TelegramPoster/README.md

<h1 align="center">TelegramPoster</h1>

<p align="center">
<a href="https://git.end-play.xyz/profitroll/TelegramPoster/src/branch/dev/LICENSE"><img alt="License: GPL" src="https://img.shields.io/badge/License-GPL-blue"></a>
<a href="https://git.end-play.xyz/profitroll/TelegramPoster"><img alt="Code style: black" src="https://img.shields.io/badge/code%20style-black-000000.svg"></a>
</p>  

> Шукаєш інструкцію українською? А вона [ось тут](https://git.end-play.xyz/profitroll/TelegramPoster/src/branch/dev/README_uk.md) знаходиться)  

This bot is used for one and only task - post pictures from my personal archive. Here's its source code so you can also host a bot and have fun with it. Just don't exepect it to be brilliant. It is not. But hey, you can always fork it ;)  

## Dependencies

For now bot requires [MongoDB](https://www.mongodb.com) and [PhotosAPI](https://git.end-play.xyz/profitroll/PhotosAPI) in order to function properly. Use [MongoDB's installation manual](https://www.mongodb.com/docs/manual/installation) and [Photos API's README](https://git.end-play.xyz/profitroll/PhotosAPI/src/branch/master/README.md) to install install them.  

Please note that Photos API also requires MongoDB so it makes sense to install and configure Mongo first.

## Installation

To make this bot run at first you need to have a Python interpreter, Photos API, MongoDB and optionally git. You can also ignore git and simply download source code, should also work fine. After that you're ready to go.  

> In this README I assume that you're using default python in your
> system and your system's PATH contains it. If your default python
> is `python3` or for example `/home/user/.local/bin/python3.9` - use it instead.
> If it's non-standard executable path - you should also change
> it in scripts you will use (`loop.sh`, `loop.bat`, `start.sh` and `start.bat`).

1. Install Mongo and Photos API:
    1. Install MongoDB by following [official installation manual](https://www.mongodb.com/docs/manual/installation)
    2. Install Photos API by following [Photos API's README](https://git.end-play.xyz/profitroll/PhotosAPI/src/branch/master/README.md)

2. Download the bot:  
    1. `git clone -b dev https://git.end-play.xyz/profitroll/TelegramSender.git` (if you want to use git)  
    2. `cd ./TelegramSender`

3. Install project's dependencies:  
    `python -m pip install -r requirements.txt`  
    Without installing those - bot cannot work at all

4. Install optional dependencies [Not required]:  
    `python -m pip install -r requirements-optional.txt`  
    These are not required but can make the bot run a bit faster

5. Configure your bot with a favorite text editor:  
    `nano config.json`  
    You can edit with vim, nano, on Windows it's Notepad or Notepad++. Whatever.  
    If you don't know where to find bot_token and your id - here you can find some hints: [get bot token](https://www.siteguarding.com/en/how-to-get-telegram-bot-api-token), [get your id](https://www.alphr.com/telegram-find-user-id), [get api_hash and api_id](https://core.telegram.org/api/obtaining_api_id).  

6. Configure database and API:  
    1. Configure database:
        1. Change database host and port in keys `"database.host"` and `"database.port"`;
        2. Change database name to the one you like in `"database.name"`;
        3. If you've changed user and password to access the db you should also change `"database.user"` and `"database.password"` keys, otherwise leave them `null` (default).
    2. Configure Photos API:
        1. Create new user and album
            1. Register new user using API's `POST /users` request (`/docs#/default/user_create_users_post`). Please make sure you're using a valid email address if you've configured you API to use email confirmation;
            2. If you have email confirmation - activate your new user by using `PATCH /users/{user}/confirm` (`/docs#/default/user_confirm_users__user__confirm_patch`) or by using the link from the email;
            3. Now create a new album for your bot using your user. Click "Authorize" on the docs page of your API, enter your login and password, select "select all" in scopes section and click "Authorize". Now you can execute requests as your user;
            4. Go to `POST /albums` (`docs#/default/album_create_albums_post`) and create a friendly name for your album. No worries, only bot can see it so it doesn't matter what name you use;
        2. Configure bot to use that album
            1. Now you can configure your bot to use all of that. Change key `"posting.api.address"` to the http/https address accessible by the bot. Avoid using external address without a reason if API and the bot are on the same machine. If you want to see duplicates from the outside you can also change `"posting.api.address_external"` to the one accessible from the internet;
            2. Configure API user/password and your album name using `"posting.api.username"`, `"posting.api.password"` and `"posting.api.album"` keys.

7. Add bot to the channel:  
    To use your bot of course you need to have a channel or group otherwise makes no sense to have such a bot. [Here](https://stackoverflow.com/a/33497769) you can find a quick guide how to add your bot to a channel. After that simply set `"posting.channel"` to your channel's ID.

8. Configure posting time:  
    To make your bot post random content you need to configure `"posting.time"` with a list of "DD:MM" formatted strings or use `"posting.interval"` formatted as "XdXhXmXs". To use interval instead of selected time set `"posting.use_interval"` to `true`.

9. Good to go, run it!  
    Make sure MongoDB and Photos API are running and use `python ./main.py` to start it.  
    Or you can also use `.\start.bat` on Windows and `bash ./start.sh` on Linux.  
    Additionally there are `loop.sh` and `loop.bat` available if you want your bot to start again after being stopped or after using `/reboot` command.

If you need any further instructions on how to configure your bot or you had any difficulties doing so - please use [wiki in this repository](https://git.end-play.xyz/profitroll/TelegramPoster/wiki) to get more detailed instructions.

## Command line arguments

Of course bot also has them. You can perform some actions with them.  

* `--move-sent` - allows you to move all sent files from queue to sent directories
* `--cleanup` - purge files in both `queue` and `sent` folders if they're sent. Requires `--confirm` argument
* `--cleanup-index` - purge all sent entries from index. Requires `--confirm` argument
* `--norun` - allows you to execute above arguments without triggering the bot start itself

Examples:  

* `python3 ./main.py --move-sent --norun`
* `python3 ./main.py --cleanup --confirm`

## Localization

Bot is capable of using custom locales. There are some that are pre-installed (English and Ukrainian), however you can add your own locales too.  

All localization files are located in the `locale` folder, otherwise in folder specified in config file. Just copy locale file of your choice, name it in accordance to [IETF language tags](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IETF_language_tag) (if you want your locale to be compatible with Telegram's locales) or define your own name. Save it as json and you're good to go. If you want to change default locale for messages, that cannot determine admin's locale - edit `"locale"` parameter in the `config.json`. If this locale is not available - `"locale_fallback"` will be used instead. If both are not available - error will be shown. For console output and logging locale you should edit `"locale_log"`.  

We recommend to only make changes to your custom locale. Or at least always have your backup of for example `en.json` as your fallback.