Problems running certain modules

[marchvet]

I admit being super new to the whole MagicMirror and also coding worlds.

With that said, its extremely frustrating to follow a modules instructions only to have it fail when MM starts.

For example, I followed the instructions for the BH Internet-Monitor and put the coding into the modules config.js

When MM restarts it errors and says there is a problem with the config, please check etc.

I have checked it several times and everything appears to be ok but it still errors. After removing that code the MM restarts with no issues.

I went back and deleted the folder for that project and reinstalled, but still the same error messages. Why do some modules work and some fail? I am starting to understand the dependencies etc, but I also followed the npm install on the instructions so shouldnt that keep things right?

Just really frustrated

[sdetweil]

@marchvet yes, some modules provide examples

modules: [ 
      {
          module:"xxxname",
         ...
      }
]

which is more than needed

only the part between the braces is correct…

      {
          module:"xxxname",
         ...
      }

see the two topics in my signature below (I didn’t write them)

[marchvet]

@sdetweil

I have checked those links and verified that what I am doing looks correct, but even if I do the following code:

 {
                        module: 'internet-monitor',
                        position: 'top_center',
                        header: 'Internet Monitor',
                },

I save the config file and MM restarts with a black screen.  I have read that it usually indicates that the dependencies need updated, but I have followed the directions to update etc.

Still confused as to why its not working correctly. 

[sdetweil]

@marchvet black screen
see
https://forum.magicmirror.builders/topic/15778/fix-for-black-screen-in-2-16-and-later

many modules no longer maintained

[marchvet]

@sdetweil I did that several times earlier. Also deleted the folder for the module and reinstalled several times.

I either get the black screen or error screen.

Im obviously doing something wrong but after 2 days of working with 1 module, its been deleted and I am moving on.

[sdetweil]

@marchvet show the messages at startup
either from npm start or if using pm2, then

pm2 logs --lines=50

[sdetweil]

@marchvet black screen means a missing library

so u have to read the messages to find out what is missing. and then install it in the module folder

there are lots of modules that will be impacted.

and more than 1 missing library

[BKeyport]

@marchvet One of the easiest things to screw up within the config.js is the lack of commas. If you cut and paste a lot of the modules config.js suggested entries, they omit the last comma.

For example;

{
       module: 'MMM-Multimonth',
       position: 'top_left' // can be any of the postions
},

See that comma at the end?

If you omit that, you’ll get the error screen if it’s not the last module in the list.

Even though it’s not “normal” - I put a comma even if it’s the last on every item. This eliminates that error.

As for the blank screens, the likely (but not always) module that’s missing is request. There’s documentation on how to install that elsewhere in the forum