Accessing config.js and file explorer on laptop

British_Kiwi

Hi
So I am new to all this, and gradually working my way through things. Coding experience is more vba than anything, though I did do some javascript sooooo many years ago.

I have RPi 5, and gradually adding modules with variable success. I’m trying to do some coding from my laptop as monitor is on wall and would be easier to code form the sofa :)
Anyway, I have managed to run the MMM-Remote-Control, not all the features work, but I’m sure it will just take a bit of time.

Although there seems to be an option to amend the config.js through this page, I would love to be able to open the file explorer and to open the config.js like I can do direct on the raspberry. Is it possible? I can access the command prompt for the RPi through SSH.
Any pointers?
Thanks in advance

British_Kiwi

@sdetweil great, I will leave it as is for now otherwise I will go crazy (or more so). I think I might do the same, most of our photos are on a synology nais so would prefer that anyway, so will try that instead 😀

Thank you so much for all your help and patience!!!

sdetweil

@British_Kiwi you can setup vnc on the pi
then use the vnc app on windows to open the desktop on pi
you have to install the vnc client on your laptop

or you can install Bitvise ssh client or Winscp ssh client
both provide file manager views of the pi system
and you can double click edit files from your pc. using a pc editor ( i use notepad++)

i like bitvise better, it provides an ssh window too for executing commands
and a drag/drop window for copying files in either direction (logs for sure)

both are free

British_Kiwi

@sdetweil that’s great thanks. My job for the morning! Im sure I’ll have more questions then 😀

TheBodger

As an alternative, try winscp. this enables easy movement of files between windows and PI and editing local files on the PI with a simple editor.

British_Kiwi

@TheBodger thanks. I ended up doing Bitvise, finally got it working. Made such a huge difference. I did come across a load of errors on running (npm run start) that I think I’d been selectively ignoring, but a search on the forum seems that most people just ignore it, so will do so for now.

sdetweil

@British_Kiwi can you post those errors

There shouldn’t be any, anymore

BKeyport

@British_Kiwi Like they said, vnc, a SSH client, or, the best solution, IMO, Raspberry Connect (https://connect.raspberrypi.com/)

Also, you could use https://pimylifeup.com/raspberry-pi-samba/ - and network serve your magic mirror directories to your internal lan, then any editor in a more user friendly style (I recommend sublime text)

If you choose to go the samba route via pimylifeup, you can read the section where you create a shared path, but instead change the “homes” section this way - and you’ll gain access to your entire user directory on the Pi.

#======================= Share Definitions =======================

[homes]
   comment = Home Directories
   browseable = yes

# By default, the home directories are exported read-only. Change the
# next parameter to 'no' if you want to be able to write to them.
   read only = no

# File creation mask is set to 0700 for security reasons. If you want to
# create files with group=rw permissions, set next parameter to 0775.
   create mask = 0700

# Directory creation mask is set to 0700 for security reasons. If you want to
# create dirs. with group=rw permissions, set next parameter to 0775.
   directory mask = 0700

# By default, \\server\username shares can be connected to by anyone
# with access to the samba server.
# The following parameter makes sure that only "username" can connect
# to \\server\username
# This might need tweaking when using external authentication schemes
   valid users = %S

British_Kiwi

@BKeyport thanks for all the options. I might try some later and see which I prefer. Seem to be able to use BitVise so far, though realised if I run it from the command prompt and then close the prompt, MM disappears, but that’s okay for now.

British_Kiwi

@sdetweil thanks for helping with this. I have just done a quick linked in learning about Linux command prompt, which is helping, but I have a feeling I might have been trying to install things more than needed. I can’t get pm2 to work, though looks like there is a folder.

These are the errors that seem to appear, I did find some other posts and tried them, but either I didn’t do them properly or this isn’t the same thing.

