NAME Net::Twitter - A perl interface to the Twitter API VERSION This document describes Net::Twitter version 3.00000 SYNOPSIS use Net::Twitter; my $nt = Net::Twitter->new( traits => [qw/API::REST/], username => $user, password => $password ); my $result = $nt->update('Hello, world!'); eval { my $statuses = $nt->friends_timeline({ since_id => $high_water, count => 100 }); for my $status ( @$statuses ) { print "$status->{time} <$status->{user}{screen_name}> $status->{text}\n"; } }; if ( my $err = $@ ) { die $@ unless blessed $err && $err->isa('Net::Twitter::Error'); warn "HTTP Response Code: ", $err->code, "\n", "HTTP Message......: ", $err->message, "\n", "Twitter error.....: ", $err->error, "\n"; } DESCRIPTION This module provides a perl interface to the Twitter APIs. See for a full description of the Twitter APIs. METHODS AND ARGUMENTS new This constructs a "Net::Twitter" object. It takes several named parameters, all of them optional: traits An ARRAY ref of traits used to control which APIs the constructed "Net::Twitter" object will support and how it handles errors. Possible values are: API::REST Provides support for the Twitter REST API methods. API::Search Provides support for the Twitter Search API methods. API::TwitterVision Provides support for the TwitterVision API. See . WrapError "Net::Twitter" normally throws exceptions on error. When this trait is included, "Net::Twitter" returns undef when a method fails and makes the error available through method "get_error". This is the way all errors were handled in Net::Twitter versions prior to version 3.00. OAuth The "OAuth" trait provides OAuth authentication rather than the default Basic Authentication for Twitter API method calls. See the "Authentication" section and Net::Twitter::Role::OAuth for full documentation. Legacy This trait provides backwards compatibility to "Net::Twitter" versions prior to 3.00. It implies the traits "API::REST", "API::Search", "API::TwitterVision", and "API::WrapError". It also provides additional functionality to ensure consistent behavior for applications written for use with legacy versions of "Net::Twitter". In the current version, this trait is automatically included if the "traits" option is not specified. This ensures backwards compatibility for existing applications using "Net::Twitter" versions prior to 3.00. See section "LEGACY COMPATIBILITY" for more details. Some examples of using the "traits" parameter in "new": # provide support for *only* the REST API; throw exceptions on error $nt = Net::Twitter->new(traits => ['API::REST']); # provide support for both the REST and Search APIs; wrap errors $nt = Net::Twitter->new(traits => [qw/API::REST API::Search WrapError/]); # ensure full legacy support $nt = Net::Twitter->new(traits => ['Legacy']); # currently, these 2 calls to new are equivalent: $nt = Net::Twitter->new(); $nt = Net::Twitter->new(traits => ['Legacy']); legacy A boolean. If set to 0, "new" constructs a "Net::Twitter" object implementing the REST API and throws exceptions on API method errors. Net::Twitter->new(legacy => 0); is a shortcut for: Net::Twitter->new(traits => ['API::REST']); If set to 1, "new" constructs a "Net::Twitter" object with the "Legacy" trait. Net::Twitter->new(legacy => 1); is a shortcut for: Net::Twitter->new(traits => ['Legacy']); username This is the screen name or email used to authenticate with Twitter. password This is the password used to authenticate with Twitter. clientname The value for the "X-Twitter-Client-Name" HTTP header. It defaults to "Perl Net::Twitter". clientver The value for the "X-Twitter-Client-Version" HTTP header. It defaults to current version of the "Net::Twitter" module. clienturl The value for the "X-Twitter-Client-URL" HTTP header. It defaults to the search.cpan.org page for the "Net::Twitter" distribution. useragent_class The "LWP::UserAgent" compatible class used internally by "Net::Twitter". It defaults to "LWP::UserAgent". For POE based applications, consider using "LWP::UserAgent::POE". useragent_args An HASH ref of arguments to pass to constructor of the class specified with "useragent_class", above. It defaults to {} (an empty HASH ref). useragent The value for "User-Agent" HTTP header. It defaults to "Net::Twitter/$VERSION (Perl)", where $VERSION is the current version of "Net::Twitter". source The value used in the "source" parameter of API method calls. It is currently only used in the "update" method in the REST API. It defaults to "twitterpm". This results in the text "from Net::Twitter" rather than "from web" for status messages posted from "Net::Twitter" when displayed via the Twitter web interface. The value for this parameter is provided by Twitter when a Twitter application is registered. See . apiurl The URL for the Twitter API. This defaults to "http://twitter.com". This option is available when the "API::REST" trait is included. apihost A string containing the Twitter API host. It defaults to "twitter.com:80". This option is available when the "API::REST" trait is included. apirealm A string containing the Twitter API realm used for Basic Authentication. It defaults to "Twitter API". This option is available when the "API::REST" trait is included. identica If set to 1, "Net::Twitter" overrides the defaults for "apiurl", "apihost", and "apirealm" to "http://identi.ca/api", "identi.ca:80", and "Laconica API" respectively. It defaults to 0. This option is available when the "API::REST" trait is included. consumer_key A string containing the OAuth consumer key provided by Twitter when an application is registered. This option is available when the "OAuth" trait is included. consumer_secret