How to instantiate a blank workspace in node red? - node.js

I have an < iframe > based Node-Red UI hosted inside MEAN application. I want to create a blank workspace each time I visit the Node-Red hosted Page without restarting NR server?
But I also need to preserve the previously deployed flows.
I've tried changing user directory to scratch :
var settings = {
httpAdminRoot:"/red/",
httpNodeRoot: "/api/",
userDir:"/home/sudo/.nodered/scratch",
functionGlobalContext: { } // enables global context
};
but it wouldn't work instead it started creating persistent flow file inside the scratch directory.

You can't do what you want with the default Node-RED. It will always store the flow in a file in the userDir
You will need to look at implementing your own storage module as described here: http://nodered.org/docs/api/storage/

Related

How to use node package dotenv to access local development environment variables in Red Hat OpenShift application?

I'm revisiting a project which hasn't been updated for a while.
In production/online environment, it uses environment variables defined at:
openshift online console > applications > deployments > my node app > environment
In development/offline environment, it uses environment variables defined at:
./src/js/my_modules/local_settings (this file is ignored by .gitignore)
The code looks something like:
// check which environment we are in
if (process.env.MONGODB_USER) {
var online_status = "online";
}
else {
var online_status = "offline";
}
// if online, use environment variables defined in red hat openshift
if (online_status === 'online') {
var site_title = process.env.SITE_TITLE;
var site_description = process.env.SITE_DESCRIPTION;
//etc
}
// if offline, get settings from a local file
else if (online_status === 'offline') {
var local_settings = require('./src/js/my_modules/local_settings');
var site_title = local_settings.SITE_TITLE;
var site_description = local_settings.SITE_DESCRIPTION;
// etc
}
I would like to install the dotenv package in my local project repo via:
npm install dotenv
So that I can:
Have my local settings in a .env file in the root of my project (ignored in .gitignore)
Be able to use process.env.SOME_VARIABLE rather than local_settings.SOME_VARIABLE
Get rid of some if/else blocks as both scenarios would point to process.env.SOME_VARIABLE
I'm a bit confused as to how this would effect the online environment.
Seeing as both production/online and development/offline environments would use:
var some_variable = process.env.SOME_VARIABLE_HERE
would the application automatically know to:
Look at the local .env file when in development?
Look at the Red Hat environment variables when in production?
And would adding the required instantiation at the beginning of the server-side file:
require('dotenv').config()
somehow make Red Hat OpenShift freak out (as it seems to already have its own 'things' in place to resolve references to process.env.SOME_VARIABLE_HERE to the relevant values defined in the OpenShift console)?
To have a file by any environment (.dev .staging .prod) into the source code repository or manually in the server (it those are in .gitignore) worked for long time, but now it goes against to the devops.
The clean way is to use environment variables but managed remotely and obtained at the start of your application.
How it works?
Basically your apps don't read or need a file (.env .properties, etc) with variables anymore. It loads them from a remote http service.
Not intrusive
In this approach, you don't need specific languages variables (nodejs in your case). You just need to prepare your app to use environment variables. Your application don't care where the variables come from, just needs to be available at operative system level.
To achieve that, you just need to download the variables using a simple shell code or a very basic algorithm (http invocation) in your favorite language.
