Getting started with Dashboards

Dashboard
1

Hi gals and guys,

I'm just starting with Node-RED on a Raspberry Pi:
Node-RED version: v1.0.3
Node.js version: v10.15.2
Linux 4.19.97-v7l+ arm LE (Raspbian Buster)

The thing is I want to create a simple MQTT application:

  • a switch that will send an MQTT command that will switch on an LED at some IoT device (Arduino Nano 33 IoT).

I try to follow tutorials but they seem to be too old as I don't see the Dashboard functionality in my Node-RED installation (e.g. http://www.steves-internet-guide.com/node-red-dashboard/)

I did issue a "npm install node-red-dashboard" but to no avail and I suppose it has to do with that line at https://flows.nodered.org/node/node-red-dashboard that says:

"From version 2.10.0 you can create and install widget nodes like other Node-RED nodes. See the Wiki (link to Wiki / Github) for more information."

But for a Node-RED novice like me that waterfall of JavaScript is a little too much right now. Once I figure it out I will make a tutorial about it so any help appreciated to give me some intermediate hints that will allow me to solve this puzzle.

(B.t.w. the Arduino side / MQTT broker etc. is already working fine, that is no problem at all, I can also configure the MQTT out node in Node-RED without any problems, but if I try to add a switch it comes up with another node that is a "branching decision" instead of a 'hardware' switch.).

Thanks in advance for your patience and guidance.

2

I did issue a "npm install node-red-dashboard"
Did you do this while in the .node-red directory?
If you did it while you were in the home directory start off by removing it

cd $home
npm remove node-red-dashboard
cd .node-red
npm install node-red-dashboard

restart NR and if you scroll down in the node list, you shuld see a bunch of dashboard nodes.

add a button node and connect it to a debug node and tr it out. Then get your flow working triggering it from an inject node.

Once you have that working, it should be a peice of cake to connect the button to the flow and get it to work.

Take it one step at a time and build on what you just accomplished and you'll be fine.

3

Very good thinking, @zenofmud that was indeed my problem! I have some Node.js experience but it could be better and that's why I forgot about issuing it in the right place. Now I do have the dashboard icon in the first place and also nice nodes including button!

I will experiment also with the debug and inject nodes then! Thanks again.

4

Don't forget you can inseall nodes from the node-red dashboard. Click on the hamburger menu on the top right and select "Manage Palette" option. Note, some nodes will require to stop/start nore-red to be fully installed.

Now get building!

5

Tip: use the hamburger menu > manage palette to install nodes.

Edit i am a parrot

6

Great! Thanks guys. I already had the LED working over Mosquitto with the Arduino BLE 33 IoT. Was very simple in the end of course. Only the tutorial I started with (that one used the ESP8266) just assumed one had the dashboard installed already. Beginners 'bad-luck' of course. I will do some more experiments with it, but first I'll try to make a simple sensor to connect to that board to do the reverse (monitor values of the 'Thing' from Node-RED).