Add initial setup wizard for new deployments

[brylie]

When setting up a new Apinf instance, present the first administrator with a set-up wizard. This wizard should help the Admin complete any required, or optional, settings. It can optionally include a branding step.

Suggested solution

One suggested solution would be the following:

• Create a server method to check for required settings.
  • E.g. checkRequiredSettings
• Add a global router hook, via Router.onBeforeAction() or Router.onRun(), that calls the server method on every route
  • E.g. Router.onBeforeAction(function () { Meteor.call('checkRequiredSettings', ... ) });
• If the server method returns false the router should re-direct the user to the configuration screen
• Project starts successfully by calling only meteor. I.e. the --settings flag is no longer required.
  • Note: the configuration wizard should make sure an administrator is logged in, to prevent abuse

Warning: Avoid publishing the settings to the client, as not all settings should be publicly known. E.g. we have private keys stored in our settings, so the checkRequiredSettings function should only run on the server.

Resources

• See the discussion thread in Meteor forums related to this task.
• See the Meteor Guide Methods article for details about Meteor Methods
• See the Iron Router Guide Hooks article for details about router hooks

[brylie]

One possible solution:

In order to ensure that required settings have been provided, we can add a global router rule. This rule should check for any required settings, and show the user a configuration wizard with required settings are not present.

[as33ms]

@ccsr you were talking about this issue yesterday, right? @brylie would you need some help about this? I and @Alapan can try to propose a working solution.

[brylie]

@ashakunt thanks for your help here. We are hoping for a code contribution for this task. E.g. can you take this task?

[brylie]

@ashakunt, @Alapan, @ccsr, and @shaliko, I have updated the task description with a possible solution as well as resources related to the solution. The suggestion comes from the Meteor Forums.

[as33ms]

@brylie given my current schedule, i am not sure how much I will be able to code myself, but i can assure of help from both, me and @Alapan to get this done asap.

[ccsr]

@ashakunt please prioritize this. One customer is waiting to try this and I cannot send it without this done.

[as33ms]

@ccsr I and @Alapan are getting this done asap.

[as33ms]

Thanks @brylie for the suggestion. Based on our current discussions that I and @Alapan have had; we proceed on how you have suggested. In a nutshell, here is a checklist of small tasks on how this should be implemented:

Step 1:

• Add a new flag in settings.json (e.g. additionalConfigurationRequired)
• Write a server method (e.g. checkRequiredSettings)
• Make a call to this server method at Router.onBeforeAction or anything similar.
• Based on the return value of checkRequiredSettings; show an alert on all the pages (routes); which says: "Hello World".

Step 2:

• Define the list of all mandatory settings required, e.g. brandName, brandLogoURL, brandFacebookURL, mailgunSettings to name a few.
• Extend the function checkRequiredSettings to check for all these setting values and return true if any one of the settings is missing from settings.json
• Update the "Hello World" implementation to show something like: "Hey there! This installation of apinf requires additional configuration failing which, some of its features might not work as expected. Please click here to configure this instance."

Step 3:

• Please click here to configure button or link takes user to "Login page"
• User logs in with his/her credentials
• If user is not in list of Admins, he is given a message: "You are not authorized to view this page"
• If user is an admin, then we show the wizard.

cc: @ccsr

[as33ms]

Immediate next steps (and action items):

• @brylie, @ccsr : please define the mandatory settings
• @brylie, @ccsr : do we get the design of wizard from somewhere?
• @Alapan : start to work on Step 1 followed by 2 and 3.

[brylie]

Ah, please do not rely on settings.json. We are in the process of deprecating the usage of settings.json.

[brylie]

The checkRequiredSettings method should suffice, so long as it is run in the Router.onBeforeAction.

[as33ms]

@brylie : in that case, where do you plan to define mailGunSettings, and other relevant items that would be different for different instances?

[Alapan]

Right now, I have defined a flag additionalConfigurationRequired in my settings file apinf.config.json.

[as33ms]

@Alapan : its ok for now to get it done through apinf.config.json. If (and when) it is deprecated, the relevant update will be made.