How do I install Node Red on a Windows PC ?

[acestu]

Hi,

I have installed Node.js on my PC but I don't understand how to install Node.red, I have tried to follow the instructions on their website but I am having problems. Do I install it from my CMD Terminal window or the Node.js window ?, basically I have the downloaded folder here,  C:\node-red  , I have tried opening my cmd terminal window and changing directory to the top level then typing $ npm install  --production , however nothing happens, any help greatly appreciated, thanks in advance...

Acestu

[acestu]

I have managed to install now by dropping the $, however now when I try to install the additional nodes it dosen't recognise the commands off the website, see pic below.

thanks

Acestu

[Dave C-J]

Hi,

you shouldn't need the extra nodes to get started. If you do you can get either 

node-red-nodes from the zip file here - https://github.com/node-red/node-red-nodes

and/or the node-red-web-nodes from the zip file here - https://github.com/node-red/node-red-web-nodes

or you can install git for windows and retry the git clone as you were before.

You could try this - https://help.github.com/articles/set-up-git/#platform-windows   

or  maybe this - http://git-scm.com/downloads

(I haven't used either so can't really comment further).

However most of the extra nodes are now published to npm

   https://www.npmjs.com/search?q=node-red-

so you should just be able to go into you node-red directory and type

   npm install node-red-node-{packagename}      where {packagename} is the package of interest

That way ou only install the nodes you want/need.

[Shyam R Nair]

Hello Acetsu,

I have the same problem. I installed node.js but I am not able to install the Node.Red. I tried dropping the "$" but that also did not help. It says npm is not recognized.Do I need to add the node red files to some specific folder path to do this ? Can you please help me ? Thanks.

BR

Shyam

[Nicholas O'Leary]

Hi Shyam,

Did you use the .msi file from here: http://nodejs.org/dist/v0.10.36/ ? (We do not support the recently released node  v0.12)

From a command window, does running 'node' work? How about running 'npm'?

If any of the above doesn't work, then you have an incomplete node.js setup which needs to be fixed before moving on to node-red. I don't run Windows myself, so can't give specific instructions, but there are plenty of guides online for installing node.

The '$' in the instructions is a command prompt - it is not intended to be part of the command to be run. So once you have node/npm recognised, you just need to run "npm install --production" in the directory created when you extracted the node-red zip.

Nick

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[Julian Knight]

If you are having problems with node on Windows, it is worth remembering that the default installation either doesn't add Node/NPM to the path or you need to reboot (actually you should only need to log out & back in again) - never been sure which :/

There is a dedicated command prompt for Node that sets up the environment correctly anyway so look in your start menu. Use that when you want to run node/npm. I use the excellent Cmdr application that wraps around the command prompt and gives you lots more features. Using that, it is easy to set up a suitable shortcut for working with node.

[James Nguyen]

Do this

1. Download Node.js (ver 0.10.36) installer for Windows and run it to install - do not use the latest 0.12.x Node Red is not supported the latest Nodejs yet.

2. Open an administrator CMD prompt window  and run "npm install -g node-red" to install Node Red

3. Once done, type "node-red" to run it

4. Open a web browser with "http://localhost:1880"  -  Node Red is running. 

Done

[Simon Bagley]

I've just tried following these steps on my Windows 7 64 bit machine, and get the errors shown below.
Any idea what is causing this?


Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>npm install -g node-red
/


> node-icu-cha...@0.0.7 install C:\Users\simon.bagley\AppData\Roaming\
npm\node_modules\node-red\node_modules\irc\node_modules\node-icu-charset-detecto
r
> node-gyp rebuild


C:\Users\simon.bagley\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\node-red\node_modules\irc
\node_modules\node-icu-charset-detector>node "D:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modul
es\npm\bin\node-gyp-bin\\..\..\node_modules\node-gyp\bin\node-gyp.js" rebuild
gyp ERR! configure error
gyp ERR! stack Error: spawn ENOENT
gyp ERR! stack     at errnoException (child_process.js:1011:11)
gyp ERR! stack     at Process.ChildProcess._handle.onexit (child_process.js:802:
34)
gyp ERR! System Windows_NT 6.1.7601
gyp ERR! command "node" "D:\\Program Files\\nodejs\\node_modules\\npm\\node_modu
les\\node-gyp\\bin\\node-gyp.js" "rebuild"
gyp ERR! cwd C:\Users\simon.bagley\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\node-red\nod
e_modules\irc\node_modules\node-icu-charset-detector
gyp ERR! node -v v0.10.36
gyp ERR! node-gyp -v v1.0.1
gyp ERR! not ok
npm WARN optional dep failed, continuing node-icu-cha...@0.0.7
|


> bcr...@0.8.1 install C:\Users\simon.bagley\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\no
de-red\node_modules\bcrypt
> node-gyp rebuild


C:\Users\simon.bagley\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\node-red\node_modules\bcr
ypt>node "D:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\bin\node-gyp-bin\\..\..\node_
modules\node-gyp\bin\node-gyp.js" rebuild
gyp ERR! configure error
gyp ERR! stack Error: spawn ENOENT
gyp ERR! stack     at errnoException (child_process.js:1011:11)
gyp ERR! stack     at Process.ChildProcess._handle.onexit (child_process.js:802:
34)
gyp ERR! System Windows_NT 6.1.7601
gyp ERR! command "node" "D:\\Program Files\\nodejs\\node_modules\\npm\\node_modu
les\\node-gyp\\bin\\node-gyp.js" "rebuild"
gyp ERR! cwd C:\Users\simon.bagley\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\node-red\nod
e_modules\bcrypt
gyp ERR! node -v v0.10.36
gyp ERR! node-gyp -v v1.0.1
gyp ERR! not ok
npm WARN optional dep failed, continuing bcr...@0.8.1


> utf-8-v...@1.0.1 install C:\Users\simon.bagley\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_mo
dules\node-red\node_modules\ws\node_modules\utf-8-validate
> node-gyp rebuild


C:\Users\simon.bagley\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\node-red\node_modules\ws\
node_modules\utf-8-validate>node "D:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\bin\n
ode-gyp-bin\\..\..\node_modules\node-gyp\bin\node-gyp.js" rebuild
gyp ERR! configure error
gyp ERR! stack Error: spawn ENOENT
gyp ERR! stack     at errnoException (child_process.js:1011:11)
gyp ERR! stack     at Process.ChildProcess._handle.onexit (child_process.js:802:
34)
gyp ERR! System Windows_NT 6.1.7601
gyp ERR! command "node" "D:\\Program Files\\nodejs\\node_modules\\npm\\node_modu
les\\node-gyp\\bin\\node-gyp.js" "rebuild"
gyp ERR! cwd C:\Users\simon.bagley\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\node-red\nod
e_modules\ws\node_modules\utf-8-validate
gyp ERR! node -v v0.10.36
gyp ERR! node-gyp -v v1.0.1
gyp ERR! not ok
npm WARN optional dep failed, continuing utf-8-v...@1.0.1
/


> buffe...@1.0.1 install C:\Users\simon.bagley\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_module
s\node-red\node_modules\ws\node_modules\bufferutil
> node-gyp rebuild


C:\Users\simon.bagley\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\node-red\node_modules\ws\
node_modules\bufferutil>node "D:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\bin\node-
gyp-bin\\..\..\node_modules\node-gyp\bin\node-gyp.js" rebuild
gyp ERR! configure error
gyp ERR! stack Error: spawn ENOENT
gyp ERR! stack     at errnoException (child_process.js:1011:11)
gyp ERR! stack     at Process.ChildProcess._handle.onexit (child_process.js:802:
34)
gyp ERR! System Windows_NT 6.1.7601
gyp ERR! command "node" "D:\\Program Files\\nodejs\\node_modules\\npm\\node_modu
les\\node-gyp\\bin\\node-gyp.js" "rebuild"
gyp ERR! cwd C:\Users\simon.bagley\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\node-red\nod
e_modules\ws\node_modules\bufferutil
gyp ERR! node -v v0.10.36
gyp ERR! node-gyp -v v1.0.1
gyp ERR! not ok
npm WARN optional dep failed, continuing buffe...@1.0.1
/
> ic...@2.1.6 install C:\Users\simon.bagley\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\nod
e-red\node_modules\irc\node_modules\iconv
> node-gyp rebuild


C:\Users\simon.bagley\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\node-red\node_modules\irc
\node_modules\iconv>node "D:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\bin\node-gyp-
bin\\..\..\node_modules\node-gyp\bin\node-gyp.js" rebuild
gyp ERR! configure error
gyp ERR! stack Error: spawn ENOENT
gyp ERR! stack     at errnoException (child_process.js:1011:11)
gyp ERR! stack     at Process.ChildProcess._handle.onexit (child_process.js:802:
34)
gyp ERR! System Windows_NT 6.1.7601
gyp ERR! command "node" "D:\\Program Files\\nodejs\\node_modules\\npm\\node_modu
les\\node-gyp\\bin\\node-gyp.js" "rebuild"
gyp ERR! cwd C:\Users\simon.bagley\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\node-red\nod
e_modules\irc\node_modules\iconv
gyp ERR! node -v v0.10.36
gyp ERR! node-gyp -v v1.0.1
gyp ERR! not ok
npm WARN optional dep failed, continuing ic...@2.1.6
|
> seria...@1.4.10 install C:\Users\simon.bagley\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modul
es\node-red\node_modules\serialport
> node-pre-gyp install --fallback-to-build