[2025-07-29 06:47:24.231] [LOG]   Sockets connected & modules started ...
[19099:0729/064724.417901:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:79] Failed to get fd for plane.: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.418394:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:261] Failed to export buffer to dma_buf: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.418868:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:79] Failed to get fd for plane.: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.419141:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:261] Failed to export buffer to dma_buf: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.419366:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:79] Failed to get fd for plane.: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.419542:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:261] Failed to export buffer to dma_buf: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.419930:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:79] Failed to get fd for plane.: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.420206:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:261] Failed to export buffer to dma_buf: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.420709:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:79] Failed to get fd for plane.: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.420904:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:261] Failed to export buffer to dma_buf: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.421163:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:79] Failed to get fd for plane.: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.421323:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:261] Failed to export buffer to dma_buf: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.421518:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:79] Failed to get fd for plane.: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.421654:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:261] Failed to export buffer to dma_buf: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.421898:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:79] Failed to get fd for plane.: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.422074:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:261] Failed to export buffer to dma_buf: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.424348:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:79] Failed to get fd for plane.: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.425449:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:261] Failed to export buffer to dma_buf: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.425746:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:79] Failed to get fd for plane.: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.425962:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:261] Failed to export buffer to dma_buf: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.426177:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:79] Failed to get fd for plane.: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.426333:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:261] Failed to export buffer to dma_buf: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.426521:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:79] Failed to get fd for plane.: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.426656:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:261] Failed to export buffer to dma_buf: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.426836:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:79] Failed to get fd for plane.: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.426967:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:261] Failed to export buffer to dma_buf: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.427177:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:79] Failed to get fd for plane.: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.427351:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:261] Failed to export buffer to dma_buf: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.427549:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:79] Failed to get fd for plane.: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.427678:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:261] Failed to export buffer to dma_buf: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.427836:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:79] Failed to get fd for plane.: No such file or directory (2)
[19099:0729/064724.428024:ERROR:ui/gfx/linux/gbm_wrapper.cc:261] Failed to export buffer to dma_buf: No such file or directory (2)
[2025-07-29 06:47:24.453] [LOG]   Launching application.
[2025-07-29 06:47:24.865] [INFO]  System information:
### SYSTEM:   manufacturer: Raspberry Pi Foundation; model: Raspberry Pi 5 Model B Rev 1.1; virtual: false
### OS:       platform: linux; distro: Debian GNU/Linux; release: 12; arch: arm64; kernel: 6.12.34+rpt-rpi-2712
### VERSIONS: electron: 36.6.0; used node: 22.17.1; installed node: 22.17.1; npm: 10.9.2; pm2: 6.0.8
### OTHER:    timeZone: Australia/Melbourne; ELECTRON_ENABLE_GPU: undefined

There is a further error to do with MMM-Remote Control, but I think that one looks straightforward (could not get calendar defaults - will check this later)

Any suggestions? Thanks again!

sdetweil

@British_Kiwi try

npm run  start:wayland

British_Kiwi

@sdetweil sorry for the delay in responding, have been at work.

I seem to be getting different responses when I do this straight into the RPi and if I do it through BitVise.

On the command prompt on the RPi, if I type ```
npm run start:wayland


On the terminal through BitVise if I do the same command, it doesn't run and I get this:

> magicmirror@2.32.0 start:wayland
> WAYLAND_DISPLAY="${WAYLAND_DISPLAY:=wayland-1}" ./node_modules/.bin/electron js/electron.js --enable-features=UseOzonePlatform --ozone-platform=wayland

