# How to properly install roam protocol? **URL:** \ **Category:** Troubleshooting\ **Created:** [June 21, 2020, 8:17pm UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/how-to-properly-install-roam-protocol/423 "2020-06-21T20:17:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![roi.holtzman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@roi.holtzman](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/roi.holtzman)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2020, 8:17pm UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/how-to-properly-install-roam-protocol/423/1 "2020-06-21T20:17:16Z")
I am trying to install the roam protocol. My goal is to use the graph to open note files. I couldn’t follow the [docs](https://www.orgroam.com/manual/Installation-_00281_0029.html#Installation-_00281_0029). I am running on Mac. I used the [Platypus](https://github.com/sveinbjornt/Platypus) app as instructed, but then the instruction are referring to Chrome, and I am using Firefox. Can I get this to work on Firefox? ---
**Author:** ![jethro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@jethro](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/jethro)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2020, 6:46am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/how-to-properly-install-roam-protocol/423/2 "2020-06-22T06:46:37Z")
The extra instructions for Chrome are optional (strictly to remove the confirm prompt). If you have the Platypus app properly setup, it should work on Firefox too. ---
**Author:** ![roi.holtzman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@roi.holtzman](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/roi.holtzman)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2020, 8:34am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/how-to-properly-install-roam-protocol/423/3 "2020-06-22T08:34:45Z")
So I only need to use Platypus in order to export the `launch_emacs.sh` script? When I click on vertex in the graph it asks me if to run the `launch_emacs.sh` script. I confirm, but nothing happens. What am I missing? (Comment: I am using spacemacs) ---
**Author:** ![roi.holtzman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@roi.holtzman](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/roi.holtzman)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2020, 8:28am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/how-to-properly-install-roam-protocol/423/4 "2020-06-28T08:28:53Z")
Trying to revive this question - does anyone know how to make the roam protocol work? ---
**Author:** ![jethro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@jethro](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/jethro)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2020, 9:38am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/how-to-properly-install-roam-protocol/423/5 "2020-06-28T09:38:32Z")
Do you have emacsclient located at /usr/local/bin? ---
**Author:** ![roi.holtzman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@roi.holtzman](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/roi.holtzman)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2020, 10:22am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/how-to-properly-install-roam-protocol/423/6 "2020-06-28T10:22:54Z")
Yes ---
**Author:** ![jethro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@jethro](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/jethro)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2020, 10:25am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/how-to-properly-install-roam-protocol/423/7 "2020-06-28T10:25:22Z")
Then you can try running the command itself to see if there are any errors: ```auto /usr/local/bin/emacsclient --no-wait org-protocol://... ``` It could be that your emacs daemon is not running. ---
**Author:** ![roi.holtzman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@roi.holtzman](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/roi.holtzman)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2020, 10:47am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/how-to-properly-install-roam-protocol/423/8 "2020-06-28T10:47:11Z")
I think you were right. This is the error I got ``` /usr/local/bin/emacsclient: can't find socket; have you started the server? To start the server in Emacs, type "M-x server-start". /usr/local/bin/emacsclient: No socket or alternate editor. Please use: --socket-name --server-file (or environment variable EMACS_SERVER_FILE) --alternate-editor (or environment variable ALTERNATE_EDITOR) ``` So I ran `M-x server-start` in emacs, and ran the command again. It opened some empty file with a weird buffer name (I tried to get the full name, but did not manage - if it is important I will try to figure it out). ---
**Author:** ![jethro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@jethro](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/jethro)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2020, 10:49am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/how-to-properly-install-roam-protocol/423/9 "2020-06-28T10:49:18Z")
You’ll also need to require org-roam-protocol in that server instance, after that you should be good to go. ---
**Author:** ![roi.holtzman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@roi.holtzman](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/roi.holtzman)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2020, 10:56am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/how-to-properly-install-roam-protocol/423/10 "2020-06-28T10:56:04Z")
you mean `require org-roam-protocol` in the `user-config`? (I am using spacemacs). ---
**Author:** ![jethro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@jethro](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/jethro)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2020, 10:56am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/how-to-properly-install-roam-protocol/423/11 "2020-06-28T10:56:17Z")
Yes ---
**Author:** ![roi.holtzman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@roi.holtzman](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/roi.holtzman)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2020, 11:12am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/how-to-properly-install-roam-protocol/423/12 "2020-06-28T11:12:54Z")
hmmm. It erased all of the content of the file I tried to open ☹ ---
**Author:** ![roi.holtzman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@roi.holtzman](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/roi.holtzman)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2020, 11:15am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/how-to-properly-install-roam-protocol/423/13 "2020-06-28T11:15:30Z")
I guess that there is no way to get this file back now, right? ---
**Author:** ![jethro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@jethro](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/jethro)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2020, 11:18am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/how-to-properly-install-roam-protocol/423/14 "2020-06-28T11:18:46Z")
Are you certain the file contents are erased? All it does is calls `find-file` on the passed file path. It does not write any contents to the file. ---
**Author:** ![roi.holtzman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@roi.holtzman](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/roi.holtzman)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2020, 11:20am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/how-to-properly-install-roam-protocol/423/15 "2020-06-28T11:20:53Z")
yes. I looked at the file in the terminal, and it has only the header, without the content… I am trying to restore it via Dropbox now… ---
**Author:** ![roi.holtzman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@roi.holtzman](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/roi.holtzman)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2020, 11:34am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/how-to-properly-install-roam-protocol/423/16 "2020-06-28T11:34:55Z")
I couldn’t restore it, but I guess I can live without it. Anyway, at least now it works and it opens the file in emacs. Is there a way to also have it move to the emacs window automatically? Kind of like the funcitonality shown in the [docs](https://org-roam.readthedocs.io/en/master/tour/#exporting-the-graph)? ---
**Author:** ![roi.holtzman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@roi.holtzman](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/roi.holtzman)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2020, 7:19am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/how-to-properly-install-roam-protocol/423/17 "2020-06-29T07:19:26Z")
> [@jethro](#): > > It could be that your emacs daemon is not running. Would the proper configuration be to add `server-start` to my init file? Should there be any arguments for that? ---
**Author:** ![jethro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@jethro](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/jethro)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2020, 4:25am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/how-to-properly-install-roam-protocol/423/18 "2020-07-01T04:25:19Z")
I think adding (server-start) to your Emacs config is fine. The way I do it is to run Emacs as a daemon from the start via `emacs --daemon`, and launch new frames of Emacs via `emacsclient -c -a emacs` My setup starts the daemon on PC startup, so launching Emacs always feels instant.