mastodon (wxtoot)

A weewx extension that sends data to a Mastodon social networking site

Copyright 2014-2020 Matthew Wall

Distributed under the terms of the GNU Public License (GPLv3)

Copyright Glenn McKechnie 2022 (mastodon changes)

• The above screenshot (from this site) shows 4 images, one of which is the output of weewx-wxgraphic

• The text is from the default stanza - 'full'. It has images included via further (optional) configuration.

• There is a much simpler example of the text - 'simple'

• There is also the ability to put together your own 'format' string into weewx.conf and overide the others.

• The final option is to use a template generated by a weewx skin - an example is provided that fits the Seasons skin. It is portable (and configurable) though.

This weewx-user thread started this process. Visit it for other examples and for the templates source :-)

The base code is from the weewx twitter extension. So if you've used that, then this will be very familiar in its setup.

---

24th Jan 2023

V0.04

• Reworked some overzealous file checks.

wxtoot.py relies on the StdRestful process of weewx. The template files are generated via the StdReport process. They occur at different times; in particular, restful comes before reports. Catch 22

Therefore, when initially setting up the templates, they may be missing on the first pass of the StdRestful service as they are created after restx has finished. In this case wxtoot (Mastodon) will stop looking because it was told to -- Ooops. A restart of weewx, after the template files are generated would remedy this silent (unless you really follow your logs) error but this wasn't particularly obvious.

wxtoot will no longer bail out so quickly, it will now carry on and take more notes. It will continue to log the missing files but will also continue to run with the hope that it's only a temporary error. It will in fact toot a message noting they are missing but once the missing are found, that noise will stop.

• Added a second template to display a summary of yesterdays results -- mastsummary.txt.tmpl

This template will replace the daily template on the 9 a.m. Mastodon posting. Images can still be posted but the text is limited to 500 characters so we just post the one message for this timeslot.

---

9th Jan 2023

Version V0.03: Move from Alpha to Beta!

This image shows the example template with a single image (generated by wxgraphic)

This should 'work out of the box'. (To be clear, that's not with the wxgraphic image shown as that is a separate install, just as your video image would be.) Tweaking the options will shape the output to your taste, but you should get something uploaded after configuring and starting it.

Added the ability to specify individual images, not just the path to an image dump.

Reworked the weewx.conf options. Once the key_access_token and server_url_mastodon are completed correctly you should get a result uploaded to your server.

The script has a dev_mode (dev_mode = True) switch where it will post every minute; but it will do it in private mode. That switch sets verbose debug info and pollutes the mastodon space just as it does your logs. That's why it's named dev(eloper )mode.

It's useful for testing and if you do use it, when you turn it off you'll default back to every hour and posts will revert to the default unlisted mode (as req'd by the mastodon instance it was developed on).

Both those values can be overridden under [Mastodon] in weewx.conf - post_interval (seconds - default is 3600) and visibility (default is unlisted; others are, public, unlisted, private, direct)

Revamped the template layout and added a link to the Tag docs

The template is the most flexible and configurable way to get your post format configured as you like. You incorporate the template into your default skin and edits to the template file can then be made without restarting weewx. Like all choices there is a learning curve involved and that documentation link will help - as will the included example. Change the contents to suit.

Also - added bin/user/since.py as the example template uses it to display todays rain, since 9a.m. - which is of course configurable.

27th Dec 2022

version V0.02

Repackaged as wxtoot.py to prevent confusion with all the Mastodon references (modules, servers, functions etc)

Now using the Mastodon module to standarize methods and simplify maintenance!?

Up to 4 images can be uploaded. That's the first 4 it finds in the image directory; although the server_url_image (wxgraphic in this case) counts as one and gets priority. As of V0.03 you are able to specify filenames rather than use the catch all approach.

I have tested it and it works for me. If you find it doesn't work for you then raise an issue here - or visit weewx-user (see the link above).

As always, suggestions, fixes, bugs, then contact me.

---

Pre-requisites

This runs under WeeWX 4.x versions, using python3. Anything else is untested.

You need to generate an access token on your mastodon server of choice. (see below)

Install the Python wrapper for Mastodon. That source is at https://github.com/halcy/Mastodon.py

pip3 install Mastodon.py

---

Installation instructions

1. download

wget -O weewx-mastodon.zip https://github.com/glennmckechnie/weewx-mastodon/archive/refs/heads/main.zip

2. run the installer:

   For weewx 5.x...

   weectl extension install weewx-mastodon.zip

   or the older 4,x versions use...

   wee_extension --install weewx-mastodon.zip

this installs it as extension wxtoot

3. install the prerequisite

pip3 install Mastodon.py

4. complete the [Mastodon] section under weewx.conf

A default install will run when the 'key_access_token' and 'server_url_mastodon' are completed correctly. Refining that initial configuration is then your choice.

