Kibana: FIX PROVIDED: Kibana 5.6.9 for Windows appears to be missing Node dependencies

[unquietwiki]

Kibana version:
5.6.9
Elasticsearch version:
5.6.9
Server OS version:
Windows Server 2016
Browser version:
n/a
Browser OS version:
n/a
Original install method (e.g. download page, yum, from source, etc.):
Download page
Describe the bug:
Kibana fails to start, due to missing Babel dependencies
Steps to reproduce:

1. Load / upgrade Node 8.11.x on the server.
2. Load / upgrade Kibana on the server, and verify config.
3. Attempt to run Kibana via bin\kibana.bat

Expected behavior:

Kibana should start

Errors in browser console (if relevant):

Error: Cannot find module (module name); repeats for many components, if subsequent npm install commands are issued.

Solution:

• npm install --global --production windows-build-tools
• Run npm install in the Kibana root directory.

[tylersmalley]

I am unable to reproduce this. Can you try re-extracting the zip? My only guess to the cause of this is it was partially extracted.

[unquietwiki]

@tylersmalley I re-extracted & compared: I may have 1 extra file somewhere; after excluding dirs node_modules & optimize, plus package-lock.json.

That being said, this appears to be user error on my part; and/or something that needs to be further clarified in documentation. The ZIP downloads have batch files that assume you already have a copy of Node installed; which the x86 / x64 ZIP files already contain. Maybe some note in the BIN folder of those downloads to have Node installed + do the npm commands listed above?

[tylersmalley]

The download includes everything which is needed to run Kibana, including Node. You shouldn't need to have Node previously installed or have to run any npm commands.

https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/kibana/current/install.html

[unquietwiki]

@tylersmalley To clarify: if you come here to Github, and get a release; you get a ZIP with batch files that run Node, but not have the self-included content you discuss. I'm probably not the first to goof.

[tylersmalley]

Oh, I understand - yeah the "releases" here on Github are Git tags for the source code in time. We push releases to our website at https://www.elastic.co/downloads/kibana

[unquietwiki]

@tylersmalley Thank you for checking on things then. I guess keep in mind the use instructions for the poor folks that do download the wrong thing (or download the right thing on purpose)?