How to use a NodeJS app as a Native Messaging Host for a Firefox AddOn on Windows?

Question

I've read almost everything I could find about the topic "Native Messaging" from a Firefox AddOn together with a NodeJS application on Windows.

Bottom line: I couldn't get it to work

I've setup the following (and also checked it again a minute ago)

• The Firefox AddOn has a custom extension ID and the necessary permission in its manifest

  "permissions": [
    "nativeMessaging"
  ],
  "browser_specific_settings": {
    "gecko": {
      "id": "[email protected]",
      "strict_min_version": "50.0"
    }
  }

• The manifest file for the Native Messaging Host I want to create with NodeJS has the following entries

{
  "name": "org.theiner.vlcconvert",
  "description": "Convert m3u8 into mp4",
  "path": "D:\\Project Folders\\NodeProjects\\NativeMessagingHost\\index.js",
  "type": "stdio",
  "allowed_extensions": ["[email protected]"]
}

• it is called org.theiner.vlcconvert.json
• I've made sure that .js files are associated with nodejs, so that starting (or doubleclicking) a .js file will start node together with this file
• I've set the default value of both desired registry keys

HKCU\SOFTWARE\Mozilla\NativeMessagingHosts\org.theiner.vlcconvert
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Mozilla\NativeMessagingHosts\org.theiner.vlcconvert

to point to the full path of the Native Messaging Hosts manifest file

D:\Project Folders\NodeProjects\NativeMessagingHost\org.theiner.vlcconvert.json

• The Firefox AddOn uses let port = browser.runtime.connectNative("org.theiner.vlcconvert"); to connect to the host, which seems to be successful, because the port is open (and no error or disconnection appears)
• The Firefox AddOn later uses port.postMessage('{"message": "This is a message"}'); to post a message to the host
• The NodeJS host uses process.stdin.on("data", (chunk) => {...}) to receive messages on stdin and in the end create a file in its path which contains the message data
• I've installed the Firefox AddOn in about:debugging

But: The file is never created, even though I see no errors anywhere. Running the NodeJS app with start index.js works perfectly and writes the stdin input to the file

Did I miss something?

EDIT: I tried using CHROME.EXE from the native messaging host manifest, and it worked. But I want to use a NodeJS app, if possible.

EDIT2: When I use this path in the app's manifest as suggested by another blog article

  "path": "C:\\Program Files\\nodejs\\node.exe D:\\Project Folders\\NodeProjects\\NativeMessagingHost\\index.js",

the port immediately disconnects with this error:

Error: An unexpected error occurred

EDIT3: When I use yet another suggestion:

  "path": "C:\\Program Files\\nodejs\\node.exe",
  "args": [" D:\\Project Folders\\NodeProjects\\NativeMessagingHost\\index.js"],

it fails with

Error: No such native application org.theiner.vlcconvert