A string containing the OAuth consumer secret. This option is available when the "OAuth" trait is included. credentials($username, $password) Set the credentials for Basic Authentication. This is helpful for managing multiple accounts. ua Provides access to the constructed user agent object used internally by "Net::Twitter". Use it with caution. AUTHENTICATION Twitter currently provides authentication strategies: Basic Authentication and OAuth. OAuth is officially in beta, however, Twitter has expressed a desire to deprecate Basic Authentication in the future, so consider using OAuth in your applications. To set up Basic Authentication in "Net::Twitter", provide the "username" and "password" options to "new" or call the "credentials" method. To set up OAuth, include the "OAuth" trait and include the "consumer_key" and "consumer_secret" options to "new". See Net::Twitter::Role::OAuth for more information on using OAuth, including examples. API METHODS AND ARGUMENTS Most Twitter API methods take parameters. All Net::Twitter API methods will accept a HASH ref of named parameters as specified in the Twitter API documentation. For convenience, many Net::Twitter methods accept simple positional arguments as documented, below. The positional parameter passing style is optional; you can always use the named parameters in a hash ref if you prefer. For example, the REST API method "update" has one required parameter, "status". You can call "update" with a HASH ref argument: $nt->update({ status => 'Hello world!' }); Or, you can use the convenient form: $nt->update('Hello world!'); The "update" method also has an optional parameter, "in_reply_to_status_id". To use it, you must use the HASH ref form: $nt->update({ status => 'Hello world!', in_reply_to_status_id => $reply_to }); Convenience form is provided for the required parameters of all API methods. So, these two calls are equivalent: $nt->friendship_exists({ user_a => $fred, user_b => $barney }); $nt->friendship_exists($fred, $barney); Many API methods have aliases. You can use the API method name, or any of its aliases, as you prefer. For example, these calls are all equivalent: $nt->friendship_exists($fred, $barney); $nt->relationship_exists($fred, $barney); $nt->follows($fred, $barney); Aliases support both the HASH ref and convenient forms: $nt->follows({ user_a => $fred, user_b => $barney }); REST API Methods These methods are provided when trait "API::REST" is included in the "traits" option to "new". Several of these methods accept a user ID as the "id" parameter. The user ID can be either a screen name, or the users numeric ID. To disambiguate, use the "screen_name" or "user_id" parameters, instead. For example, These calls are equivalent: $nt->create_friend('net_twitter'); # screen name $nt->create_friend(1564061); # numeric ID $nt->create_friend({ id => 'net_twitter' }); $nt->create_friend({ screen_name => 'net_twitter' }); $nt->create_friend({ user_id => 1564061 }); However user_id 911 and screen_name 911 are separate Twitter accounts. These calls are NOT equivalent: $nt->create_friend(911); # interpreted as screen name $nt->create_friend({ user_id => 911 }); # screen name: richellis Whenever the "id" parameter is required and "user_id" and "screen_name" are also parameters, using any one of them satisfies the requirement. block_exists block_exists(id) Parameters: id, user_id, screen_name Required: id Returns if the authenticating user is blocking a target user. Will return the blocked user's object if a block exists, and error with HTTP 404 response code otherwise. Returns: BasicUser blocking blocking(page) Parameters: page Required: *none* Returns an array of user objects that the authenticating user is blocking. Returns: ArrayRef[BasicUser] blocking_ids Parameters: *none* Required: *none* Returns an array of numeric user ids the authenticating user is blocking. Returns: ArrayRef[Int] create_block create_block(id) Parameters: id Required: id Blocks the user specified in the ID parameter as the authenticating user. Returns the blocked user when successful. You can find out more about blocking in the Twitter Support Knowledge Base. Returns: BasicUser create_favorite create_favorite(id) Parameters: id Required: id Favorites the status specified in the ID parameter as the authenticating user. Returns the favorite status when successful. Returns: Status create_friend create_friend(id) Parameters: id, user_id, screen_name, follow Required: id Befriends the user specified in the ID parameter as the authenticating user. Returns the befriended user in the requested format when successful. Returns a string describing the failure condition when unsuccessful. Returns: BasicUser destroy_block destroy_block(id) Parameters: id Required: id Un-blocks the user specified in the ID parameter as the authenticating user. Returns the un-blocked user when successful. Returns: BasicUser destroy_direct_message destroy_direct_message(id) Parameters: id Required: id Destroys the direct message specified in the required ID parameter. The authenticating user must be the recipient of the specified direct message. Returns: DirectMessage destroy_favorite destroy_favorite(id) Parameters: id Required: id Un-favorites the status specified in the ID parameter as the authenticating user. Returns the un-favorited status. Returns: Status destroy_friend destroy_friend(id) alias: unfollow Parameters: id, user_id, screen_name Required: id Discontinues friendship with the user specified in the ID parameter as the authenticating user. Returns the un-friended user when successful. Returns a string describing the failure condition when