changelog

.env

@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-# Example environment variables for TestPostsBot
-REDDIT_CLIENT_ID=vzdZ6l330b_l7UWPoZ7tcQ
-REDDIT_CLIENT_SECRET=Zh7gVG1glv8BNxlGFBHU1UAJnDjo9w
-REDDIT_USERNAME=MinecraftHelpModBot
-REDDIT_PASSWORD=t%FdW9$&CAdhQo6@Zz9v
-REDDIT_USER_AGENT=TestPostsBot/0.1 on {REDDIT_USERNAME}
-SUBREDDIT=MinecraftHelpModCopy
-WIKI_PAGE=testpostsbot_config

.gitignore

@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 modtestposts_config.yaml
+prod.env

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -0,0 +1,253 @@
+# Changelog - TestPostsBot
+
+## Version 2.1.0 - Update Checker System
+
+### New Features
+
+#### 1. Update Checker System
+- Bot now periodically checks for new versions from a centralized update server
+- Automatically sends modmail notifications to subreddit modteam when updates are available
+- Includes changelog URL in notification for easy reference
+- 24-hour cooldown prevents spam (max 1 notification per day)
+- Runs as a background daemon thread alongside main bot operations
+- Tracks last update notification timestamp to file for persistence across restarts
+
+#### 2. Version Management
+- Bot version is now centralized at the top of `bot.py` in a dedicated section
+- `BOT_VERSION` and `BOT_NAME` constants used throughout the bot
+- Easy single-location reference for version updates
+- Version automatically included in update checker calls and user agent string
+
+#### 3. Infrastructure
+- Created separate `update_server/` project for version management service
+- Flask-based REST API serving version information via `/api/version/<bot_name>`
+- `versions.json` file stores version details for all bots
+- Docker support with Dockerfile for containerized deployment
+- Includes comprehensive README with deployment options
+
+### New Files
+- **update_checker.py** - Background module that checks for and notifies about updates
+
+### Modified Files
+
+#### bot.py
+- Added version constants section at top for easy reference
+- Added import for `update_checker` module
+- Added `start_update_checker()` call in `main()` function
+- User agent now uses version constants: `{BOT_NAME}/{BOT_VERSION}`
+
+#### requirements.txt
+- Added `requests` library for HTTP requests to update server
+
+#### docker-compose.yml
+
+- Volume mounts for persistent `versions.json` and log files
+
+### Configuration
+Update checker timing is configurable in `update_checker.py`:
+- `UPDATE_CHECK_INTERVAL = 60` seconds (check frequency)
+- `UPDATE_COOLDOWN = 86400` seconds (24 hours between notifications)
+
+### How It Works
+1. On startup, bot creates background thread running update checker
+2. Every hour, thread polls `https://updts.slfhstd.uk/api/version/TestPostsBot`
+3. If version differs from current `BOT_VERSION`, and 24 hours have passed since last notification, sends modmail
+4. Modmail includes current version, available version, and changelog URL
+5. Last notification timestamp stored in `DB/.last_update_check.txt`
+
+---
+
+## Version 2.0.0 - Trigger-Based Redesign
+
+### Overview
+Complete refactor of TestPostsBot to be a continuously running, trigger-based posting bot that responds to moderator commands via chat messages.
+
+## Major Features Added
+
+### 1. Trigger-Based Posting System
+- Bot now runs continuously and listens for chat messages instead of executing once and exiting
+- Moderators can trigger posts by sending chat messages containing configured trigger keywords
+- Each trigger can post one or multiple posts in sequence
+- Posts are made with 2-second delays between submissions to respect rate limiting
+
+### 2. YAML Configuration Format
+- **Changed from:** JSON configuration format
+- **Changed to:** YAML configuration format for better readability and maintainability
+- New config structure supports nested trigger/post relationships
+- Example YAML config provided in `example_config.yaml`
+
+### 3. Chat Message Handler
+- Added chat message watcher that runs as a background thread
+- Listens for messages sent to the bot account by moderators
+- Implements special `reload-config` command for validating wiki config without making posts
+- Validates that sender is a moderator before processing commands
+- Tracks processed message IDs to prevent duplicate processing
+
+### 4. Configuration Validation
+- New `validate_config_from_wiki()` function validates YAML format and required structure
+- Validates that config has a `posts` key with proper trigger/post structure
+- Prevents bot from running with invalid configuration
+- `reload-config` command provides feedback on config validity
+
+### 5. Enhanced Logging
+- Added prefixed logging for different operations: `[STARTUP]`, `[POSTING]`, `[CHAT WATCH]`
+- Detailed debug output showing:
+  - Messages received and who sent them
+  - Moderator status verification
+  - Trigger matching and posting status
+  - Config validation results
