Pirate User Searcher GUI

A GUI application for searching The Pirate Bay by usernames and terms, built with CustomTkinter and Pmw. It saves search data to CSV, sorts results, and displays clickable torrent links. Multiple users and terms can be targeted and sorted at once and relevant links from the torrent's page are also displayed (e.g., screenshots).

Features

• Search torrents by usernames and search terms.
• Save and load search data to/from CSV files.
• Sort results by date, size, seeders and more.
• Display clickable Pirate Bay URLs, magnet links, and relevant URLs (e.g., screenshots).
• Modern interface with CustomTkinter, scalable to different screen sizes.
• Tooltips for navigation using Pmw.Balloon.

Prerequisites

• Python 3.8+: Ensure Python is installed with tcl and tk (usually included by default).
• Install dependencies from requirements.txt:

  pip install -r requirements.txt

• PyInstaller: Required for building the executable (optional for running):

  pip install pyinstaller

Project Structure

• PirateUserSearcherGUI.py: Main application script.
• Resources/: Directory containing images (storm.jpg, pirate.png, etc.) and theme (harle.json).
• PirateUserSearcherGUI.spec: PyInstaller specification file for building the executable.
• requirements.txt: Lists all Python dependencies required to run the application.

Running the Application

To run the application directly (without building an executable):

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/AutomationsByAuto/PirateUserSearcherGUI.git
   cd PirateUserSearcherGUI

2. Install dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Ensure all resources are in the Resources/ directory (see below).
4. Run the script:

   python PirateUserSearcherGUI.py

Building the Executable

To create a standalone executable, use PyInstaller with the provided PirateUserSearcherGUI.spec file. You must customize the .spec file to include the path to your Pmw library and match your system’s file paths for Python libraries and the Resources/ folder.

Step 1: Prepare Resources

1. Ensure the Resources/ directory is in the project root.
2. Verify the following files are in Resources/:
   • Images: storm.jpg, pirate.png, pirate.ico, home.png, form.png, delete.png, search.png, back.png, coffee.png, selected.png, unselected.png
   • Theme: harle.json
3. Confirm file names match those referenced in PirateUserSearcherGUI.py.

Step 2: Customize the .spec File

The PirateUserSearcherGUI.spec file specifies paths to resources and Python libraries. You must update the datas section to include the path to your Pmw library and other system-specific paths.

1. Locate Your Python Environment and Pmw Path:

   • Find your Python installation’s site-packages and tcl/tk directories. Examples:
     • Windows: C:\Users\<YourUsername>\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python313\Lib\site-packages, C:\Users\<YourUsername>\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python313\tcl\tcl8.6, C:\Users\<YourUsername>\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python313\tcl\tk8.6
     • Linux: /usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages, /usr/lib/tcl8.6, /usr/lib/tk8.6
     • macOS: /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.9/lib/python3.9/site-packages
   • Locate the Pmw library in your site-packages directory (e.g., <path-to-your-python>/Lib/site-packages/Pmw).
   • Use Python to find site-packages:

     python -c "import site; print(site.getsitepackages())"

2. Update the .spec File:

   • Open PirateUserSearcherGUI.spec and modify the datas section to include the Pmw path and other resources. Below is a sample .spec with placeholders:

     a = Analysis(
         ['PirateUserSearcherGUI.py'],
         pathex=[],
         binaries=[],
         datas=[
             ('<path-to-your-python>/Lib/site-packages/Pmw', 'Pmw'),
             ('<path-to-your-python>/tcl/tcl8.6', 'tcl'),
             ('<path-to-your-python>/tcl/tk8.6', 'tk'),
             ('Resources/storm.jpg', 'Resources'),
             ('Resources/pirate.png', 'Resources'),
             ('Resources/home.png', 'Resources'),
             ('Resources/form.png', 'Resources'),
             ('Resources/delete.png', 'Resources'),
             ('Resources/search.png', 'Resources'),
             ('Resources/back.png', 'Resources'),
             ('Resources/coffee.png', 'Resources'),
             ('Resources/selected.png', 'Resources'),
             ('Resources/unselected.png', 'Resources'),
             ('Resources/harle.json', 'Resources'),
             ('Resources/pirate.ico', 'Resources')
         ],
         hiddenimports=['Pmw', 'Pmw.Balloon', 'tkinter', 'customtkinter', 'Pmw.Color', 'Pmw.MessageDialog', 'Pmw.ScrolledText', 'PIL', 'PIL.Image', 'PIL.ImageTk'],
         hookspath=[],
         hooksconfig={},
         runtime_hooks=[],
         excludes=[],
         noarchive=False,
         optimize=0,
     )
     pyz = PYZ(a.pure)
     exe = EXE(
         pyz,
         a.scripts,
         [],
         exclude_binaries=True,
         name='PirateUserSearcherGUI',
         debug=False,
         bootloader_ignore_signals=False,
         strip=False,
         upx=True,
         console=True,  # Set to False for no console window
         disable_windowed_traceback=False,
         argv_emulation=False,
         target_arch=None,
         codesign_identity=None,
         entitlements_file=None,
     )
     coll = COLLECT(
         exe,
         a.binaries,
         a.datas,
         strip=False,
         upx=True,
         upx_exclude=[],
         name='PirateUserSearcherGUI',
     )

