- [Adding / Using Environmental Variables](#adding--using-environmental-variables)
- [Building a Widget](#building-a-widget)
## Creating a new theme
Adding a new theme is really easy. There's two things you need to do: Pass the theme name to Dashy, so that it can be added to the theme selector dropdown menu, and then write some styles!
##### 1. Add Theme Name
Choose a snappy name for you're theme, and add it to the `builtInThemes` array inside [`defaults.js`](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/blob/master/src/utils/defaults.js#L27).
##### 2. Write some Styles!
Put your theme's styles inside [`color-themes.scss`](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/blob/master/src/styles/color-themes.scss).
Create a new block, and make sure that `data-theme` matches the theme name you chose above. For example:
```css
html[data-theme='tiger'] {
--primary: #f58233;
--background: #0b1021;
}
```
Then you can go ahead and write you're own custom CSS. Although all CSS is supported here, the best way to define you're theme is by setting the CSS variables. You can find a [list of all CSS variables, here](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/blob/master/docs/theming.md#css-variables).
For a full guide on styling, see [Theming Docs](./theming.md).
Note that if you're theme is just for yourself, and you're not submitting a PR, then you can instead just pass it under `appConfig.cssThemes` inside your config file. And then put your theme in your own stylesheet, and pass it into the Docker container - [see how](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/blob/master/docs/theming.md#adding-your-own-theme).
## Writing Translations
For full docs about Dashy's multi-language support, see [Multi-Language Support](./multi-language-support.md)
Dashy is using [vue-i18n](https://vue-i18n.intlify.dev/guide/) to manage multi-language support.
Adding a new language is pretty straightforward, with just three steps:
##### 1. Create a new Language File
Create a new JSON file in `./src/assets/locales` name is a 2-digit [ISO-639 code](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ISO_639-1_codes) for your language, E.g. for German `de.json`, French `fr.json` or Spanish `es.json` - You can find a list of all ISO codes at [iso.org](https://www.iso.org/obp/ui).
##### 2. Translate!
Using [`en.json`](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/tree/master/src/assets/locales/en.json) as an example, translate the JSON values to your language, while leaving the keys as they are. It's fine to leave out certain items, as if they're missing they will fall-back to English. If you see any attribute which include curly braces (`{xxx}`), then leave the inner value of these braces as is, as this is for variables.
"reset-toast": "Benutzerdefinierte Farben für {theme} entfernt"
},
}
```
##### 3. Add your file to the app
In [`./src/utils/languages.js`](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/tree/master/src/utils/languages.js), you need to do 2 small things:
First import your new translation file, do this at the top of the page.
E.g. `import de from '@/assets/locales/de.json';`
Second, add it to the array of languages, e.g:
```javascript
export const languages = [
{
name: 'English',
code: 'en',
locale: en,
flag: '🇬🇧',
},
{
name: 'German', // The name of your language
code: 'de', // The ISO code of your language
locale: de, // The name of the file you imported (no quotes)
flag: '🇩🇪', // An optional flag emoji
},
];
```
You can also add your new language to the readme, under the [Language Switching](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy#language-switching-) section, and optionally include your name/ username if you'd like to be credited for your work. Done!
If you are not comfortable with making pull requests, or do not want to modify the code, then feel free to instead send the translated file to me, and I can add it into the application. I will be sure to credit you appropriately.
It's important to first ensure that there isn't a similar option already available, the new option is definitely necessary, and most importantly that it is fully backwards compatible.
For example, if your option is added under `appConfig`, you can access it within your component using the `$store`, this is typically placed in a computed property, e.g:
```javascript
computed: {
appConfig() {
return this.$store.getters.appConfig;
},
...
},
```
Then, where you want get the users value within your component, use something like: `this.appConfig.myProperty`. Don't forget to have a fallback or default for then the user hasn't specified it.
If you have a default fallback value, then this would typically be specified in the [`defaults.js`](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/blob/master/src/utils/defaults.js) file.
You will now need to add the definition of your new attribute into the [ConfigSchema](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/blob/master/src/utils/ConfigSchema.js). This will make it available in the UI config editor, and also ensure that the config validation check doesn't fail.
"description": "The size of each link item / icon"
}
```
Finally, add your new property to the [`configuring.md`](./configuring.md) API docs. Put it under the relevant section, and be sure to include field name, data type, a description and mention that it is optional. If your new feature needs more explaining, then you can also document it under the relevant section elsewhere in the documentation.
