TelegramPoster/README.md

# TelegramPoster
> Шукаєш інструкцію українською? А вона [ось тут](https://git.end-play.xyz/profitroll/TelegramPoster/src/branch/master/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 ;)  

## Installation
To make this bot run at first you need to have a Python interpreter and git. Google is your friend finding it. 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-standart executable path - you should also change
> it in scripts you will use (`loop.sh`, `loop.bat`, `start.sh` and `start.bat`).

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

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

3. 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

4. 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).  
    Also don't forget to change bot's working mode. Dict key `"mode"` contains keys `"post"` and `"submit"`, each of those can be either `true` or `false`.

5. 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.

6. Fill your contents folder:  
    Of course bot cannot post something from nothing. Configure your `config.json` what media types bot should post (`"posting", "extensions"`), when to post them (`"posting", "time"`) and also where to find them (`"locations"`). You can also move them when sent by setting `"posting", "move_sent"` to `true`.

6. Good to go, run it!  
    `python ./main.py`  
    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.

## 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.