[2025-07-29 21:22:53.476] [LOG] Starting MagicMirror: v2.32.0
[2025-07-29 21:22:53.486] [LOG] Loading config …
[2025-07-29 21:22:53.487] [LOG] config template file not exists, no envsubst
[2025-07-29 21:22:53.680] [INFO] Checking config file /home/admin/MagicMirror/config/config.js …
[2025-07-29 21:22:53.715] [INFO] Your configuration file doesn’t contain syntax errors :)
[2025-07-29 21:22:53.716] [INFO] Checking modules structure configuration …
[2025-07-29 21:22:53.750] [INFO] Your modules structure configuration doesn’t contain errors :)
[2025-07-29 21:22:53.751] [LOG] Loading module helpers …
[2025-07-29 21:22:53.752] [LOG] No helper found for module: clock.
[2025-07-29 21:22:53.810] [LOG] Initializing new module helper …
[2025-07-29 21:22:53.810] [LOG] Module helper loaded: calendar
[2025-07-29 21:22:53.810] [LOG] No helper found for module: MMM-CalendarExt3.
[2025-07-29 21:22:53.811] [LOG] No helper found for module: weather.
[2025-07-29 21:22:53.840] [LOG] Initializing new module helper …
[2025-07-29 21:22:53.840] [LOG] Module helper loaded: newsfeed
[2025-07-29 21:22:53.859] [LOG] Initializing new module helper …
[2025-07-29 21:22:53.859] [LOG] Module helper loaded: MMM-Remote-Control
[2025-07-29 21:22:53.859] [LOG] All module helpers loaded.
[2025-07-29 21:22:53.863] [LOG] Starting server on port 8080 …
[2025-07-29 21:22:53.864] [WARN] You’re using a full whitelist configuration to allow for all IPs
[2025-07-29 21:22:54.124] [LOG] Server started …
[2025-07-29 21:22:54.129] [LOG] Connecting socket for: calendar
[2025-07-29 21:22:54.130] [LOG] Starting node helper for: calendar
[2025-07-29 21:22:54.130] [LOG] Connecting socket for: newsfeed
[2025-07-29 21:22:54.130] [LOG] Starting node helper for: newsfeed
[2025-07-29 21:22:54.131] [LOG] Connecting socket for: MMM-Remote-Control
[2025-07-29 21:22:54.131] [LOG] Starting node helper for: MMM-Remote-Control
[2025-07-29 21:22:54.136] [LOG] Sockets connected & modules started …
[6004:0729/212254.138193:ERROR:ui/ozone/platform/wayland/host/wayland_connection.cc:202] Failed to connect to Wayland display: No such file or directory (2)
[6004:0729/212254.138473:ERROR:ui/ozone/platform/wayland/ozone_platform_wayland.cc:277] Failed to initialize Wayland platform
[6004:0729/212254.138558:ERROR:ui/aura/env.cc:257] The platform failed to initialize. Exiting.
/home/admin/MagicMirror/node_modules/electron/dist/electron exited with signal SIGSEGV

On Bitvise if I missout the wayland bit then MM will load, but those error messages appear.

British_Kiwi

Okay, so I have been doing a bit of testing and trying to work out what is happening and when. Sort of worked out where to check logs and which logs and using a combination of the main terminal, Bitvise and Raspberry Pi Connect to try different things. I think some of the issues, might be related to how I am interacting with it.

I have reinstalled RPiOS and MagicMirror. I have also set up the autostart using pm2. This seems to run and open MM with no errors.

If I was to add a module or change the config file, I would then use

npm run start

to run the MM. I have also started using

npm run start:wayland

helps with some things, but having port issues. I am guessing that this might be due to the autostart and I am not sure how to stop MM running when I am developing it. I had used ctrl_Q, but MM just reruns. Or is that all I need to do?

