If this gets a post ID of 65536, we advance! (The cooler version)

[Luigis_Pizza]

bored bored bored bored bred boredb ored bored breod broe dnfjkasndjgkhbwknsm

[Luigis_Pizza]

@realicraft how's the framework going?

[Luigis_Pizza]

https://tbgforums.com/forums/index.php?action=unread

that could really help

[Luigis_Pizza]

imma automate gaul

[Luigis_Pizza]

Imma try python anywhere, let's see how it goes at 12:00

[Luigis_Pizza]

Bored bored bored boed bored noredb orbed orbeod bajkwdbfgadsiujkn

[Luigis_Pizza]

The only reason i see it not working is the random.json file not being recognized by the site, even though it is stored in the same place...

[Luigis_Pizza]

It should find it?

[Luigis_Pizza]

oh well, trial and error, I could run it now but nah

[Luigis_Pizza]

I got just offered a scholarship to pay for my schooling....

[Luigis_Pizza]

bored bored bored bored bired boed broedbreo 3beddsljnKHSASJK

[realicraft]

@realicraft how's the framework going?

it isn't (as usual)

[Luigis_Pizza]

@realicraft how's the framework going?

it isn't (as usual)

I can help if you want

[realicraft]

@realicraft how's the framework going?

it isn't (as usual)

I can help if you want

maybe
can you understand this:

Code ("Python 3.9") Select Expand

def logIn(headers: dict, username: str, password: str) -> bool:
    global loggedin
    requireInit("Tried to login without initializing the forum module.")
    session.get(forum_url) # "initialize" the PHPSESSID cookie
    loginPage = session.get(f"{forum_url}index.php?action=login", headers=headers)
    hidden_val = lxml.etree.HTML(loginPage.text.encode()).xpath('//*[@id="frmLogin"]/input') # borrowed from Lithium (https://replit.com/@ByronInc/Lithium-20)
    formdata = {"user": username, "passwrd": password, "cookielength": 3153600}
    for v in hidden_val: # also borrowed from Lithium (https://replit.com/@ByronInc/Lithium-20)
        formdata[v.get("name")] = v.get("value")
    loginReq = session.post(f"{forum_url}index.php?action=login2", headers=headers, data=formdata)
    if (loginReq.url.endswith("index.php")):
        print("Successfully logged in.")
        time.sleep(1)
        loggedin = True
        return True
    elif (loginReq.url.endswith("?action=agreement")):
        raise RuntimeError("Login succeeded, but account hasn't agreed to the Registration Agreement and thus cannot continue.")
    else:
        raise RuntimeError("Failed to login; double-check your password and try again.")

[Luigis_Pizza]

@realicraft how's the framework going?

it isn't (as usual)

I can help if you want

maybe
can you understand this:

Code ("Python 3.9") Select Expand

def logIn(headers: dict, username: str, password: str) -> bool:
    global loggedin
    requireInit("Tried to login without initializing the forum module.")
    session.get(forum_url) # "initialize" the PHPSESSID cookie
    loginPage = session.get(f"{forum_url}index.php?action=login", headers=headers)
    hidden_val = lxml.etree.HTML(loginPage.text.encode()).xpath('//*[@id="frmLogin"]/input') # borrowed from Lithium (https://replit.com/@ByronInc/Lithium-20)
    formdata = {"user": username, "passwrd": password, "cookielength": 3153600}
    for v in hidden_val: # also borrowed from Lithium (https://replit.com/@ByronInc/Lithium-20)
        formdata[v.get("name")] = v.get("value")
    loginReq = session.post(f"{forum_url}index.php?action=login2", headers=headers, data=formdata)
    if (loginReq.url.endswith("index.php")):
        print("Successfully logged in.")
        time.sleep(1)
        loggedin = True
        return True
    elif (loginReq.url.endswith("?action=agreement")):
        raise RuntimeError("Login succeeded, but account hasn't agreed to the Registration Agreement and thus cannot continue.")
    else:
        raise RuntimeError("Failed to login; double-check your password and try again.")

Yes, I believe gaul also used similar login code to byrons lithium project, just a sec let me grab it.