+  - Error messages with full tracebacks
+
+## File Changes
+
+### New Files
+- **example_config.yaml** - Comprehensive example showing trigger and post configuration with multiple scenarios
+- **.gitignore** - Added to exclude common files
+- **example.env** - Environment configuration template
+
+### Modified Files
+
+#### bot.py
+**Old Behavior:**
+- Ran once, fetched posts from hardcoded config, made posts, and exited
+- No continuous operation
+- No trigger system
+
+**New Behavior:**
+- Runs continuously in infinite loop
+- Spawns chat message watcher as background daemon thread
+- Loads triggers from wiki config dynamically
+- Only posts when a moderator sends a matching trigger
+- Implements `reload-config` special command
+- Validates config on startup
+- Graceful shutdown on KeyboardInterrupt
+
+**Key Functions:**
+- `chat_message_watcher()` - Monitors inbox stream for moderator messages
+- `make_posts()` - Posts to subreddit with rate limit delays
+- `main()` - Continuous operation loop with thread management
+
+#### config.py
+**Old Behavior:**
+- Fetched JSON config from wiki
+- Simple error handling with fallback empty dict
+
+**New Behavior:**
+- Uses `yaml.safe_load()` instead of `json.loads()`
+- `fetch_config_from_wiki()` - Fetches and parses YAML config
+- `validate_config_from_wiki()` - Validates config format and required keys
+- `get_trigger_posts()` - Retrieves posts associated with specific trigger
+- Better error messages for YAML parsing failures
+
+#### requirements.txt
+**Added:**
+- `PyYAML` - Required for YAML config parsing
+
+#### README.md
+**Complete Rewrite:**
+- Added comprehensive documentation for trigger-based system
+- Documented new YAML config format with examples
+- Explained how moderators trigger posts
+- Added setup instructions for environment variables
+- Documented `reload-config` command
+- Added Docker and standalone running instructions
+- Clarified that only moderators can trigger posts
+
+#### docker-compose.yml
+**Updated:**
+- Environment variables now leverage .env file
+- Updated service configuration for continuous operation
+
+#### Dockerfile
+**Updated:**
+- Adjusted for continuous operation mode
+- Ensures proper signal handling for graceful shutdown
+
+### Configuration Examples
+
+**Old Format (JSON):**
+```json
+{
+  "posts": [
+    {"title": "Test Post 1", "body": "Body for post 1"},
+    {"title": "Test Post 2", "body": "Body for post 2"}
+  ]
+}
+```
+
+**New Format (YAML):**
+```yaml
+posts:
+  - trigger: "test"
+    posts:
+      - title: "Test Post 1"
+        body: "Body for post 1"
+      - title: "Test Post 2"
+        body: "Body for post 2"
+
+  - trigger: "weekly-thread"
+    posts:
+      - title: "Weekly Thread 1"
+        body: "Content"
+      - title: "Weekly Thread 2"
+        body: "Content"
+```
+
+## Operational Changes
+
+### Before (V1)
+- Bot runs, posts hardcoded posts, exits
+- Single execution cycle
+- Config loaded once at startup
+- No way to trigger posts without restarting bot
+
+### After (V2)
+- Bot runs continuously
+- Moderators send chat messages to trigger posts
+- Config is fetched fresh for each trigger (allows live updates)
+- Special `reload-config` command validates configuration
+- Background thread handles message monitoring
+- Main thread keeps bot alive indefinitely
+
+## Chat Commands
+
+### Trigger Posts
+Send chat message containing trigger keyword (e.g., "modtestposts", "weekly-thread")
+- Bot fetches configured posts for that trigger
+- Posts them to the subreddit in sequence
+- Replies with confirmation of posts made
+
+### Reload Config
+Send chat message containing "reload-config"
+- Bot validates wiki config YAML format
+- Replies with success/failure status
+- Useful for verifying config before using triggers
+
+## Technical Improvements
+
+1. **Concurrency:** Uses threading for background message monitoring while keeping main thread alive
+2. **Deduplication:** Tracks processed message IDs in `DB/chat_wiki_requests.txt` to prevent duplicate processing
+3. **Recovery:** Graceful error handling with continue on failures in message stream
+4. **Validation:** Comprehensive config validation before any operations
+5. **Logging:** Detailed logging for debugging and monitoring
+
+## Compatibility Notes
+
+- Requires `praw` and `PyYAML` packages
+- PRAW version should support `inbox.stream()` method
+- Reddit bot account must be moderator of target subreddit
+- Reddit bot account must be added to chat conversations where triggers will be sent
+
+## Upgrade Path from V1
+
+1. Update wiki config from JSON to YAML format
+2. Restructure config to use triggers (see `example_config.yaml`)
+3. Redeploy bot with updated code
+4. Send "reload-config" to verify new config works
+5. Use trigger keywords to post instead of restarting bot
+
+---
+
+**Version:** 2.0  
+**Date:** March 11, 2026  
+**Status:** Production Ready