I am finding that if I turn off the RPi and then turn it on, MM runs with no issues. If I try to run it using the above npm command, I get the following errors:

admin@raspberrypihome:~ $ cd MagicMirror
admin@raspberrypihome:~/MagicMirror $ npm run start:wayland

> magicmirror@2.32.0 start:wayland
> WAYLAND_DISPLAY="${WAYLAND_DISPLAY:=wayland-1}" ./node_modules/.bin/electron js/electron.js --enable-features=UseOzonePlatform --ozone-platform=wayland

[2025-08-01 06:24:34.441] [LOG]   Starting MagicMirror: v2.32.0 
[2025-08-01 06:24:34.452] [LOG]   Loading config ... 
[2025-08-01 06:24:34.453] [LOG]   config template file not exists, no envsubst 
[2025-08-01 06:24:34.654] [INFO]  Checking config file /home/admin/MagicMirror/config/config.js ... 
[2025-08-01 06:24:34.690] [INFO]  Your configuration file doesn't contain syntax errors :) 
[2025-08-01 06:24:34.691] [INFO]  Checking modules structure configuration ... 
[2025-08-01 06:24:34.728] [INFO]  Your modules structure configuration doesn't contain errors :) 
[2025-08-01 06:24:34.729] [LOG]   Loading module helpers ... 
[2025-08-01 06:24:34.730] [LOG]   No helper found for module: alert. 
[2025-08-01 06:24:34.733] [LOG]   Initializing new module helper ... 
[2025-08-01 06:24:34.733] [LOG]   Module helper loaded: updatenotification 
[2025-08-01 06:24:34.734] [LOG]   No helper found for module: clock. 
[2025-08-01 06:24:34.794] [LOG]   Initializing new module helper ... 
[2025-08-01 06:24:34.794] [LOG]   Module helper loaded: calendar 
[2025-08-01 06:24:34.795] [LOG]   No helper found for module: compliments. 
[2025-08-01 06:24:34.795] [LOG]   No helper found for module: weather. 
[2025-08-01 06:24:34.830] [LOG]   Initializing new module helper ... 
[2025-08-01 06:24:34.831] [LOG]   Module helper loaded: newsfeed 
[2025-08-01 06:24:34.831] [LOG]   All module helpers loaded. 
[2025-08-01 06:24:34.834] [LOG]   Starting server on port 8080 ...  
[2025-08-01 06:24:35.229] [ERROR] Whoops! There was an uncaught exception... 
[2025-08-01 06:24:35.233] [ERROR] Error: listen EADDRINUSE: address already in use ::1:8080
    at Server.setupListenHandle [as _listen2] (node:net:1940:16)
    at listenInCluster (node:net:1997:12)
    at GetAddrInfoReqWrap.callback (node:net:2206:7)
    at GetAddrInfoReqWrap.onlookupall [as oncomplete] (node:dns:134:8) {
  code: 'EADDRINUSE',
  errno: -98,
  syscall: 'listen',
  address: '::1',
  port: 8080
} 
[2025-08-01 06:24:35.234] [ERROR] MagicMirror² will not quit, but it might be a good idea to check why this happened. Maybe no internet connection? 
[2025-08-01 06:24:35.234] [ERROR] If you think this really is an issue, please open an issue on GitHub: https://github.com/MagicMirrorOrg/MagicMirror/issues 
[2025-08-01 06:24:35.591] [INFO]  System information:
### SYSTEM:   manufacturer: Raspberry Pi Foundation; model: Raspberry Pi 5 Model B Rev 1.1; virtual: false
### OS:       platform: linux; distro: Debian GNU/Linux; release: 12; arch: arm64; kernel: 6.12.34+rpt-rpi-2712
### VERSIONS: electron: 36.7.3; used node: 22.17.1; installed node: 22.17.1; npm: 10.9.2; pm2: 6.0.8
### OTHER:    timeZone: Australia/Melbourne; ELECTRON_ENABLE_GPU: undefined

The config file is not changed at all. When I started getting a different port in use issue, I tried to find what else was using it, but I couldn’t find anything else.
I wasn’t too sure if running Raspberry Pi Connect was causing an issue.
I suspect I am just using this incorrectly. Once I resolve it, I can start making proper changes.

