name="RedAlert">
+          <Directory Id="PublicFolder" Name="public" />
+          <Directory Id="AssetsFolder" Name="assets" />
+          <Directory Id="DataFolder" Name="data" />
+          <Directory Id="NodeModulesFolder" Name="node_modules">
+            <Directory Id="Systray2Folder" Name="systray2" />
+          </Directory>
+        </Directory>
       </Directory>
       <Directory Id="ProgramMenuFolder">
         <Directory Id="AppMenuFolder" Name="RedAlert" />
@@ -34,15 +44,20 @@
       <Component Id="ConfigFile" Guid="c3d4e5f6-a7b8-9012-cdef-123456789012">
         <File Id="ConfigJson" Source="$(var.DistDir)\config.json" KeyPath="yes" />
       </Component>
+      <Component Id="VbsLauncher" Guid="f6a7b8c9-d0e1-2345-abcd-456789012345">
+        <File Id="RedAlertVbs" Source="$(var.DistDir)\RedAlert.vbs" KeyPath="yes" />
+      </Component>
     </DirectoryRef>
 
     <DirectoryRef Id="AppMenuFolder">
       <Component Id="StartMenuShortcut" Guid="d4e5f6a7-b8c9-0123-defa-234567890123">
         <Shortcut Id="AppShortcut"
           Name="RedAlert"
           Description="Pikud HaOref Siren Monitor"
-          Target="[INSTALLFOLDER]RedAlert.exe"
-          WorkingDirectory="INSTALLFOLDER" />
+          Target="[SystemFolder]wscript.exe"
+          Arguments="&quot;[INSTALLFOLDER]RedAlert.vbs&quot;"
+          WorkingDirectory="INSTALLFOLDER"
+          Icon="RedAlertIcon" />
         <RemoveFolder Id="CleanAppMenu" On="uninstall" />
         <RegistryValue Root="HKCU" Key="Software\RedAlert" Name="installed" Type="integer" Value="1" KeyPath="yes" />
       </Component>
@@ -52,27 +67,31 @@
       <Component Id="StartupShortcut" Guid="e5f6a7b8-c9d0-1234-efab-345678901234">
         <Shortcut Id="StartupLink"
           Name="RedAlert"
-          Target="[INSTALLFOLDER]RedAlert.exe"
-          WorkingDirectory="INSTALLFOLDER" />
+          Target="[SystemFolder]wscript.exe"
+          Arguments="&quot;[INSTALLFOLDER]RedAlert.vbs&quot;"
+          WorkingDirectory="INSTALLFOLDER"
+          Icon="RedAlertIcon" />
         <RegistryValue Root="HKCU" Key="Software\RedAlert" Name="autostart" Type="integer" Value="1" KeyPath="yes" />
       </Component>
     </DirectoryRef>
 
     <Feature Id="MainFeature" Title="RedAlert" Level="1">
       <ComponentRef Id="MainExe" />
       <ComponentRef Id="ConfigFile" />
+      <ComponentRef Id="VbsLauncher" />
       <ComponentRef Id="StartMenuShortcut" />
       <ComponentGroupRef Id="PublicFiles" />
       <ComponentGroupRef Id="AssetFiles" />
+      <ComponentGroupRef Id="DataFiles" />
       <ComponentGroupRef Id="Systray2Files" />
     </Feature>
 
     <Feature Id="AutoStart" Title="Start with Windows" Level="1">
       <ComponentRef Id="StartupShortcut" />
     </Feature>
 
