• pihole_backup.py
• created by mahemys 2023.07.22 18:40 IST
• !perfect, but works!
• GNU-GPL; no license; free to use!
• update 2023-07-24 10:15 IST; initial review; optimise
• update 2023-07-25 21:50 IST; refer api endpoints
• update 2023-07-26 21:05 IST; get api token from file

purpose

• pihole perform internal routine and backup of database and configuration to archive
• pihole database will grow over time; move db to archive
• pihole perform internal routine; backup config to archive
• internal log writing; time in ist;

how to use

• just copy file to pihole /home/pi/
• run this python script in terminal or via crontab

terminal

• run in terminal "sudo python3 /home/pi/pihole_backup.py"

crontab

• user pi; root not required
• crontab -e edit; crontab -l check
• set your desired interval via crontab preferred e.o.d 23:59
• add to crontab "59 23 * * * sudo python3 /home/pi/pihole_backup.py"

requirements

• pytz for timezone
• sudo apt-get install python3-pip
• sudo pip install pytz

process

• get stats -> stop ftl -> backup db -> start ftl -> backup config -> flush -> update

0.0 pihole version; stats; token

• 0.1 get pihole version
• 0.2 get pihole stats
• 0.3 get pihole api token

1.0 pihole move db to archive

• 1.1 pihole folder
• 1.2 stop FTL service
• 1.3 get file size
• 1.4 folder name
• 1.5 move to folder; rename
• 1.6 start FTL service

2.0 pihole perform internal routine

• 2.1 backup configuration
• 2.2 flush pihole.log
• 2.3 flush network table
• 2.4 update gravity aka adlist
• 2.5 update pi-hole aka all

pihole folders; files

• pihole folder /etc/pihole/
• pihole ftl db /etc/pihole/pihole-FTL.db
• archive /home/pi/pihole_bkp/
• database /home/pi/pihole_bkp/Y/Ym/pihole-FTL_Ymd_HMS.db
• config /home/pi/pihole_bkp/Y/Ym/pihole-conf_Ymd_HMS.tar.gz
• bkplog /home/pi/pihole_bkp/Y/Ym/pihole_bkp_log_Ymd_HMS.txt

pihole useful commands

• pihole -v display version of each service
• pihole -v -a display version of AdminLTE
• pihole -v -f display version of FTL
• pihole -v -p display version of pi-hole
• pihole -a -t backup config teleporter to archive
• pihole -f flush pihole.log
• pihole arpflush flush network table
• pihole -g update gravity aka adlist
• pihole -up update pihole version

tweak to get stats without login

• get stats from /pihole instead of /admin
• keep old version of pi-hole 'AdminLTE v5.13' in /home/pi/AdminLTE-5.13
• copy entire 'AdminLTE-5.13' folder to /var/www/html/pihole
• sudo cp -a /home/pi/AdminLTE-5.13/. /var/www/html/pihole
• AdminLTE v5.13 and below -> /var/www/html/pihole -> no login required
• AdminLTE v5.14 and above -> /var/www/html/admin -> login or API Token required

authentication for more API endpoints required

• in order to avoid the above; follow the below!
• https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/upcoming-changes-authentication-for-more-api-endpoints-required/59315
• https://pi-hole.net/blog/2022/11/17/upcoming-changes-authentication-for-more-api-endpoints-required/#page-content
• You can get the token from Settings/API/Show API token or from /etc/pihole/setupVars.conf (WEBPASSWORD).
• /admin/api.php?summaryRaw
• /admin/api.php?summaryRaw&auth=<TOKEN>

pihole api token

• get api token from file

footnote

• let me know if you find any bugs!
• Thank you mahemys