Upgrade from Node-RED-Contrib-UI to Node-RED-Dashboard

[NEW GUIDE] Learn how to use Node-RED Dashboard with your Raspberry Pi

If you followed the Build a Home Automation System for $100 course prior to August 27 2016, you know that I’ve used Node-RED-Contrib-UI to build the user interface for the home automation system. But, sadly the guy that developed the Node-RED-Contrib-UI will no longer be able to update that package.

Luckily, the Node-RED team announced that Node-RED-Contribu-UI will continue to be developed under a new name: Node-RED-Dashboard.

You have two options

If you have the original course (before August 27 2016) and you have Node-RED-Contrib-UI on your Node-RED installation you have two options:

  1. Follow these next instructions to migrate from Node-RED-Contrib-UI to Node-RED-Dashboard
  2. Continue using Node-RED-Contrib-UI. It will continue to work, but will no longer be updated

Now, it’s up to you. Migrating all the nodes and update the Arduino code will take a couple of hours and you’ll have to follow the course since Module 5 Unit 2.

Exporting and backing up your Node-RED nodes

I encourage you to export/back up all your Node-RED nodes before you continue.

Migration from Node-RED-Contrib-UI

Node-RED-Contrib-UI MUST be uninstalled before installing node-red-dashboard.

[email protected]:~ $ sudo apt-get install npm
[email protected]:~ $ sudo npm install -g [email protected] 
[email protected]:~ $ hash -r
[email protected]:~ $ cd ~/.node-red 
[email protected]:~/.node-red $ sudo npm uninstall node-red-contrib-ui

Installing Node-RED-Dashboard

Run these two commands to install Node-RED Dashboard and reboot your Pi:

[email protected]:~/.node-red $ sudo npm install node-red-dashboard
[email protected]:~/.node-red $ sudo reboot

terminal upgrade complete

Open Node-RED

After rebooting you RPi, go to the Node-RED software. Your previous nodes will have errors:

Node-RED Screenshot 3

I simply deleted every old Node-RED-Contrib-UI node and started from scratch. Here’s the new Dashboard nodes:

Node-RED Screenshot 5

Note: the ui_radio_button node is no longer supported.

What do do next

You need to download the updated Build a Home Automation System for $100 course version that I’ve sent to all customers via email.

Go to Module 5 Unit 2 to continue the course and update the code ESP8266 and Arduino with the new features.

To be honest, the upgrade is well worth it and it has a new set of features that I bet you’ll find interesting.

Thank you for reading,

Rui



Build Web Server projects with the ESP32 and ESP8266 boards to control outputs and monitor sensors remotely. Learn HTML, CSS, JavaScript and client-server communication protocols DOWNLOAD »

Build Web Server projects with the ESP32 and ESP8266 boards to control outputs and monitor sensors remotely. Learn HTML, CSS, JavaScript and client-server communication protocols DOWNLOAD »


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