Code Select Expand

def login():
    global main_session
    obtain_login = main_session.get(FORUM_URL + "index.php?action=login")
    hidden_val = lxml.etree.HTML(obtain_login.text.encode()).xpath('//*[@id="frmLogin"]/input')
    form = {"user": NAME, "passwrd": PASS, "cookielength": 31536000}
    for v in hidden_val:
        form[v.get("name")] = v.get("value")
    login_req = main_session.post(
        FORUM_URL + "index.php?action=login2",
        data=form)
    if login_req.status_code == 200:
        print("Login successful")
    else:
        print("Failed to login")
    return login_req.status_code

[Luigis_Pizza]

@realicraft how's the framework going?

it isn't (as usual)

I can help if you want

maybe
can you understand this:

Code ("Python 3.9") Select Expand

def logIn(headers: dict, username: str, password: str) -> bool:
    global loggedin
    requireInit("Tried to login without initializing the forum module.")
    session.get(forum_url) # "initialize" the PHPSESSID cookie
    loginPage = session.get(f"{forum_url}index.php?action=login", headers=headers)
    hidden_val = lxml.etree.HTML(loginPage.text.encode()).xpath('//*[@id="frmLogin"]/input') # borrowed from Lithium (https://replit.com/@ByronInc/Lithium-20)
    formdata = {"user": username, "passwrd": password, "cookielength": 3153600}
    for v in hidden_val: # also borrowed from Lithium (https://replit.com/@ByronInc/Lithium-20)
        formdata[v.get("name")] = v.get("value")
    loginReq = session.post(f"{forum_url}index.php?action=login2", headers=headers, data=formdata)
    if (loginReq.url.endswith("index.php")):
        print("Successfully logged in.")
        time.sleep(1)
        loggedin = True
        return True
    elif (loginReq.url.endswith("?action=agreement")):
        raise RuntimeError("Login succeeded, but account hasn't agreed to the Registration Agreement and thus cannot continue.")
    else:
        raise RuntimeError("Failed to login; double-check your password and try again.")

Yes, I believe gaul also used similar login code to byrons lithium project, just a sec let me grab it.

Code Select Expand

def login():
    global main_session
    obtain_login = main_session.get(FORUM_URL + "index.php?action=login")
    hidden_val = lxml.etree.HTML(obtain_login.text.encode()).xpath('//*[@id="frmLogin"]/input')
    form = {"user": NAME, "passwrd": PASS, "cookielength": 31536000}
    for v in hidden_val:
        form[v.get("name")] = v.get("value")
    login_req = main_session.post(
        FORUM_URL + "index.php?action=login2",
        data=form)
    if login_req.status_code == 200:
        print("Login successful")
    else:
        print("Failed to login")
    return login_req.status_code

I believe I used your login code that you got from byron to build gaul, and then went from there

[realicraft]

what about this (function name, string passed to requireInit, and comments removed)

Code ("Python 3.9") Select Expand

def ???(headers: dict, pID: int, *, bypassCache: bool=False) -> Post:
    requireInit("???")
    if (not bypassCache):
        try:
            post = loadPostFromCache(pID)
        except NotInCacheException:
            pass
        else:
            return post
    postPage = session.get(f"{forum_url}index.php?msg={pID}", headers=headers)
    postTree = html.fromstring(postPage.content)
    userA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[1]/h4/a')[0]
    threadA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="inner_section"]/div[3]/ul/li[4]/a')[0]
    dateA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[2]/div[1]/div[2]/a')[0]
    iconImg1 = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg_icon_{pID}"]')
    iconImg2 = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[2]/div[1]/div[2]/span[1]/img')
    quotePage = session.get(f"{forum_url}index.php?action=quotefast;quote={pID};xml", headers=headers)
    quoteContent = quotePage.content
    message = str(quoteContent, "utf-8").split("<quote>")[1].split("</quote>")[0]
    user = int(html.tostring(userA).decode("utf-8").split("?action=profile;u=")[1].split("\" title=\"View the profile of")[0])
    thread = int(html.tostring(threadA).decode("utf-8").split("index.php?topic=")[1].split(".")[0])
    subject = html.tostring(dateA).decode("utf-8").split(" title=\"")[1].split("\"")[0]
    dateString = dateA.text_content()
    date = convertStrToDate(dateString)
    if (len(iconImg1) == 1):
        iconImg = iconImg1[0]
    else:
        iconImg = iconImg2[0]
    icon = html.tostring(iconImg).decode("utf-8").split("/post/")[1].split(".png\"")[0]
    post = Post(pID, message, user, thread, subject, icon, date)
    return post

