`config.output=json` stops working #715

Andre601 · 2021-12-18T22:47:11Z

Andre601
Dec 18, 2021

I'm currently in the process of trying to setup a GitHub action to show stats using this nice tool. However, for some reason does the config.output=json query parameter no longer work.

I want to use it, to see all used options/settings, but for unknown reasons does it not return a JSON output for me.
I tried it with my actual link that would have all the used settings and plugins, but also with just https://metrics.lecoq.io/Andre601?config.output=json and neither does return a raw JSON but instead the SVG file itself, which is not what I want.

Can I fix this in some way?

Answered by lowlighter

Dec 20, 2021

Hello!

The web instance has a "cache system" which applies for each user, ignoring any further configuration changes (for one hour iirc).
If you retry later you should be able to access the JSON output 👍

As for Andre601/Andre601#12, you can simplify your workflow by dropping all plugins option (the plugin toggles are still required though)

- uses: lowlighter/metrics@latest
      with:
        token: ${{ secrets.METRICS_TOKEN }}
        user: Andre601
        template: markdown
        base: activity, community, repositories, metadata
        config_timezone: Europe/Zurich
        plugin_discussions: yes
        plugin_followup: yes
        plugin_isocalendar: yes
        plugin_languages: y…

View full answer

Andre601 · 2021-12-19T00:25:26Z

Andre601
Dec 19, 2021
Author

I managed to get a JSON output using the option in the GitHub Action, but now I am wondering, if I setup everything correctly for the action to properly push changes and update the markdown file as I want it to.

If you don't mind would I appreciate, if you could take a quick look at this PR and tell me if everything is correct or needs some changes:
Andre601/Andre601#12

0 replies

lowlighter · 2021-12-20T16:19:34Z

lowlighter
Dec 20, 2021
Maintainer

Hello!

The web instance has a "cache system" which applies for each user, ignoring any further configuration changes (for one hour iirc).
If you retry later you should be able to access the JSON output 👍

As for Andre601/Andre601#12, you can simplify your workflow by dropping all plugins option (the plugin toggles are still required though)

- uses: lowlighter/metrics@latest
      with:
        token: ${{ secrets.METRICS_TOKEN }}
        user: Andre601
        template: markdown
        base: activity, community, repositories, metadata
        config_timezone: Europe/Zurich
        plugin_discussions: yes
        plugin_followup: yes
        plugin_isocalendar: yes
        plugin_languages: yes
        plugin_people: yes
        plugin_stars: yes

The plugin_ prefix is optional when using embed function:

{%- await embed(`stats-languages`, {languages: true, languages_analysis_timeout: 15, languages_categories:"markup, programming", languages_colors:"github", languages_details:"percentage", languages_ignored:"shell, hack", languages_limit: 8, languages_recent_categories:"markup, programming", languages_recent_days: 14, languages_recent_load: 300, languages_sections:"most-used", languages_threshold:"0%"}) %}

You also need to use {%- rather than {%, since it's actually EJS syntax (you can also use <%- instead)

Hope this helps 👍

5 replies

Andre601 Dec 27, 2021
Author

How long should the action usually take?

Because the one I have now runs for like over an hour, which is something I would like to avoid since it goes at the cost of available Actions minutes (To be fair... It's still not clear for me how free plan of GH handles those... At one point do they mention it's unlimited for OS, but at the same time do they list a limit of 2k minutes/month on free plan...)

Either way, I hope this is only something happening for the first time, otherwise I probs have to scrap it, because I value faster actions over detailed ones...

Andre601 Dec 27, 2021
Author

Actually, I cancelled the run and made a new one and this one seems to have completed...

Unfortunately did neither the template file, nor the readme itself get updated... Not sure what I'm missing here...

It looks like while the SVG files got saved in a .cache directory, did the action neither care about nor use the template.md file containing the embeds... Like there are 4 SVGs, but the md file has much more embeds than that...

lowlighter Dec 27, 2021
Maintainer

How long should the action usually take?

It can take from <1 min to up to around 15 min, depending on how many plugins are enabled. If you enable "indepth" features, it can be longer.