[serialport] Success: "C:\Users\simon.bagley\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\no
de-red\node_modules\serialport\build\serialport\v1.4.10\Release\node-v11-win32-x
64\serialport.node" is installed via remote
C:\Users\simon.bagley\AppData\Roaming\npm\node-red-pi -> C:\Users\simon.bagley\A
ppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\node-red\bin\node-red-pi
C:\Users\simon.bagley\AppData\Roaming\npm\node-red -> C:\Users\simon.bagley\AppD
ata\Roaming\npm\node_modules\node-red\red.js
node...@0.10.6 C:\Users\simon.bagley\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\node-red
├── is-...@0.2.0
├── on-he...@1.0.0
├── cl...@0.2.0
├── twitt...@0.6.2
├── must...@1.0.0
├── oa...@0.9.12
├── no...@3.0.1 (abb...@1.0.5)
├── passport-oauth2...@0.1.2 (passport...@1.0.0)
├── co...@2.5.3 (va...@1.0.0)
├── fs.n...@0.0.4 (re...@0.6.1, as...@0.1.22)
├── bcry...@2.1.0
├── mkd...@0.5.0 (mini...@0.0.8)
├── passport-h...@1.0.1 (passport...@1.0.0)
├── oauth...@1.0.1 (ui...@0.0.3, utils...@1.0.0, de...@0.7.4)
├── follow-r...@0.0.3 (under...@1.8.3)
├── pass...@0.2.1 (pa...@0.0.1, passport...@1.0.0)
├── wh...@3.7.2
├── raw-...@1.3.2 (by...@1.0.0, iconv...@0.4.6)
├── w...@0.7.1 (opt...@0.0.6, ult...@1.0.1)
├── mq...@0.3.13 (readabl...@1.0.33)
├── fs-e...@0.16.3 (json...@2.0.0, grace...@3.0.6, rim...@2.3.2)
├── ugli...@2.4.16 (uglify-to-...@1.0.2, as...@0.2.10, opti...@0.3.7,
sourc...@0.1.34)
├── req...@2.42.0 (case...@0.6.0, json-stri...@5.0.0, forever-agent@0.5
.2, aws-...@0.5.0, string...@0.0.4, oauth...@0.4.0, tunnel...@0.4.0, q
s...@1.2.2, node...@1.4.3, mime-...@1.0.2, form...@0.1.4, http-si...@0.10
.1, b...@0.9.4, tough-...@0.13.0, ha...@1.1.1)
├── im...@0.8.14 (ut...@1.0.0, readabl...@1.1.13)
├── nodem...@1.3.0 (nodemailer-s...@0.1.13, hyper...@0.3.0, nodema
iler-direc...@1.0.2, lib...@0.1.7, buil...@1.2.4)
├── sent...@0.2.3 (as...@0.2.10, lod...@1.3.1)
├── feedp...@0.19.2 (array-ind...@0.0.1, addres...@0.1.3, readable-
str...@1.0.33, resan...@0.3.0, s...@0.6.1)
├── exp...@3.17.2 (basic...@1.0.0, merge-de...@0.0.2, fr...@0.2.4, esca
pe-...@1.0.1, coo...@0.1.2, range-...@1.0.2, cookie-s...@1.0.5, vary@1.
0.0, media...@0.3.0, met...@1.1.0, pars...@1.3.0, de...@0.4.5, c...@3.0.0, de
b...@2.0.0, comm...@1.3.2, proxy...@1.0.1, se...@0.9.2, con...@2.26.1)
├── che...@0.18.0 (dom-ser...@0.0.1, enti...@1.1.1, lod...@2.4.1, htmlpars
e...@3.8.2, CSSs...@0.4.1)
├── xml...@0.4.4 (s...@0.6.1, xmlbu...@2.6.2)
├── cr...@1.0.6 (moment-...@0.2.4)
├── i...@0.3.9 (ansi-...@0.2.1, irc-c...@1.1.0)
└── seria...@1.4.10 (bind...@1.2.1, s...@0.1.7, as...@0.9.0, n...@1.3.0, optimis
t...@0.6.1)

C:\Windows\system32>

[Antoine Aflalo]

Hello Simon,

It's pretty normal.
Some optional dependency for Node-RED are Node.js module that need to be compiled.
Your system don't have a compiler, meaning node-gylp fail to compile those optional dependency.

Node-RED will works without problem on your windows machine, just not fully optimized. (But usually on windows, it won't make that much of difference).