-    <!-- Launch app after install -->
-    <CustomAction Id="LaunchApp" FileKey="RedAlertExe" ExeCommand="" Return="asyncNoWait" />
+    <!-- Launch app after install (via VBS to hide console window) -->
+    <CustomAction Id="LaunchApp" Directory="INSTALLFOLDER" ExeCommand="[SystemFolder]wscript.exe RedAlert.vbs" Return="asyncNoWait" />
     <InstallExecuteSequence>
       <Custom Action="LaunchApp" After="InstallFinalize">NOT Installed OR REINSTALL</Custom>
     </InstallExecuteSequence>
diff --git a/installer/data.wxs b/installer/data.wxs
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+﻿<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<Wix xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/wix/2006/wi">
+    <Fragment>
+        <DirectoryRef Id="DataFolder">
+            <Component Id="cmp90F1624156D94DB94CD89CB1B0F21961" Guid="*">
+                <File Id="filC6D5AFE09C2D9241F2ACC4A6A5132D18" KeyPath="yes" Source="$(var.DataDir)\false_alerts.json" />
+            </Component>
+            <Component Id="cmp4D57160C9BBE662C10416F8DAFE49B1D" Guid="*">
+                <File Id="fil52DE1CDBE19A6970591179F28164901F" KeyPath="yes" Source="$(var.DataDir)\iran_alerts.json" />
+            </Component>
+            <Component Id="cmp87ED437732A26535BD11F93FF7C3BC07" Guid="*">
+                <File Id="fil8DFA7BF9BEF767262B9D9EF98C525856" KeyPath="yes" Source="$(var.DataDir)\yemen_alerts.json" />
+            </Component>
+        </DirectoryRef>
+    </Fragment>
+    <Fragment>
+        <ComponentGroup Id="DataFiles">
+            <ComponentRef Id="cmp90F1624156D94DB94CD89CB1B0F21961" />
+            <ComponentRef Id="cmp4D57160C9BBE662C10416F8DAFE49B1D" />
+            <ComponentRef Id="cmp87ED437732A26535BD11F93FF7C3BC07" />
+        </ComponentGroup>
+    </Fragment>
+</Wix>
diff --git a/launcher/RedAlert.vbs b/launcher/RedAlert.vbs
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
+WshShell.Run Chr(34) & Replace(WScript.ScriptFullName, WScript.ScriptName, "") & "RedAlert.exe" & Chr(34), 0, False
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "redalert",
-  "version": "1.1.6",
+  "version": "1.2.0",
   "description": "",
   "main": "index.js",
   "directories": {
diff --git a/scripts/build-msi.js b/scripts/build-msi.js
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ const wxs = `<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
     Id="*"
     Name="RedAlert"
     Language="1033"
-    Version="1.1.6"
+    Version="1.2.0"
     Manufacturer="RedAlert Project"
     UpgradeCode="a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890">
 
@@ -133,14 +133,18 @@ const wxs = `<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
       <Component Id="ConfigFile" Guid="c3d4e5f6-a7b8-9012-cdef-123456789012">
         <File Id="ConfigJson" Source="$(var.DistDir)\\config.json" KeyPath="yes" />
       </Component>
+      <Component Id="VbsLauncher" Guid="f6a7b8c9-d0e1-2345-abcd-456789012345">
+        <File Id="RedAlertVbs" Source="$(var.DistDir)\\RedAlert.vbs" KeyPath="yes" />
+      </Component>
     </DirectoryRef>
 
