MMM-Page-Selector: A page switcher that can set positions of modules

[rudibarani]

Dear @Veldrovive,

I have reduced my config file to very few modules but my MagicMirror keeps restarting every few seconds. That does not happen, if I stick with the “old” style of configuring Pages within MagicMirror. It seems, I make a general mistake with the way, the second Page setup should be done.

Would you mind having a look, why this slimmed down version does not work?

/* Magic Mirror Config Sample
 *
 * By Michael Teeuw http://michaelteeuw.nl
 * MIT Licensed.
 *
 * For more information how you can configurate this file
 * See https://github.com/MichMich/MagicMirror#configuration
 *
 */

var config = {
  address: '0.0.0.0', // Address to listen on, can be:
  // - 'localhost', '127.0.0.1', '::1' to listen on loopback interface
  // - another specific IPv4/6 to listen on a specific interface
  // - '', '0.0.0.0', '::' to listen on any interface
  // Default, when address config is left out, is 'localhost'
  port: 8080,
  ipWhitelist: [
    '127.0.0.1',
    '::ffff:127.0.0.1',
    '::1',
    ['192.0.0.60', '192.0.0.189']
  ], // Set [] to allow all IP addresses
  // or add a specific IPv4 of 192.168.1.5 :
  // ['127.0.0.1', '::ffff:127.0.0.1', '::1', '::ffff:192.168.1.5'],
  // or IPv4 range of 192.168.3.0 --> 192.168.3.15 use CIDR format :
  // ['127.0.0.1', '::ffff:127.0.0.1', '::1', '::ffff:192.168.3.0/28'],

  language: 'de',
  timeFormat: 24,
  units: 'metric',
  customCss: 'css/custom.css',

  modules: [
    {
      module: 'MMM-Page-Selector',
      position: 'top_bar',
      config: {
        defaultPage: 'tag', // Tag
        displayTitle: true, // disable in production mode
        persistentPages: true,
        selectPageNotif: ['SELECT_PAGE'],
        incrementPageNotif: ['PAGE_UP'],
        decrementPageNotif: ['PAGE_DOWN']
      }
    },
    {
      module: 'alert',
      disabled: false,
      config: {}
    },
    {
      module: 'MMM-WatchDog',
      disabled: false,
      config: {
        // See 'Configuration options' for more information.
      }
    },
    {
      module: 'MMM-Remote-Control',
      disabled: false
    },
    {
      module: 'MMM-Remote-Control-Repository',
      disabled: false
    },
    {
      module: 'updatenotification',
      disabled: false
    },
    {
      module: 'MMM-Snow',
      disabled: true, // final: set to false, hide in Remote Control & Save
      config: {
        // See 'Configuration options' for more information.
        flakeCount: 111,
        theme: 'winter' // Possible values are winter, love, and water
      }
    },
    {
      module: 'MMM-Love',
      disabled: true, // final: set to false, hide in Remote Control & Save
      config: {
        // See 'Configuration options' for more information.
        flakeCount: 111,
        theme: 'love' // Possible values are winter, love, and water
      }
    },
    {
      module: 'MMM-ip',
      disabled: false,
      config: {}
    },
    {
      module: 'clock',
      disabled: false,
      config: {
        clockBold: false,
        displaySeconds: false,
        dateFormat: 'dddd, ll'
      }
    },
    {
      module: 'MMM-TextClock',
      disabled: false,
      config: {
        layout: 'Field', // options are 'Line' and 'Field'
        its24: 'ES IST', // text before hour
        to24: ' ', // text between hour and minute
        after24: 'UHR', // text after minute
        marked: 'color: white; font-weight: 400;', // css code to mark current time in Field layout
        offset: 2 // standard: 2
      }
    },
    {
      module: 'newsfeed',
      disabled: false,
      config: {
        // The config property is optional.
        // If no config is set, an example calendar is shown.
        // See 'Configuration options' for more information.
        feeds: [
          {
            title: 'Tagesschau',
            url: 'http://www.tagesschau.de/xml/rss2'
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  ], // top_bar, top_left, top_center, top_right, upper_third, middle_center, lower_third, bottom_left, bottom_center, bottom_right, bottom_bar, fullscreen_above, and fullscreen_below
  pages: {
    tag: {
      'clock': 'bottom_left',
      'newsfeed': 'bottom_bar'
    },
    abend: {
      'clock': 'bottom_left',
      'newsfeed': 'bottom_bar'
    },
    nacht: {
      'MMM-TextClock': 'bottom_center' // Bottom Center nur für MMM-TextClock verwenden. CSS verändert!!!
    },
    wochenende: {
      'clock': 'bottom_left',
      'newsfeed': 'bottom_bar'
    },
    annika: {
      'clock': 'bottom_left',
      'newsfeed': 'bottom_bar'
    },
    phillip: {
      'updatenotification': 'top_bar',
      'clock': 'bottom_left',
      'newsfeed': 'bottom_bar'
    },
    kinder: {
      'clock': 'bottom_left',
      'newsfeed': 'bottom_left'
    },
    system: {
      'updatenotification': 'bottom_bar',
      'MMM-ip': 'bottom_right',
      'MMM-Remote-Control': 'bottom_right' // uncomment the following line to show the URL of the remote control on the mirror
    },
    test: {
      'updatenotification': 'bottom_bar'
    }
  },
  exclusions: {
  }
};

