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Mixed Reality Extension SDK Deployment Guide

There are 4 categories of deployment

  1. Kicking the tires - deploy Node.JS server to your local PC (localhost), and test the MRE as a single user.
  2. Kicking the tires together - share the locally deployed server with friends.
  3. Deploy to a low-cost external hosting service.
  4. Deploy to an enterprise grade cloud service.

Regardless of the deployment category, you will end up with a URL to the deployed server. You can then use that in your host app (AltspaceVR)

Kicking the Tires

If you follow the building instructions from the Sample Repo's README.md, you will be able to use the URL ws://localhost:3901 to see a hello world sample.

If you follow the functional test building instructions from README.md, use the URL ws://localhost:3901?test=rigid-body-test to see a functional test scene.

Kicking the Tires Together

While developing an MRE, you may want to test with other people, so you will need to make the MRE's endpoint visible publicly. The easiest way is to use a service like ngrok, which gives new URL that will work for you and your friends. Using ngrok, the URL above would be rewritten to something like this: ws://c0bbc9c9.ngrok.io?test=rigid-body-test. ngrok itself is a command line utility. To run ngrok and connect it to your experience:

On a command line

  • cd to the folder where you unzipped ngrok.exe
  • run the command ngrok http 3901

Note the forwarding address from the nkgrok command above. In order to properly serve assets, you will need to update the WebHost's baseUrl (in server.ts in the sample code) to match this forwarding address.

Deploy to a Free or Low-Cost Cloud Service

There are many free or low-cost cloud hosting services available. We list but a few of them here.

opeNode.io

The opeNode.io platform offers a free starter plan that gets you up and running quickly without having to provide a payment method. Deploying apps is straight forward using their command line tool, and # is reasonable if the free tier doesn't work for you.

#

Go to the openode.io website and #.

Create a new instance for your app

  1. On the website, click on My Instances. This page lists your existing apps (called "instances" here), and allows you to create new ones.

  2. Below Instances, click on Add new.

  3. Give your instance a subdomain and click the Create button. The subdomain is the name of your app, and also part of your app's URL (where AltspaceVR will connect later).

You now have an instance where you can deploy your app! The next page you see contains step-by-step deployment instructions using opeNode's command line interface (CLI). This same process is outlined in the next section.

Deploy your app to your new instance

Note: A video walkthrough is available to supplement the instructions below. There is also a general MRE tutorial found here

  1. On your local machine, open a command prompt.

  2. If needed, install the opeNode command line interface (only needs to be done once - this requires the command prompt to be launched in administrator mode):

npm install -g openode

  1. Change directory to your project:

    cd YOUR_PROJECT_DIRECTORY

  2. Use the Dockerfile that comes with any of the sample MRE projects. A second option is you can create a Dockerfile using the openode CLI (only needs to be done once per project):

    openode template

    This creates a file on disk named Dockerfile. Make sure you change where it says WORKDIR /opt/app to WORKDIR /opt/mre or it will not be able to find /opt/app as a module.

  3. Edit the Dockerfile. You must add the line ENV BASE_URL=http://YOUR_SITE_NAME.openode.io/ before you deploy or it won't be able to build. You can find your site name on the openode website. You also must add ENV PORT=80 as it is not included in the samples Dockerfile though it is included in the one that is generated when you type openode template.

    So add lines:

    ENV PORT=80
ENV BASE_URL=http://YOUR_SITE_NAME.openode.io/

    after the WORKDIR /opt/mre line to your Dockerfile before you deploy.

    Save and close the Dockerfile.

  4. Deploy your app

    To start a deployment, run this command:

    openode deploy

    This step copies your project to your opeNode instance, installs npm dependencies, and then starts it running. The first time you deploy your MRE SDK app, you may see an error message that starts with this:

    dtrace-provider@0.8.7 install /opt/app/node_modules/dtrace-provider
> node-gyp rebuild || node suppress-error.js

gyp ERR! configure error
gyp ERR! stack Error: Can't find Python executable "python", you can set the PYTHON env variable.

    If you see this error, run openode deploy one more time and it should clear up. If you see this error again, please open a GitHub issue here.

Once your deployment succeeds, you're ready to connect from AltspaceVR!

Open the AltspaceVR app, go to your world editor, press basics, then press SDK apps, then type wss://YOUR_SITE_NAME.openode.io/. Note you must use wss:// or it will not connect.

For instructions on instantiating your app within AltspaceVR, checkout the sample repo's README.md

If you want to re-deploy, you should use openode stop before calling openode deploy, otherwise the deploy will fail. If a deploy fails, you can just call openode deploy again.

Other Cloud Platforms

Have a hosting service recommendation? Please add it to this doc and submit a PR!

Deploy to an Enterprise Grade Cloud Service

Microsoft Azure

#

Go to the Azure website

Create a new application and deploy with VSCode

  1. Install and run Visual Studio Code
  2. Install VSCode extension 'Azure App Service' ms-azuretools.vscode-azureappservice
  3. Open MRE folder in VSCode
  4. Pick a globally unique name for your web app and update baseUrl in server.ts with:
const server = new WebHost({
    baseUrl: 'https://uniquewebappname.azurewebsites.net',
    port: process.env.PORT, 
});
  1. Build your MRE application
  2. Open Azure tab in VSCode and # with your Azure account
  3. Click Deploy to WebApp..
  4. Create new WebApp if deploying for the first time or pick an existing app from the dropdown
  • enter your web app name (NOTE! This step creates resources on Azure)
  • pick Node.js 10.14 runtime for your new Linux app
  1. Use ws://uniquewebappname.azurewebsites.net in MRETestBed or AltspaceVR.
  2. You can manage the web app on Azure portal

Advanced settings

To customize resource creation or choose an existing resource, go to Azure App Service extension settings and select 'Advanced creation'

Testing in AltspaceVR

Regardless of the deployment method you use, you will end up with a URL to the deployed server. This is what the host app uses to connect to the MRE. Use that URL with the AltspaceVR testing instructions,

Inviting Friends in AltspaceVR

If your URL is publicly visible, you can invite friends into your AltspaceVR homespace to see the MRE. On the Worlds page, on the Homespace tab, make sure Allow Friends is checked. If you are in your homespace, your friends can click on you in the friends tab, and click Go To, and they will enter to your homespace.

Alternatively, you can create a party portal to bring friends in at the same time. On the Discover page, under Top Picks For You, hover over the Homespace icon and click Portal. Any user that clicks on the portal before you choose launch will follow you into the homespace.