Configuration¶
pybliometrics.cfg¶
pybliometrics stores values it needs for operation in a configuration file called pybliometrics.cfg. The config file saves credentials as well as directory names for folders that store downloaded results. pybliometrics reads this file on startup.
The structure of the file is the following:
[Directories]
AbstractRetrieval = PPP/.cache/pybliometrics/Scopus/abstract_retrieval
AffiliationRetrieval = PPP/.cache/.pybliometrics/Scopus/affiliation_retrieval
AffiliationSearch = PPP/.cache/.pybliometrics/Scopus/affiliation_search
AuthorRetrieval = PPP/.cache/.pybliometrics/Scopus/author_retrieval
AuthorSearch = PPP/.cache/.pybliometrics/Scopus/author_search
CitationOverview = PPP/.cache/.pybliometrics/Scopus/citation_overview
ScopusSearch = PPP/.cache/.pybliometrics/Scopus/scopus_search
SerialTitleSearch = PPP/.cache/.pybliometrics/Scopus/serial_search
SerialTitleISSN = PPP/.cache/.pybliometrics/Scopus/serial_title
PlumXMetrics = PPP/.cache/.pybliometrics/Scopus/plumx
SubjectClassifications = PPP/.cache/.pybliometrics/Scopus/subject_classification
[Authentication]
APIKey = Key1, Key2, Key3
InstToken = Token for Key1, Token for Key2, Token for Key3
[Proxy]
http = http://127.0.0.1:1234
https = https://127.0.0.1:1234
[Requests]
Timeout = 20
Retries = 5
Section [Directories] contains the paths where pybliometrics should store (cache) downloaded files. pybliometrics will create them if necessary. “PPP” is the extended version of ~/, your private home directory or home path. The default paths are entered automatically. To set different paths, edit the config file manually. Under pybliometrics 2.x and before, the default paths used to be ~/.pybliometrics/abstract_retrieval or ~/.scopus/abstract_retrieval. You can safely rename and move the cache folder, but remember to change the paths in the configuration file, too.
Section [Authentication] contains the API keys which you obtain from http://dev.elsevier.com/myapikey.html. If you provide multiple (separated by a comma), pybliometrics automatically replaces a depleted key with another one at random at runtime until all of them are depleted. Remember that you can register multiple keys for the same email address, and you may use multiple email addresses which do not need to be associated to the institution through which you access Scopus. Some users need InstToken, which allow for access outside a specific network. They are tied to one particular API keys of yours, and must be passed in the same order. Most users do not use InstTokens though.
Section [Proxy] will be used when it exists; therefore remember to remove or comment out when you do not need it.
Section [Requests] stores parameters passed on to requests (see their advanced documentation<https://requests.readthedocs.io/en/latest/user/advanced/>_).
Simply edit this file using a simple text editor; changes will take effect the next time you start pybliometrics. Remember to indent multi-line statements.
Start-up¶
You initalize pybliometrics like so:
>>> import pybliometrics
>>> pybliometrics.init()
This attempts to read the configuration from the default locations.
If the configuration file does not exist, pybliometrics will prompt you to provide the configuration values the first time you execute init().
There are two consecutive prompts: For your API Key(s) and the corresponding InstToken(s). The InstToken enables or facilitates access from outside your institution network, and you request it from Elsevier’s Integration Support. If you don’t use InstToken, hit enter on the second prompt:
Creating config file at C:\Users\rosm\.config\pybliometrics.cfg with default paths...
Please enter your API Key(s), obtained from http://dev.elsevier.com/myapikey.html. Separate multiple keys by comma:
xxx
API Keys are sufficient for most users. If you have an InstToken, please enter the tokens pair now. Separate multiple tokens by a comma. The correspondig key's position should match the position of the token.If you don't have tokens, just press Enter:
yyy
The function accepts three parameters: A custom location config_path (str or pathlib.Path(), a list of keys, and a list of inst_tokens. The order of the provided InstTokens must match that of the provided API Keys. This is relevant for users who build pybliometrics using CI or who work on a server where prompts aren’t possible.
Default location¶
By default, the configuration file is located at ~/.config/. ~/ refers to your private home directory or home path. On many Windows machines this defaults to C:/Document and Settings/<Your User Name>.
To see the location of the configuration file your current pybliometrics instance is using, execute this:
>>> import pybliometrics
>>> print(pybliometrics.utils.constants.CONFIG_FILE)
If you started with versions older than 3.5, the file was called config.ini and located either in ~/.pybliometrics/ or (for very old installations) in ~/.scopus/. You can safely move and rename the file. Those locations always take precedence.
