Should I Customise the Modules or?

[AussieRob]

Evening viewers,

I’m new to the Pi and have done very little coding. With a little stuttering I’ve managed to get the MM running on a Pi 3B+ , albeit in it’s default form.

I think I may have made a mistake as I’ve started to customise the actual modules (weather, holidays etc) before I’d read to customise the config.js file.

My rather simple question is, do I need to do one, the other or both the modules and config.js to display local information?

IF I should have only done the config.js, can I return the modules to their default status without reinstalling MM?

Thanks in advance,
Rob

[A Former User]

@aussierob
Of course, you should configure your config.js first. Most of modules give options to customize by config.
But you need more, you can modify the module itself, but not recommended unless you’re experienced.

[AussieRob]

Thanks Sean,

I’m not scared to mess around a bit, at worst I’d have to start over. I’m a qualified mechanic, mechanical engineer and network admin and spent some time with html. Did learn Linux about 18 years ago but have forgotten most of it through lack of use.

Are the default module text or files available anywhere? Best I walk before I run I think.

Cheers,
Rob

[A Former User]

@aussierob
You’d better to start here;
https://github.com/MichMich/MagicMirror/blob/master/modules/README.md
And reverse engineering about researching how modules work by adding some log methods into modules will help. Good luck!

[AussieRob]

Thanks again Sean,

That looks like a good read. There’s so much comes up in a Google search it can be hard to sift through.

Cheers,
Rob

[AussieRob]

I decided the easy course of action for me would be to start over. I removed the MM software but neither of the two auto install bash scripts I found would work. (Including the one I successfully used initially.)
Thanks to Mykle1 and his post (link below) I’m back running again. Later today I’ll modify the config.js file and report back as it may help somebody else in the same situation.

Mykle1’s Manual install how to post is here : https://forum.magicmirror.builders/topic/5274/how-to-manually-install-mm-on-your-pi-for-absolute-beginners

Cheers,
Rob

[AussieRob]

All sorted now thanks, found and added the relevant text to the Config.js file to display Aussie weather, holidays and news feed. No module fiddling required.

Now to buy a Zero W to do it all again and actually build the mirror itself.

Thanks for the help, direct or otherwise. If anyone needs help to swap to Aussie displayed info, by all means ask.

Cheers,
Rob

[Mykle1]

@aussierob said in Should I Customise the Modules or?:

Now to buy a Zero W

If you can manage to get a Pi 3B instead, you won’t be disappointed. It has twice the RAM and a CPU that is a bit more robust.

My $0.02USD

[AussieRob]

Thanks Mykle,

I have a 3B+ that I was using for this test flight, I was just trying to keep the costs down.

A 3B in Oz is RRP $A52.36 vs the Zero W at $A14.96

Do I need the extra RAM and CPU power for the Magic Mirror?

Thanks for your advice and especially your guide for the manual install, it worked flawlessly.

Cheers,
Rob

[justjim1220]

@aussierob

It just depends on the modules or how many modules you are planning to use…

The modules that rely on pics and images, or video, or music, or streaming will need all the RAM and CPU you can get!