How to add modules. For absolute beginners.

Mykle1

@johnnyboy said in How to add modules. For absolute beginners.:

—Just a thought you may consider?.. Seeing as your ‘‘How To’’ threads are popular amongst the new members, would it be an idea to have a pinned post of all your ‘‘How To’s’’ ? One pinned post, with named links to all your tutorials? " How to Tutorials - For absolute beginners"
1/ How to add modules - < insert link >
2/ How to install MM on PC - < insert link >
3/ How to post code on the forum - < insert link >
4/ How to create a working config - < insert link >
Then lock the post so it does not become cluttered with questions? … Just a thought.

That would be up to the administration of the forum. However, thank you for your vote of confidence, bro. :thumbsup:

Chrisflex

Where do I find the Windows version of what needs to be done here?

https://forum.magicmirror.builders/topic/4231/how-to-add-modules-for-absolute-beginners/2

@Mykle1 said in How to add modules. For absolute beginners.:

Go to your Pi desktop

Click the File Manager folder. (Top menu bar, 3rd from the left, in Raspbian Jessie)

Double click the MagicMirror folder.

Double click the config folder.

Double click the config.js file. (Not the sample! The config.js file you made during setup)

Your config.js file is now open in a text editor. If not, open it in your text editor.

You have to add an entry for the module you just downloaded so that MM knows to load it.

Lets put the entry for MMM-JEOPARDY under your calendar module entry.

Modules that occupy the same postition display in the order they appear in the config.js file.

Scroll down to the calendar entry in the config.js file.

The calendar entry “ends” at the last }, and the compliments module entry begins with a {.
So, all module entries in the config.js file begin with a { and end with a },
Look at the way the modules are entered. What I just described should be evident.

Copy and paste the following “between” the ending of the calendar module entry - },

And the beginning of the compliments module entry - {

Mykle1

@Chrisflex

There isn’t one because the only difference is the path to your config folder. So, navigate to your config folder (inside the MagicMirror folder) and open it. If you don’t find a config.js file there then you need to copy and paste the config.js.sample file and rename the copy to config.js. Once you have made or found a config.js file then you can just follow the tutorial from there.

Chrisflex

@Mykle1 said in How to add modules. For absolute beginners.:

There isn’t one because the only difference is the path to your config folder. So, navigate to your config folder (inside the MagicMirror folder) and open it. If you don’t find a config.js file there then you need to copy and paste the config.js.sample file and rename the copy to config.js. Once you have made or found a config.js file then you can just follow the tutorial from there.

Thank you very much, I will follow the instructions and see how I go.

Dask

First of all I would like to say thank you for the step by step tutorial. It helped me a lot and I can now install some MM modules.
I do have a question though, I don’t really understand how to add dependencies. You say add it to the folder via the terminal??? I tried this on your PilotWX module but I don’t really know how to do it. I thought I did it eventually but nothing come up in my MM. I have also copied and pasted the other part into config.
Any help would be appreciated.

BKeyport

@Dask Dependencies are on a case by case basis. In many cases, it’s as simple as installing it into npm, by using npm install

In some cases, however, there’s additional outside programs or such that’s not covered by the npm install method. I’ve yet to see a module that requires additional software not include an installer script to take care of that for you, generally the readme will tell you if that’s the case.

Bottom line, follow the instructions in the readme.

Dask

BKeyport
Thank you for your reply. But I’m sorry to say I still don’t get it so let me explain my problem a little better.
The module says “npm install in your ~/MagicMirror/modules/MMM-PilotWX directory.” How do I do this. I tried going into ~/MagicMirror/modules/MMM-PilotWX but that command is not recognised in the terminal. How do I get into the correct place to add npm install.
Sorry if I am being stupid but this is all new to me.
Thanks

sdetweil

@Dask you should use a terminal window, and cd ~/MagicMirror/modules/??? where ??? is the module name

and then type
``
npm install

ONLY of there is a file called package.json present in the module folder
(npm install reads that file)

and hit enter
node and npm are installed system wide so there should be no problem

BKeyport

@Dask I’ll walk you through this one, same for most non-scripted modules:

assuming MagicMirror is installed with defaults:

go to your modules directory: cd ~/MagicMirror/modules/
Clone the module to get it on your machine: git clone https://github.com/mykle1/MMM-PilotWX.git
go to the module’s directory: cd MMM-PilotWX
install the dependencies npm install
configure, and restart magic mirror.

Cheers.

Mykle1

@Dask said in How to add modules. For absolute beginners.:

First of all I would like to say thank you for the step by step tutorial. It helped me a lot and I can now install some MM modules.

You’re welcome, mate.