   • Replace <path-to-your-python> with your Python installation path (e.g., C:/Users/<YourUsername>/AppData/Local/Programs/Python/Python313).
   • Ensure the Pmw path points to the Pmw directory in your site-packages (e.g., C:/Users/<YourUsername>/AppData/Local/Programs/Python/Python313/Lib/site-packages/Pmw).
   • Ensure Resources/ paths point to the project’s Resources/ directory (e.g., Resources/storm.jpg assumes the file is in project/Resources/).
   • The Resources destination in datas (e.g., ('Resources/harle.json', 'Resources')) ensures files are placed in a Resources/ subfolder in the built executable, matching the script’s resource_path("Resources/<filename>") usage.

3. Verify Resources:

   • Confirm all listed files exist in the project’s Resources/ directory.
   • Missing files will cause FileNotFoundError at runtime.

Step 3: Build the Executable

1. Run PyInstaller with the customized .spec:

   pyinstaller PirateUserSearcherGUI.spec

2. Find the executable in dist/PirateUserSearcherGUI/.

Step 4: Test the Executable

Run the executable:

# Windows
.\dist\PirateUserSearcherGUI\PirateUserSearcherGUI.exe

# Linux/macOS
./dist/PirateUserSearcherGUI/PirateUserSearcherGUI

• Check for errors in the console (if console=True in .spec).
• Verify the GUI loads with the custom theme (harle.json), background (storm.jpg), button icons, and tooltips.

Notes

• Resources Folder: The Resources/ folder is critical. It contains all images and the harle.json theme file. Ensure it is included in the repository and placed in the project root.
• Why Customize the .spec?: The .spec file tells PyInstaller where to find resources and libraries, including Pmw. Paths are system-specific, so users must update them. The script uses a resource_path function to locate files in PyInstaller’s _MEIPASS directory, requiring the .spec to bundle files into a Resources/ subfolder.
• Single-File Executable: For a single .exe, modify the .spec:

  exe = EXE(
      pyz,
      a.scripts,
      a.binaries,
      a.datas,
      name='PirateUserSearcherGUI',
      debug=False,
      bootloader_ignore_signals=False,
      strip=False,
      upx=True,
      console=False,
  )

  Remove the coll = COLLECT block and set exclude_binaries=False.
• Fallback Theme: If harle.json causes issues, edit PirateUserSearcherGUI.py:

  # Replace:
  ctk.set_default_color_theme(resource_path("Resources/harle.json"))
  # With:
  ctk.set_default_color_theme("blue")

  Then rebuild.

Troubleshooting

• FileNotFoundError: Ensure all resources are in Resources/ and listed in datas with destination 'Resources'. Check paths in .spec, including the Pmw path.
• Pmw/Tkinter Errors: Verify the Pmw, tcl8.6, and tk8.6 paths in the .spec match your Python installation.
• Console Output: Keep console=True in .spec to see errors. Check dist/PirateUserSearcherGUI/ for logs.
• Logging: Add to PirateUserSearcherGUI.py for debugging:

  import logging
  logging.basicConfig(filename='app.log', level=logging.DEBUG)

  Check app.log in the executable directory.
• Build Fails: Verify dependencies (pip install -r requirements.txt) and .spec paths, especially the Pmw path in datas.

Usage

1. Launch the application or executable.
2. On the landing page:
   • Start a fresh search or load a previous dataset (CSV).
3. In the search form:
   • Enter a Pirate Bay URL or proxy.
   • Input usernames and search terms (comma-separated).
   • Click "Check" to verify the URL, then "Search" to find torrents.
4. View results:
   • Sort by newest, oldest, largest, smallest, seeded, or random.
   • Click magnet links or URLs to open in your browser.
   • Refine results by filtering titles.
5. Save data:
   • Click "New Save" for a new CSV or "Overwrite" to update an existing one.

Contributing

• Report issues or submit pull requests on GitHub.
• When adding resources, update PirateUserSearcherGUI.spec and document changes.
• Test builds on your system and include your .spec in issue reports.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for details.

Motivation

Having searched for such a tool online and being unable to find one I decided to make it my next project.

Disclaimer

This application interacts with The Pirate Bay. Use it responsibly and in compliance with applicable laws. The developers are not responsible for misuse.

Contact

Ray Pitcher - mass.automation.solutions@gmail.com

Aspiring Automation Engineer | Open to feedback and collaboration!