MorgonSlack

A Python script that posts messages to the most active Slack thread of the day, helping you join the morning conversation without starting a new thread.

Features

• Automatically finds the most active Slack thread from today
• Posts your message as a reply to that thread
• Falls back to posting a new message if no active threads are found
• Uses browser-based authentication (no admin app approval needed)

Installation

Prerequisites

• Python 3.11+
• uv (Python package manager)
• Dependencies are managed via pyproject.toml

Setup

1. Install dependencies:

   uv sync
   

2. Set up configuration:

   # Create config directory
   mkdir -p ~/.config/morgonslack
   
   # Copy the example config file
   cp config.ini.example ~/.config/morgonslack/config.ini
   
   # Edit the config file with your credentials
   nano ~/.config/morgonslack/config.ini
   

Docker Deployment

For containerized deployment using Docker and docker-compose.

Prerequisites

• Docker and docker-compose installed
• Slack credentials (token, cookie, channel)

Setup

1. Create environment file:

   # Create .env file in project root
   touch .env
   

2. Configure environment variables in .env:

   SLACK_TOKEN=xoxc-your-token-here
   SLACK_COOKIE=xoxd-your-cookie-here
   SLACK_CHANNEL=#your-channel
   

Build and Run

# Build the image
docker-compose build

# Run with environment variables
docker-compose up -d

# View logs
docker-compose logs -f

# Stop the service
docker-compose down

The Flask application will be available at http://localhost:5000 with web endpoints for posting WFH/WFO messages.

Configuration

The configuration file is located at ~/.config/morgonslack/config.ini

Config File Format

[slack]
# Client token (starts with 'xoxc-')
# Found in browser developer tools when logged into Slack
token = xoxc-your-token-here

# Session cookie value (the 'd' cookie)
# This authenticates the token. It looks like "xoxd-..." or a long hex string.
# To find it: In browser developer tools, go to Application > Cookies,
# find the 'd' cookie and copy its value (without the "d=" prefix).
cookie = xoxd-your-cookie-here

# Channel to post to
# You can use the channel name (e.g. #general) or the channel ID.
# To find channel ID: In Slack, right-click channel name > Copy link,
# the ID is the part after "channel/" in the URL.
channel = #your-channel

How to Get Your Slack Credentials

1. Token:

   • Open Slack in your browser
   • Open Developer Tools (F12 or Ctrl+Shift+I)
   • Go to the Network tab
   • Refresh the page and look for API calls
   • Find the Authorization header - it contains your token

2. Cookie:

   • In Developer Tools, go to Application > Cookies
   • Find the cookie named "d"
   • Copy the value (not including "d=")

Usage

Command Line

# Post a message to the most active thread
uv run python morgonslack.py "Good Morning, WFH"

# Post a different message
uv run python morgonslack.py "Working from office today"

# Post a longer message
uv run python morgonslack.py "Good morning everyone! Starting my day with some coffee and code."

Web Interface

When running with Docker, access the web interface at http://localhost:5000:

• Visit / for the main interface to post WFH/WFO messages
• Visit /stats to view statistics and analytics of your WFH/WFO patterns
• Visit /wfh to post a random WFH message
• Visit /wfo to post a random WFO message

How It Works

1. The script loads your Slack credentials from ~/.config/morgonslack/config.ini
2. It retrieves all messages from today in your specified channel
3. It finds the message with the most replies (most active thread)
4. If a thread is found, it posts your message as a reply to that thread
5. If no active threads are found, it posts your message as a new message

Error Handling

• Missing config file: The script will exit with a helpful error message pointing you to create the config file
• Invalid credentials: If your token or cookie is invalid/expired, the script will show an authentication error
• Network issues: Any network problems will be displayed with details

Security

• Never commit your config.ini file - it contains sensitive credentials
• The config.ini file is already in .gitignore to prevent accidental commits
• Use browser-based authentication to avoid needing admin app approval

Troubleshooting

"invalid_auth" error

• Your token or cookie may be expired
• Try logging out and back into Slack in your browser
• Update your credentials in the config file

No active threads found

• Make sure you're using the correct channel name/ID
• Check that there are actually threaded conversations in your channel today
• The script only looks at messages from the current day (00:00:00 onwards)

License

This project is open source and available for personal use.