Docker image and docker-compose service for Elementum

Since Elementum supports client-server mode, you can run Elementum in Docker either to offload processing from weak device or to use unsupported OS (like Xbox or iOS or tvOS). You even can use normally incompatible OSes as client and server, e.g. Windows and Linux.

Tip

You also can run Elementun as Linux daemon or Windows service - take a look into how elementum binary is run in Dockerfile and docker-compose.yml. If you will do that - then please share your configs (e.g. systemd unit) so we can add them to git repository.

The full conversation about client-server mode can be found here.

Usage

Pre-requisites

1. Follow the official guide and make sure you configured Kodi as described regarding remote control.

2. In Elementum settings in "Addon Startup" tab enable "client mode" and set "Remote host" to IP of your server with Docker.

   Screenshot

   

Docker

1. Install Docker Compose and git. Clone this repository:

   git clone https://github.com/ElementumOrg/elementum-docker.git
   cd elementum-docker

2. Copy example.env file to .env and set your values, you need to set at least REMOTE_IP, ELEMENTUM_DOWNLOADS and ELEMENTUM_DATA. File has comments about those variables.

3. Build and start the container

   docker compose build
   docker compose up -d

(To get a new version of code: git pull.)

Library usage

If you want to setup library - you can share server-side (server with Docker) ELEMENTUM_DATA/elementum_library/ directory with Kodi (via SMB or NFS, for example) or you can share client-side (Kodi) directory with server, add Movies and Shows sub-directories to Kodi as sources (the same like you do in a regular setup) and enable library sync in Elementum via DISABLE_LIBRARY_SYNC=false.

Kodi Library path in Docker and Client will be different - thus you should define substitutions for library path in format 'client_library_path|server_library_path' via LIBRARY_SUBSTITUTION1. You can use OS-specific paths (e.g. C:\Kodi\Library|/home/ubuntu/elementum_data/elementum_library, for example) in this substitution, Elementum will understand them.

Note

This functionality was not thoroughly tested, so please create Issue or PR if you find issues.

Supported OSes

This "docker compose" service was tested on Linux host as Docker server (using Docker Engine) and Linux/Windows/Android host as Kodi client. You can use several clients with 1 server.

Looks like in Windows Docker Desktop "bridge" and "host" network drivers (in WSL and Hyper-V mode) work as NAT behind the scene, so Elementum can't identify Kodi's IP based on request IP since Elementum sees IP of NAT gateway but not real client IP (unlike with Linux Docker Engine). Also Elementum will use internal IP in replies to client and client will not be able to connect to that internal IP. Thus, you must use special -serverExternalIp= parameter so Elementum will use this IP in replies and will not try to identify Kodi's IP based on client's IP (-remoteHost= value always will be used as Kodi's IP). You will not be able to use several clients with 1 server, obviously. Windows host as server with Docker Desktop was tested with Windows/Android host as Kodi client.

I have not tested this "docker compose" service with macOS. Most likely it either behaves like Windows (so you will need to add -serverExternalIp= parameter) or like Linux.

Troubleshooting

Run docker container manually:

docker run -it --rm --entrypoint /bin/bash elementum:latest

and then you can use netcat to check network connectivity:

nc -vz 192.168.0.10 65221

Log file can be found in ELEMENTUM_DATA directory.

Also, you can enter into already running container via docker compose exec elementum bash, in case if you want to see what's inside.