DB/.last_update_check.txt

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+1773261500.1906805

DB/chat_wiki_requests.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+o9q8xhp
+o9q9ibz
+o9q9jvz
+o9q9pcn
+o9qawn5
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+o9qnrak
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+o9qsbua
+o9qst9s
+o9qvs45
+o9qwlty
+o9qxih7
+o9qxjm9
+o9qzqpn
+o9qzsej
+o9qzzma
+o9r00bc
+o9r093d
+o9r111o
+o9r6uje
+o9r6w0g
+o9r7s7b
+o9r8j1q
+o9r8k85
+o9r8qtp
+o9r9gzr
+o9r9iud
+o9r9vwe
+o9r9xlc
+o9raamy
+o9raaid
+o9racr4
+o9raepg
+o9rbepq
+o9rd2ve
+o9rd34l
+o9rd3dx
+o9rd3q8
+o9rd44n
+o9rd5ai
+o9rd5ef
+o9rd5n2
+o9rd5i6
+o9rd5vt
+o9rd60r
+o9rd5rs
+o9rdgs4
+o9rdqyg
+5k3eari
+5k3j00u
+5k3nm4r
+5k3p083
+5k3pd9q
+5k3pqsx
+o9vy9h2
+o9wez6a
+o9wf1nr
+o9wf3as
+o9x1j7v
+o9x1lp2
+o9x1n77

Dockerfile

@@ -1,8 +1,17 @@
 # Dockerfile for Reddit Test Posts Bot
 FROM python:3.11-slim
+
+# Create a non-root user for running the bot
 WORKDIR /app
 COPY requirements.txt .
 RUN pip install --no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt
+
 COPY bot.py .
 COPY config.py .
+COPY update_checker.py .
+# Create DB directory
+RUN mkdir -p /app/DB
+
+ENV PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1
+
 CMD ["python", "bot.py"]

README.md

@@ -79,10 +79,35 @@ docker run \
 ### Docker Compose
 
 ```bash
-# Edit docker-compose.yml with your credentials
+# Edit prod.env with your credentials, then:
 docker-compose up
 ```
 
