Commons:Bots/Requests

Shortcut: COM:BRFA

If you want to run a bot on Commons, you must get permission first. To do so, file a request following the instructions below.

Please read Commons:Bots before making a request for bot permission.

I	Create a user account (while logged in to your normal account) and user page for the bot On the bot's userpage, add {{Bot}}, which automatically adds the page to Category:Commons bots. Then add the following information to the bot's userpage (all this is mandatory): Operator: Who the creator/operator is and how they can best be contacted Tasks: Details of the bot's task or tasks Operation: Whether the bot is manually assisted or runs automatically When: When it operates (continuously, intermittently, or at specified intervals) Maximum edit rate: The bot's maximum edit rate (eg edits per minute) Language: The language and/or program that it is running
II	Create your bot request: Replace "YourBotName" with your bot's username in the box below and click the button. Complete the questions on the resulting page and save it. Remember that your bot will be allowed to operate only for those tasks that you have specified in your request. Add your bot request to the list here: Edit the following request list, adding the following text to the top of the appropriate section (replacing "YourBotName" with your bot's name): {{Commons:Bots/Requests/YourBotName}}
III	Test run Make a short test run with your bot account (30-50 edits/uploads) to allow other users to review your bot's tasks.
IV	Waiting for approval. You now need to wait for community approval. A bureaucrat will close the request and will also grant a bot flag, where necessary. Closed requests are moved to Commons:Bots/Archive.

Archives List all Requests Requests by closing date

Requests made on this page are automatically transcluded in Commons:Requests and votes for wider comment.

Requests for permission to run a bot

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Before making a bot request, please read the new version of the Commons:Bots page. Read Commons:Bots#Information on bots and make sure you have added the required details to the bot's page. A good example can be found here.

When complete, pages listed here should be archived to Commons:Bots/Archive.

Any user may comment on the merits of the request to run a bot. Please give reasons, as that makes it easier for the closing bureaucrat. Read Commons:Bots before commenting.

Valerio Bozzolan bot (talk · contribs)

Operator: Valerio Bozzolan (talk · contributions · Number of edits · recent activity · block log · User rights log · uploads · Global account information) (assign permissions)

Bot's tasks for which permission is being sought: Import of authorized images from Academy of architecture Library.

• Local community consensus: w:it:Wikipedia:Raduni/Biblioteca dell'Accademia di Mendrisio 4 ottobre 2020.
• This is a test run that can be examined: Category:Collezione Biblioteca - Iconoteca dell'architettura in Mendrisio, Switzerland.

Automatic or manually assisted: Automatic

Edit type (e.g. Continuous, daily, one time run): one time run

Maximum edit rate (e.g. edits per minute): 12

Bot flag requested: (Y/N): N

Programming language(s): PHP7. Source code in GNU AGPL available here on gitpull.it

Valerio Bozzolan (talk) 01:03, 22 November 2020 (UTC)

Discussion

Mendrisio Academy of architecture Library has a beautiful iconotheque with tons of material in CC-BY-SA license. I think they would be an enrichment for Commons, so yes, let's do that! --Yiyi (Dimmi!) 08:57, 22 November 2020 (UTC)

It'll be good idea to transfer more original metadata to Structured Data. Do you have wiki-project for categorization of uploaded files? — Preceding unsigned comment added by EugeneZelenko (talk • contribs)

• Looks good to me. --Krd 18:47, 22 November 2020 (UTC)

LilyWonhalfBot (talk · contribs)

Operator: LilyWonhalf (talk · contributions · Number of edits · recent activity · block log · User rights log · uploads · Global account information) (assign permissions)

Bot's tasks for which permission is being sought: Batch uploading

Automatic or manually assisted: This bot is manually assisted

Edit type (e.g. Continuous, daily, one time run): This bot is not intended for editing but for uploading new files

Maximum edit rate (e.g. edits per minute): This bot is not intended for editing but for uploading new files (0)

Bot flag requested: (Y/N): Y

Programming language(s): The bot will be used by the program Commons:Pattypan

LilyWonhalf (talk) 05:13, 20 November 2020 (UTC)

Discussion

• Upload projects rarely need their own bot and bot flag, unless there are mass housekeeping tasks. There's also a disadvantage of not having them automatically on your main watchlist. Perhaps you can start uploading with Pattypan and see how your first few thousand files go? By the way, you are encouraged to set up your bot account and experiment with it with real uploads, in advance of deciding whether you really need the bot flag. --Fæ (talk) 12:11, 20 November 2020 (UTC)

  I also don't see why this should be done with a bot account, especially as the operator account has no edits. Please elaborate. --Krd 18:44, 22 November 2020 (UTC)

InternetArchiveBot (talk · contribs)

Operator: Cyberpower678 (talk · contributions · Number of edits · recent activity · block log · User rights log · uploads · Global account information) (assign permissions) and Harej (talk · contributions · Number of edits · recent activity · block log · User rights log · uploads · Global account information) (assign permissions)

Bot's tasks for which permission is being sought: Tagging of dead links in the File namespace and adding archival URLs to them to mitigate link rot.

Automatic or manually assisted: Automatic

Edit type (e.g. Continuous, daily, one time run): Continuous

Maximum edit rate (e.g. edits per minute): approximately 60 edits per minute

Bot flag requested: (Y/N): Y

Programming language(s): PHP. Source code.

Harej (talk) 00:47, 19 November 2020 (UTC)

Discussion

• The configuration for the different messages the bot uses is available on Toolforge. Feel free to make adjustments as necessary for use on Commons. Harej (talk) 00:55, 19 November 2020 (UTC)
• This seems to have a very wide scope and may have policy implications, such as in future years it may be normal to delete files which never had links archived at IA, and it ties the management/curation of Commons' collections to whether IA can continue to exist online though the WMF has never specifically had IA in its corporate sustainability strategy. As this has the potential to result in changes for all Commons images with links (it being a fact that all links must go dead eventually), is there an existing consensus for this how this project should work? Writing as someone who has mass added IA links due to link rot, but with narrow scope to certain link types. --Fæ (talk) 12:18, 20 November 2020 (UTC)

  Per Fæ's comment I have the feeling this should be discussed at another venue where more community feedback can be gained. Can anybody arrange that? --Krd 18:41, 22 November 2020 (UTC)

FYI @Kaldari: --Fæ (talk) 22:32, 22 November 2020 (UTC)

• Fæ, by default, the bot would only replace links that are already dead. Irrespective of the longevity of the Internet Archive, replacing a link that is currently dead with an archive that is currently available seems reasonable to me. Further, the bot is programmed to operate agnostic of a particular archival provider, and indeed has linked to other archives. So even if something happened to the Internet Archive, the bot could simply continue with a replacement archival service. I am not sure I understand the connection to Commons' own curatorial practices. In any case, the bot currently runs without issue on over 40 Wikimedia wikis, and the bot is highly configurable as well. Cyberpower678 and I are happy to work with the community on making sure the bot is a constructive participant. Harej (talk) 23:23, 24 November 2020 (UTC)