Checklist:
- [ ] Ensure the new attribute is actually necessary, and nothing similar already exists
- [ ] Update the [Schema](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/blob/master/src/utils/ConfigSchema.js) with the parameters for your new option
Running `yarn upgrade` will updated all dependencies based on the ranges specified in the `package.json`. The `yarn.lock` file will be updated, as will the contents of `./node_modules`, for more info, see the [yarn upgrade documentation](https://classic.yarnpkg.com/en/docs/cli/upgrade/). [`npm-check-updates`](https://github.com/raineorshine/npm-check-updates) is a useful tool to help with this.
It is important to thoroughly test after any big dependency updates.
When Dashy is deployed to Netlify, it is effectively running as a static app, and therefore the server-side code for the Node.js endpoints is not available. However Netlify now supports serverless cloud lambda functions, which can be used to replace most functionality.
#### 1. Run Netlify Dev Server
First off, install the Netlify CLI: `npm install netlify-cli -g`
Then, from within the root of Dashy's directory, start the server, by running: `netlify dev`
#### 2. Create a lambda function
This should be saved it in the [`./services/serverless-functions`](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/tree/master/services/serverless-functions) directory
```javascript
exports.handler = async () => ({
statusCode: 200,
body: 'Return some data here...',
});
```
#### 3. Redirect the Node endpoint to the function
In the [`netlify.toml`](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/blob/FEATURE/serverless-functions/netlify.toml) file, add a 301 redirect, with the path to the original Node.js endpoint, and the name of your cloud function
```toml
[[redirects]]
from = "/status-check"
to = "/.netlify/functions/cloud-status-check"
status = 301
force = true
```
---
## Hiding Page Furniture on Certain Routes
For some pages (such as the login page, the minimal start page, etc) the basic page furniture, (like header, footer, nav, etc) is not needed. This section explains how you can hide furniture on a new view (step 1), or add a component that should be hidden on certain views (step 2).
##### 1. Add the route name to the should hide array
In [`./src/utils/defaults.js`](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/blob/master/src/utils/defaults.js), there's an array called `hideFurnitureOn`. Append the name of the route (the same as it appears in [`router.js`](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/blob/master/src/router.js)) here.
##### 2. Add the conditional to the structural component to hide
First, import the helper function:
```javascript
import { shouldBeVisible } from '@/utils/SectionHelpers';
```
Then you can create a computed value, that calls this function, passing in the route name:
```javascript
export default {
...
computed: {
...
isVisible() {
return shouldBeVisible(this.$route.name);
},
},
};
```
Finally, in the markup of your component, just add a `v-if` statement, referencing your computed value
```vue
<headerv-if="isVisible">
...
</header>
```
---
## Adding / Using Environmental Variables
All environmental variables are optional. Currently there are not many environmental variables used, as most of the user preferences are stored under `appConfig` in the `conf.yml` file.
You can set variables either in your environment, or using the [`.env`](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/blob/master/.env) file.
Any environmental variables used by the frontend are preceded with `VUE_APP_`. Vue will merge the contents of your `.env` file into the app in a similar way to the ['dotenv'](https://github.com/motdotla/dotenv) package, where any variables that you set on your system will always take preference over the contents of any `.env` file.
If add any new variables, ensure that there is always a fallback (define it in [`defaults.js`](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/blob/master/src/utils/defaults.js)), so as to not cause breaking changes. Don't commit the contents of your `.env` file to git, but instead take a few moments to document what you've added under the appropriate section. Try and follow the concepts outlined in the [12 factor app](https://12factor.net/config).
---
## Building a Widget
### Step 0 - Prerequisites
If this is your first time working on Dashy, then the [Developing Docs](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/blob/master/docs/developing.md) instructions for project setup and running. In short, you just need to clone the project, cd into it, install dependencies (`yarn`) and then start the development server (`yarn dev`).
To build a widget, you'll also need some basic knowledge of Vue.js. The [official Vue docs](https://vuejs.org/v2/guide/) provides a good starting point, as does [this guide](https://www.taniarascia.com/getting-started-with-vue/) by Tania Rascia
If you just want to jump straight in, then [here](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/commit/3da76ce2999f57f76a97454c0276301e39957b8e) is a complete implementation of a new example widget, or take a look at the [`XkcdComic.vue`](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/blob/master/src/components/Widgets/XkcdComic.vue) widget, which is pretty simple.
### Step 1 - Create Widget
Firstly, create a new `.vue` file under [`./src/components/Widgets`](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/tree/master/src/components/Widgets).