Note that GitHub Actions was down a few hours ago (also reported by some users in #731) so you may have been unlucky 😅

At one point do they mention it's unlimited for OS, but at the same time do they list a limit of 2k minutes/month on free plan...)

It's unlimited if your repository is public, limited to 2k minutes if your repository is private

It looks like while the SVG files got saved in a .cache directory, did the action neither care about nor use the template.md file containing the embeds... Like there are 4 SVGs, but the md file has much more embeds than that...

So looking at Andre601/Andre601@4626c3b, your config and template is fine. Your README.md gets updated with your TEMPLATE.md but indeed only some SVG gets pushed as you mentioned:

Saving .cache/stats-base.svg                             │ ok
Saving .cache/stats-issues-prs.svg                       │ ok
Saving .cache/stats-languages.svg                        │ ok
Saving .cache/stats-discussion.svg                       │ ok

Seems to be a bug upstream, some of embed SVG are still base-64 encoded instead of being saved as cached SVG hence why some of them are not displayed.

I'll look into it in the next days, there will a be a new release soon, so your profile readme should gets autofixed without further actions from your side 👍

Sorry you got some trouble with setting this up, if you have any improvements to suggest to make this easier to use, feel free to give some feedback

Thanks a lot for using metrics 🙂

Andre601 Dec 27, 2021
Author

Seems to be a bug upstream, some of embed SVG are still base-64 encoded instead of being saved as cached SVG hence why some of them are not displayed.

I noticed a funny behaviour in GitHub...

When you view the file in the code version (Apply ?plain=1 to the URL) does the file show <img src=":URL"> in it...
However, if you look at the raw view (under githubusercontent.com) or edit the file is it weirdly enough a <img> tag with base64-encoded value.... a rather strange thing if you ask me...
I doubt it's your action and more GitHub, but still funny to mention.

lowlighter Dec 27, 2021
Maintainer

Should be fixed by #734, I tested with a fork of your repo and it seems to display the missing svg correctly

However, if you look at the raw view (under githubusercontent.com) or edit the file is it weirdly enough a tag with base64-encoded value.... a rather strange thing if you ask me...

Indeed, it's kind of a "hack" used by the action

The GitHub context is not exposed to the rendering engine because it is supposed to be context-agnostic.
During rendering steps, embed images are actually base64 encoded (which lets the web version displaying them, even without a .cache folder), so once it's done, the action extract them and save them to .cache folder instead

Andre601 · 2021-12-27T17:17:36Z

Andre601
Dec 27, 2021
Author

Sorry for all the notifs... but I now got it working.

Had to add some missing settings which were not mentioned here, but in the docs of the markdown template option.

The only thing I notice right now is, that some SVGs don't load.
For some reason do SVGs for recent stars ({%- await embed(`stats-stars`, {stars: true, stars_limit: 5}) %}) and followings ({%- await embed(`stats-follower`, {people: true, people_limit: 24, people_size: 28, people_types:"followers"}) %}) not show up, despite the SVG being inserted into the target README file...

Not sure if that is a GitHub issue, or if the SVG is somehow malformed or smth...

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config.output=json stops working #715

Andre601 Dec 18, 2021

Replies: 3 comments · 5 replies

Andre601 Dec 19, 2021 Author

lowlighter Dec 20, 2021 Maintainer

Andre601 Dec 27, 2021 Author

Andre601 Dec 27, 2021 Author

lowlighter Dec 27, 2021 Maintainer

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lowlighter Dec 27, 2021 Maintainer

Andre601 Dec 27, 2021 Author

`config.output=json` stops working #715

Andre601
Dec 18, 2021

Replies: 3 comments 5 replies

Andre601
Dec 19, 2021
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lowlighter
Dec 20, 2021
Maintainer

Andre601 Dec 27, 2021
Author

Andre601 Dec 27, 2021
Author

lowlighter Dec 27, 2021
Maintainer

Andre601 Dec 27, 2021
Author

lowlighter Dec 27, 2021
Maintainer

Andre601
Dec 27, 2021
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