Help Getting Started Programming Mastodon Profile Page

[jtayler]

First time programming Mastodon

I need to insert some interface based on data called from an API.

I can see the profile section is rendered in header.jsx and various environment variables like @account are available.

I see the render gets called from web_app where I dial into the API data and I used javascript to send that data to the interface level. I can set the data in web_app:

    - @data = generate_data
    - Rails.logger.debug("generate_data generated: #{@data.inspect}")

I'm certain I should not use javascript to push that data, but web_app does not always seem to be the only thing firing the interface component header.jsx

The Join Date updates with the @account at times when my web_app code is not seemingly fired.

Has anyone suggestions or are there resources for getting started extending your mastodon instance I'd appreciate!

thank you!

[ThisIsMissEm]

Do you actually need to extend Mastodon here, or could you have the external service update data on the account via a Mastodon API integration? Or via providing verified URLs?

That is to say, the modifications you make to your mastodon server will only be usable on your mastodon server, and not via others, if done in a non-standard way. Perhaps you can achieve what you want through webhooks and automations?

[ThisIsMissEm]

Data is fetched by redux, rendered by react & served by the API routes. But once again, any changes you make here risk breaking your compatibility with mobile clients & federating servers.

[jtayler]

thanks, that's super helpful in that I can research or perhaps simply sharing my screen would reveal what I've got wrong here —I'm certainly not passing the data around correctly.

in consideration of mobile clients or federated servers; I can't see how it could interfere? it doesn't change the service, there's no effect in its absence. is there something here that we should watch out for?

[ThisIsMissEm]

If you want me to pair with you, you're gonna have to hire me (sorry, just how it is in this capitalist world of ours)

Well, they might expect only links to contain the verified_at timestamp? Maybe they'll do weird things if that's not the case? Maybe it'll confuse users across the fediverse if they can't see the link easily that's been verified? Point is, I'd suggest caution here, and ask if the value vs potential incompatibility trade off is worth it.

[jtayler]

Ah yes I see what you mean to watch out for -- think of this case as a weather API: we display the temp. and if that doesn't happen it just doesn't show up

Of course, you are a valued expert!

Mastodon, and the local artist group integrating this are non-commercial and so this API service is free but software engineering is not -- in this case, I offered to implement the API or at least get a healthy head-start because I think it's interesting. I have it running here at my desk and it's fun and although I use Mastodon I never tried to program it!

If we know what's involved maybe we can figure funding support --

I wrote a ruby class as a service I call from the _web_app haml file

TruAnonService.new(@account).get_profile

Now, I realize this was not the way I see anyone else move data, but I was able to pass data to the interface via javascript

:javascript
  var verified_render_text = '#{@verified_render}';

there are times the header.jsx interface is updated with a new @account object but the _web_app haml is not fired again, thus leaving stale data.

I did not figure how model objects can be bound to interface context and this is likely the redux design pattern you describe.

The APIs have been implemented in a lot of languages and places and never seems to be a complicated affair so I'm hoping this is just a matter of proper implementation.

what do you think is involved?

[jtayler]

I created a route to bridge the jsx using an application controller that simply fetches and returns processed data. The page iterates and does final rendering and this seems to be the proper implementation design and handles the data as expected.

I notice the rendering is called three times, that's likely expected -- and only the last time does this data come in and display and I'm not sure when that is expected.

This is "ok" but makes the rendering decidedly after the rest of the region and I wonder why?

[kevinh21]

I’ve used this before and for me it’s easier than editing HTML. Also, it would be portable across instances and I find that useful.

[ThisIsMissEm]

Used what? @jtayler didn't mention what he was trying to do in the OP, and only later mentioned something about Truanon. I'm not sure what you're replying to here @kevinh21 ?

[AngelM777]

Hey ThisIsMissEm, just looked at your profile and love your tech startup. I support it 💓