[Luigis_Pizza]

I think i named gauls task wrong so imma try again at 02:30 UTC

[Luigis_Pizza]

what about this (function name, string passed to requireInit, and comments removed)

Code ("Python 3.9") Select Expand

def ???(headers: dict, pID: int, *, bypassCache: bool=False) -> Post:
    requireInit("???")
    if (not bypassCache):
        try:
            post = loadPostFromCache(pID)
        except NotInCacheException:
            pass
        else:
            return post
    postPage = session.get(f"{forum_url}index.php?msg={pID}", headers=headers)
    postTree = html.fromstring(postPage.content)
    userA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[1]/h4/a')[0]
    threadA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="inner_section"]/div[3]/ul/li[4]/a')[0]
    dateA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[2]/div[1]/div[2]/a')[0]
    iconImg1 = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg_icon_{pID}"]')
    iconImg2 = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[2]/div[1]/div[2]/span[1]/img')
    quotePage = session.get(f"{forum_url}index.php?action=quotefast;quote={pID};xml", headers=headers)
    quoteContent = quotePage.content
    message = str(quoteContent, "utf-8").split("<quote>")[1].split("</quote>")[0]
    user = int(html.tostring(userA).decode("utf-8").split("?action=profile;u=")[1].split("\" title=\"View the profile of")[0])
    thread = int(html.tostring(threadA).decode("utf-8").split("index.php?topic=")[1].split(".")[0])
    subject = html.tostring(dateA).decode("utf-8").split(" title=\"")[1].split("\"")[0]
    dateString = dateA.text_content()
    date = convertStrToDate(dateString)
    if (len(iconImg1) == 1):
        iconImg = iconImg1[0]
    else:
        iconImg = iconImg2[0]
    icon = html.tostring(iconImg).decode("utf-8").split("/post/")[1].split(".png\"")[0]
    post = Post(pID, message, user, thread, subject, icon, date)
    return post

This looks as if it is a parsing system for each post? Used to grab and parse the information?

[realicraft]

what about this (function name, string passed to requireInit, and comments removed)

Code ("Python 3.9") Select Expand

def ???(headers: dict, pID: int, *, bypassCache: bool=False) -> Post:
    requireInit("???")
    if (not bypassCache):
        try:
            post = loadPostFromCache(pID)
        except NotInCacheException:
            pass
        else:
            return post
    postPage = session.get(f"{forum_url}index.php?msg={pID}", headers=headers)
    postTree = html.fromstring(postPage.content)
    userA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[1]/h4/a')[0]
    threadA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="inner_section"]/div[3]/ul/li[4]/a')[0]
    dateA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[2]/div[1]/div[2]/a')[0]
    iconImg1 = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg_icon_{pID}"]')
    iconImg2 = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[2]/div[1]/div[2]/span[1]/img')
    quotePage = session.get(f"{forum_url}index.php?action=quotefast;quote={pID};xml", headers=headers)
    quoteContent = quotePage.content
    message = str(quoteContent, "utf-8").split("<quote>")[1].split("</quote>")[0]
    user = int(html.tostring(userA).decode("utf-8").split("?action=profile;u=")[1].split("\" title=\"View the profile of")[0])
    thread = int(html.tostring(threadA).decode("utf-8").split("index.php?topic=")[1].split(".")[0])
    subject = html.tostring(dateA).decode("utf-8").split(" title=\"")[1].split("\"")[0]
    dateString = dateA.text_content()
    date = convertStrToDate(dateString)
    if (len(iconImg1) == 1):
        iconImg = iconImg1[0]
    else:
        iconImg = iconImg2[0]
    icon = html.tostring(iconImg).decode("utf-8").split("/post/")[1].split(".png\"")[0]
    post = Post(pID, message, user, thread, subject, icon, date)
    return post

This looks as if it is a parsing system for each post? Used to grab and parse the information?

yes

but can you add comments to it explaining the different parts

[Luigis_Pizza]

Code Select Expand

def ???(headers: dict, pID: int, *, bypassCache: bool=False) -> Post:
    requireInit("???")