After that, after the start of your app, variables are ready to use at the most basic level.
var site_title = process.env.SITE_TITLE;
This approach is not intrusive because your app don't need something complex like library or algorithm in some programing language. Just needs the environment variables.
Intrusive
Same as previous alternative but instead to read the variables direct from environment system, you should use or create a class/module in your language. This offer your the variables you need:
var site_title = VariablesManager.getProperty("SITE_TITLE");
VariablesManager at the startup must have consumed the variables from a remote service (http) and the store them to offer them to whoever needs it through getProperty method.
Also this VariablesManager usually has a feature called hot-reload which at intervals, update the variables consuming the remote variables manager. With this, if your application is running in production with real users and some variable needs to be updated, you just need to change it in the variables manager. Automatically your app will load the new values, without restart or touching your app
This approach is intrusive because you need to load advanced libraries in some programing language or create it.
Devops
Your application just needs a few properties or settings related to the consume of remote variables. For example: variables of acme-web-staging:
remote_variables_manager = https://variables.com/api
application_id = acme-web-staging
secure_key = *****
You could hide the secure key and parametrize the application_id using environment variables (created in the platform console)
remote_variables_manager = https://variables.com/api
application_id = ${application_id}
secure_key = ${remote_variables_manager_key}
Or if you want one variable manager by each environment
staging
remote_variables_manager = https://variables-staging.com/api
application_id = acme-web
secure_key = *****
production
remote_variables_manager = https://variables-staging.com/api
application_id = acme-web
secure_key = *****
Variables manager
This concept was introduced many years ago. I used with java. It consist in a web application with features like:
secure login
create applications
create variables of an application
crypt sensitive values
publish http endpoints to download or query the variables by application
Here a list of some ready to use alternatives:
Configurator
Nodejs & mysql solution. I developed this and I use it in various projects.
Doppler
zookeeper
http://www.therore.net/java/2015/05/03/distributed-configuration-with-zookeeper-curator-and-spring-cloud-config.html
Spring Cloud
https://www.baeldung.com/spring-cloud-configuration
This is a java spring framework functionality in which you can create properties file with configurations and configure your applications to read them.
Consul
Consul is a service mesh solution providing a full featured control plane with service discovery, configuration, and segmentation functionality.
doozerd, etcd
In your specific case
Don't use dot-env
Use pure process.env.foo
Deploy a remote variables manager in your openshift infraestructure
Create just one variable in your openshift web console: APP_ENVIRONMENT
In your code at the start, do something like this:
if (process.env.APP_ENVIRONMENT === "PROD")
//get variables from remote service using
//some http client like axios, request, etc
//then inject them to your process.env
process.env.site_url = remoteVariables.site_url
else
//we are in local developer workspace
//so, nothing complex is required
//developer should inject manually
//before the startup: npm run start or dev
//export site_url = "acme.com"
If you can configure an execution of a shell script before the start of your openshift app, you could load and expose the variables at that stage and the previous snippet would not be necessary because the variables will be ready to be retrieved using process.env directly in your app