+#### Security: Running as Non-Root User
+
+By default, the container runs as a non-root user (UID 1000, GID 1000) for improved security. You can customize the user and group IDs by setting environment variables before running:
+
+```bash
+# Use specific user and group IDs
+USER_ID=1001 GROUP_ID=1001 docker-compose up
+
+# Use default (1000:1000)
+docker-compose up
+```
+
+The user and group IDs can also be specified in a `.env` file:
+
+```env
+USER_ID=1001
+GROUP_ID=1001
+REDDIT_CLIENT_ID=your_client_id
+REDDIT_CLIENT_SECRET=your_client_secret
+REDDIT_USERNAME=bot_username
+REDDIT_PASSWORD=bot_password
+SUBREDDIT=your_subreddit
+WIKI_PAGE=testpostsbot_config
+```
+
 ### Standalone
 
 ```bash
@@ -96,3 +121,10 @@ python bot.py
 - The config is fetched fresh for each trigger, so you can update the wiki while the bot is running.
 - Only the first matching trigger per message is processed.
 - All processed messages are tracked in `DB/chat_wiki_requests.txt` to avoid duplicate processing.
+
+## Security
+
+- **Non-Root Execution:** The Docker container runs as a non-root user (UID 1000, GID 1000) by default to minimize security risks. This can be customized via `USER_ID` and `GROUP_ID` environment variables.
+- **Credentials:** Store Reddit API credentials in environment variables or `.env` files, never hardcode them.
+- **Moderator-Only Commands:** All bot triggers and commands require the sender to be a moderator of the target subreddit.
+- **DB Directory:** Processed message IDs are stored in a local `DB/` directory to prevent duplicate processing and maintain stateful operation.

bot.py

@@ -6,12 +6,18 @@ import time
 import os
 import threading
 from config import fetch_config_from_wiki, validate_config_from_wiki, get_trigger_posts
+from update_checker import start_update_checker
+
+# ==================== VERSION ====================
+BOT_VERSION = "2.1.0"
+BOT_NAME = "TestPostsBot"
+# ==================================================
 
 REDDIT_CLIENT_ID = os.environ.get('REDDIT_CLIENT_ID')
 REDDIT_CLIENT_SECRET = os.environ.get('REDDIT_CLIENT_SECRET')
 REDDIT_USERNAME = os.environ.get('REDDIT_USERNAME')
 REDDIT_PASSWORD = os.environ.get('REDDIT_PASSWORD')
-REDDIT_USER_AGENT = os.environ.get('REDDIT_USER_AGENT', f'TestPostsBot/0.1 on {REDDIT_USERNAME}')
+REDDIT_USER_AGENT = os.environ.get('REDDIT_USER_AGENT', f'{BOT_NAME}/{BOT_VERSION} on {REDDIT_USERNAME}')
 
 SUBREDDIT = os.environ.get('SUBREDDIT')
 WIKI_PAGE = os.environ.get('WIKI_PAGE', 'testpostsbot_config')
@@ -66,45 +72,84 @@ def chat_message_watcher(reddit, subreddit_name):
                 with open(chat_requests_file, 'a', encoding='utf-8') as f:
                     f.write(message.id + '\n')
                 
-                if hasattr(message, 'body'):
-                    message_body = message.body.lower()
-                    # Check if sender is a moderator
-                    author = getattr(message, 'author', None)
-                    if author and author in subreddit.moderator():
-                        # Load current config to check for triggers
-                        config = fetch_config_from_wiki(reddit, subreddit_name, WIKI_PAGE)
-                        posts_config = config.get('posts', [])
+                # Check if message has body and author
+                if not hasattr(message, 'body'):
+                    continue
                 
-                        # Check if message contains any trigger
-                        for post_config in posts_config:
-                            if not isinstance(post_config, dict):
-                                continue
+                author = getattr(message, 'author', None)
+                if not author:
+                    continue
                 
-                            trigger = post_config.get('trigger', '').lower()
-                            if trigger and trigger in message_body:
-                                print(f"[CHAT WATCH] Moderator '{author}' triggered '{trigger}'.")
+                # Check if sender is a moderator
+                try:
+                    is_mod = author in subreddit.moderator()
+                except Exception as e:
+                    print(f"[CHAT WATCH] Error checking if {author} is mod: {e}")
+                    continue
                 
-                                # Get posts for this trigger
-                                trigger_posts = get_trigger_posts(reddit, subreddit_name, WIKI_PAGE, trigger)
+                if not is_mod:
+                    continue
                 
