#+begin_src python :dir src :results drawer :exports results import stexport.export as E; return E.make_parser().prog #+end_src

#+RESULTS: :results: Export your personal Stackexchange data :end:

• Setting up

1. install with PIP

   • =pip3 install --user git+https://github.com/karlicoss/stexport=

   • for export functionality: append =[export]=

   • for optional extras for logging and faster json processing: append =[optional]=

   • or any combination of the above, e.g. =[export,optional]=

   • alternatively, use =git clone --recursive=, or =git pull && git submodules update --init=. After that, you can use =pip3 install --editable=.

2. Get API =key= Register a new Oauth app [[https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/261829/where-i-can-get-my-access-token-key-for-the-api][this]] for information. Once you've registered, find your app in [[https://stackapps.com/apps/oauth][the list]] and take note of

   • 'Key' -- this is your =key= parameter
   • 'Client Id' and 'Oauth Domain/Redirect URI' -- this might be useful for the next step

3. Get API =access_token= This is optional, since in principle you can run the script without access token. But some functionality won't work (e.g. =--user-sites=), and you might miss some of your private data, so it's recommended to do.

   Visit the following link, but

   • instead of =12345=, substitute 'Client Id' from step 3
   • instead of =http://example.com=, substitute 'Redirect URI' from step 3

   : https://stackoverflow.com/oauth/dialog?client_id=12345&redirect_uri=http://example.com&scope=private_info+no_expiry

   https://api.stackexchange.com/docs/authentication#scope

   After that you should be authorised and redirected. Copy the =access_token= somewhere, you'll need it later.

• Exporting

NOTE: even if you decided not to use =access_token=, you still need to pass the parameter, just set it to empty string.

TODO ugh. it doesn't capture --all-sites or --user-sites or anything. ugh

really need a more literate approach somehow..

#+begin_src python :dir src :results drawer :exports results import stexport.export as E; return E.make_parser().epilog #+end_src

#+RESULTS: :results:

Usage:

Recommended: create =secrets.py= keeping your api parameters, e.g.:

: key = "KEY" : access_token = "ACCESS_TOKEN"

After that, use:

: python3 -m stexport.export --secrets /path/to/secrets.py

That way you type less and have control over where you keep your plaintext secrets.

Alternatively, you can pass parameters directly, e.g.

: python3 -m stexport.export --key --access_token <access_token>

However, this is verbose and prone to leaking your keys/tokens/passwords in shell history.

I highly recommend checking exported files at least once just to make sure they contain everything you expect from your export. If not, please feel free to ask or raise an issue!

:end:

• Using data

#+begin_src python :dir src :results drawer :exports results import stexport.exporthelpers.dal_helper as D; return D.make_parser().epilog #+end_src

#+RESULTS: :results:

You can use =stexport.dal= (stands for "Data Access/Abstraction Layer") to access your exported data, even offline. I elaborate on motivation behind it [[https://beepb00p.xyz/exports.html#dal][here]].

• main usecase is to be imported as python module to allow for programmatic access to your data.

  You can find some inspiration in [[https://beepb00p.xyz/mypkg.html][=my.=]] package that I'm using as an API to all my personal data.

• to test it against your export, simply run: python3 -m stexport.dal --source /path/to/export

• you can also try it interactively: python3 -m stexport.dal --source /path/to/export --interactive

:end: