Modules assistance for MM newbie! Help!

ninjabreadman · Mar 8, 2018, 7:00 PM

@yawns It’s usually Macs because they do “smart quote” replacement, including in TextEdit, the default text editor. Straight double quotes (") are different characters from open and close quotes (“ or ”). Such smart replacement done at a program level on certain word processors, like Microsoft Word, but not in things like Notepad, the default text editor for Windows. This is why it’s more of a problem for Mac users.

@Fookes The solution is to not use TextEdit (much more like WordPad) for any code. Use a true text editor like Atom, BBEdit, TextMate, etc. Download one, install it, and use that to open/edit/save your config and other code files.

Fookes · Mar 9, 2018, 9:14 AM

@ninjabreadman - thanks for the info. As explained throughout the thread I’m the exact definition of a ‘newbie’. When detailing text editors such as TextEdit, Atom etc, what role do they play in what I am trying to achieve?

As an example:

I want to install a TP module I’ve found (as this Pushbullet one is). There is a ‘using this module’ section which tells us to add the following configuration block to the ‘modules’. I have simply been copy and pasting this configuration in to the config.js section and tweaking the parts I can/want to. How and why would I use Atom to do this? Genuine question - I simply have no idea. I’m eager to learn but clearly need basic guidance on this.

Appreciate it.

ninjabreadman · Mar 9, 2018, 1:12 PM

@Fookes No problem. You need to use a program (app) to open any file. Right now, you’re using what came with your Mac (called TextEdit). But it’s much more of a note taking or word processing program than a text editor for code. It doesn’t understand code, and does things that break it. Once you’ve downloaded and installed Atom (by moving it to your ~/Applications folder on your Mac) you can run it then open the file, or right-click a file and select “Open with…” and choose Atom. Not only will it not break your code, it will colour-code (called “syntax-highlighting”) your code, show you where brackets/braces match, and can help to make your code legible (called “Beautify” in Atom).

For adding modules, check out this walkthrough for tips: https://forum.magicmirror.builders/topic/4231/how-to-add-modules-for-absolute-beginners

Fookes · Mar 9, 2018, 5:25 PM

Have I actually been using TextEdit though? I simply ‘right click’ over what I want to copy from the modules section of the 3rd party modules page on MagicMirror2, before copying and then pasting in the config.js section. Where does TextEdit come in to my procedure?

I have downloaded and installed Atom as suggested. You suggest I 'open the file or right-click and select “open with…” ’ - What file am I opening or selecting to open with?

ninjabreadman · Mar 9, 2018, 10:32 PM

@Fookes Yes, but how are you opening your config.js to paste in your options/configuration? There is an app/program that opens and interprets the file, then saves it again. Whatever you’re using, it is permitting MacOS to change your quotes, thereby breaking the file.

Fookes · Mar 10, 2018, 8:48 AM

I’m simply (from the MagicMirror folder in terminal on Raspberry Pi - ‘pi@raspberrypi:~/MagicMirror $’ keying in ‘nano config/config.js’. I then paste and amend module stuff in there. I presume I’m doing this all wrong?

ninjabreadman · Mar 10, 2018, 12:02 PM

Sorry @Fookes, when @yawns mentioned MacOS and you didn’t say you weren’t using a Mac, I assumed that to be the case (given the quotes problem). Did you install Atom on your own computer or the RPi? Are you editing your files on the RPi itself (via a keyboard, in Terminal) or are you connecting remotely from other computer (typically ssh)?

As a command-line text editor, nano respects quotes and should not cause a problem, although I typically avoid pasting code blocks – I find over ssh that the paste buffers and encodings can get weird.

Fookes · Mar 10, 2018, 3:00 PM

@ninjabreadman - Hi.

I AM using a Mac! I’m simply VNC-ing into the Raspberry Pi. How can I easily attach images to my communications on this forum? Images of my procedure may help in explaining my situation clearly and concisely.

Regards

ninjabreadman · Mar 10, 2018, 3:00 PM

@Fookes Oh, understood. You can use the little art/photo icon to upload a photo in the forum.

Are you pasting via VNC? I suggest using an SFTP client like FileZilla or CyberDuck.

You can then connect to the RPi and edit files remotely (not download, edit, upload; both programs have an “edit” option that will let you edit and save remotely in an editor … change it to Atom for js/css/html files in the preferences).

You can also use Terminal (in Applications > Utilities) to connect to your RPi via ssh (ex. ssh 192.168.0.100) to run commands remotely.

Fookes · Mar 10, 2018, 4:04 PM

Hi @ninjabreadman - Yes, I paste in to the config.js via VNC. I really appreciate your input and guidance on this. Would it be a request too far to ask you to breakdown the steps you take from start to finish to add a module? You suggest using an SFTP client but I have no knowledge of what this is, how it works, how I incorporate this in to what I’m doing and at what point. I’m happy to install whatever is recommended - I just need guidance on the process. I think you linked to a ‘newbie’s guide to installing a module’ which seemed to suggest the ‘cut and paste’ approach I have been doing - albeit probably on a PC rather than a Mac.

I’d be very grateful but I appreciate it if my request is a request too far…