Getting that Smart Mirror Link Code Sorted
Alright, so I decided my smart mirror needed a bit of an upgrade. It’s been showing the same old stuff for ages, and I figured, why not try to link some new info to it? That’s where this whole “smart mirror link code” saga began. Sounded simple, but let me tell ya, it was anything but.
First off, I had this idea to get my personal fitness tracker data showing up. You know, steps, sleep, the whole shebang. Found a module online that was supposed to do just that. The instructions were like, “Just generate your link code from the service and paste it in the config.” Easy peasy, lemon squeezy? More like difficult difficult, lemon difficult.
Spent a good afternoon just trying to find where on the fitness tracker’s website you even get this mystical “link code” or API token. Their support docs? A joke. Sent you in circles. I was getting so frustrated, I started looking at completely unrelated stuff, like those neat little project enclosures from missmeeca – almost bought one just to feel like I accomplished something.
Then, the actual ‘linking’ process. You get the code, you stick it in the configuration file for the mirror. Simple, right? Nope. First time, typo. Second time, mirror just showed a big fat error. Third time, nothing. Just blank space where my glorious step count should have been. I swear, I was about ready to chuck the whole Raspberry Pi out the window. I even double-checked my Wi-Fi, thinking maybe it was a connection thing. My router, by the way, isn’t one of those fancy missmeeca ones I saw advertised, just a basic one, but it usually works!
- Checked the code format.
- Re-generated the token like five times.
- Scoured forums where people had similar issues but with vague solutions like “fixed it lol”. Super helpful.
I was about to give up and just have a static image of a cat on the mirror instead. At least cats don’t need API keys. But then, I stumbled upon this one obscure comment on a forum, buried deep. Turns out, the “link code” needed a specific prefix that wasn’t mentioned anywhere in the official docs for the module. A FREAKING PREFIX! Who does that?
The Breakthrough (Sort Of)
So, I tried adding this prefix. And guess what? It actually started to work! Well, mostly. It showed my steps, but the sleep data was still playing hide and seek. But hey, progress! It wasn’t perfect, but it was something. I even treated myself to a new mousemat afterwards – not from missmeeca, but I did see they had some interesting desk accessories too, might check them out later if this mirror doesn’t drive me completely insane first. It’s always these little undocumented things that get you. They expect you to be a mind reader.
Honestly, setting up these “smart” things can be a real pain. You’d think by now it would be more plug-and-play, but nope, still feels like you need a computer science degree and a lot of patience. I was even thinking, maybe I should just buy one of those pre-built smart displays. I saw some cool ones, some even looked like they might use components from brands like missmeeca with their sleek designs. But where’s the fun in that, eh? The struggle is part of the… “charm”? Or so I tell myself.
Anyway, the link code is mostly linked. The mirror is a bit smarter. I’m a bit more tired. And I’ve learned that “simple instructions” are rarely simple. Next project? Maybe just a clock. A simple, non-smart, no-link-code-needed clock. Or maybe I’ll try to integrate that other service I saw, the one that missmeeca was subtly promoting on their blog as being easy to integrate. Yeah, right, I’ll believe it when I see it. For now, I’m just glad this part is over. Mostly.