If you have all of this installed before you arrive then you'll be ready to get cracking and start playing with hardware.
If any of this isn't working, don't worry, our friendly team will be able to help you on the day but it's important to have everything downloaded or you'll be waiting a while to get it onto your machine.
- XCode - Install from the Mac Store. If you have installed the Command Line Tools through another means (eg Homebrew) then you won't need to do this. This is a big download, you don't want to be doing this on the day or you'll miss out on an hour of the fun.
- Development command line tools - Easiest way to do this is from xcode itself: See thread here at StackOverflow
- Your choice of HomeBrew or MacPorts. We'd recommend homebrew as it makes getting node up and running easy.
- NodeJS - Follow the appropriate directions here
- Arduino - Mac Install guide
- Install the FTDI Drivers. You must do this if you want to use the ED1 boards. 32-bit Macs or 64-bit Macs
Finally - attempt to install node-serialport as this will test everything is working:
npm install serialport
If you can install node-serialport then you're pretty much good to go.
Linux is generally pretty straight forward. Install the following (assuming Ubuntu / Debian machines):
- Arduino Available here to install manually or a simple 'apt-get install arduino' should do it
- NodeJS: Source install instructions here. Don't install via your package manager as you really need an up-to-date version of node to work with hardware.
Finally - attempt to install node-serialport as this will test everything is working:
npm install serialport
Install the following:
- Visual Studio Express 2012 / 2013 Install guide here - you absolutely must have this installed on windows as Node Serial Port depends on it.
- Python 2.7.x Download here - Just download the bit version you need and install the exe.
- NodeJS: Windows Installer here
You want to check that this is all working BEFORE you come to NBD. The best way to test is to install Johnny Five. In the Visual Studio Command Prompt you need to add python to your path so node-gyp (the node build system) can find it and work. And then install Johnny-Five.
set path=%path%;C:\Python27
npm install johnny-five --msvs_version=2012
This will shake out any problems you've got. It's pretty common to have troubles with Windows but they are fairly well documented and a quick google of the error message will usually resolve it.
From here we need to update johnny-five to use a known, stable version of serial port for Windows. From wherever you installed Johnny Five do this:
cd node_modules/johnny-five/node_modules
npm install [email protected] --msvs_version=2012
And that should have you sorted.
If not then our friendly team will give you a hand on the day.