Callattendant Release v2.0.7

[thess]

Roll-up release incorporating a number of UI improvements and bug fixes.

UI:

• Use Permit/Block List caller names substitution for Callers Lists instead of provider CallerID.
• Normalize action descriptions and badge colors in calls viewer and management displays
• Add REST API to query state of "Permit Next Caller"

Fixes:

• Ignore communication errors from BLOCK_SERVICE and treat as caller OK (not SPAM)
• Fix counting results and pagination from "Name" search results.

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This discussion was created from the release Callattendant Release v2.0.7.

[SteveInTx]

First. Thanks to all who sweat blood to put this app together.
I have v.2.0.7 running. I re-imaged the card and installed CA using the uninstall option. config.py reports correct version 2.0.7. Unfortunately, it stopped reading the app.cfg file under home/user/.callattendant. I modified venv/lib/python311/site-packages/config.py with the changes I had in the app.cfg file and all is well. The webapp errors out if I try to access the RegEx files but that isn't necessary if we use the file manager. Working on the issue of letting the screened calls come through. I set the time delay for screener and permitted to 5 rings and hopefully, that will fix that issue.

Two questions:

1. Where in the code, is the data path set? The config in the web app (callattendant without command line) correctly reflects home/user/.callattendant. If I try using command line, both the --data-path and the --config options both error out. Looks like the app is looking at venv/lib/python311/site-packages/callattendant/config.py as the default. I can't tell from any of the .py files where the app gets the path.
2. Under pycache I found the cpython files. Question 1 might come from those files. Anyone seen the source code for those files?

[thess]

I haven't a clue from your description about how/where you installed CA. If installed in a virtual environment, then be sure to activate it before installing and launching CA. It would be most helpful to see the console or journal log output from the startup of CA when it logs what is found and what is being created, etc. Modifying config.py defaults is a VERY bad idea - especially if there are validation steps involved with the setting - Please fix your installation and use a proper app.cfg file. I cannot support direct modification of config.py settings.

To answer your specific questions:

1. The default data_path is $HOME/.callattendant if none specified.
   

   callattendant/callattendant/app.py

   Lines 408 to 410 in 6abf15f

   	if data_path is None:
   	# The default data_path is a hidden folder at the root of the user home folder
   	data_path = os.path.expanduser("~/.callattendant")

2. Files in __pycache__ are generated files. Simply put, when you run a program in Python, the interpreter compiles it to bytecode first and stores it in the pycache folder if it isn't already there or the source is newer. Fell free to delete it if you think it a problem - I will be regenerated. See: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/16869024/what-is-pycache

Let me be clear - without any output showing what commands you used AND resulting console or log output, I cannot guess at what is happening here.

[SteveInTx]

Thanks for the quick response. I am working to find out why my customized app.cfg file is not being read. As part of that process: 1. I reimaged the SD card using the RPI Imager. I selected the full install for the 64 bit operating system. After the install completed, I updated/upgraded the OS. 2. I verified normal operation. 3. I installed the libxml2 and libxslt 4. I installed SQLite3 and the SQLite browser 5. I installed virtual environment. 6. I followed your instruction from 7 Apr: # Option 3: Download and install 'wheel' from project releases. $ wget https://github.com/thess/callattendant/releases/download/v2.0.7/callattendant-2.0.7-py3-none-any.whl $ source venv/bin/activate $ pip install -U callattendant-2.0.7-py3-none-any.whl 7. After the install, I started CA without parameters. It created the .callattendant folder as expected. No errors in the terminal log. 8. I moved the app.cfg file and the database into the newly created folder and copied the .yaml file and renamed the folder. 9. The customizations in the app.cfg file were not reflected in the Config in the webapp. The area in the webapp where the app.cfg file is normally displayed is blank. The webapp reflects v2.0.7. I checked the config.py file I restored the config.py file from my backup disk and the app.cfg is still not being effective. The config.py file is the only modification I made to the install. As I said, CA is running as expected but, like you, I would prefer to mod the external config file. I put them in the py file to see if they would work… I’m the only user of this system. Thanks for the answers. Being a Windows guy I fully understand temporary runtime files – hadn’t thought of that. I missed the section in app.py that you pointed out. I’ll dig into that. Thanks again.

[thess]

7. After the install, I started CA without parameters. It created the .callattendant folder as expected. No errors in the terminal log.

Where is the output I asked for? You may see no errors, but I still cannot see what CA is saying during initialization.

8. I moved the app.cfg file and the database into the newly created folder and copied the .yaml file and renamed the folder.

Again, where is the output after making these changes? And... renaming of what folder??

Stop modifying config.py and telling me it's not working. I hope, at least, the config.py you are modifying is the one in the distribution and not one from some other release.

[SteveInTx]

I believe I have the problem resolved. See attached logs.12 When you provided the data-path parameter as “~/.callattendant” I did some additional testing. I was using the /home/user/.callattendant and the terminal log consistently said the path was not found. I didn’t want to send you something that I could fix so I did the following. 1. Started CA with no parameters as a baseline. CA started but did not read the app.cfg file (as expected) 2. Started CA with the correct syntax: --config app.cfg –data-path ~/.callattendant The first run of step 2 reveals that the config file is correct and so is the data-path. 3. At the bottom of the terminal log (first error) the app.cfg file on line was missing a closing “)”. I fixed that and re-ran the test. Again the terminal log displayed app.cfg line 12 as the error: DEBUG=false. Should be False. Fixed that and repeated the test. 4. I had an invalid option of “message” on SCREENED and PERMITTED options in the app.cfg file. I fixed that by removing the invalid option and re-ran the test. This time the app initialized without errors. In the webapp the app.cfg file displays normally. Two Lessons Learned. 1. The full path to the app data folder is not home/user/.callattendant It is: ~/.callattendant the full path errors out. 2. Read the log files bottom up. An error at the bottom will cause cascading errors in the subsequent modules. After I test my app.cfg I will post it for peer review. I want the app to answer and then hang up on blocked files. I want it to answer Permitted and Screened after 5 rings. If I get a Screened call that I want to permit, I will do that manually.

[thess]

Glad to hear you resolved your issues. In the future, please do not post issues in a General Discussion thread. I am closing this thread now.