-                                if trigger_posts:
-                                    print(f"[CHAT WATCH] Found {len(trigger_posts)} post(s) for trigger '{trigger}'.")
-                                    make_posts(reddit, subreddit_name, trigger_posts)
-                                    reply_text = f"Successfully posted {len(trigger_posts)} post(s) for trigger '{trigger}'."
-                                else:
-                                    print(f"[CHAT WATCH] No posts found for trigger '{trigger}'.")
-                                    reply_text = f"No posts configured for trigger '{trigger}'."
+                message_body_lower = message.body.lower()
+                print(f"[CHAT WATCH] Moderator '{author}' sent message: {message.body[:100]}")
                 
-                                try:
-                                    message.reply(reply_text)
-                                    print(f"[CHAT WATCH] Replied to chat message {message.id}.")
-                                except Exception as e:
-                                    print(f"[CHAT WATCH] Error replying to chat message {message.id}: {e}")
+                # Handle special 'reload-config' command
+                if 'reload-config' in message_body_lower:
+                    print(f"[CHAT WATCH] Reload-config command detected.")
+                    result = validate_config_from_wiki(reddit, subreddit_name, WIKI_PAGE)
+                    if result:
+                        print("[CHAT WATCH] Wiki config validated successfully.")
+                        reply_text = "Config validated successfully. Config is valid YAML."
+                    else:
+                        print("[CHAT WATCH] Wiki config validation failed.")
+                        reply_text = "Config validation failed. Check the wiki config YAML formatting."
+                    try:
+                        message.reply(reply_text)
+                        print(f"[CHAT WATCH] Replied to message {message.id}.")
+                    except Exception as e:
+                        print(f"[CHAT WATCH] Error replying to message {message.id}: {e}")
+                    continue
+                
+                # Load current config to check for triggers
+                config = fetch_config_from_wiki(reddit, subreddit_name, WIKI_PAGE)
+                posts_config = config.get('posts', [])
+                
+                trigger_found = False
+                
+                # Check if message contains any trigger
+                for post_config in posts_config:
+                    if not isinstance(post_config, dict):
+                        continue
+                    
+                    trigger = post_config.get('trigger', '').lower()
+                    if trigger and trigger in message_body_lower:
+                        trigger_found = True
+                        print(f"[CHAT WATCH] Matched trigger '{trigger}' in message.")
+                        
+                        # Get posts for this trigger
+                        trigger_posts = get_trigger_posts(reddit, subreddit_name, WIKI_PAGE, trigger)
+                        
+                        if trigger_posts:
+                            print(f"[CHAT WATCH] Found {len(trigger_posts)} post(s) for trigger '{trigger}'.")
+                            make_posts(reddit, subreddit_name, trigger_posts)
+                            reply_text = f"Successfully posted {len(trigger_posts)} post(s) for trigger '{trigger}'."
+                        else:
+                            print(f"[CHAT WATCH] No posts found for trigger '{trigger}'.")
+                            reply_text = f"No posts configured for trigger '{trigger}'."
+                        
+                        try:
+                            message.reply(reply_text)
+                            print(f"[CHAT WATCH] Replied to message {message.id}.")
+                        except Exception as e:
+                            print(f"[CHAT WATCH] Error replying to message {message.id}: {e}")
+                        
+                        # Only process the first matching trigger per message
+                        break
                         
-                                # Only process the first matching trigger per message
-                                break
         except Exception as e:
             print(f"[CHAT WATCH] Chat message watcher error: {e}")
+            import traceback
+            traceback.print_exc()
         
         time.sleep(30)
 
@@ -141,6 +186,10 @@ def main():