Need to set Default Document and Physical path in Azure Web App

I am not able to see my SPA page after deploying it to Azure WebApp from VS Code. Its says
"Hey, Node developers!
Your app service is up and running.
Time to take the next step and deploy your code."
I have seen at so may site that I need to set default document and New physical path. But i don't see any Default Document Tab in Configuration menu of Web App. There are only three tabs. 1- Application Setting 2- General Setting 3- Path Mapping.
The Issue is where to set the Default document and new physical path.
If you deployed to a Node Linux Web App the default document would be hostingstart.html located in /home/site/wwwroot/.
According this document:Things You Should Know: Web Apps and Linux, there is a description about default document in a Node.js app.
When you create a Node.js app, by default, it's going to use hostingstart.html as the default document unless you configure it to look for a different file. You can use a JavaScript file to configure your default document. Create a file called index.js in the root folder of your site and add the following content.
So go to your ssh terminal, navigate to /home/site/wwwroot , create the index.js with the following code:
var express = require('express');
var server = express();
var options = {
index: 'index.html'
};
server.use('/', express.static('/home/site/wwwroot', options));
server.listen(process.env.PORT);

files in server root not loading properly in Azure

I'm working on an app that instead of a database uses file system in the server's root directory. It's basically a note application that allows me to save notes. Each note is a serialized object of Note class represented by following structure \Data\Notes\MyUsername\Title.txt
When I'm testing this on localhost through IIS Express everything works fine and I can easily go step by step there.
However, once I publish the app to Azure, the folder structure is still there (made a test Controller that uses Directory.GetFiles() and .GetDirectories() to simulate folder browsing so I'm sure that the files are there) but the file simply doesn't get loaded.
Loading script that's being called:
public T Load<T>(string filePath) where T : new()
{
StreamReader reader = null;
try
{
reader = new StreamReader(filePath);
var RawDB = reader.ReadToEnd();
return JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<T>(RawDB);
}
catch
{
return default(T);
}
finally
{
if (reader != null)
reader.Dispose();
}
}
Since I can't normally debug the app on Azure I tried to dump as much info as I can through ViewData and even there, everything looks okay and the paths match, but the deserialized object is still null, and this is only when trying to open an existing note WITHOUT creating a new one first (more on that later)
Additionally, like I said, those new notes get saved in the folder structure, and there's a Note sidebar on the left that allows users to switch between notes. The note browser is nothing more but a list that's collected with a .GetFiles() of that folder.
On Azure, this works normally and if I were to delete one manually it'd be removed from the sidebar as well.
Now here's the kicker. On localhost, adding a note adds it to the sidebar and I can switch between them normally.
Adding a note on Azure makes all Views only display that new note regardless of which note I open and the new note does NOT get stored in the structure (I don't know where it ended up at all!) even though the path is defined at that point normally and it should save just like it does on localhost.
var model = new ViewNoteModel()
{
Note = Load<Note>($#"{NotePath}\{Title}.txt"), //Works on localhost, fails on Azure on many levels. Title is a URL param.
MyNotes = GetMyNotes() //works fine, reads right directory on local and Azure
};
To summarize:
Everything works fine on localhost, Important part doesn't work on Azure.
If new note is not created but an existing note is opened, Correct note gets loaded (based on URL Param) on Localhost, it breaks on Azure and loads default Note object (not null, just the default constructor data since it's required by JsonConvert)
If a new note is created, you'll see it on Localhost and you'll be able to open all other notes regardless, you will see only the new note on Azure regardless of note picked.
It's really strange and I have no idea what could cause this? I thought it had something to do with Azure requests being handled differently so maybe controller pushes the View before the model is initialized completely but that doesn't make sense since there's nothing async here.
However the fact that it loads a note that doesn't exist on the server it's even more apsurd and I have no explanation for that.
Additionally this issue is not linked with a session. I logged in through my phone and it showed the fake note there as well right away.
P.S. Before you say anything about storage, please note this. Our university grants us a very limited Azure subscription. Simple lowest tier App service and 5DTU SQL server and 99% of the rest is locked out of our subscription. This is why I'm storing stuff on the server, not because I believe it's the smart thing to do.

