Loomio api

.gitignore

@@ -3,10 +3,11 @@
 .idea
 *~
 *.bak
+*.swp
 
 # Dependencies
-node_modules/
 /yarn.lock
+node_modules/
 
 # Misc
 *.log

README.md

@@ -59,7 +59,14 @@ Set up your connection variables to Neo4j in `api/.env`. With Neo4j running loca
 DB_URL=bolt://127.0.0.1:7687
 DB_USERNAME=neo4j
 DB_PASSWORD=
+
+LOOMIO_API_BASE=https://talk.theborderland.se/api/v1
+LOOMIO_SITE_BASE=https://talk.theborderland.se
+LOOMIO_CRON_SCHEDULE='5 * * * *'
 ```
+The LOOMIO* variables are used for accessing the Loomio API to download discussions.
+The LOOMIO_CHRON_SCHEDULE is in standard cron format, starting with minutes. The example above
+runs the download every hour at hh:05.
 
 Make sure you're running the versions of node and npm specified in the api and ui package.json files (node 8.9.x and npm 5.5.x), then...
 

api/README.md

@@ -39,3 +39,34 @@ The GraphQL schema is defined using a set of tools from Apollo named [graphql-to
 ### Inspect the GraphQL API easily using GraphiQL
 
 When the back-end is running, explore the API using GraphiQL at [http://localhost:3100/graphiql](http://localhost:3100/graphiql). 
+
+### Loomio Interface (optional)
+
+[Loomio](https://loomio.com/) is a web site that hosts discussion groups.  Realities accesses the [Loomio API](https://help.loomio.org/en/dev_manual/using_the_api/)
+to enhance the user experience when adding Deliberation links (`Info` nodes) to a `Need` or `Responsibility`, and to allow graphing of
+connections between those nodes.
+
+To activate the Loomio connection, add the following parameters to your .env file:
+
+```
+LOOMIO_API_BASE=https://your-loomio-domain.com/api/v1
+LOOMIO_SITE_BASE=https://your-loomio-domain.com
+LOOMIO_CRON_SCHEDULE='*/10 * * * *'
+```
+
+There are two ways Loomio discussions and groups are added to the database.
+
+1. The system should be initialized with *all* currently existing discussions and groups, like this:
+```
+cd api
+npm run init-loomio
+```
+2. The system regularly downloads new discussions and groups using a cron-like scheduler.  It retrieves anything created
+in the last 24 hours.  Therefore, the scheduler should be set to anything less than 24 hours.  The syntax of the
+scheduler follows the standard [cron syntax](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cron).
+Example:
+```
+LOOMIO_CRON_SCHEDULE='5 * * * *' // Update once per hour, at hh:05
+or
+LOOMIO_CRON_SCHEDULE='*/10 * * * *' // Update every 10 minutes
+```