title: python TypeError: coercing to Unicode: need string or buffer, NoneType found
body: <p>I have been attempting to use a python program called chatbot1.5.2b. It is designed to work on Wikia. However, after following all the steps, I come across this error when I run the startup script:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <blockquote>
      <blockquote>
        <p>Exception in thread Thread-1:
            Traceback (most recent call last):</p>
      </blockquote>
    </blockquote>
  </blockquote>
  
  <pre><code>  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 810, in __bootstrap_inner
      self.run()
    File "C:\Python27\lib\site-packages\chatbot.py", line 405, in run
      connect = self.c.connection()
    File "C:\Python27\lib\site-packages\chatbot.py", line 361, in connection
      var = self.__connection(self.settings, self.xhr)
    File "C:\Python27\lib\site-packages\chatbot.py", line 348, in __connection
      str(settings['room']) + "&amp;t=" +
  TypeError: coercing to Unicode: need string or buffer, NoneType found
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I am using Python 2.7.8. I have read several other questions on here on very similar topics, but if I try and follow them, such as by putting <code>str()</code> around the <code>"&amp;t="</code>, it gives exactly the same error, except that it displays the code with <code>str("&amp;t=")</code> instead.</p>
  
  <p>Here is the code for the area around line 348 in chatbot.py:</p>
  
  <pre><code>data = self.session.get("http://" + settings["host"] + ":" +
                          settings["port"] +
                          "/socket.io/1/xhr-polling/" + xhr_polling
                          + "?name=" + self.username + "&amp;key=" +
                          settings['chatkey'] + "&amp;roomId=" +
                          str(settings['room']) + "&amp;t=" +
                          time)
      content = re.findall(r'.:::(.*)', data.content.decode('utf8'))
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Any help greatly appreciated. I'm not very familiar with Python, so I might be doing something really stupid.</p>