#Check if post can be retrieved from cache
    if (not bypassCache):
        try:
#Attempt loading of post from cache
            post = loadPostFromCache(pID)
        except NotInCacheException:
#If not from cache, fetch the post from the web
            pass
        else:
#if found in cache, then return the results
            return post
#Fetch contents of page
    postPage = session.get(f"{forum_url}index.php?msg={pID}", headers=headers)
#Parse the HTML content to create an XML tree structure
    postTree = html.fromstring(postPage.content)
#Fetch user page
    userA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[1]/h4/a')[0]
#Fetch the thread link element via XPath
    threadA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="inner_section"]/div[3]/ul/li[4]/a')[0]
#Fetch Date (timestamp) of post
    dateA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[2]/div[1]/div[2]/a')[0]
#fetch any icon elements that represent the post
    iconImg1 = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg_icon_{pID}"]')
    iconImg2 = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[2]/div[1]/div[2]/span[1]/img')
#Fetch the content of the post in XML format
    quotePage = session.get(f"{forum_url}index.php?action=quotefast;quote={pID};xml", headers=headers)
    quoteContent = quotePage.content
#Fetch message content from the previously extracted XML format
    message = str(quoteContent, "utf-8").split("<quote>")[1].split("</quote>")[0]
#Fetch user ID from previusly found user link
    user = int(html.tostring(userA).decode("utf-8").split("?action=profile;u=")[1].split("\" title=\"View the profile of")[0])
#Fetch topic thread id from previously found thread link
    thread = int(html.tostring(threadA).decode("utf-8").split("index.php?topic=")[1].split(".")[0])
#fetching and parsing the title (or subject) of the post
    subject = html.tostring(dateA).decode("utf-8").split(" title=\"")[1].split("\"")[0]
#Fetch the date in string form, and then change it to an object
    dateString = dateA.text_content()
    date = convertStrToDate(dateString)
#check validity of post icon to find which is used, and then extract the name
    if (len(iconImg1) == 1):
        iconImg = iconImg1[0]
    else:
        iconImg = iconImg2[0]
    icon = html.tostring(iconImg).decode("utf-8").split("/post/")[1].split(".png\"")[0]
#Create a post object
    post = Post(pID, message, user, thread, subject, icon, date)
#Return the post
    return post
I added the comments above each line

May have done a bit much, but I got as much down as I could

[Luigis_Pizza]

Code Select Expand

def ???(headers: dict, pID: int, *, bypassCache: bool=False) -> Post:
    requireInit("???")

#Check if post can be retrieved from cache
    if (not bypassCache):
        try:
#Attempt loading of post from cache
            post = loadPostFromCache(pID)
        except NotInCacheException:
#If not from cache, fetch the post from the web
            pass
        else:
#if found in cache, then return the results
            return post
#Fetch contents of page
    postPage = session.get(f"{forum_url}index.php?msg={pID}", headers=headers)
#Parse the HTML content to create an XML tree structure
    postTree = html.fromstring(postPage.content)
#Fetch user page
    userA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[1]/h4/a')[0]
#Fetch the thread link element via XPath
    threadA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="inner_section"]/div[3]/ul/li[4]/a')[0]
#Fetch Date (timestamp) of post
    dateA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[2]/div[1]/div[2]/a')[0]
#fetch any icon elements that represent the post
    iconImg1 = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg_icon_{pID}"]')
    iconImg2 = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[2]/div[1]/div[2]/span[1]/img')
#Fetch the content of the post in XML format
    quotePage = session.get(f"{forum_url}index.php?action=quotefast;quote={pID};xml", headers=headers)
    quoteContent = quotePage.content
#Fetch message content from the previously extracted XML format
    message = str(quoteContent, "utf-8").split("<quote>")[1].split("</quote>")[0]
#Fetch user ID from previusly found user link
    user = int(html.tostring(userA).decode("utf-8").split("?action=profile;u=")[1].split("\" title=\"View the profile of")[0])
#Fetch topic thread id from previously found thread link
    thread = int(html.tostring(threadA).decode("utf-8").split("index.php?topic=")[1].split(".")[0])
#fetching and parsing the title (or subject) of the post
    subject = html.tostring(dateA).decode("utf-8").split(" title=\"")[1].split("\"")[0]
#Fetch the date in string form, and then change it to an object
    dateString = dateA.text_content()
    date = convertStrToDate(dateString)
#check validity of post icon to find which is used, and then extract the name
    if (len(iconImg1) == 1):
        iconImg = iconImg1[0]
    else:
        iconImg = iconImg2[0]
    icon = html.tostring(iconImg).decode("utf-8").split("/post/")[1].split(".png\"")[0]
#Create a post object
    post = Post(pID, message, user, thread, subject, icon, date)
#Return the post
    return post
I added the comments above each line

