No JavaScript experience - Config.js not working

OlesonCrypto

@sdetweil I have a new issue. Instead of seeing the original Magic Mirror^2 screen that says “add a config.js file or fix the syntax errors” now only shows a black screen. Both my mmstart.sh and magicmirror is active with my pm2. I also have downloaded chromium-browser. Do you know what might be the cause of this? I’ve downloaded all the module content inside of each module directory with npm.

sdetweil

@olesoncrypto this is typically caused by a missing library.

we removed some, and it turns out modules didn’t document using them

look at the pm2 log

command

pm2 logs --lines=100

looking for module not found.

for each of those, go to the module folder
if there is NOT a package.json file do

npm init -y

then in either case do

npm install xxx -- save

where xx is the name of the not found thing

we know about
request
rrule-alt
and
valid-url

then restart mm

OlesonCrypto

@sdetweil

0|mmstart  | /home/pi/MagicMirror/js/app.js:20
0|mmstart  | Log.log("Starting MagicMirror: v" + global.version);
0|mmstart  |     ^
0|mmstart  | TypeError: Log.log is not a function

I’m not sure how to fix this one. I nano’d into the file and they show a bunch of these log.log within the app.js file

sdetweil

@olesoncrypto yeh, its provided by the logger

so,

give me output of
node -v
and npm -v

if u rename your config.js to save.config.js (mv is the rename command in lnux)
and copy the sample.config.js to config.js (in the config folder)

does it work ?

OlesonCrypto

@sdetweil I was able to finally make it work! I just completed deleted the MagicMirror with sudo rm -r ~/MagicMirror and then reinstalled it. I copied the config.js.sample to my real config.js file. I ran that and it finally worked! I was fixing it up and then it happened again as I was imputing parts of my old code. I realized that my issue was that I had the useHTTPs: "false", instead of useHTTPs: false, which was the real reason there was just a blank screen. I appreciate your time and effort to help me out, especially with the fast responses. You’re a true life saver @sdetweil :)

sdetweil

@olesoncrypto awesome, glad u got it working

sdetweil

@olesoncrypto yes, that will get you

general rules for config.js


the thing to the left of :  does not need quotes
for the thing to the right of : 
      if it is a number (9, -1.234) or true/false  , no quotes
      if it contains a letter 12ff234, bob,   then needs quotes, 
         
single or double doesn't matter  as long as they are the same start and end

every { needs a  matching }
every [ needs a  matching ]

[] is a list [ 1,2,3,4] or [ first,second,third]
{} is a structure/object with name/value pairs  
    {    x: value, y: othervalue }

u can write lists and objects all on one line (what a pain)
or across multiple lines... (much more readable)
    BUT, you STILL need the commas between items in either 

if u get an error, unexpected token, 99% of the time, 
u forgot a trailing comma on the line ABOVE the one reported (error on line 45, look at line 44)

a good debug process is to join the list or object to a single line in your editor,
 and get the , between the items, then split it again after each comma...  
so u have a separate item on each line.