Webpack: Error: NJS-045: cannot load a node-oracledb binary for Node.js 10.16.3 (win32 x64)

[yakov-rs]

Help me please resolve a problem with description below:

2. Describe the problem
   I developed server (express + oracledb) witch work perfect and have no problem with getting data from Oracle.
   Then I wanted to create a bundle (using webpack 4) and run my bundle separeted from directory where I working.
   And I've got the next message (my problem):

Error: NJS-045: cannot load a node-oracledb binary for Node.js 10.16.3 (win32 x64)
  Looked for D:\test\build\Release\oracledb-4.0.1-win32-x64.node, D:\test\build\Release\oracledb.node, D:\test\build\Debug\oracledb.node
  Node-oracledb installation instructions: https://oracle.github.io/node-oracledb/INSTALL.html

I placed my bundle into "D:\test" catalog.
I copied oracledb-4.0.1-win32-x64.node file into "D:\test\build\Release" catalog (but error is still have).

3. Include a runnable Node.js script that shows the problem.
   My webpack config is really simple:

const path = require('path');

module.exports = {
  mode: 'production',
  entry: {
    server: './index.js'
  },
  output: {
    path: path.join(__dirname, '../dist'),
    publicPath: '/',
    filename: '[name].js'
  },
  target: 'node',
  node: {
    __dirname: false,
    __filename: false,
  }
};

4. Run node and show the output of:

Platform:  win32
Version:  v10.16.3
Arch:  x64
Oracledb:  4.0.1

node --version
v10.16.3

5. What is your Oracle Database version?
   Oracle Client version 12.2.0.1.0

Thanks for any future help or advice.

[cjbj]

Previous issues mentioning webpack found that changing the require() line in lib/oracledb.js helped. Hardcode the path and see if that helps: https://github.com/oracle/node-oracledb/blob/v4.0.1/lib/oracledb.js#L67

Or consider using pkg, see #1098 (comment)

[yakov-rs]

Thanks for your answer.
You're right it's how webpack works with dynamic paths in require.

[cjbj]

@yakov-rs what was the exact solution for you?

[cjbj]

@yakov-rs I came across my notes from a Slack discussion last year about (presumably) node-oracledb 3.0. Apologies to the uncredited author, but she/he said:

installed string-replace-loader and this webpack config works for me:

{
     test: /\.node$/,
     use: [{
         loader: 'native-ext-loader',
         options: {
         },
     }],
   },
   {
      test: /oracledb\.js$/,
      loader: 'string-replace-loader',
      options: {
          search: 'require(binaryReleasePath);',
          replace: "require('../build/Release/oracledb.node');",
      }
   }

[yakov-rs]

@cjbj
What I've tried:

1. "switch" for "require" depending on platform.
2. using NormalModuleReplacementPlugin

Both solution required to change "oracledb.js" file.
For me the second solution is the better because of no warning when webpack is building, less change in "oracledb.js" and more flexibility with "process.platform" and "process.arch".

[cjbj]

@yakov-rs thanks for sharing!

[MisterMX]

That is how I solved the problem (still hacky though):

// webpack.config.js
config = {
  plugins: [
    new CopyPlugin([
      {
        // Copy the binary Oracle DB driver to dist.
        // This needs to be used together with the string-replace-loader below.
        from: path.resolve(__dirname, 'node_modules/oracledb/build'),
        to: 'node_modules/oracledb/build',
      },
    ]),
  ],
  module: {
    rules: [
      {
        // Change the path the oracledb package is looking for the binary to the dist directory.
        // This is a very hacky solution that modifies the source code in 'node_modules/oracledb/lib/oracledb.js'.
        test: /oracledb\.js$/i,
        loader: 'string-replace-loader',
        options: {
            search: '../',
            replace: './node_modules/oracledb/',
        },
      },
      {
        // Use __non_webpack_require__ to look for the Oracle binary in the dist folder at runtime.
        test: /oracledb\.js$/i,
        loader: 'string-replace-loader',
        options: {
          search: 'require(binaryLocations[i])',
          replace: '__non_webpack_require__(binaryLocations[i])',
        },
      },
    ]
  }
}

[cjbj]

If there is a solution that doesn't involve copying, and is not dependent on other modules (eg not #851), we'd easily be able to add new paths to the search list https://github.com/oracle/node-oracledb/blob/v4.1.0/lib/oracledb.js#L59-L63

[MisterMX]

A quick solution would be to add './node_modules/oracledb/' + nodbUtil.RELEASE_DIR + '/' + nodbUtil.BINARY_FILE as a fourth option to const binaryLocations in oracledb.js. Then you can use the webpack copy plugin to move the binaries to the dist folder.

For a solution to work with webpack out of the box you would have to hardcode all possible require(<path>) and surround each of them with a try catch clause to catch the module not found error.