Wikipedia:Bots/Noticeboard

Bots noticeboard

This is a message board for coordinating and discussing bot-related issues on Wikipedia (also including other programs interacting with the MediaWiki software). Although this page is frequented mainly by bot owners, any user is welcome to leave a message or join the discussion here. For non-urgent issues or bugs with a bot, a message should be left on the bot operator's talk page. If discussion with the operator does not resolve the issue or the problem is urgent and widespread, the problem can be reported by following the steps outlined in WP:BOTISSUE. This is not the place for requests for bot approvals or requesting that tasks be done by a bot. General questions about the MediaWiki software (such as the use of templates, etc.) should be asked at Wikipedia:Village pump (technical).

sboverride userright

How would I get User:GreenC bot the new sboverride userright? c.f. T36928 recently closed resolved. -- GreenC 20:12, 29 August 2022 (UTC)

Oh, that's a neat user right. User:AAlertBot could use it since it occasionally encounters urls users used that it cannot report and has to trim the report. I spent way too long fixing it when I first encountered this because I assumed bots would surely be exempt from this. I doubt there's any process yet for granting the right though. —  HELLKNOWZ ∣ TALK 21:06, 29 August 2022 (UTC)

You'd probably need to lobby for the permission to be added to an existing user group such as "bot", or for the creation of a new user group such as "sboverride". Any preference? –Novem Linguae (talk) 21:18, 29 August 2022 (UTC)

Probably should just get added to bot user group. Izno (talk) 21:27, 29 August 2022 (UTC)

The bot user group is "trusted" enough to have sboverride added to it imho — this is proposed at T313107 — TheresNoTime (talk • she/her) 21:28, 29 August 2022 (UTC)

I guess the question is if there is a case when it would be desirable to block a bot's edit due to the blacklist? —  HELLKNOWZ ∣ TALK 21:30, 29 August 2022 (UTC)

IIRC (and I may not), if I try to fix a typo in a section that contains a blacklisted URL, I can't save the edit, even if I am not editing near the URL. If that workflow still exists, it is frustrating. If bots can add blacklisted URLs but regular editors are then unable to edit the sections that contain those URLs, that would be undesirable IMO. If I am misdescribing or misremembering the workflow, or if I am misunderstanding this conversation, let me know in a nice way and I will strike this comment. – Jonesey95 (talk) 21:43, 29 August 2022 (UTC)

[...] the link filtering is based on what links existed before the edit vs. what links exist after (exist meaning interpreted as an external link by the software). Do you have any evidence that an edit that did not try to add a link was prevent by this extension? See the code - this part makes it so that if the page already existed, the links that are checked are only those that were added in the current end. --DannyS712 (talk) 00:18, 1 August 2022 (UTC)
— m:Requests for comment/Allow sysops to override the spam blacklist

So, it looks like you don't recall correctly. * Pppery * _{it has begun...} 21:52, 29 August 2022 (UTC)

Thanks for that; that's twice today that you have set me straight. Maybe I'm thinking of trying to revert vandalism, section blanking, or other undesirable edits and being stopped because I would be restoring a blacklisted link. I can't think of a situation where a bot would put a human editor in such a situation, so we're probably OK. – Jonesey95 (talk) 23:02, 29 August 2022 (UTC)

I guess the question is if there is a case when it would be desirable to block a bot's edit due to the blacklist? AnomieBOT's rescuing of orphaned references. It would probably be better if the bot didn't reinsert blacklisted links, but continue to complain on its talk page for humans to do a proper removal. Anomie⚔ 01:27, 30 August 2022 (UTC)

You could probably theoretical construct such a bot. But in general, I think whatever bots are doing, if it's an approved task, overrides those concerns.

I wouldn't let an AWB user overide the blacklist, but an AWB bot should be able to plow through. IMO. Headbomb {t · c · p · b} 15:19, 11 September 2022 (UTC)

Why don't we just create a dedicated sboverride group instead of speculating about whether there is some bot that might be harmed by having the right? * Pppery * _{it has begun...} 15:24, 11 September 2022 (UTC)

I could theoretically create a bot that has already existed for 14 years? Anomie⚔ 17:19, 11 September 2022 (UTC)

Yapperbot

Yapperbot (talk · contribs) is still running, but seems to have dropped some of its tasks. For instance, it hasn't sent out a WP:FRS message since the run of 00:30, 6 March 2023 (UTC) - it normally does this hourly. The botop, Naypta (talk · contribs), hasn't eedited in almost a year. Does anybody know what's happening? --Redrose64 🌹 (talk) 07:21, 2 April 2023 (UTC)

No (although this is not the first time Yapperbot has broken without explanation), but I've sent Naypta an email alerting them of this thread. * Pppery * _{it has begun...} 14:13, 2 April 2023 (UTC)

I think Naypta responds to email even if they are not active here, like Tizio. —usernamekiran (talk) 16:56, 2 April 2023 (UTC)

And only the botop can do anything about that - we're not going to block the bot for not doing a task, and would only block it if there was an issue that needed the op and they were unresponsive. — xaosflux ^Talk 17:14, 2 April 2023 (UTC)

I'm not asking for a block. --Redrose64 🌹 (talk) 21:30, 2 April 2023 (UTC)

Resolved

FRS messages seem to be running normally again. --Redrose64 🌹 (talk) 21:12, 12 April 2023 (UTC)

HBC AIV helperbot5

HBC AIV helperbot5 (talk · contribs) Appears to have stopped after Toolforge was under scheduled downtime, however it doesn't appear to have resumed maintaining AIV and UAA. Its last edit prior to the downtime was here. Bot's creator doesn't seem to be around anymore as they haven't edited in 7 months and haven't responded to their most recent non-automated talk page post. ― Blaze Wolf^Talk_{Blaze Wolf#6545} 19:51, 3 April 2023 (UTC)

The bot seems to have started up again. * Pppery * _{it has begun...} 23:00, 3 April 2023 (UTC)

Apologies for the downtime, I have restarted the process. While I am not currently editing, I am still watching the bots and available by email if required. — JamesR (talk) 23:12, 3 April 2023 (UTC)

Ah alright. Thanks for letting me know James! ― Blaze Wolf^Talk_{Blaze Wolf#6545} 23:28, 3 April 2023 (UTC)

Mathbot

It appears that Mathbot is not updating the AfD open discussion list since 3 April. I've left a note for the bot maintainer, Oleg Alexandrov, but it seems he's been inactive since 14 November last year. Would anyone know if responsibility for the bot was passed on to or shared with anyone who's currently active? Seraphimblade ^{Talk to me} 01:55, 7 April 2023 (UTC)

I went ahead and sent them an email, to help increase the chances of a response from the bot operator. Also I think Toolforge has been down for maintenance twice this week. I wonder if that is related. –Novem Linguae (talk) 02:00, 7 April 2023 (UTC)

Some new setting on the toolserver had broken it. I made it work again. Thanks for letting me know. Oleg Alexandrov (talk) 02:20, 7 April 2023 (UTC)

Thanks, much appreciated! Seraphimblade ^{Talk to me} 02:25, 7 April 2023 (UTC)

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