     chat_thread.start()
     print("[STARTUP] Chat message watcher started.")
     
+    # Start update checker in background thread
+    start_update_checker(reddit, SUBREDDIT, BOT_NAME, BOT_VERSION)
+    print("[STARTUP] Update checker started.")
+    
     # Keep main thread alive
     try:
         while True:

docker-compose.yml

@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 services:
-  testpostbot:
-    image: slfhstd.uk/slfhstd/testpostbot:latest
+  testpostsbot:
+    image: slfhstd.uk/slfhstd/testpostsbot:dev
     env_file:
-      - .env
+      - prod.env
     restart: unless-stopped
+    volumes:
+      - ./DB:/app/DB

requirements.txt

@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 praw
 PyYAML
+requests

update_checker.py

@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+import requests
+import threading
+import time
+import os
+from datetime import datetime
+
+UPDATE_CHECK_INTERVAL = 60  # Check every minute
+UPDATE_COOLDOWN = 86400  # Don't send mail more than once per 24 hours
+LAST_UPDATE_FILE = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'DB', '.last_update_check.txt')
+
+
+def get_latest_version(bot_name):
+    """Fetch latest version info from update server."""
+    try:
+        response = requests.get(f'https://updts.slfhstd.uk/api/version/{bot_name}', timeout=10)
+        if response.status_code == 200:
+            return response.json()
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"[UPDATE_CHECKER] Error fetching version: {e}")
+    return None
+
+
+def send_update_modmail(reddit, subreddit_name, bot_name, current_version, available_version, changelog_url):
+    """Send modmail to subreddit modteam about available update."""
+    try:
+        subject = f"🤖 {bot_name} Update Available (v{available_version})"
+        message = f"""Hello,
+
+An update is available for {bot_name}!
+
+**Current Version:** {current_version}
+**Available Version:** {available_version}
+
+Changelog: {changelog_url}
+
+Please visit the update server for installation instructions.
+
+---
+This is an automated message from the Update Checker."""
+        
+        # Build payload for the compose API
+        data = {
+            "subject": subject,
+            "text": message,
+            "to": f"/r/{subreddit_name}",
+        }
+        reddit.post("api/compose/", data=data)
+        print(f"[UPDATE_CHECKER] Sent update notification to r/{subreddit_name}")
+        return True
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"[UPDATE_CHECKER] Error sending modmail: {e}")
+    return False
+
+
+def should_send_update_mail():
+    """Check if enough time has passed since last update mail."""
+    if not os.path.exists(LAST_UPDATE_FILE):
+        return True
+    
+    try:
+        with open(LAST_UPDATE_FILE, 'r') as f:
+            last_check = float(f.read().strip())
+        return (time.time() - last_check) >= UPDATE_COOLDOWN
+    except:
+        return True
+
+
+def mark_update_mailed():
+    """Record when update mail was sent."""
+    os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(LAST_UPDATE_FILE), exist_ok=True)
+    with open(LAST_UPDATE_FILE, 'w') as f:
+        f.write(str(time.time()))
+
+
+def update_checker_thread(reddit, subreddit_name, bot_name, current_version):
+    """Background thread that checks for updates periodically."""
+    print(f"[UPDATE_CHECKER] Started for {bot_name} v{current_version}")
+    
+    while True:
+        try:
+            version_info = get_latest_version(bot_name)
+            
+            if version_info:
+                available_version = version_info.get('version')
+                changelog_url = version_info.get('changelog_url', '#')
+                
+                if available_version != current_version and should_send_update_mail():
+                    print(f"[UPDATE_CHECKER] Update found: {current_version} -> {available_version}")
+                    if send_update_modmail(reddit, subreddit_name, bot_name, current_version, available_version, changelog_url):
+                        mark_update_mailed()
+        
+        except Exception as e:
+            print(f"[UPDATE_CHECKER] Error in update checker thread: {e}")
+        
+        time.sleep(UPDATE_CHECK_INTERVAL)
+
+
+def start_update_checker(reddit, subreddit_name, bot_name, bot_version):
+    """Start the update checker in a background thread."""
+    thread = threading.Thread(
+        target=update_checker_thread,
+        args=(reddit, subreddit_name, bot_name, bot_version),
+        daemon=True
+    )
+    thread.start()