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Google Email Setup

A Google account is required for setting up the email waitlist, as the app programmatically sends emails for free from a Google email you supply.

  1. It is recommended to create a dedicated Google account for your parking space monitor system, so you can name the account/email something descriptive.

  2. Log in to your account, and create a Google Cloud project for your app.

  3. Initialize the Auth Platform for your project.

  4. Set Publishing status to "In production". This is the most convenient option and is secure as long as you keep your credentials file safe. "Testing" mode works too but limits refresh token lifetime to only 7 days rather than indefinite, and requires registering your email as an allowed user.

  5. Create an OAuth client ID with application type "Desktop App". Download the credentials file.

  6. Enable the Gmail API for your project.

  7. Go to Data Access and add the scope ../auth/gmail.send. You now have the proper setup for Google to allow programmatically sending emails using your client ID.

  8. The park-it CLI provides a command for running the initial Google OAuth flow via a web brower. Run park-it oauth [credentials-file-path] and sign in to generate a long-lived refresh token file.

  9. Pass the path of that token file as an argument to build_app().