[GUI Plugin] FanFicFare

[watani]

Ao3 has decided to implement more stringent Cloudflare as of the present, which blocks FFF from downloading fics with a 403 error. It does seem like the download from cache method is working, so I'm currently using that as a workaround for now.

[nephtys59]

Originally Posted by watani

Ao3 has decided to implement more stringent Cloudflare as of the present, which blocks FFF from downloading fics with a 403 error. It does seem like the download from cache method is working, so I'm currently using that as a workaround for now.

Unfortunately that workaround doesn't work for me. Let's hope it will be back to normal.

[ownedbycats]

Is there any info on this? I noticed the RSS feeds are down and ao3org doesnt have any (don't know about twitter). Reddit is on a Tuesday break for some reason.

[watani]

Originally Posted by nephtys59

Unfortunately that workaround doesn't work for me. Let's hope it will be back to normal.

In order to get it to work, I had to force it to always use cache (use_browser_cache_only) as well as auto open the pages in the browser (open_pages_in_browser) because there are some non-standard pages you normally wouldn't use in normal browsing on Ao3 that FFF uses (i.e., the navigate page).

[JimmXinu]

2025-02-05
- Make plugin use own copy of six only. #1153

Purely for the benefit of those using Debian distro, non-official Calibre.

[lolajl]

Originally Posted by watani

In order to get it to work, I had to force it to always use cache (use_browser_cache_only) as well as auto open the pages in the browser (open_pages_in_browser) because there are some non-standard pages you normally wouldn't use in normal browsing on Ao3 that FFF uses (i.e., the navigate page).

That would be in the [archiveofourown.org] section in the personal.ini file, right? All of sudden I'm also getting the 403 error message, too. So annoying.

[ownedbycats]

Update: https://ao3org.tumblr.com/post/77475...stricter#notes

[JimmXinu]

FYI, I'm seeing this message on AO3 today:

The Archive will be offline for maintenance to fix the ongoing database issue, starting at 9am UTC on 7 Feb (what time is that for me?). We expect the maintenance to last approximately 6 hours. Thank you for your patience!

So let's not panic when it happens.

[de3sw2aq1]

FYI, I've had good luck using this tool with FanFicFare (with a small it bit of effort):
https://github.com/yoori/flare-bypasser/
I don't think I've seen it mentioned here.

It's a newer tool to bypass Cloudflare and implements the same API as Flaresolver, so it's mostly a drop in replacement.

Except, I think I remember the current released build was broken, so I had to do a docker compose up --build to build from source.

And... it seems that postData was broken in their Flaresolver API, so you'll want this patch:
https://github.com/yoori/flare-bypas...ent-2571522399

I hope those issues go away in an updated release in the future. I've found it works much better than Flaresolverr.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by JimmXinu

FYI, I'm seeing this message on AO3 today:

So let's not panic when it happens.

AO3 went down again after being up

https://bsky.app/profile/archiveofou.../3lhlxlju32k2m

[booster-t]

Looks like AO3's latest "check" bungs up the plugin. Can't download any stories from AO3 although I can read them. Here's what I get. V4.42.0

UPDATE: I can still download from AO3 by selecting "entire story" and then downloading from AO3, but that is a pain in the butt to have to rename them and then move them into Calibre's library.

[Ytierian]

Originally Posted by booster-t

Looks like AO3's latest "checl" bungs up the plugin. Can't download any stories from AO3 although I can read them. Here's what I get. V4.42.0

I'm having the same issue despite updating both Calibre and FFF to the lstest versions....AO3's new security is the problem. Hope it doesn't go the way of FFN...

[Ytierian]

Originally Posted by Ytierian

I'm having the same issue despite updating both Calibre and FFF to the lstest versions....AO3's new security is the problem. Hope it doesn't go the way of FFN...

Whatever it was seems to have been fixed....FFF downloading AO3 books properly now.

Now if I could get someone to succinctly explain how to get this Browser Cache function working so I can directly download FFN stories

Windows 11 Home
Calibre 7.25
FireFox 134.0.2
FanFicFare 4.42.0

[booster-t]

Originally Posted by Ytierian

Whatever it was seems to have been fixed....FFF downloading AO3 books properly now.

Yes ... weird.

Stephen

[JimmXinu]

CloudFlare (or something like it) is very common on virtually all large web sites. And the difference between an automated downloader like FFF and an automated attacker can be subtle.

We've been dealing with it for several years now on various sites--I just don't have the energy to get very excited about it anymore.

Originally Posted by booster-t

UPDATE: I can still download from AO3 by selecting "entire story" and then downloading from AO3, but that is a pain in the butt to have to rename them and then move them into Calibre's library.

Or instead use their built-in download epub. That should have title/author in it and not need renaming of anything.

Originally Posted by Ytierian

Now if I could get someone to succinctly explain how to get this Browser Cache function working so I can directly download FFN stories

It's been discussed here several times, and there's a wiki page. I wouldn't call it "directly download", though.