[StdRESTful]
    [[Mastodon]]
         # from your account under preferences/development/application
        key_access_token = 'replace_me'
        server_url_mastodon = 'replace_me'
        # Mastodon will rate limit when excessive requests are made
        #post_interval = 3600
        # convert from numeric degrees to Cardinal points - true or false
        #cardinal = true
        # complete if fetching images via a webserver
        #server_url_image = ''
        # complete if uploading images from a local directory
        #image_directory = ''
        # comma separated list of up to 4 images
        #images = ''
        # example: /var/www/html/weewx/DATA/mastodon.txt
        #template_file = '/var/www/html/weewx/DATA/mastodon.txt'
        # post formats - simple, full, template
        format_choice = full

5. Optional, but recommended. Install the templates directory and complete your skin.conf to suit.

6. restart weewx

sudo /etc/init.d/weewx stop
sudo /etc/init.d/weewx start

7. To uninstall

   For weewx 5.x...

   weectl extension uninstall wwxtoot

   or the older 4,x versions use...

   wee_extension --uninstall wxtoot

---

Options

For configuration options and details, see the comments in wxtoot.py; which currently are as follows... but firstly.

You are creating a bot. Play nicely.

The default post_interval is 3600 seconds (1 hour). You can change it.

You can make it longer (more resources for other users) or make it less (fewer resources...) Keep in mind the bot is posting constantly, no sleep, no rest, no lull. It's a compromise and the aim is to avoid the Tragedy of the commons

toot weather data

You must first obtain an access token in order to toot.  See the
mastodon developer documentation to obtain these:

Login to the account you are going to post to.
Open the Preferences link on the accounts home page, scroll down to the
'development' link and open that page.

The page will be headed Your Applications. Here you will create a new
Application dedicated to weewx-mastodon.

Click 'New Application' and complete the required fields  You can accept the
defaults but you only need 'write' access. Upon completion , Save it and then
reopen it and copy "Your access token".

You need two things:  that access_token, and the mastodon_url and they will be
entered into weewx.conf at ....

[StdRESTful]
    [[Mastodon]]
        key_access_token = "Your access token"
        server_url_mastodon = "The mastodon url"

after that, the rest is optional

'simple' toots look something like this:

STATION_IDENTIFIER: Ws: 0.0; Wd: -; Wg: 1.1; oT: 7.00;
                    oH: 97.00; P: 1025.307; R: 0.000

'full' toots (the default) look like this:

STATION_IDENTIFIER:
 Winddir: N
 Windgust: 4.9 mps
 outTemp: 38.4 C
 outHumidity: 41.95 %
 Pressure: 1014.587 mbar
 Rain: 0.000 mm
 Date Time: 27 Dec 2022 18:06

The STATION_IDENTIFIER is the first part of the station 'location' defined in
weewx.conf.  To specify a different identifier for toots, use the 'station'
parameter.  For example:

[StdRESTful]
    [[Mastodon]]
        station = hal

The 'format' parameter determines the toot contents.

Besides specifying a format, there are 3 coded options to choose from
[StdRESTful]
    [[Mastodon]]
        format_choice = full  # simple , full, template
The 'full' format is:

format = '{station:%s} ' \
         '\n Windspeed: {windSpeed:%.1f} ' \
         '\n Winddir: {windDir:%03.0f} ' \
         '\n Windgust: {windGust:%.1f} ' \
         '\n outTemp: {outTemp:%.1f} ' \
         '\n outHumidity: {outHumidity:%.2f} ' \
         '\n Pressure: {barometer:%.3f} ' \
         '\n Rain: {rain:%.3f} ' \
         '\n Date Time: {dateTime:%d %b %Y %H:%M}'

The 'simple' format is:

format = {station:%.8s}: Ws: {windSpeed:%.1f}; Wd: {windDir:%03.0f};
         Wg: {windGust:%.1f}; oT: {outTemp:%.1f}; oH: {outHumidity:%.2f};
         P: {barometer:%.3f}; R: {rain:%.3f}

To specify a different toot message via weewx.conf, use the format parameter.
For example, this would toot only wind information:

[StdRESTful]
    [[Mastodon]]
        format = {station}: Ws: {windSpeed}; Wd: {windDir}; Wg: {windGust}

Finally. The 'template' option allows the user to take full control of the
layout in the format of a weewx style template.
See the template directory and notes written there.


If there is no value for an observation, the hyphen (-) will display.  If
the observation does not exist, the observation label will not be replaced.
If no format is specified for an observation, the default is used.
For example:

    Ws: {windSpeed}             ->  Ws: 12.3452343
    Ws: {windSpeed:%.3f}        ->  Ws: 12.345

The dateTime field is handled slightly differently.  For example:

    ts: {dateTime}              ->  ts: 1413994070
    ts: {dateTime:%X}           ->  ts: 16:07:50 22 Oct 2014
    ts: {dateTime:%H:%M:%S}     ->  ts: 16:07:50