hey it kinda works!

addtoDB.py

@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python
+# -*- coding:utf-8 -*-
+
+#this script takes a file as an option and adds that file scuttlebutt
+# originally from ebb, modified for custodisco
+
+import optparse
+import traceback
+import os, sys
+import json
+import subprocess
+
+
+
+def main():
+    #get options and arguments
+    p = optparse.OptionParser()
+    p.add_option('--file', '-f', action='store', dest='file', help='this needs to be a file path')
+
+    options, arguments = p.parse_args()
+
+    if options.file:
+        pathToImage=options.file
+    else:
+        print("you need to provide a file path")
+        exit(1)
+
+
+
+def addToSSB(pathToImage,description):
+    #SEND TO SSB! WOOOO
+    try:
+        result = subprocess.Popen('./ssb-post.sh mint "' + description + '" ' + pathToImage, shell=True, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, )
+    except:
+        print('traceback.format_exc():\n%s' % traceback.format_exc())
+        exit()
+    
+    # for testing:    
+    #print(result)
+
+	# get the ssb json from the bash command we just ran
+    #newssb=result.stdout.read()
+    ##chatgpt's version:
+    newssb = result.stdout.read().decode()  # decode bytes to string
+    print(newssb)
+
+    # CHECK that newssb is _anything_ if ssb-server isn't running that may show as garbage that will crash the program
+    if len(newssb) == 0:
+        print("String is empty")
+
+    #convert string to  object
+    # Make sure it's valid JSON before loading
+    try:
+        json_object = json.loads(newssb)
+    except json.JSONDecodeError:
+        print("Invalid JSON")
+        return "blouch"  # Return the blouch
+
+    # get the key for the post we just made
+    key = json_object["key"]
+    print (key)
+
+    return key
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    main()