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Getting Help

Welcome to the help guide! Everyone needs help sometimes - even experienced developers! Let's look at all the ways you can get assistance with your arcade cabinet project. 🙋

Quick Help Checklist 📋

Before asking for help, try these quick steps:

  1. Check the Common Issues guide
  2. Look through error messages carefully
  3. Try searching for the error online
  4. Review relevant documentation sections

Screenshots Help!

When asking for help, include screenshots of:

  • Error messages
  • Console output
  • Relevant code
  • AWS/Stripe dashboards

Where to Get Help 🧭

1. Your Teacher/Mentor

Best for: * Project requirements * Business questions * Local setup issues * General guidance

Working with Your Mentor

  • Schedule regular check-ins
  • Come prepared with specific questions
  • Take notes during meetings
  • Follow up on suggestions

2. Official Documentation

AWS Resources

Stripe Resources

EMQX Resources

3. Community Resources

Great places to find answers:

  • Stack Overflow

    • Search for "[aws-lambda]" tag
    • Look for "[stripe-api]" questions
    • Check "[mqtt]" discussions

  • GitHub Discussions

    • Review issues in similar projects
    • Check documentation updates
    • Look for community solutions

When Posting Questions

Never share: * API keys * Passwords * Secret tokens * Personal information

How to Ask for Help 💡

1. Describe Your Problem

Include: * What you're trying to do * What's happening instead * Any error messages * Steps to reproduce

Example: 

Problem: Game won't start after payment
Expected: Game starts when payment completes
Actual: Cabinet stays in attract mode
Error: "No coin pulse received" in logs

2. Show What You've Tried

List the solutions you've attempted:

Steps taken:
1. Checked MQTT connection
2. Verified Stripe webhook
3. Tested local API endpoint
4. Reviewed CloudWatch logs

3. Provide Context

Include relevant details:

  • Your development environment
  • AWS region being used
  • Stage of the project
  • Recent changes made

Creating Support Tickets 🎫

AWS Support

  1. Go to AWS Support Center
  2. Click "Create case"
  3. Choose "Service limit increase" or "Technical support"
  4. Fill in the details

AWS Support Levels

Free tier includes: * Basic support features * Service health checks * Documentation access * AWS Personal Health Dashboard

Stripe Support

  1. Visit Stripe Dashboard
  2. Click "Support" in bottom left
  3. Choose your topic
  4. Describe your issue

Stripe Support Tips

  • Include test API logs
  • Share webhook event IDs
  • Describe payment flow
  • Provide checkout session IDs

EMQX Support

  1. Access EMQX Cloud Console
  2. Use "Help" or "Support" section
  3. Describe connection issues
  4. Include broker details

Debugging Tools 🔧

Local Testing

# Test API endpoint
curl http://localhost:5000/status

# Monitor MQTT messages
mosquitto_sub -h your.emqx.broker -p 8883 \
  -t "arcade/machine/+/coinpulse" \
  --cafile emqx.ca \
  -u "your_username" -P "your_password"

# Forward Stripe webhooks
stripe listen --forward-to localhost:5000/webhook

Cloud Monitoring

  • AWS CloudWatch
  • Stripe Dashboard Events
  • EMQX Cloud Console

Next Steps 👣

  1. Check the Common Issues guide first
  2. Try solving it yourself using this guide
  3. Ask your teacher/mentor if stuck
  4. Use official support channels if needed

Back to Common Issues Return to Home

You've Got This!

Remember: Every developer was a beginner once. Don't be afraid to ask for help - it's part of learning! ⭐