Use a local JSON file with MMM-JsonTable Module

REB

@Mykle1
Thanks for the reply. I had tried that url plus others. I even put the file in a folder within the module folder named ‘public’ but that didn’t work either.

I don’t think the module supports local json files - how do I determine this?

I think I’ll try to develop my own module - it’ll be a good learning experience if nothing else.

Thanks again.

A Former User

@reb
You can check Which url is derived from you config.js by this;
node_helper.js, in line 11

...
getJson: function (url) {
  var self = this;
  console.log(url)  // add this.
  request({ url: url, method: 'GET' }, function (error, response, body) {
...

REB

OK, I have solved the issue - the json file causes this error:

|mm     | Whoops! There was an uncaught exception...
0|mm     | SyntaxError: Unexpected token  in JSON at position 0
0|mm     |     at JSON.parse (<anonymous>)
0|mm     |     at Request._callback (/home/pi/MagicMirror/modules/MMM-JsonTable/node_helper.js:15:21)
0|mm     |     at Request.self.callback (/home/pi/MagicMirror/node_modules/request/request.js:186:22)
0|mm     |     at emitTwo (events.js:126:13)
0|mm     |     at Request.emit (events.js:214:7)
0|mm     |     at Request.<anonymous> (/home/pi/MagicMirror/node_modules/request/request.js:1163:10)
0|mm     |     at emitOne (events.js:116:13)
0|mm     |     at Request.emit (events.js:211:7)
0|mm     |     at IncomingMessage.<anonymous> (/home/pi/MagicMirror/node_modules/request/request.js:1085:12)
0|mm     |     at Object.onceWrapper (events.js:313:30)
0|mm     | MagicMirror will not quit, but it might be a good idea to check why this happened. Maybe no internet connection?
0|mm     | If you think this really is an issue, please open an issue on GitHub: https://github.com/MichMich/MagicMirror/issues

There are three bytes at the beginning of the json file before the first ‘{’. I am using an Excel to JSON converter from where I copy and paste the data.

I use VS Code as my code editor and with a blank new file, when I paste the data from the online converter and save, those extra bytes are at the start of the file. Same with Notepad and Editplus.

Without these 3 extra bytes, the module loads the file OK. Now I just need to figure out how to save the data without those extra bytes.

BTW, the correct url that I used is:

 'http://192.168.1.27:8080/modules/MMM-JsonTable/xxxxxx.json'

REB

OK, I’ve gotten to the bottom of the 3 extra bytes at the beginning of my json file - they are the utf-8 BOM (EF BB BF).

Fortunately, I have a script (on a Directory Opus button) that will remove these bytes (or put them back if need be).

Thanks to those that offered advice etc.

sdetweil

@reb those characters are called the BOM (Byte Order Mark)… added by advanced word processing editors…

u can use Notepad++ to remove them too…

u need to change editors to make sure you don’t add them back accidentally…

REB

@sdetweil said in Use a local JSON file with MMM-JsonTable Module:

@reb those characters are called the BOM (Bill of Material)… added by advanced word processing editors…

u can use Notepad++ to remove them too…

u need to change editors to make sure you don’t add them back accidentally…

@sdetweil
Thanks for the info about removing the BOM (Byte Order Mark). I use an Explorer replacement program called Directory Opus which is awesome and one of the developers wrote a script that can be attached to a toolbar button that can add, remove or toggle the Byte Order Mark.