Getting Setup

This section contains a several topics to help a new user get started during their first week at Nerevu.

System Setup

Initial setup

Python environment setup

Install virtualenv to manage your Python environments

pip install virtualenv

Create and activate a virtual environment

cd REPO_NAME
virtualenv --no-site-packages --python=python3.x venv
source venv/bin/activate

Install required Python libraries

pip install -r requirements.txt -r dev-requirements.txt

Text Editor setup

Fastmail

Calendar Sync

Nerevu Group uses Fastmail Calendar to keep everyone up to date on events that are happening. This section will show you how to sync your existing calendars so that they update Fastmail. In general, there are two options for syncing with your teammates:

  1. Show them your events with the titles and all details (this is good for a “Work” calendar)

  2. Or show them an event block that just indicates that you are busy during that block (no details are shared - this is good for time blocks when you are busy but don’t need to share details about why)

We will go over how to setup both of these syncs.

From Google Calendars

See this article on synchronizing Google Calendar with Fastmail here.

KeePass and Encrypted Volumes

KeePass is the Password Manager that Nerevu Group uses to keep usernames and passwords secure. Encrypted Volumes help us keep important files secure. Please follow the instructions to download both so that you can get access to the Nerevu Group KeePass Database.

Installation

Configuration

  • open preferences/settings

  • click Security

  • check Lock Databases after inactivity of and set seconds to 43200. This is the maximum time a database can be open before automatically closing. Adding this setting helps us keep our data more secure.

  • uncheck Clear search query after

Encrypted Volume Configuration

KeePass Setup

  1. Add keyfile to your encrypted volume

  • download your .key keyfile (link will be given to you)

  • cut and paste the downloaded keyfile to your encrypted volume

  • make sure the keyfile does not exist anywhere else on your computer except in the encrypted volume (for security reasons)

  1. Open Nerevu Group KeePass Database

  • Open the KeePass app

  • Press Cancel if it tries to log into your personal database

  • In the menu bar, navigate to Database > Open database...

  • Navigate to the .kdbx password database in dropbox (link will be given to you) and press Open

  • Enter the password provided to you

  • Click Browse to navigate the keyfile stored in your encrypted volume

  • Click Ok

  1. You did it! You accessed the Nerevu Group KeePass Database! Now enjoy a few minutes of you time. You deserve it ;)

Ngrok

Ngrok is a service that allows you to forward localhost to the public web through https. This comes in handy when you’re testing code that interacts with an API that requires a valid https URL (like QuickBooks in the Comissioner API).

You can see how to use it by looking at the commissioner-api README.

Visit Ngrok’s website to learn more about it.

Cloze

See this article for pictures

  1. Log in to you Cloze account.

  2. Click on More at the bottom left corner of the dashboard and then click on Settings.

  3. Under Accounts and Services, click on Connect Accounts to expand it.

  4. Click on the Add button.

  5. Select the respective service that you want to connect to Cloze.

  • For Fastmail, select Other Email under Other Mail and Calendar.

  • For Google account, select Google or G Suite.

  • For Dropbox, go to Notes and Messaging and select Dropbox.

  1. This will take you to the sign-in page for the respective service.

  2. Sign in to the service using Nerevu credentials.

  3. Review the permissions and click on Allow, when prompted.

Fastmail app password

Fastmail comes under Other Email type in Cloze, and therefore giving access to a 3rd-party application, like Cloze, would need an app password that will be used by that application.

  1. From your Fastmail dashboard, open the dropdown menu at the top-left corner.

  2. Click on Settings and then on Passwords & Security.

  3. Look for App Passwords in this page and click on Manage →.

  4. Enter your password at the top of this page and click on Unlock.

  5. Click on New App Password button.

  6. Open the dropdown adjacent to Name, select Custom and enter Cloze in the input box.

  7. Make sure that the Access field is set to Mails, Contacts & Calendars.

  8. Click on Generate Password and make a temporary note of it, as it will not be displayed again once you click on Done.

  9. Use this password when you add this account in Cloze (Refer to Linking various Accounts and Services to Cloze).

Google Sheets API

Enable Google Cloud Platform

  1. Go to gSuite Additional Google services

  2. Search for Google Cloud Platform and click the checkbox

  3. Click on in the blue bar that appears above

Enable Google Drive API

  1. Go to Google Developers Console.

  2. If you see Google Drive API in the list of APIs at the bottom of the screen, click it and skip the remaining steps.

  3. Otherwise, click on ENABLE APIS AND SERVICES.

  4. Search for Google Drive API and click on it.

  5. Click on Enable.

Create API Credentials

  1. Click on CREATE CREDENTIALS

  2. Select the options as shown below:

credentials

  1. Click on What credentials do I need?.

  2. Enter the details similar to shown below (name the service account after the client):

service_account

  1. Click Continue and save the downloaded JSON key file.

Access Google Sheets workbook

  1. Open the Google Sheets workbook that you need to access through APIs.

  2. Open the downloaded JSON key file and look for client_email.

  3. Share the workbook with the client_email address and grant Edit permission.

  4. Uncheck Notify People since this email address is not handled by a human.

  5. Follow the respective API/library documentation for Google Sheets, for authentication and usage.