Changelog - Version 5.4 (2025-09-20)

Version Information

This is the largest update that we’ve done to date – the many changes in the following new version take into account 90% of community-requested changes.

• Updated version from 5.3 to 5.4
• Improved version and system identifier handling
• Enhanced environment variable reloading and management

New Features & Major Changes

SSH Management

• Introduced SSHConnectionManager class for robust SSH connection pooling and command execution
• Centralized SSH credentials and host management via environment variables
• Improved error handling and connection cleanup for SSH operations

Logging System Improvements

• Refined logger setup to prevent duplicate handlers
• Improved log directory creation and management
• More detailed and consistent startup and event logging

Twitch & Spotify Integration

• Expanded Twitch EventSub and API event handling
• Improved Twitch token refresh logic and error handling
• Enhanced Spotify token management and error reporting
• Removed Spotify token refresh logic and associated scheduled tasks from the bot, as token management has been migrated to a centralized system.
• More robust handling of Twitch and Spotify API credentials
• Enhanced the !songrequest command to support YouTube links; the bot will now automatically find the corresponding track on Spotify and add it to the queue.
• Added support for direct Spotify track links to the !songrequest command, allowing users another method to queue specific songs.
• Added an automated pre-ad warning system; the bot will now notify the chat 5 minutes prior to an upcoming ad break.
• Implemented a chat notification to inform viewers whenever a scheduled ad break has been snoozed.

Websocket & External Service Enhancements

• Added & expanded websocket event handlers for Fourthwall, Ko-fi, Patreon, and weather data
• Improved integration with tipping services (StreamElements, StreamLabs)
• More modular websocket and event processing functions
• Refactored StreamElements token management. The bot no longer handles token refreshes on reconnection; this process is now automatically managed by the web dashboard’s OAuth2 login flow, simplifying connection logic.
• Enhanced HypeRate heart rate monitoring with persistent websocket connection, improved error handling, and automatic reconnection for reliable real-time data.

Command & Event Handler Refactoring

• Refactored and expanded command handler structure for maintainability
• Improved global variable initialization and usage across commands
• More modular and organized event and command processing
• Expanded support for custom commands and user interaction features
• Enhanced custom commands using the (count) variable. Users can now specify a number in the command message (e.g., !cmd 5) to increment the count by that amount, while the command defaults to incrementing by 1 if no number is given.
• Enhanced custom commands using the (usercount) variable. Users can now specify a number in the command message (e.g., !cmd 5) to increment the per-user count by that amount, while the command defaults to incrementing by 1 if no number is given.
• Added a new chat response variable, (userstreak), for channel point redemptions. This variable tracks and displays a user’s uninterrupted claim streak for a reward, which resets if another user claims it.
• Added a !skip command for the song request system, allowing moderators to skip the current track.
• Added owner-only custom commands with cooldowns and moderator/streamer override. Members can have custom commands that only the named owner may run, each with a cooldown. Moderators or the streamer can still run or override these commands when needed.
• Overhauled lurk command with community-requested timer toggle functionality
  • Added configurable timer option that can be enabled/disabled via website
  • When timer is enabled: Shows accumulated lurk time and resets timer on subsequent uses
  • When timer is disabled: Simple lurk acknowledgment without time tracking
  • Enhanced lurk time display to include years and improved calculation precision for long durations
  • Optimized code by creating a reusable format_lurk_time() function to eliminate duplication across !lurk, !lurking, !lurklead, and !unlurk commands
• Added a new !userslurking command that displays the count of users currently lurking
• Added a new !gamble command allowing users to bet points on games including coinflip, blackjack, and roulette.

Backend & Technical Improvements

• Improved environment variable reloading with reload_env_vars()
• More robust MySQL connection handling and error management
• Expanded and improved data structure initialization for runtime state
• Enhanced signal handling for graceful shutdown (SIGTERM, SIGINT)
• Improved error handling and logging throughout the codebase
• Implemented a secure safe_math function for custom commands to prevent arbitrary code execution by safely evaluating only basic arithmetic operations.
• Enhanced the security of the existing fetch_api_response function; it now converts returned JSON data to a string to mitigate potential vulnerabilities in custom commands.
• Optimized the check_stream_online() function to reduce Twitch API calls by conditionally calling the channels endpoint only when the stream is offline.
• Optimized the channel_point_rewards() function to use INSERT ... ON DUPLICATE KEY UPDATE for better database performance.
• Optimized the known_users() function to use batch database inserts and reduce round trips for better performance when handling moderators and VIPs.
• Optimized the check_premium_feature() function to parallelize independent API calls using asyncio.gather, reducing execution time.
• Optimized the make_stream_marker function with input validation, timeout handling, enhanced error logging, and simplified error handling for better reliability.
• Optimized the track_watch_time function to use batch database operations, reducing query count from O(n) to O(1) for better performance when tracking watch time for multiple active users.
• Optimized the return_the_action_back function to use dynamic SQL and reduce code duplication for better maintainability.
• Optimized ad settings caching to refresh every minute, ensuring up-to-date information while maintaining performance benefits.
• Fixed snooze feature in ad system to prevent sending duplicate messages when ads are snoozed and upcoming notifications are checked.
• Cleaned up unnecessary global declarations in module-level and function scopes for better code organization and adherence to Python best practices.
• Optimized the subscribe_to_events function to use concurrent API calls with asyncio.gather for faster Twitch EventSub subscriptions, replacing sequential loops.
• Fixed the condition for channel.chat.user_message_hold EventSub subscription by correcting the user_id field to resolve validation errors.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed issues with logger handler duplication
• Improved error handling for API and websocket failures
• Fixed and improved timed message and scheduled task management
• Resolved a bug that could cause timed messages to spam the chat, ensuring they now adhere to their configured schedules.
• Addressed minor issues in command and event processing logic
• Fixed AI Song Request Confirmation: Addressed an issue where the AI Talking Module would incorrectly confirm song requests made in natural language. The AI will now respond by reminding the user it is a chatbot and will direct them to use the proper !songrequest command to queue music.
• Improved Spotify Song Request Accuracy: Fixed an issue where the song request feature would sometimes queue an instrumental version of a track. The logic has been updated to better prioritize the original, non-instrumental version.
• Fixed !convert Command API Tracking: Migrated API usage tracking from file-based to database-based system to resolve file path errors and improve reliability
• Removed unnecessary warning log in periodic_watch_time_update function to prevent log spam when no active users are found.

Backend Structure Updates

• Added/expanded data structures for SSH, websocket, and event management
• Improved asynchronous task management by storing looped tasks (e.g., ad checks, timed messages) in a named dictionary. This allows for more granular control, including the ability to cancel specific tasks by name.
• Improved code organization and modularity for future development

Thank you for your feedback and support!

As always, your feedback is appreciated. Please report any issues or suggestions in the #get-support channel on our Discord server. You can also submit feedback directly on our website: https://botofthespecter.com/feedback.php