Complete noob here

[yanks43215]

I am creating a magic mirror for my GF. I have gotten so far as to download the magic mirror on my raspberry Pi 3 but I am lost on what to do next, and I dont understand much of the Github. I dont understand what I need to do with config and duplicate. When I say I am a noob, I have no background with coding. none, zero, zilch, so any help would be appreciated. Speak to me like a child, I dont mind

[yawns]

So you downloaded the MagicMirror with the curl command, right?
Open the file manager and navigate the folder MagicMirror in your home directory. There is a subfolder named config. Inside you find a file config.js.sample
Copy this file and name it config.js
Once this is done your mirror is ready to start.
Open the terminal shell, navigate to the magic mirror folder with “cd MagicMirror” + enter. After that enter “npm start” + enter.
You should see the mirrors interface.

Now play around with your config file. To get started you should open a webbrowser and register an account at openweathermap.org to get your own app id. Copy this app id to your config file and set the location to your location. Test this location on openweathermap.org first.

Then take a look at the modules in this forum to see if something interests you. Every module developer added an instruction how to install and use the module

[cowboysdude]

BUT remember if you have a working config file it’s best to make a copy of it before you start tinkering… that way if you have an issue and the mirror won’t start you can always reference your backup to see where you went wrong.

[nuckinfutz]

If you need help message me. I had to fight my way to getting some things to work. I’ll do what I can for you.

[nuckinfutz]

@yawns Some instructions are better than others LOL.

[cowboysdude]

Well yes that happens but it’s easy to do … I know myself that I may know something and so I assume you just know it too. It’s not done on purpose but I just sometimes don’t think

[nuckinfutz]

@cowboysdude Didn’t mean you. Just in general some install docs are written better than others.

[cowboysdude]

@nuckinfutz OH no that’s okay. I know what you meant You’re not an insulting kind of person but I know how you feel too. I’m not a programmer myself so I understand when something isn’t clear…

I still have a problem with the config.js file… what goes in quotes, what doesn’t… I’m getting there though!

You’re okay… just stating your experience!

[nuckinfutz]

@cowboysdude I have a very deep and very broad background in I.T. Just not with Object Oriented Programming. I can generally muddle my way through things. It is very helpful though when documentation is clear and also when people offer assistance and leave the ego at the door. I’m happy to help if I can with the config.js file.

[KirAsh4]

@nuckinfutz said in Complete noob here:

@yawns Some instructions are better than others LOL.

“Documentation is like sex: when it is good, it is very, very good; and when it is bad, it is better than nothing”