Antoine Aflalo

--

[Nicholas O'Leary]

It's been said a couple times on the list, but I appreciate not everyone follows every thread, but we plan to remove some of the less core nodes (such as IRC, the main offender of these non-fatal error messages) out of the core set and into their own package.

Having all of these error messages on install, even though they are not fatal, is not very good first experience and do cause more questions than they should.

Nick

[Julian Knight]

Agreed.

It might also be worth, if it isn't there already, adding a note to the Windows section of the docs, that people really should look up the gyp pre-requisites for Windows and install them  first. There are so many Node.JS modules that require compilation that it is sensible to simply get this out of the way first.

[Dave C-J]

Julian,

They are non-fatal errors and you don't need gyp for Node-RED to install and work.... But you do get those horrible looking warnings. Installing the whole windows dev chain just to remove them is a bit OTT. (IMHO)

What we really need to do is suppress those warnings, which is why we are moving out the worst offending nodes. (There are also npm options we are looking at)

[Julian Knight]

I get that Dave, it's just that I've been using Node.JS on different platforms for a few years now and there is nothing more annoying that trying to install a node module only to get hundreds of lines of errors and a broken install. Might as well just go for it if you are going to do any amount of development on Windows.

Instaling the Windows pre-requisites for gyp is pretty easy now, not like when I started and you had to source and install Visual Studio from somewhere. Thankfully, I've generally had access to MSDN or business partner software. Now though, you can get the free version or I think you can just get the libraries.

Just my experience anyway. As you say, it isn't absolutely needed just for a simple NR install. You'll want it sometime though probably.

[Antoine Aflalo]

I think it's all about who's using the software. NodeJS at the start was more a "geeky" project that what we know now.

We can say the same about Node-RED. It's getting more popular and more people without any "developing" knowledge are attracted by it's facility to "build application". I think until the warning are resolved, Node-RED should put Visual Studio Community (free) as optional dependency in the installation guide for Windows or state the warning are "normal" and won't impact the user experience.

--

[Dave C-J]

I don't think we want to recommend a multi- gigabyte download just to get rid of a few warnings. As that will then need configuration and setup also (which should just work - but may not) and we don't want to end up with questions about that.

[Nicholas O'Leary]

There's a difference between recommending (which I agree, we shouldn't push users towards it unnecessarily) and at least reassuring the user about the warnings and letting them know the visual studio stuff exists if they want to go that way.

Written in the right way to not overload/confuse users, it will be beneficial.

Nick

On 24 April 2015 at 16:51, Dave C-J <dce...@gmail.com> wrote:

I don't think we want to recommend a multi- gigabyte download just to get rid of a few warnings. As that will then need configuration and setup also (which should just work - but may not) and we don't want to end up with questions about that.

[Antoine Aflalo]

You're both right.

Stating first what a warning is and the fact it won't change anything for the user.

"Node-RED is still in beta, you may encounter warnings when installing it on a Windows platform. Rest assured, we're working on it and they won't impact your Node-RED's experience. The application will be fully functional."

And maybe some more detail about the node-gylp warning.

[Nesha Seni]

Thanks James for this short and to-the-point instructions. I could install Node-RED at no time with this set of instructions.

[Mark Setrem]

Unfortunately if you have followed the instructions that were written more than a year ago you will have ended up with an out of date version of node.js that doesn't include the latest security patches.

As I write this the versions of node.js that you should choose from are :

Node v4.4.4 (LTS): http://nodejs.org/en/blog/release/v4.4.4/
Node v0.12.14 (Maintenance): http://nodejs.org/en/blog/release/v0.12.14/
Node v0.10.45 (Maintenance): http://nodejs.org/en/blog/release/v0.10.45/

Node-red will happily run on any of them.

[nigel Holland]

and they say its easy to use i cant even install the bloody thing

i get 2503 and 2502 errors

[Julian Knight]

Not much to go on there. I'm running it fine on Windows. I have a standard installation but I sometimes copy my bespoke install over too (see https://github.com/TotallyInformation/node-red-template-embedded).

1. Install node.js (I use nvm for Windows but a standard install should do as well) - best to use the current LTS version.
2. npm -g install node-red
   
3. Run it once (node-red at the command prompt) to create the node-red user folder in %USERPROFILE%\.node-red
   
4. Optionally:
• Stop node-red using ctrl-c
• cd %USERPROFILE%\.node-red
  
• npm init will give you a package.json file that you can then save any installed nodes to, e.g.:
  
• npm install node-red-contrib-moment --save
  Not necessary but it can help you recreate things without having to worry about backing up the node_modules folder which gets very large.
• run node-red again and you are away.
  

Where is it going wrong for you and what is producing those numeric error codes?