Thanks in advance!

sdetweil

@British_Kiwi pm2 has started MagicMirror already, you have to restart it

pm2 status

will show you the managed apps
pm2 restart xx
where xx is the name or number of the row

pm2 restart MagicMirror
pm2 restart 0

British_Kiwi

@sdetweil right that’s great and really helpful. The more I am learning, the more I am realising I wasnt quite using the right commands. I’ve tested doing a small change and seems no errors. When I get back I will test making changes through Bitvise and all going well, will go ahead and make lots of changing.
Thank you so much!!

British_Kiwi

@sdetweil you must be getting very sick of me!
Those scripts you gave me have been fantastic. I’ve also made my own change log to track my changes to the config file and will do the same with custom.css once I get started.

I added a world clock and the ISS space station module and started getting some errors. I have managed to remove most, and going to slowly apply things again. Currently both are commented out on the config file for the time being so I can isolate the issue.

I am now left with two, one is the ipWhiteList warning, which is fine and then I get the following:

0|MagicMir | /home/admin/MagicMirror/node_modules/electron/dist/electron exited with signal SIGINT

I did a search and since then I have updated Raspian, I have run your script:

bash -c  "$(curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sdetweil/MagicMirror_scripts/master/upgrade-script.sh)" apply

but I still have it.
If it helps pm2 -v is 6.0.8, npm -v is 10.9.2, node -v is 22.17.1

p.s. thanks for fixing the ‘code’ in one of my previous replies, I’m being extra careful to mark up codes.

sdetweil

@British_Kiwi

Can you show the end of the ~/MagicMirror/installers/upgrade.log

If you upgraded manually the script will abort if you are on the same version

The exited isusually due to restart.

British_Kiwi

@sdetweil

Hi, sorry running around after kids!

This is the end of the upgrade.log (not sure how my other reply separated!)

Upgrade started - Sat Aug  2 10:11:26 AEST 2025
system is Linux raspberrypihome 6.12.34+rpt-rpi-2712 #1 SMP PREEMPT Debian 1:6.12.34-1+rpt1~bookworm (2025-06-26) aarch64 GNU/Linux
user requested to apply changes
doing test run = false
the os is PRETTY_NAME="Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm)" NAME="Debian GNU/Linux" VERSION_ID="12" VERSION="12 (bookworm)" VERSION_CODENAME=bookworm ID=debian HOME_URL="https://www.debian.org/" SUPPORT_URL="https://www.debian.org/support" BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugs.debian.org/"
architecture from dpkg is 
[0mNode currently installed. Checking version number.[0m
[0mMinimum Node version: [1mv22.14.0[0m
[0mInstalled Node version: [1mv22.17.1[0m
[96mCheck current Node installation ...[0m
[0mNode currently installed. Checking version number.
[0mMinimum Node version: [1mv22.14.0[0m
[0mInstalled Node version: [1mv22.17.1[0m
[92mNo Node.js upgrade necessary.[0m
[96mCheck current NPM installation ...[0m
[0mNPM currently installed. Checking version number.
[0mMinimum npm version: [1mV10.9.2[0m
[0mInstalled npm version: [1mV10.9.2[0m
[92mNo npm upgrade necessary.[0m

increasing swap space
saving custom.css
remote name = origin
local version 2.32.0 already same as master 2.32.0
restoring custom.css
removing git alias
Upgrade ended - Sat Aug  2 10:11:26 AEST 2025

sdetweil

@British_Kiwi local version same as master,
So script stopped

sdetweil

As for you , internet search

raspberry pi 4 enable gpu
Or
raspberry pi 5 enable gpu

British_Kiwi

@sdetweil I did a search for it and it and followed instructions, but the GPU memory was not in the raspi-config. Turns out newer RPi5 does not have it.
Found another page on how to change it on the config.txt but I cannot see it listed. File was not in the folder google suggested, so opened the file that the command prompt said it moved.
I am not really set on having ISS-Live, it does work, but whilst I try and work out how to get google photos or other photos, thought it would be nice to see what it could do.
The modules I want seem to be showing okay, but will keep an eye on it.