May have done a bit much, but I got as much down as I could

Very impressive amount of elements, last time I had gaul try something like this (The fisb incident) I looked solely at page and post contents, thus why it was basic and doomed to fail

[Luigis_Pizza]

Code Select Expand

def ???(headers: dict, pID: int, *, bypassCache: bool=False) -> Post:
    requireInit("???")

#Check if post can be retrieved from cache
    if (not bypassCache):
        try:
#Attempt loading of post from cache
            post = loadPostFromCache(pID)
        except NotInCacheException:
#If not from cache, fetch the post from the web
            pass
        else:
#if found in cache, then return the results
            return post
#Fetch contents of page
    postPage = session.get(f"{forum_url}index.php?msg={pID}", headers=headers)
#Parse the HTML content to create an XML tree structure
    postTree = html.fromstring(postPage.content)
#Fetch user page
    userA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[1]/h4/a')[0]
#Fetch the thread link element via XPath
    threadA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="inner_section"]/div[3]/ul/li[4]/a')[0]
#Fetch Date (timestamp) of post
    dateA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[2]/div[1]/div[2]/a')[0]
#fetch any icon elements that represent the post
    iconImg1 = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg_icon_{pID}"]')
    iconImg2 = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[2]/div[1]/div[2]/span[1]/img')
#Fetch the content of the post in XML format
    quotePage = session.get(f"{forum_url}index.php?action=quotefast;quote={pID};xml", headers=headers)
    quoteContent = quotePage.content
#Fetch message content from the previously extracted XML format
    message = str(quoteContent, "utf-8").split("<quote>")[1].split("</quote>")[0]
#Fetch user ID from previusly found user link
    user = int(html.tostring(userA).decode("utf-8").split("?action=profile;u=")[1].split("\" title=\"View the profile of")[0])
#Fetch topic thread id from previously found thread link
    thread = int(html.tostring(threadA).decode("utf-8").split("index.php?topic=")[1].split(".")[0])
#fetching and parsing the title (or subject) of the post
    subject = html.tostring(dateA).decode("utf-8").split(" title=\"")[1].split("\"")[0]
#Fetch the date in string form, and then change it to an object
    dateString = dateA.text_content()
    date = convertStrToDate(dateString)
#check validity of post icon to find which is used, and then extract the name
    if (len(iconImg1) == 1):
        iconImg = iconImg1[0]
    else:
        iconImg = iconImg2[0]
    icon = html.tostring(iconImg).decode("utf-8").split("/post/")[1].split(".png\"")[0]
#Create a post object
    post = Post(pID, message, user, thread, subject, icon, date)
#Return the post
    return post
I added the comments above each line

May have done a bit much, but I got as much down as I could

Very impressive amount of elements, last time I had gaul try something like this (The fisb incident) I looked solely at page and post contents, thus why it was basic and doomed to fail

I did this mainly because I was being lazy and did not really care that much about the result as this was the suggestion:

[realicraft]

Code Select Expand

def ???(headers: dict, pID: int, *, bypassCache: bool=False) -> Post:
    requireInit("???")

