Another IPS "don't like"

[Tracy Perry]

And this is why I don't like IPS many times.
Configure Google Maps project with the following API's:




Then you submit the token in the ACP and you get this



Uhhhh... exsqueeze me, but it sure as hell looks like I do have those API's required enabled. Even after waiting an hour "for it to take effect" I still get the same response when I try to submit the API that Google provides.

And the token is definitely valid:



Granted, this is an older version of IPS, but it was working fine but had an issue with the maps not pulling up locations by the IP address in the user profile (think it was actually an IPS issue) so started a new Google project and get the above. Then when I try to go back to the token that WAS working, guess what I get. The same thing.
This was a PITA to configure the first time as it took several creation attempts before it worked if I remember correctly (that was back in 2018). I'm honestly about ready to pull that site totally off line as there have been to many little headaches like this and I'm not going to simply put out a couple of hundred more dollars to see if something is "fixed" that should be still working since the old API token worked prior to developing a new Google Project.

Of course, since it's not a "current" version, going over to the IPS website for input from fellow IPS admins is totally useless (have found that to be the norm also even when it was the current version).

 

[Tracy Perry]

And, what did it take to fix it?
Very simple... export the DB for IPS, find the old license key that was working, remove it from the DB and replace it with a new key.. viola:



As you can see, the IP lookup still is not working... but that's probably actually an IPS issue and not a maps issue.

And the Google Maps still work in the rest of the site:



Just more proof that IPS ACP has issues that are not really issues. If there WAS a problem, then simply replacing the API token with the newly created one in the DB would not have worked. Something in IPS was incorrectly reporting back that the configuration was wrong or the token was bad, neither of which was factual.

 

[K730]

Please ensure you're using the correct equipment when posting.

 

[Pete]

I honestly wouldn’t be at all surprised if this weren’t actually a Google issue though. Had so many issues with their libraries and APIs spontaneously changing over the years it isn’t funny. I also imagine that Google, like Facebook, ties tokens to versions of the API and silently deprecated things without letting you know (because *that’s* never happened before with Google)

The only Google API I even vaguely trust any more not to spontaneously break is ReCAPTCHA and that’s only because it feeds the tracking data machine. The more an API benefits Google for it to remain stable and feed it data, the more it does remain stable. Maps on the other hand… breaks regularly in my experience, we have to keep patching our apps for it spontaneously failing.

 

[Tracy Perry]

I honestly wouldn’t be at all surprised if this weren’t actually a Google issue though. Had so many issues with their libraries and APIs spontaneously changing over the years it isn’t funny. I also imagine that Google, like Facebook, ties tokens to versions of the API and silently deprecated things without letting you know (because *that’s* never happened before with Google)

The only Google API I even vaguely trust any more not to spontaneously break is ReCAPTCHA and that’s only because it feeds the tracking data machine. The more an API benefits Google for it to remain stable and feed it data, the more it does remain stable. Maps on the other hand… breaks regularly in my experience, we have to keep patching our apps for it spontaneously failing.

I might agree... except for the fact that simply placing the new API token in the DB immediately started working... but if I still try to save that page from the ACP, it gives the same error, even though the API token DOES work when manually placed into the DB.
It's a problem with IPS not being able to validate for whatever reason.... so I wouldn't say it was a Google issue since it actually does work, IPS incorrectly reports that it is invalid.

 

[Pete]

Then I might suggest that whatever method older IPS uses to validate the request is deprecated, and returns false even when the API key is valid. Again, something I have seen Google foul up in the past, i learned long ago not to bother trying to validate keys.

 

[Matt M]

What version are you using Tracy?

Edit: I've just dug through Github, and indeed there was a change to Google Maps API which meant we needed to update the ACP.

This was in Feb 2020, so this would have been in 4.5.

This explains why you couldn't get it to work via the form, and had to go into the DB to fix it.

 

[Tracy Perry]

What version are you using Tracy?

Edit: I've just dug through Github, and indeed there was a change to Google Maps API which meant we needed to update the ACP.

This was in Feb 2020, so this would have been in 4.5.

This explains why you couldn't get it to work via the form, and had to go into the DB to fix it.

View attachment 55381

Yep, it's 4.3.6 I think. Since the site gets no traffic (other than spammers which I mark as such and probably get submitted into the IPS spammer DB even though the license is not current) I'm not really hot into upgrading it. In fact I even took it offline for a while and am still contemplating it.
I honestly don't remember having to put in the secret key the first time (that was back in 2018) so I don't know why it would be dependent on that for a check since it didn't have it to begin with to validate against. I know that the version I have now doesn't have anywhere to put in the secret key, just the API key.

