Streamlining Flickr authentication

From PeopleAggregator

By default, PeopleAggregator uses Flickr's desktop authentication method, because the much nicer web authentication method locks API keys to individual sites, so doesn't work for a distributed application without a fixed URL.

The result of this is that users have to go through this process when logging in via Flickr:

1. User clicks a link on the login page to open Flickr in a popup window
2. User logs in to Flickr in the popup
3. User closes the popup
4. User clicks a link on the login page and is logged in

However, you can configure your system to use the web authentication method, which will give you a login process like this:

1. User clicks a link on the login page to go to Flickr
2. User logs in to Flickr
3. Flickr sends the user back to PeopleAggregator and the user is logged in

To do this:

• Sign up for an API key at Flickr
• Configure your API key to have a return URL of http://(your-peopleaggregator-url)/login.php?auth=flickr&finished (e.g. for peopleaggregator.net, the URL is http://www.peopleaggregator.net/login.php?auth=flickr&finished)
• Edit your local_config.php and add the following lines (replacing YOUR API KEY and YOUR API SECRET with the API key and secret from Flickr):

$flickr_api_key = 'YOUR API KEY';
$flickr_api_secret = 'YOUR API SECRET';
$flickr_auth_type = 'web';

• Now try it out:
  • Now click 'login via flickr' in the login page or popup
  • Click on the 'click here to log in via flickr' link
  • Log in to Flickr
  • Accept the authorization request
  • Verify that you are sent back to your PeopleAggregator