#Check if post can be retrieved from cache
    if (not bypassCache):
        try:
#Attempt loading of post from cache
            post = loadPostFromCache(pID)
        except NotInCacheException:
#If not from cache, fetch the post from the web
            pass
        else:
#if found in cache, then return the results
            return post
#Fetch contents of page
    postPage = session.get(f"{forum_url}index.php?msg={pID}", headers=headers)
#Parse the HTML content to create an XML tree structure
    postTree = html.fromstring(postPage.content)
#Fetch user page
    userA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[1]/h4/a')[0]
#Fetch the thread link element via XPath
    threadA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="inner_section"]/div[3]/ul/li[4]/a')[0]
#Fetch Date (timestamp) of post
    dateA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[2]/div[1]/div[2]/a')[0]
#fetch any icon elements that represent the post
    iconImg1 = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg_icon_{pID}"]')
    iconImg2 = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[2]/div[1]/div[2]/span[1]/img')
#Fetch the content of the post in XML format
    quotePage = session.get(f"{forum_url}index.php?action=quotefast;quote={pID};xml", headers=headers)
    quoteContent = quotePage.content
#Fetch message content from the previously extracted XML format
    message = str(quoteContent, "utf-8").split("<quote>")[1].split("</quote>")[0]
#Fetch user ID from previusly found user link
    user = int(html.tostring(userA).decode("utf-8").split("?action=profile;u=")[1].split("\" title=\"View the profile of")[0])
#Fetch topic thread id from previously found thread link
    thread = int(html.tostring(threadA).decode("utf-8").split("index.php?topic=")[1].split(".")[0])
#fetching and parsing the title (or subject) of the post
    subject = html.tostring(dateA).decode("utf-8").split(" title=\"")[1].split("\"")[0]
#Fetch the date in string form, and then change it to an object
    dateString = dateA.text_content()
    date = convertStrToDate(dateString)
#check validity of post icon to find which is used, and then extract the name
    if (len(iconImg1) == 1):
        iconImg = iconImg1[0]
    else:
        iconImg = iconImg2[0]
    icon = html.tostring(iconImg).decode("utf-8").split("/post/")[1].split(".png\"")[0]
#Create a post object
    post = Post(pID, message, user, thread, subject, icon, date)
#Return the post
    return post
I added the comments above each line

May have done a bit much, but I got as much down as I could

you can put comments to the right of each line, comments should be indented the same as the code, and some lines don't need comments (such as the last one)
here's the real one

Code (Python 3.9) Select Expand

def getPostFromID(headers: dict, pID: int, *, bypassCache: bool=False) -> Post:
    """Requests and loads the post with the specified ID."""
    requireInit("Tried to get a post without initializing the forum module.")
    if (not bypassCache):
        try: # try to load the post from the cache
            post = loadPostFromCache(pID)
        except NotInCacheException: # if it fails, continue on to manually getting it
            pass
        else: # if it succeeds, return the post from the cache
            return post
    postPage = session.get(f"{forum_url}index.php?msg={pID}", headers=headers)
    postTree = html.fromstring(postPage.content)
    # get user id, thread id, subject, icon, and date
    userA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[1]/h4/a')[0]
    threadA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="inner_section"]/div[3]/ul/li[4]/a')[0]
    dateA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[2]/div[1]/div[2]/a')[0]
    iconImg1 = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg_icon_{pID}"]')
    iconImg2 = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[2]/div[1]/div[2]/span[1]/img')
    # get message via index.php?action=quotefast
    quotePage = session.get(f"{forum_url}index.php?action=quotefast;quote={pID};xml", headers=headers)
    quoteContent = quotePage.content # not using html.fromstring because this is xml, not html
    # finalize message
    message = str(quoteContent, "utf-8").split("<quote>")[1].split("</quote>")[0]
    # finalize user
    user = int(html.tostring(userA).decode("utf-8").split("?action=profile;u=")[1].split("\" title=\"View the profile of")[0])
    # finalize thread
    thread = int(html.tostring(threadA).decode("utf-8").split("index.php?topic=")[1].split(".")[0])
    # finalize subject
    subject = html.tostring(dateA).decode("utf-8").split(" title=\"")[1].split("\"")[0]
    # finalize date
    dateString = dateA.text_content()
    date = convertStrToDate(dateString)
    # finalize icon
    if (len(iconImg1) == 1):
        iconImg = iconImg1[0]
    else:
        iconImg = iconImg2[0]
    icon = html.tostring(iconImg).decode("utf-8").split("/post/")[1].split(".png\"")[0]
    # create Post object
    post = Post(pID, message, user, thread, subject, icon, date)
    return post

[Luigis_Pizza]

Code Select Expand

def ???(headers: dict, pID: int, *, bypassCache: bool=False) -> Post:
    requireInit("???")

