# biab-cli

**Repository Path**: mirrors_Automattic/biab-cli

## Basic Information

- **Project Name**: biab-cli
- **Description**: Blog In A Box CLI
- **Primary Language**: Unknown
- **License**: Not specified
- **Default Branch**: master
- **Homepage**: None
- **GVP Project**: No

## Statistics

- **Stars**: 0
- **Forks**: 0
- **Created**: 2020-08-08
- **Last Updated**: 2026-05-09

## Categories & Tags

**Categories**: Uncategorized

**Tags**: None

## README

# Blog In A Box

[Blog In A Box](https://inabox.blog/) for WordPress comes as two parts:

- [WordPress plugin](https://github.com/Automattic/biab-plugin)
- [CLI utility](https://github.com/Automattic/biab-cli)

### WordPress Plugin

The plugin may be found in the [companion repository](https://github.com/Automattic/biab-plugin) and it is installed as per a normal WordPress plugin.

### CLI Utility Manual Installation

This repository contains the CLI tools, which should be installed in the following location (default, but can be changed):

`/opt/bloginabox/`

`sudo` access must be given to the `www-data` user so that PHP can call these tools. To do this:

`sudo visudo`

And add this line:

`www-data ALL=(pi:pi) NOPASSWD: /opt/bloginabox/biab`

The WordPress plugin will then have access to the `/opt/bloginabox/biab` CLI tool, and from here can trigger and receive data from hardware devices.

Note: this is done automatically when using [Blog In A Box Installer](https://github.com/Automattic/biab-installer).

## CLI Utility

The web server can interface with devices through a single executable:

`/opt/bloginabox/biab`

This can also be called from the command line or via any external tool.

The executable loads up a series of device handlers that listen for commands and perform actions. For example:

`./biab camera-take-photo`

This triggers the camera module to take a picture and can optionally trigger the SenseHAT to display an image.

### Developing a device handler

Device handlers are added in the `devices` directory, and should be loaded in `devices/index.js`.

Each device should export a single entry function that accepts an `EventEmitter`. The device handler can listen to events on this emitter:

```js
module.exports = function( emitter ) {
	emitter.on( 'do-something', function( args ) {
		console.log( 'Received do-something command with ' + args );
	} );
};
```

This will be triggered with:

`./biab do-something some-data`

The listener can perform whatever functions it needs to achieve the desired effect. If the handler should return data to the caller then it can finish with:

```js
this.emit( 'result', 'data-to-be-returned' );
```

The utility is run as the `pi` user, and has access to all devices that this user can access.

## Debugging

To debug problems edit `biab` and set and change the debug lines:

```shell
#DEBUGGER=
DEBUGGER=biab:*
```

When you want to disable the debug mode then set it back to:

```shell
DEBUGGER=
#DEBUGGER=biab:*
```

While enable a log of all actions will be output to `biab.log`:

```log
biab:main Command: "sensehat-capture" with data ""
biab:sensehat:capture Capturing data: /usr/bin/python /opt/bloginabox/devices/sensehat/capture.py
biab:sensehat:capture Data captured - temp=25.04471492767334 humidity=52.390140533447266 pressure=1019.79345703125 tp=25.089582443237305 th=24.999847412109375
```

This may be helpful in figuring out where a problem is.

## Contributing

We welcome contributions in any form, and you can help reporting, testing, and detailing bugs.

## License

The Blog In A Box theme is licensed under [GNU General Public License v2 (or later)](./LICENSE.md).