NewsBlur RSS service

[bingoxo]

Hi , can you please add newsblur rss service : https://www.newsblur.com/api

[CrystalSplitter]

Realistically, as of right now, I don't have the bandwidth to add a new service. However, this seems easy enough to do for a new user. It's a feature, and we're looking for new contributors, so if you (or anyone reading this) wants to take a shot at integrating this, I'll do the review and guide you on writing tests for the service.

[Simx72]

Hello,

I would like to try 🖐️

I'm new to contributing to open source, but I have programmed before in React

*And I know how to use git

[CrystalSplitter]

Absolutely would love to have you! This should be relatively ~easy, I think.

I am aware that both the greader API and the fever API work, so I would take these files as inspiration.

I assume you're already familiar with building from source, but if not, check out BUILDING.md. Or if you use PNP or Nix, see the appropriate building instructions there.

---

Of course, please do check out CONTRIBUTING.md and the CoC if you haven't already. They're pretty standard.

[Simx72]

Thank you. I will take a look at that

[Simx72]

Hi @CrystalSplitter, I'm using pnpm for developing. I have a doubt: should I track pnpm-lock.yaml in git, or remove it before committing, or add it to gitignore, or do I have to use npm (I'm programming on a laptop, so I would prefer another option)?

[CrystalSplitter]

Yeah, you can include the lockfile. I'll have to test your changes myself because you're using pnpm, but if it works for you, that's a good step.

[Simx72]

Ok, thank you.

[Simx72]

So NewsBlur works with an authentication cookie. Am I supposed to add that cookie to document.cookie, or to the ServiceConfigs? I found out. I have to use { credentials: 'include' } on the fetch(), and the browser will set it by automatically

Also, most probably, the user would want to sign in only once, so how do you save this cookie, or the login credentials in a config/cache file?

Also, to make a test file, I am using my personal credentials for the site (I created them to test). They are not very important to me but still I wouldn't like to share them publicly for someone to exploit. Is there a way to set a .env file for tests, or should I get test credentials from the NewsBlur dev?

And also, do you have another communication system, like Discord or Matrix? I think that GitHub Issues is not the right place to ask these coding questions.

[CrystalSplitter]

Also, most probably, the user would want to sign in only once, so how do you save this cookie, or the login credentials in a config/cache file?

Generally this is stored in the local user config file that's generated from the Redux state. At present, the password is stored in plaintext (very bad!), but this is true of the original Fluent Reader. Once written out, it looks something like:

{
	"version": "2.1.0",
	"theme": "light",
	"viewConfig": {
		"currentView": 0,
		"listViewConfigs": 1
	},
	"menuOn": false,
	"sourceGroups": [
		{
			"isMultiple": true,
			"name": "Test",
			"expanded": true,
			"sids": [
				9
			]
		},
		{
			"isMultiple": true,
			"name": "Uncategorized",
			"expanded": false,
			"sids": [
				10
			]
		},
		{
			"isMultiple": false,
			"sids": [
				11
			]
		}
	],
	"pacOn": false,
	"useNativeWindowFramePref": true,
	"locale": "default",
	"thumbnailTypePref": "opengraph",
	"serviceConfigs": {
		"type": 3,
		"endpoint": "https://rss.woodpeckersnest.space/api/greader.php",
		"username": "AUserName",
		"password": "holy-shit-this-is-a-plaintext-password",
		"fetchLimit": 250,
		"useInt64": true,
		"auth": "A Login Token Here???",
		"lastId": "1774084084059756",
		"lastFetched": 1774084084
	},
	"filterType": 19
}

Really this file needs to be not readable by the world... How on earth is this what Fluent Reader does???

Whatever, we can fix this. I should probably find a way to both encrypt passwords at rest as well as prevent this file from being world-readable. But that's for a separate bug. That's not your job here.

Also, to make a test file, I am using my personal credentials for the site (I created them to test). They are not very important to me but still I wouldn't like to share them publicly for someone to exploit. Is there a way to set a .env file for tests, or should I get test credentials from the NewsBlur dev?

Tests are currently done by recording network responses and writing them back out as if the service actually existed. Automated tests should not actually conduct any network calls, but they should act identically to a network call. See the feeder test for an example.

[CrystalSplitter]

Finally:

And also, do you have another communication system, like Discord or Matrix? I think that GitHub Issues is not the right place to ask these coding questions.

I actually generally prefer technical discussions out in the open as they help others do development! It's a very important learning experience (and I myself grew up on doing development via email forums).

That being said, I'm happy to speed up development for you if Discord/Matrix would help. Feel free to email me at the email address listed on my blog (https://crystalwobsite.gay/about) and I'll send you my discord. I don't post them publicly.

[Simx72]

Hello, thank you for the fast response.

Actually, if it is ok with you, I will keep asking and noting everything about what I do in the app here. At least, until I have a pull request ready.

Second, I will do that for the tests then...

Third, I'd prefer not sharing my Discrod either, but because I don't like Discord being closed source and having a system for age verification. So, if you ever want to write, you can use my matrix @Simx72:matrix.org

And finally, I like a lot your website xd, I'll probably add some of those stickers to mine

[CrystalSplitter]

hah, glad you like my website :).

Checking in again if you need any help. Always delighted to have new contributors. That's just in general really important for a community-focused project like Fluentflame Reader.

I'll reach out to you on matrix as well. Been a bit since I logged on, but I think my account still works on matrix.org.