/** ************* DO NOT EDIT THE LINE BELOW ***************/
if (typeof module !== 'undefined') {
  module.exports = config;
}

[robiv8]

I guess it’s the MM-WatchDog module
Check that out

MMM-WatchDog module keeps an eye on your UI and quits app in case the UI crashes. If you combine this with the PM2 process manager, MM2 will automaticly restart after a UI failure.

So you said: “my MagicMirror keeps restarting every few seconds.”

[Veldrovive]

Yep, I can verify that it is in fact WatchDog.
I can also provide an explanation and a patch that you can do yourself. The way I made it possible to not include the position prop anymore is by building a temporary config, loading that one, restarting magic mirror, and then replacing the temporary with the original. I’m really sure of the underlying reason, but this process seems to trigger WatchDog to trigger an abort.
As robiv says, combined with pm2, this causes a restart loop.
The two easiest ways to get around this are:

1. Don’t use watchdog. If you don’t think that you are going to experience crashes, then that works
2. Give a position prop to every module. Including position props doesn’t change any of the visual function and that way, Page-Selector never triggers a restart and the problem doesn’t occur in the first place. The config for any given module should follow this format:

{
    module: 'MMM-module-name',
    position: 'any_position' //It doesn't matter what it is
    disabled: false,
    config: {
        ...
    }
},

I will try to find a way to make the modules play well together, but that might take a while.

[robiv8]

Hallo Veldrovive,
I just asked you a question on GitHub about Button.
Should I write this here or on GitHub? Where do you prefer it?

[Veldrovive]

Hey robiv,
I do actually prefer to have issues opened on GitHub. That way I can more easily keep track of them and also it provides a record of my work in case I want to use it in order to prove my merit.
Thanks for asking.

[robiv8]

OK Thanks.
It’s not really an issue, its a question about Button with Selector Howto ;-)

[rudibarani]

@veldrovive @robiv8 Thank you two for the quick feedback and nailing it down so quickly.
I will disable Watchdog for the time being. I was using it as I experienced crashes when using an iFrame module for video playback (ISS livestream on my night-page). But it should be OK to live without that for a while.

[rudibarani]

@veldrovive said in MMM-Page-Selector: A page switcher that can set positions of modules:

Ok, I’ve implemented persistent pages. In order to access them right now, you need to be in the development branch since I don’t have the time to do extensive testing.

Thanks again for the persistent pages feature. I have tried it all day in different scenarios and it was working reliably and as expected. :clapping_hands:

[rudibarani]

@veldrovive PS: I tried following your workaround and just wanted to let you know that it works :) Now I am able to use your new config option for pages which makes it so much easier to set them up! Great idea to implement it!

[Veldrovive]

@rudibarani
Good stuff. I’m glad everything is working out.