Read the statement by Michael Teeuw here.
Accessing config.js and file explorer on laptop
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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 -
@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!!!
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@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 laptopor 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
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@sdetweil that’s great thanks. My job for the morning! Im sure I’ll have more questions then 😀
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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.
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@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.
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@British_Kiwi can you post those errors
There shouldn’t be any, anymore
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@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
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@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.
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@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!
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@British_Kiwi try
npm run start:wayland