Youtube API request credentials

Question

I created an python application that is using the Youtube api (so examples are in python, but doesn't really matter, the concepts should be the same). I managed to get it working where I can connect and make api calls. However, when I connect to the api, I have to define a flow that checks if a the credentials storage file exists. If it doesn't, then I have to manually sign in using the flow. After sign in the file (main.py-oauth2.json), is created with the token. I would like to be able to download the credentials without having to sign manually sign in. I was hoping there was a way to make a POST request for that token, like I have seen here, but I have been able to do this with Youtube api. Does anyone know how to implement the desired feature ?

main.py

flow = flow_from_clientsecrets(CLIENT_SECRETS_FILE,
    scope=YOUTUBE_UPLOAD_SCOPE,
    message=MISSING_CLIENT_SECRETS_MESSAGE)
storage = Storage(OAUTH_CREDENTIALS)

credentials = storage.get()

if credentials is None or credentials.invalid:
    # manual / UI login
    credentials = run_flow(flow, storage, args)

Trying to use a google service account throws 401 errors on upload.

credentials = Credentials.from_service_account_file(
    SERVICE_ACCOUNT_FILE, scopes=YOUTUBE_UPLOAD_SCOPES)

if credentials is None or credentials.expired:
    raise ValueError('Invalid credentials')

return build(YOUTUBE_API_SERVICE_NAME, YOUTUBE_API_VERSION,
    credentials=credentials)
...
status, response = insert_request.next_chunk()
# <HttpError 401 "Unauthorized">

Evidence this can be done

The oauth2client.service_account.ServiceAccountCredentials class is only used with OAuth 2.0 Service Accounts. No end-user is involved for these server-to-server API calls, so you can create this object directly without using a Flow object.

youtube api Oauth flow docs

https://developers.google.com/identity/protocols/OAuth2#serviceaccount

Answer 1

The problem is that most YouTube data is private user data. Being that it is private user data you must be authenticated as a user who has access to the data in question in order to access it. To do that we use Oauth2 and login to our account and get an access token and a refresh token returned.

The access token can be used to request data from the Youtube Api, the refresh token can be used to request a new access token when ever the access token expires (After an hour)

Normally i would say that you should consider using a service account. Services accounts are dummy users who can be preconfigured with access to user data. Unfortunately the Youtube api does not support service accounts.

What you should be doing and what i have done a number of times in the past is to authenticate your code once. Get the refresh token and save it. In the future whenever you wish to run your application you simply use the refresh token to request a new access token and you will be able to access the api. You wont have to manually type your login and password and consent to the access anymore everything can be done in the background using the refesh token.

Note: You will need to watch it there are some cases that can cause a refresh token to expire but you shouldn't worry for the most part they are good for as long as you continue to use them regularly.

I am not a python dev but found this

from oauth2client import client, GOOGLE_TOKEN_URI

CLIENT_ID = "client_id"
CLIENT_SECRET = "client_secret"
REFRESH_TOKEN = "refresh_token"


credentials = client.OAuth2Credentials(
    access_token = None, 
    client_id = CLIENT_ID, 
    client_secret = CLIENT_SECRET, 
    refresh_token = REFRESH_TOKEN, 
    token_expiry = None, 
    token_uri = GOOGLE_TOKEN_URI,
    token_ id = None, 
    revoke_uri= None)

http = credentials.authorize(httplib2.Http())