@tonkxy
Usually some module might spit out some notifications with various data those want to be consumed.
With luck you can gather all data you need from the notifications.

Some modules might provide public method functions to interact with other modules.

Some modules might provide WebAPI url endpoints to communicate with world.

Well, even if there exists nothing to use, you can inject or reassign(overwrite) MM module methods for your needs, because MM module is not encapsulated by default.

@capedbuffethero

1. Make a GITHUB account
2. Fork the original target repository to your account.
3. git-clone forked repo into your local dev pc.
4. Do your modifications in your local repo.
5. Commit your modified version to your GitHub.
6. Make PR to the original target repo.
7. Wait for confirmation and merging by original owner.

Though I’m not using Windows anymore, I always envy the Rainmeter despite its ridiculous instability and low performance.
10 minutes ago, suddenly I remembered the idea that the Electron could be used for that purpose. That means I can use MM as a desktop wallpaper. So I did.

Here’s how to do it.

For disclaimers, Electron cannot hook Windows Desktop by itself. There are a few solutions for that, but I don’t want to hack MM heavily. For Windows, use Rainmeter.

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 */
}

config.js

In the case of Linux, some options might need to be modified.

electronOptions: {
  /*
  x: 1920,
  y: -320,
  width: 3360,
  height: 1892,
  */
  width: 1920,
  height: 1200,
  fullscreen:  false,
  backgroundColor: '#00000000',
  titleBarStyle: 'none',
  frame: false,
  type: 'desktop',
  hasShadow: false,
  transparent: true,
  resizable:   false,
},

• width, height : Your screen resolution
• x, y : position offset from 0, 0 for the left-upper corner of MM screen.

If you are using multi-screen like this and you want to place MM to secondary monitor;

You can adjust x and y to move MM to the secondary monitor.

js/electron.js

I’m not sure this is necessary. but when above modification is not enough, try this.

// line 22 of electron.js
// Change this line
app.commandLine.appendSwitch("autoplay-policy", "no-user-gesture-required");

// to this.
app.commandLine.appendSwitch("autoplay-policy", "no-user-gesture-required", "enable-transparent-visuals");

This needs source modification. I already made a PR to enable customizing electron switches, but this online source modification is needed before acceptance of that PR.

I tested it on macOS, and I believe it will be working on Linux also. Have good luck.

@mumblebaj
Thanks for your hard work on my behalf.
BTW, if you are not maintaining MMM-News any more, can you return the ownership to me again? I want to archive it in my control back.

@arynio

https://github.com/MichMich/MagicMirror/blob/26a76f80d63e5c9746b6db712d6901219f8b6b93/js/main.js#L97-L99

if (module !== sender && (!sendTo || module === sendTo)) {
  module.notificationReceived(notification, payload, sender);
}

module.notifcationReceived() doesn’t work when the recipient module and the sending module are the same.
A module cannot hear its voice.

If you want to use a chained shell commands with delay, make .sh file and execute it.

@tonkxy
You’ve missed this.updateDom(). It needs to be called when you want to redraw your module’s output.
Whenever you call “updateDom()”, your “getDom()” will be executed.

@greedyvegan
It will look better to arrange newsfeed module more harmonized.

/* css/custom.css */
/* This is just and example. Adjust to your color and dimensions */

.MMM-anotherNewsFeed .newsfeed-image {
  min-width: 150px;
  min-height: 150px;
  max-width: 150px;
  max-height: 150px;
  margin: 10px 20px 10px 10px;
  border-radius: 15px;
  background-repeat: no-repeat;
  background-position: center center;
  background-size: cover;
}

.region .module.MMM-anotherNewsFeed {
  width: 600px;
  height: 300px;
  border-radius: 15px;
  margin-top: 0;
  background-color: #333; 
}

@bicolorbore586
Sorry, It can’t be done at this moment. In some day, I have a plan to update. I’ll consider your needs at that time.

@arynio
I haven’t tested. But as far as I know, a notification from the module itself would not be heard by itself to prevent infinite loop possibility.

@tonkxy

start: function () {
  // init your module.
  // Not recommended doing your real job here. Because this method is evaluated only one time on startup before all the stuff be prepared (e.g, DOM creating)
  this.timer = null
},

notificationReceived: function (notification, payload, sender) {
  if (notification === 'DOM_OBJECTS_CREATED') {
    // This might be the best position where your real job starts.
    this.myJob()
  }
},

myJob: function () {
  clearTimeout(this.timer)
  let rand = Math.floor( ... ) // random number to pick
  let hour = (new Date()).getHours() // select hour to pick the folder
  // ...  Your logic for picking image by hour and rand

  this.timer = setTimeout(() => {
    // ... Your logic for displaying image picked.

    this.myJob() // recursive execution per updateInterval.
    // It would be a better habbit to use setTimeout instead of setInterval
  }, this.config.updateInterval)
},