Flickr API key expired

[fpasqua75]

Version of Variety
0.8.12

Describe the bug
Flickr API key is expired

Context
I find this error in the logs:

mag 24 09:40:10 easterlaptop.local variety.desktop[2983]:   File "/usr/lib/python3.12/site-packages/variety/FlickrDownloader.py", line 163, in fill_queue
mag 24 09:40:10 easterlaptop.local variety.desktop[2983]:     raise Exception("Flickr returned error message: " + resp["message"])
mag 24 09:40:10 easterlaptop.local variety.desktop[2983]: Exception: Flickr returned error message: Invalid API Key (Key has expired)
mag 24 09:40:11 easterlaptop.local variety.desktop[2983]: ERROR: 2024-05-24 09:40:11,530: download_one_from() 'Could not download wallpaper:'
mag 24 09:40:11 easterlaptop.local variety.desktop[2983]: Traceback (most recent call last):
mag 24 09:40:11 easterlaptop.local variety.desktop[2983]:   File "/usr/lib/python3.12/site-packages/variety/VarietyWindow.py", line 1164, in download_one_from
mag 24 09:40:11 easterlaptop.local variety.desktop[2983]:     file = downloader.download_one()
mag 24 09:40:11 easterlaptop.local variety.desktop[2983]:            ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
mag 24 09:40:11 easterlaptop.local variety.desktop[2983]:   File "/usr/lib/python3.12/site-packages/variety/plugins/downloaders/DefaultDownloader.py", line 141, in download_one
mag 24 09:40:11 easterlaptop.local variety.desktop[2983]:     items = self.fill_queue()
mag 24 09:40:11 easterlaptop.local variety.desktop[2983]:             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
mag 24 09:40:11 easterlaptop.local variety.desktop[2983]:   File "/usr/lib/python3.12/site-packages/variety/FlickrDownloader.py", line 163, in fill_queue
mag 24 09:40:11 easterlaptop.local variety.desktop[2983]:     raise Exception("Flickr returned error message: " + resp["message"])
mag 24 09:40:11 easterlaptop.local variety.desktop[2983]: Exception: Flickr returned error message: Invalid API Key (Key has expired)

To Reproduce

1. nothing in particular

Attach Variety's log file

Desktop environment and version
Gnome 48

OS name and version

$ cat /etc/issue && cat /etc/os-release
\S
Kernel \r on an \m (\l)

NAME="Fedora Linux"
VERSION="40 (Workstation Edition)"
ID=fedora
VERSION_ID=40
VERSION_CODENAME=""
PLATFORM_ID="platform:f40"
PRETTY_NAME="Fedora Linux 40 (Workstation Edition)"
ANSI_COLOR="0;38;2;60;110;180"
LOGO=fedora-logo-icon
CPE_NAME="cpe:/o:fedoraproject:fedora:40"
DEFAULT_HOSTNAME="fedora"
HOME_URL="https://fedoraproject.org/"
DOCUMENTATION_URL="https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/fedora/f40/system-administrators-guide/"
SUPPORT_URL="https://ask.fedoraproject.org/"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugzilla.redhat.com/"
REDHAT_BUGZILLA_PRODUCT="Fedora"
REDHAT_BUGZILLA_PRODUCT_VERSION=40
REDHAT_SUPPORT_PRODUCT="Fedora"
REDHAT_SUPPORT_PRODUCT_VERSION=40
SUPPORT_END=2025-05-13
VARIANT="Workstation Edition"
VARIANT_ID=workstation

Thank you.

[evjeesm]

Same trouble on Debian Bookworm.
Variety version: 0.8.10-1

[henti]

being able to add your own Flickr key/secret would be very nice as a feature..

[mendhak]

This is still broken unfortunately. On a fresh install from the PPA, on a fresh Ubuntu 24.04. When trying to add a Flickr source, or use the existing one, the error appears bottom right.

Invalid API Key (Key has expired)

[mendhak]

Temporary workaround if anyone wants, but it isn't trivial, it'll get undone on each update. Hopefully this API key issue is resolved soon.

You need to know where your Variety installation's Python scripts are.
And generate your own Flickr API key.

Create a script, notice the second line pointing at the variety folder.

import sys
sys.path.append('/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/variety/')
import FlickrDownloader
from Util import Util
print(Util.unxor(FlickrDownloader.HASH, sys.argv[1]))

Run it, passing your own API key.

python3 gethash.py xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Then modify the /usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/variety/FlickrDownloader.py file and replace API_KEY with the output from above.

Restart Variety then try using the Flickr feature. I hope this is an acceptable workaround as a temporary measure.