Simple way to get the API key about switchbotapi HOT 5 CLOSED

Still wait for an answer

from switchbotapi.

@AdyRock

The API key can be retrieved from clicking the app version 10 times, then going to developer options. All under profile preferences.

from switchbotapi.

But that is not an easy way by any stretch of the imagination.
Most support request I get are from user of my app that either:
a) find that too much of a task to get there.
b) get there but then fail to copy the key over to my app correctly.

Why cant the API have a simple login method that uses the username and password?
Even it it is via OAUTH2 or something like that so the user and and password are entered via the SwitchBot server and it return the API key.

Come on SwitchBot this sort of support is pitiful. You haven't read the initial post as It is clear that I know how to currently get the API key as I have said it is not working.

You then provide a stupid answer and close the post.

from switchbotapi.

@AdyRock, I read it, but I don't work for SwitchBot and have no control over adding this capability into the API. Also with how easy it is to get the token, I don't see this being added.

from switchbotapi.

I'm not going to go into why you closed a support request when you don't work for SwitchBot or provide a suitable answer. But thank you for opening it again
And my apologies to SwitchBot for blaming you.
For you and me the task is easy but a lot of non-technical users that are just getting into home automation find it difficult to get to and error prone to copy the key from one screen to another.
The integration I am making is for newbies as well as experienced user so it has to be as simple as possible. As the SwitchBot devices are good value they are attracting a lot of new users and if the experience is not good they will possibly give up.
Even though I provide detailed instructions for obtaining the API token, I still get users contacting me because they struggle.
The API token is very long so I often tell user to copy it to the clipboard and then paste it into my app but if the apps are on different systems (phone a PC for example) then they need to find a way to send it to the other device. So things can get complicated very quickly for a new tech user.
Once they are over that hurdle they can start to integrate SwitchBot device into the rest of the automation system quite easily.

from switchbotapi.