#Check if post can be retrieved from cache
    if (not bypassCache):
        try:
#Attempt loading of post from cache
            post = loadPostFromCache(pID)
        except NotInCacheException:
#If not from cache, fetch the post from the web
            pass
        else:
#if found in cache, then return the results
            return post
#Fetch contents of page
    postPage = session.get(f"{forum_url}index.php?msg={pID}", headers=headers)
#Parse the HTML content to create an XML tree structure
    postTree = html.fromstring(postPage.content)
#Fetch user page
    userA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[1]/h4/a')[0]
#Fetch the thread link element via XPath
    threadA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="inner_section"]/div[3]/ul/li[4]/a')[0]
#Fetch Date (timestamp) of post
    dateA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[2]/div[1]/div[2]/a')[0]
#fetch any icon elements that represent the post
    iconImg1 = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg_icon_{pID}"]')
    iconImg2 = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[2]/div[1]/div[2]/span[1]/img')
#Fetch the content of the post in XML format
    quotePage = session.get(f"{forum_url}index.php?action=quotefast;quote={pID};xml", headers=headers)
    quoteContent = quotePage.content
#Fetch message content from the previously extracted XML format
    message = str(quoteContent, "utf-8").split("<quote>")[1].split("</quote>")[0]
#Fetch user ID from previusly found user link
    user = int(html.tostring(userA).decode("utf-8").split("?action=profile;u=")[1].split("\" title=\"View the profile of")[0])
#Fetch topic thread id from previously found thread link
    thread = int(html.tostring(threadA).decode("utf-8").split("index.php?topic=")[1].split(".")[0])
#fetching and parsing the title (or subject) of the post
    subject = html.tostring(dateA).decode("utf-8").split(" title=\"")[1].split("\"")[0]
#Fetch the date in string form, and then change it to an object
    dateString = dateA.text_content()
    date = convertStrToDate(dateString)
#check validity of post icon to find which is used, and then extract the name
    if (len(iconImg1) == 1):
        iconImg = iconImg1[0]
    else:
        iconImg = iconImg2[0]
    icon = html.tostring(iconImg).decode("utf-8").split("/post/")[1].split(".png\"")[0]
#Create a post object
    post = Post(pID, message, user, thread, subject, icon, date)
#Return the post
    return post
I added the comments above each line

May have done a bit much, but I got as much down as I could

you can put comments to the right of each line, comments should be indented the same as the code, and some lines don't need comments (such as the last one)
here's the real one

Code (Python 3.9) Select Expand

def getPostFromID(headers: dict, pID: int, *, bypassCache: bool=False) -> Post:
    """Requests and loads the post with the specified ID."""
    requireInit("Tried to get a post without initializing the forum module.")
    if (not bypassCache):
        try: # try to load the post from the cache
            post = loadPostFromCache(pID)
        except NotInCacheException: # if it fails, continue on to manually getting it
            pass
        else: # if it succeeds, return the post from the cache
            return post
    postPage = session.get(f"{forum_url}index.php?msg={pID}", headers=headers)
    postTree = html.fromstring(postPage.content)
    # get user id, thread id, subject, icon, and date
    userA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[1]/h4/a')[0]
    threadA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="inner_section"]/div[3]/ul/li[4]/a')[0]
    dateA = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[2]/div[1]/div[2]/a')[0]
    iconImg1 = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg_icon_{pID}"]')
    iconImg2 = postTree.xpath(f'//*[@id="msg{pID}"]/div/div[2]/div[1]/div[2]/span[1]/img')
    # get message via index.php?action=quotefast
    quotePage = session.get(f"{forum_url}index.php?action=quotefast;quote={pID};xml", headers=headers)
    quoteContent = quotePage.content # not using html.fromstring because this is xml, not html
    # finalize message
    message = str(quoteContent, "utf-8").split("<quote>")[1].split("</quote>")[0]
    # finalize user
    user = int(html.tostring(userA).decode("utf-8").split("?action=profile;u=")[1].split("\" title=\"View the profile of")[0])
    # finalize thread
    thread = int(html.tostring(threadA).decode("utf-8").split("index.php?topic=")[1].split(".")[0])
    # finalize subject
    subject = html.tostring(dateA).decode("utf-8").split(" title=\"")[1].split("\"")[0]
    # finalize date
    dateString = dateA.text_content()
    date = convertStrToDate(dateString)
    # finalize icon
    if (len(iconImg1) == 1):
        iconImg = iconImg1[0]
    else:
        iconImg = iconImg2[0]
    icon = html.tostring(iconImg).decode("utf-8").split("/post/")[1].split(".png\"")[0]
    # create Post object
    post = Post(pID, message, user, thread, subject, icon, date)
    return post

Yeah I definitely went overboard on the comments