How to Upload images from local folder to Sitecore

`webClient.UploadFile("http://www.myurl.com/~/media/DCF92BB74CDA4D558EEF2D3C30216E30.ashx", #"E:\filesImage\Item.png");
I'm trying to upload images to sitecore using webclient.uploadfile() method by sending my sitecore address and the path of my local images.But I'm not able to upload it.I have to do this without any API's and Sitecore Instances.
The upload process would be the same as with any ASP.net application. However, once the file has been uploaded you need to create a media item programtically. You can do this from an actual file in the file system, or from a memory stream.
The process involves using a MediaCreator object and using its CreateFromFile method.
This blog post outlines the whole process:
Adding a file to the Sitecore Media Library programatically
If you're thinking simply about optimizing your developer workflow you could use the Sitecore PowerShell Extensions using the Remoting API as described in this this blog post
If you want to use web service way than you can use number of ways which are as follows:
a) Sitecore Rocks WebService (If you are allowed to install that or it is already available).
b) Sitecore Razl Service(It is third party which need license).
c) Sitecore Powershell Remoting (This needs Sitecore PowerShell extensions to be installed on Sitecore Server).
d) You can also use Sitecore Service which you can find under sitecore\shell\WebService\Service.asmx (But this is legacy of new SitecoreItemWebAPI)
e) Last is my enhanced SitecoreItemWebAPI (This also need SitecoreItemWebApi 1.2 as a pre-requisite).
But in end except option d you need to install some or other thing in order to upload the image using HTTP, you should also know the valid credentials to use any of above stated methods.
If your customers upload the image on the website, you need to create the item in your master database. (needs access and write right on the master database) depend on your security you might consider not build it with custom code.
But using the Sitecore webforms for marketers module With out of the box file upload. Create a form with upload field and using the WFFM webservices.
If you dont want to use Sitecore API, then you can do the following:
Write a code that uploads images into this folder : [root]/upload/
You might need to create folder structure that represent how the images are stored in Sitecore, eg: your images uploaded into [root]/upload/Import/ will be stored in /sitecore/media library/Import
Sitecore will automatically upload these images into Media library
Hope this helps
Option: You can use Item Web API for it. No reference to any Sitecore dll is needed. You will only need access to the host and be able to enable the Item Web API.
References:
Upload the files using it: http://www.sitecoreinsight.com/how-create-media-items-using-sitecore-item-web-api/
Enable Item Web Api: http://sdn.sitecore.net/upload/sdn5/modules/sitecore%20item%20web%20api/sitecore_item_web_api_developer_guide_sc66-71-a4.pdf#search=%22item%22
I guess that is pretty much what you need, but as Jay S mentioned, if you put more details on your question helps on finding the best option to your particular case.
private void CreateImageIteminSitecore()
{
filePath = #"C:\Sitecore\Website\ImageTemp\Pic.jpg;
using (new SecurityDisabler())
{
Database masterDb = Sitecore.Configuration.Factory.GetDatabase("master");
Sitecore.Resources.Media.MediaCreatorOptions options = new Sitecore.Resources.Media.MediaCreatorOptions();
options.FileBased = true;
options.AlternateText = Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(filePath);
options.Destination = "/sitecore/media library/Downloads/";
options.Database = masterDb;
options.Versioned = false; // Do not make a versioned template
options.KeepExisting = false;
Sitecore.Data.Items.MediaItem mediaitemImage = new Sitecore.Resources.Media.MediaCreator().CreateFromFile(filePath, options);
Item ImageItem = masterDb.GetItem(mediaitemImage.ID.ToString());
ImageItem.Editing.BeginEdit();
ImageItem.Name = Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(filePath);
ImageItem.Editing.EndEdit();
}
}

Change configuration in runtime by changing environment variables using the module node-config

I'm trying to use the node-config module to change some parameters of my configuration (basically logging level) during runtime.
In the official documentation says:
Environment variables can be used to override file configurations. Any environment variable that starts with $CONFIG_ is set into the CONFIG object.
I've checked that this is true when the server starts but it does not seem to work once it's up. (The handler of the watch function is never called when an environment variable is changed unlike a change in the runtime.json file or directly changing a config variable).
I'm currently watching the whole CONFIG object like this:
var CONFIG = require('config');
CONFIG.watch( CONFIG , null , function(object, propertyName, priorValue, newValue){
console.log("Configuration change detected");
});
Does anyone know if this is possible?
The environment is available during startup of a process.
If the process is running, you won't be able to change the environment anymore, the process is in.
The only option is to restart the process or use other mechanisms to communicate with it.
Say for example having a rest or tcp listener inside, where you can transfer your variable inside.
Best regards
Robert
As you must knowing, React is a single page application which is eventually when it is complied is a static page app that means all the files of the react application is complied into vanilla JS and CSS file bundle in a Tarball. Now that Tarball is eventually deployed on a web server. It could be Apache web server, nginx web server or anything which you are using it but an important point is the static app is running in someone else browser and someone access to website CSS and JS are downloaded in a browser and it is running in the browser runtime environment so technically you cannot have a runtime environment variable for someone else browser but may be there would be a way to access them during runtime.
SOLUTION
I have achieved this goal with the package called runtime-cra.
follow the steps on this official documentation: https://blog.risingstack.com/create-react-app-runtime-env-cra/

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