Newbie Trying to Get Started

[sdetweil]

@LoneSoldier see
https://forum.magicmirror.builders/topic/15663/how_to-magicmirror-as-desktop-wallpaper-all-platform-updated?_=1715801448276

by default MagicMirror IS the app running on a fixed display on the wall so it would BE
the image displayed

[sdetweil]

@sdetweil address in use means it is running already

probably via pm2, so do

pm2 stop all

see the output of
pm2 --help
for all the command options

[LoneSoldier]

@sdetweil Yes, that’s where I got my code, but I don’t think it’s using that.

Yes, I also just figured out it’s already running.

When I launch it in my Mate desktop, it covers all the windows and also the panel on one of my monitors. It’s not in the background at all.

Here is the valid CLI output:

[config]$ magicmirror

> magicmirror@2.22.0 start
> DISPLAY="${DISPLAY:=:0}" ./node_modules/.bin/electron js/electron.js

[15.05.2024 22:43.51.198] [LOG]   Starting MagicMirror: v2.22.0
[15.05.2024 22:43.51.200] [LOG]   Loading config ...
[15.05.2024 22:43.51.201] [LOG]   Loading module helpers ...
[15.05.2024 22:43.51.202] [LOG]   No helper found for module: alert.
[15.05.2024 22:43.51.208] [LOG]   Initializing new module helper ...
[15.05.2024 22:43.51.208] [LOG]   Module helper loaded: updatenotification
[15.05.2024 22:43.51.208] [LOG]   No helper found for module: clock.
[15.05.2024 22:43.51.267] [LOG]   Initializing new module helper ...
[15.05.2024 22:43.51.267] [LOG]   Module helper loaded: calendar
[15.05.2024 22:43.51.267] [LOG]   No helper found for module: compliments.
[15.05.2024 22:43.51.268] [LOG]   No helper found for module: weather.
[15.05.2024 22:43.51.275] [LOG]   Initializing new module helper ...
[15.05.2024 22:43.51.275] [LOG]   Module helper loaded: newsfeed
[15.05.2024 22:43.51.275] [LOG]   All module helpers loaded.
[15.05.2024 22:43.51.310] [LOG]   Starting server on port 8080 ... 
[15.05.2024 22:43.51.394] [LOG]   Server started ...
[15.05.2024 22:43.51.394] [LOG]   Connecting socket for: updatenotification
[15.05.2024 22:43.51.395] [LOG]   Starting module helper: updatenotification
[15.05.2024 22:43.51.395] [LOG]   Connecting socket for: calendar
[15.05.2024 22:43.51.395] [LOG]   Starting node helper for: calendar
[15.05.2024 22:43.51.395] [LOG]   Connecting socket for: newsfeed
[15.05.2024 22:43.51.395] [LOG]   Starting node helper for: newsfeed
[15.05.2024 22:43.51.395] [LOG]   Sockets connected & modules started ...
[15.05.2024 22:43.51.406] [LOG]   Launching application.
[15.05.2024 22:43.52.005] [LOG]   Create new calendarfetcher for url: http://www.calendarlabs.com/ical-calendar/ics/76/US_Holidays.ics - Interval: 300000
[15.05.2024 22:43.52.016] [LOG]   Create new newsfetcher for url: https://rss.nytimes.com/services/xml/rss/nyt/HomePage.xml - Interval: 300000
[15.05.2024 22:43.52.029] [INFO]  Checking git for module: default
[15.05.2024 22:43.52.406] [INFO]  Newsfeed-Fetcher: Broadcasting 25 items.
[15.05.2024 22:43.53.215] [INFO]  Calendar-Fetcher: Broadcasting 8 events.
^C/usr/share/magicmirror/node_modules/electron/dist/electron exited with signal SIGINT
[config]$ pm2
bash: pm2: command not found
[config]$ 

Thank you.

[sdetweil]

@LoneSoldier how did you make it autostart? create a service?

that code is 3 years old
I never tried it
@MMRIZE does this still work?

[MMRIZE]

@sdetweil
For Linux, there are many distros, so I’m not sure it works on all environments.
For Mac/Windows, I think it will still work.

[MMRIZE]

@LoneSoldier
On which lines did you put the additional configurations? Last line? Show me full config.js.

[LoneSoldier]

@MMRIZE

Here’s the whole file. I don’t know yet what else to put in. Just trying to get started:

// in your config.js add these lines.

electronOptions: {
  width: 1920,
  height: 1200,
  fullscreen:  false,
  backgroundColor: '#00000000',
  titleBarStyle: 'none',
  frame: false,
  type: 'desktop',
  hasShadow: false,
  transparent: true,
  resizable:   false,
},
electronSwitches: ["enable-transparent-visuals"],

[MMRIZE]

I tested on my Mac, it works still.(MM 2.27) For linux, I believe it has to work also. (Because it is one of the default features of the Electron.)

CONFIG.JS

/* config.js */
...
timeFormat: 24,
units: "metric",

/* Insert here */
electronOptions: {
	fullscreen:  false,
	backgroundColor: '#00000000',
	titleBarStyle: 'none',
	frame: false,
	type: 'desktop',
	hasShadow: false,
	transparent: true,
	resizable:   false,
},
electronSwitches: ["enable-transparent-visuals"],

modules: [
	{
		module: "clock",
		position: "top_left"
	},
...

CUSTOM.CSS

/* custom.css */
:root {
  --color-text: #ddd;
  --color-text-dimmed: #bbb;
  --color-text-bright: #fff;
  --color-background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);
  /* make fonts color brighter */

  --font-size: 2vh;
  --font-size-small: 0.75rem;

  --gap-body-top: 20px;
  --gap-body-right: 120px;
  --gap-body-bottom: 20px;
  --gap-body-left: 40px;
  /* adjust margin for your screen */
}

* {
  text-shadow: 2px 2px 5px #000000; /* make text more readable on the background image */
}

[sdetweil]

@LoneSoldier that cannot be the whole file.

see the config.js.sample in the vonfig folder as a starter. you can add those fields to it

my install script copies the sample to start with

[LoneSoldier]

@sdetweil The issue here is indeed something with the install. The app appears to run, but it did not create a config file for me.

So I copied the one from https://github.com/MagicMirrorOrg/MagicMirror/blob/master/config/config.js.sample and also added the lines as above and launched it again, but it’s the same.

It’s supposed to be in

~/MagicMirror/config/config.js

apparently, and that’s where mine is.

But if I rename that file, I get the same results. So I think it’s not picking up that config file at all.

Perhaps I should install from the repo instead of using Arch’s build?

[sdetweil]

@LoneSoldier the git clone/npm install does NOT copy the sample config.js

see step 4 of the installation instructions

3. Install the application: npm run install-mm
4. Make a copy of the config sample file: cp config/config.js.sample config/config.js

you do NOT need to copy from the github repo… the file is in the config folder

also why verion 2.22?? we are on v 2.27 now

if there is an ERROR, then there is a built in minimal config.js used

easy way to determine
is to add

disabled: true,

after some module:
entry
and restart magic mirror

note if you created a service to start MM on boot, THAT instance is running and you MUST stop it to change config settings…

you don’t need to reinstall… just do the correct things

to see if something is running from a terminal window do

ps -ef | grep -i magicmirror

if there is more than one line then you have to stop it…

[LoneSoldier]

@sdetweil OK, the issue was that I used this

https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/magicmirror

It’s 2.22 and I’m not sure how it works.

I installed normally from git now and it works, and also the “wallpaper” code works for me.

Thank you for your help.

Now I will try to configure this.