 

[craigForo]

Too many dynamics to lay blame on IPS.

 

[Tracy Perry]

Too many dynamics to lay blame on IPS.

The interface for getting Google Maps configured in IPS has always been problematic. As detailed in the screenshot provided, there is no place to put anything in IPS 4.3.6 other than the API key. Did you see anywhere that requires the secret key to be input in that direct screenshot from the IPS 4.3.6 ACP section I provided? If you don't have to input the secret key then it is indicative that piece of data is not required to successfully perform the setup. If it was dependent upon the secret key there would be an input position for it, just as there are for many other packages that (classic case is Xenforo Recaptha requires both the secret key and the site key).



Even IPS has a place for the Site and Secrete key for Captcha, so one would assume that if the secrete key had been needed it would have been present in 3.4.6 for the autocheck.

 

[Pete]

The thing is Google APIs routinely do not behave in alignment with what the docs say. I haven’t touched the specifics of secrets/keys in a while but it’s very possible that at one time it did work correctly only needing the one item and was later changed, and IPS didn’t keep up.

This, unfortunately, happens everywhere in the real world that vendors’ APIs do not behave as documented and some inconsistent guesswork fills in the gaps - which worked for some but not everyone.

 

[JordanInvision]

Yep, it's 4.3.6 I think. Since the site gets no traffic (other than spammers which I mark as such and probably get submitted into the IPS spammer DB even though the license is not current) I'm not really hot into upgrading it. In fact I even took it offline for a while and am still contemplating it.
I honestly don't remember having to put in the secret key the first time (that was back in 2018) so I don't know why it would be dependent on that for a check since it didn't have it to begin with to validate against. I know that the version I have now doesn't have anywhere to put in the secret key, just the API key.

Hey there. Just out of curiosity - why not upgrade to 4.6 and start trying to generate some content, spruce things up a bit and try and get more engagement into your community? It sounds like you've got some forward momentum even just with the Google Maps thing. Could be cool to see you take things further!

 

[Tracy Perry]

Hey there. Just out of curiosity - why not upgrade to 4.6 and start trying to generate some content, spruce things up a bit and try and get more engagement into your community? It sounds like you've got some forward momentum even just with the Google Maps thing. Could be cool to see you take things further!

I mainly run the sites for my knowledge of how to do stuff and enjoyment of messing with them. They are targeted towards some hobbies of mine, but I'm not that good at creating the content on them. The iPS site gets more love than my Xenforo site does as far as content creation, but even that isn't that much. Running them allows me to sometimes help others that may run into an issue that I have had in the past or can figure out.
The other issue I have is that the client info is screwed up on my account



But what I have licensed is this:




So I KNOW that the renewal is a LOT more than the simple $75 shown as I have Pages and Commerce in addition to the base system and forums. By what is shown in my client area I'd have to BUY Pages and Commerce again instead of paying for a renewal. Then you have the renewal for the Style and Classifieds and I'm in for probably around $300-400 for a hobby site that gets no traffic (other than spammers which I flag and probably go into IPS's spammers list) and is ran just for my enjoyment in reality.

 

[Pete]

Actually, $75 is correct as per pricing page:



Can't tell you what Style and Classified would cost but $75 is right for the renewal - it had to be because my licence has all the things and is $105 to renew and you had less than that.

I think the pivoting towards 'community suite' might be confusing for the people who come from much older licenses but honestly, it's always worth double checking.

 

[Tracy Perry]

I think the pivoting towards 'community suite' might be confusing for the people who come from much older licenses but honestly, it's always worth double checking.

Yep, odds are that's what it is. I'm used to seeing each broken down, and they apparently show it lump sum now without breaking out the renewal of each application separately. So I'd still be looking at around $150 for a hobby site that gets no visits other than the spammers I flag and ban.
I may end up renewing it... but that would buy a couple of pounds of some quality pipe tobacco also or two bottles of Russels Reserve SiB... decisions, decisions.

 

[Matt M]

Either way it’s money up in smoke, am I rite?

 

[Bionic Rooster]

Either way it’s money up in smoke, am I rite?

Wow, that's a game changer, thanks for the insight.

 

[Joel R]

Is Tracy Perry running outdated software and complaining about outdated software? LOL

Yo Tracy Perry, I have the PERFECT software for you that puts up big red non-dismissable upgrade banners at the top of every page.

 

[sanction9]

Wow, that's a game changer, thanks for the insight.

I think that's what's called a joke, especially considering the nature of the site in question.

 

[Bionic Rooster]