     <DirectoryRef Id="AppMenuFolder">
       <Component Id="StartMenuShortcut" Guid="d4e5f6a7-b8c9-0123-defa-234567890123">
         <Shortcut Id="AppShortcut"
           Name="RedAlert"
           Description="Pikud HaOref Siren Monitor"
-          Target="[INSTALLFOLDER]RedAlert.exe"
+          Target="[SystemFolder]wscript.exe"
+          Arguments="&quot;[INSTALLFOLDER]RedAlert.vbs&quot;"
           WorkingDirectory="INSTALLFOLDER"
           Icon="RedAlertIcon" />
         <RemoveFolder Id="CleanAppMenu" On="uninstall" />
@@ -152,7 +156,8 @@ const wxs = `<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
       <Component Id="StartupShortcut" Guid="e5f6a7b8-c9d0-1234-efab-345678901234">
         <Shortcut Id="StartupLink"
           Name="RedAlert"
-          Target="[INSTALLFOLDER]RedAlert.exe"
+          Target="[SystemFolder]wscript.exe"
+          Arguments="&quot;[INSTALLFOLDER]RedAlert.vbs&quot;"
           WorkingDirectory="INSTALLFOLDER"
           Icon="RedAlertIcon" />
         <RegistryValue Root="HKCU" Key="Software\\RedAlert" Name="autostart" Type="integer" Value="1" KeyPath="yes" />
@@ -162,6 +167,7 @@ const wxs = `<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
     <Feature Id="MainFeature" Title="RedAlert" Level="1">
       <ComponentRef Id="MainExe" />
       <ComponentRef Id="ConfigFile" />
+      <ComponentRef Id="VbsLauncher" />
       <ComponentRef Id="StartMenuShortcut" />
       <ComponentGroupRef Id="PublicFiles" />
       <ComponentGroupRef Id="AssetFiles" />
@@ -173,8 +179,8 @@ const wxs = `<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
       <ComponentRef Id="StartupShortcut" />
     </Feature>
 
-    <!-- Launch app after install -->
-    <CustomAction Id="LaunchApp" FileKey="RedAlertExe" ExeCommand="" Return="asyncNoWait" />
+    <!-- Launch app after install (via VBS to hide console window) -->
+    <CustomAction Id="LaunchApp" Directory="INSTALLFOLDER" ExeCommand="[SystemFolder]wscript.exe RedAlert.vbs" Return="asyncNoWait" />
     <InstallExecuteSequence>
       <Custom Action="LaunchApp" After="InstallFinalize">NOT Installed OR REINSTALL</Custom>
     </InstallExecuteSequence>
diff --git a/scripts/build.js b/scripts/build.js
@@ -104,6 +104,11 @@ for (const platform of platforms) {
   cpSync(join(ROOT, 'data'), join(platformDir, 'data'), { recursive: true });
   cpSync(join(ROOT, 'config.json'), join(platformDir, 'config.json'));
 
+  // Copy VBS launcher for Windows (hides console window)
+  if (platform === 'win') {
+    cpSync(join(ROOT, 'launcher', 'RedAlert.vbs'), join(platformDir, 'RedAlert.vbs'));
+  }
+
   // Copy bundle to platform dir if multi-platform build
   if (platforms.length > 1) {
     cpSync(BUNDLE, join(platformDir, 'bundle.cjs'));
diff --git a/src/tray.js b/src/tray.js
@@ -47,9 +47,12 @@ export function createTray({ onStart, onStop }) {
   loadIcons();
 
   // Load systray2 module (synchronous require — systray2 is CommonJS)
+  // In pkg builds, bare 'systray2' resolves to the virtual snapshot, not the real
+  // node_modules/ next to the exe. Use an absolute path so it finds the real module.
+  const systray2Main = join(appDir, 'node_modules', 'systray2', 'index.js');
   let SysTrayModule;
   try {
-    SysTrayModule = require('systray2');
+    SysTrayModule = existsSync(systray2Main) ? require(systray2Main) : require('systray2');
   } catch (e) {
     log.error('Failed to require systray2:', e.message);
     throw e;

Original file line number	Diff line number	Diff line change
`@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@`
	`1`	`+Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")`
	`2`	`+WshShell.Run Chr(34) & Replace(WScript.ScriptFullName, WScript.ScriptName, "") & "RedAlert.exe" & Chr(34), 0, False`
Original file line number	Diff line number	Diff line change
`@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@`
`1`	`1`	`{`
`2`	`2`	`"name": "redalert",`
`3`		`- "version": "1.1.6",`
	`3`	`+ "version": "1.2.0",`
`4`	`4`	`"description": "",`
`5`	`5`	`"main": "index.js",`
`6`	`6`	`"directories": {`