```vue
<template>
<divclass="example-wrapper">
</div>
</template>
<script>
import axios from 'axios';
import WidgetMixin from '@/mixins/WidgetMixin';
import { widgetApiEndpoints } from '@/utils/defaults';
All widgets extend from the [Widget](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/blob/master/src/mixins/WidgetMixin.js) mixin. This provides some basic functionality that is shared by all widgets. The mixin includes the following `options`, `startLoading()`, `finishLoading()`, `error()` and `update()`.
- **Getting user options: `options`**
- Any user-specific config can be accessed with `this.options.something` (where something is the data key your accessing)
- **Loading state: `startLoading()` and `finishLoading()`**
- You can show the loader with `this.startLoading()`, then when your data request completes, hide it again with `this.finishLoading()`
- **Error handling: `error()`**
- If something goes wrong (such as API error, or missing user parameters), then call `this.error()` to show message to user
- **Updating data: `update()`**
- When the user clicks the update button, or if continuous updates are enabled, then the `update()` method within your widget will be called
### Step 2 - Adding Functionality
**Accessing User Options**
If your widget is going to accept any parameters from the user, then we can access these with `this.options.[parmName]`. It's best to put these as computed properties, which will enable us to check it exists, is valid, and if needed format it. For example, if we have an optional property called `count` (to determine number of results), we can do the following, and then reference it within our component with `this.count`
```javascript
computed: {
count() {
if (!this.options.count) {
return 5;
}
return this.options.count;
},
...
},
```
**Adding an API Endpoint**
If your widget makes a data request, then add the URL for the API under point to the `widgetApiEndpoints` array in [`defaults.js`](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/blob/master/src/utils/defaults.js#L207)
- If the response completes successfully, we'll pass the results to another function that will handle them
- If there's an error, then we call `this.error()`, which will show a message to the user
- Whatever the result, once the request has completed, we call `this.finishLoading()`, which will hide the loader
**Processing Response**
In the above example, we call the `processData()` method with the result from the API, so we need to create that under the `methods` section. How you handle this data will vary depending on what's returned by the API, and what you want to render to the user. But however you do it, you will likely need to create a data variable to store the response, so that it can be easily displayed in the HTML.
```javascript
data() {
return {
myResults: null,
};
},
```
And then, inside your `processData()` method, you can set the value of this, with:
```javascript
`this.myResults = 'whatever'`
```
**Rendering Response**
Now that the results are in the correct format, and stored as data variables, we can use them within the `<template>` to render results to the user. Again, how you do this will depend on the structure of your data, and what you want to display, but at it's simplest, it might look something like this:
```vue
<pclass="results">{{ myResults }}</p>
```
**Styling**
Styles can be written your your widget within the `<style>` block.
There are several color variables used by widgets, which extend from the base pallete. Using these enables users to override colors to theme their dashboard, if they wish. The variables are: `--widget-text-color`, `--widget-background-color` and `--widget-accent-color`
```vue
<stylescopedlang="scss">
p.results {
color: var(--widget-text-color);
}
</style>
```
For examples of finished widget components, see the [Widgets](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/tree/master/src/components/Widgets) directory. Specifically, the [`XkcdComic.vue`](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/blob/master/src/components/Widgets/XkcdComic.vue) widget is quite minimal, so would make a good example, as will [this example implementation](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/commit/3da76ce2999f57f76a97454c0276301e39957b8e).
### Step 3 - Register
Next, import and register your new widget, in [`WidgetBase.vue`](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/blob/master/src/components/Widgets/WidgetBase.vue). In this file, you'll need to add the following:
Import your widget file
```javascript
import ExampleWidget from '@/components/Widgets/ExampleWidget.vue';
```
Then register the component
```javascript
components: {
...
ExampleWidget,
},
```
Finally, add the markup to render it. The only attribute you need to change here is, setting `widgetType === 'example'` to your widget's name.
```vue
<ExampleWidget
v-else-if="widgetType === 'example'"
:options="widgetOptions"
@loading="setLoaderState"
@error="handleError"
:ref="widgetRef"
/>
```
### Step 4 - Docs
Finally, add some documentation for your widget in the [Widget Docs](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/blob/master/docs/widgets.md), so that others know hoe to use it. Include the following information: Title, short description, screenshot, config options and some example YAML.
**Summary**: For a complete example of everything discussed here, see: [`3da76ce`](https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/commit/3da76ce2999f57f76a97454c0276301e39957b8e)
