Remote Integration Configs

The RemotePhoto Downloader can now be configured to pull its settings directly from the RemotePhoto API. This allows managing download strategy and other functionality directly within the RemotePhoto UI, rather than manually editing local properties files on your server.

Overview

Traditionally, the full configuration for the Downloader is stored in a local application.properties   file. While this works well for some environments, it can be difficult to support and often requires a screenshare to troubleshoot.

By enabling Remote Configurations, your locally running application becomes "cloud-aware." At startup (and each time it downloads photos), it will securely check the RemotePhoto API for the latest settings and apply them automatically.

Enabling Remote Configuration

Next, follow these steps:

1. Open your application.properties   file.
2. Ensure your properties are correctly set:

• cloudcard.api.accessToken  [see Get a Persistent Access Token]
• cloudcard.api.url [API url for your environment]
• cloudcard.integration.name  [Unique name for your integration (e.g. ACME Downloader)]
• downloader.useRemoteConfigs [default is true  ]

How it Works

• Startup Sync: When the Downloader starts, if downloader.useRemoteConfigs  is true, it authenticates with the RemotePhoto API and downloads the configuration set.
• Property Overlay: Any settings found in the Remote Config will take precedence over local settings.
• Automatic Refresh: The Photo Downloader periodically checks for configuration changes. If you update a setting in RemotePhoto, the Downloader will detect the change, log the event, and restart itself to apply the new settings.

Why use Remote Configuration?

• Centralized Management: Change a folder path, renaming rule, etc. in one place and have it automatically applied to your downloader.
• Simplified Deployment: New installations will generally require only a few straightforward lines of configuration to become functional.
• Reduced Errors: Avoid syntax errors and "hidden" characters often introduced when manually editing complex properties files on a server.