Complete Walkthrough - Install MagicMirror on a PC - Windows 7/10

[dwburger]

@Mykle1 I’ve got 4 of them currently staring at me and I’ve only got 2 eyes. Seems like overkill to me. Actually, I’m testing the Ubuntu and MacMini MM2s that will, eventually, replace the two MM2s based on RPi.

[Mykle1]

@dwburger

Excellent! I’m a bit of a nut about MM. I install it anywhere I can, along with ubuntu. 99% are laptops that I have, get, find or buy for a song on craigslist. I just like doing that and writing simple modules. Glad you’re enjoying yourself too> :-)

[dwburger]

@Mykle1 Yeah, I get it. There’s so much I don’t know about what the MM can do and it appears I’m going to have extra time to learn while I “stay at home” in coming weeks/months. Watching your “Hello Lucy” video has encouraged me to dig into the MM documentation more.

[Mykle1]

@dwburger

Cool. I found MM about 3 years ago. No coding experience at all. Captivated by both now. Made some friends. Trying to learn every day. :-)

[dwburger]

@Mykle1 :thumbs_up:

[dwburger]

I’ve installed MM2 on a new RCA Cambio. This little, cheap ($75) Windows 10 laptop (with a detachable screen that turns into a tablet) is meant to be an information MM2 in the kitchen. I got it up and running fine (following steps provided here), but I’d like to be able to run it remotely (e.g. when just the tablet is sitting in the kitchen). I can SSH to it using Git Bash and I see the start.sh script steps completing, but nothing ever happens on the tablet’s screen. It stays on the Windows 10 desktop. It starts fine using its own keyboard. I’m just wondering where I should look for a solution to this problem. Any ideas??? Thanks!

[sdetweil]

@dwburger the start script on windows needs to be changed

in package.json
change this

  "scripts": {
    "start": "./run-start",

to this

  "scripts": {
    "start": "node_modules/.bin/electron",

[dwburger]

@sdetweil Yes…I did that. You helped me with it last week.

[sdetweil]

@dwburger but u got me wondering about the words…

Windows 10
runs fine
run it remotely
ssh/ git bash

[sdetweil]

@sdetweil If u want to SEE/view it on the tablet (which might have a browser)

in the base system config.js

address:"0.0.0.0",
ipWhitelist:[]

then open the tablet browser to the ip of the base and port

http://ip_address:8080

[dwburger]

@sdetweil Yes, it’s a Windows 10 laptop with a detachable screen that becomes a tablet basically.
“Runs fine” = On the laptop, using Git Bash, I can start the MM2 normally with “npm start”.
“Run it remotely” = The MM2 running on the tablet part of the laptop will sit in the kitchen (no keyboard or mouse). I want to manage it from my desktop in my office using Git Bash ssh connection.

The laptop came with Edge, but I’ve been using Chrome.

http://192.168.1.65:8080 fails

http://localhost:8080 works

[sdetweil]

Windows doesn’t support remote display like linux does. u have to use an rdp client
I am booted to my linux system now

[dwburger]

@sdetweil Oh, of course! I’ll work on that…thanks!

[sdetweil]

@dwburger said in Complete Walkthrough - Install MagicMirror on a PC - Windows 7/10:

The laptop came with Edge, but I’ve been using Chrome.
http://192.168.1.65:8080 fails
http://localhost:8080 works

so, that looks like the address/ipWhitelist setting above…
(by default MM thinks it is in a closed box on the wall, so only allows connections from INSIDE the box)

[dwburger]

@sdetweil :thumbs_up:

[sdetweil]

@dwburger said in Complete Walkthrough - Install MagicMirror on a PC - Windows 7/10:

Runs fine” = On the laptop, using Git Bash, I can start the MM2 normally with “npm start”.

but I don’t understand this…

with the change to the start script, it runs in windows without bash… just regular windows batch
(cmd/powershell)

[dwburger]

@sdetweil OK

[sdetweil]

@dwburger said in Complete Walkthrough - Install MagicMirror on a PC - Windows 7/10:

I want to manage it from my desktop in my office using Git Bash ssh connection.

also, don’t know what this means… manage… it doesn’t NEED to run MM at all… just display it.

u could have two instances running on the base machine… 2 different ports…
the tablet accesses port(8081) , the base another (8080)

run the tablet instance as serveronly then no ui memory consumption on the base for that instance

to make a second copy from the first, just copy the MM folder to MM1, and change the config for port (and address/whitelist above)

then do npm serveronly for the tablet mm

[Plainbroke 0]

All,
You can not copy and paste though. I had to manually type it all in to make it work.
Still in MagicMirror;
nano package.json
right under the other “start”: “???”
go to the line below it and hit enter.
Then type in the blank space you just made.
“start”: “node_modules/.bin/electron js/electron.js”,
//DO NOT LEAVE OUT THE PUNCTUATION. ESPECIALLY THE COMMA AT THE END.
//I speak from expereince on this matter.
//Mykle1 usually has to help me find it after struggling for a couple hours.
THEN:
cd ~/MagicMirror/vendor
npm install
cd fonts
npm install
NOW IT will RUN
Thank you agian Mykle1
I am really enjoying this on my laptop,
so much easier to do testing ect.

[sdetweil]

@Plainbroke-0 it was Sam, but anyway I cut and paste ALL the time. you need to add the code block marks around the actual steps to make them readable