unsuccessful. Returns: BasicUser destroy_status destroy_status(id) Parameters: id Required: id Destroys the status specified by the required ID parameter. The authenticating user must be the author of the specified status. Returns: Status direct_messages Parameters: since_id, max_id, count, page Required: *none* Returns a list of the 20 most recent direct messages sent to the authenticating user including detailed information about the sending and recipient users. Returns: ArrayRef[DirectMessage] disable_notifications disable_notifications(id) Parameters: id Required: id Disables notifications for updates from the specified user to the authenticating user. Returns the specified user when successful. Returns: BasicUser enable_notifications enable_notifications(id) Parameters: id Required: id Enables notifications for updates from the specified user to the authenticating user. Returns the specified user when successful. Returns: BasicUser end_session Parameters: *none* Required: *none* Ends the session of the authenticating user, returning a null cookie. Use this method to sign users out of client-facing applications like widgets. Returns: Error favorites Parameters: id, page Required: *none* Returns the 20 most recent favorite statuses for the authenticating user or user specified by the ID parameter. Returns: ArrayRef[Status] followers Parameters: id, user_id, screen_name, page Required: *none* Returns the authenticating user's followers, each with current status inline. They are ordered by the order in which they joined Twitter (this is going to be changed). Returns: ArrayRef[BasicUser] followers_ids followers_ids(id) Parameters: id, user_id, screen_name, page Required: id Returns an array of numeric IDs for every user is followed by. Returns: ArrayRef[Int] friends alias: following Parameters: id, user_id, screen_name, page Required: *none* Returns the authenticating user's friends, each with current status inline. They are ordered by the order in which they were added as friends. It's also possible to request another user's recent friends list via the id parameter. Returns: ArrayRef[BasicUser] friends_ids friends_ids(id) alias: following_ids Parameters: id, user_id, screen_name, page Required: id Returns an array of numeric IDs for every user the specified user is following. Returns: ArrayRef[Int] friends_timeline alias: following_timeline Parameters: since_id, max_id, count, page Required: *none* Returns the 20 most recent statuses posted by the authenticating user and that user's friends. This is the equivalent of /home on the Web. Returns: ArrayRef[Status] friendship_exists friendship_exists(user_a, user_b) alias: relationship_exists alias: follows Parameters: user_a, user_b Required: user_a, user_b Tests for the existence of friendship between two users. Will return true if user_a follows user_b, otherwise will return false. Returns: Bool mentions alias: replies Parameters: since_id, max_id, count, page Required: *none* Returns the 20 most recent mentions (statuses containing @username) for the authenticating user. Returns: ArrayRef[Status] new_direct_message new_direct_message(user, text) Parameters: user, text Required: user, text Sends a new direct message to the specified user from the authenticating user. Requires both the user and text parameters. Returns the sent message in the requested format when successful. Returns: DirectMessage public_timeline Parameters: *none* Required: *none* Returns the 20 most recent statuses from non-protected users who have set a custom user icon. Does not require authentication. Note that the public timeline is cached for 60 seconds so requesting it more often than that is a waste of resources. Returns: ArrayRef[Status] rate_limit_status Parameters: *none* Required: *none* Returns the remaining number of API requests available to the requesting user before the API limit is reached for the current hour. Calls to rate_limit_status do not count against the rate limit. If authentication credentials are provided, the rate limit status for the authenticating user is returned. Otherwise, the rate limit status for the requester's IP address is returned. Returns: RateLimitStatus sent_direct_messages Parameters: since_id, max_id, page Required: *none* Returns a list of the 20 most recent direct messages sent by the authenticating user including detailed information about the sending and recipient users. Returns: ArrayRef[DirectMessage] show_status show_status(id) Parameters: id Required: id Returns a single status, specified by the id parameter. The status's author will be returned inline. Returns: Status show_user show_user(id) Parameters: id Required: id Returns extended information of a given user, specified by ID or screen name as per the required id parameter. This information includes design settings, so third party developers can theme their widgets according to a given user's preferences. You must be properly authenticated to request the page of a protected user. Returns: ExtendedUser test Parameters: *none* Required: *none* Returns the string "ok" status code. Returns: Str update update(status) Parameters: status, in_reply_to_status_id Required: status Updates the authenticating user's status. Requires the status parameter specified. A status update with text identical to the authenticating user's current status will be ignored. Returns: Status update_delivery_device update_delivery_device(device) Parameters: device Required: device Sets which device Twitter delivers updates to for the authenticating user. Sending none as the device parameter will disable IM or SMS updates. Returns: BasicUser update_profile Parameters: name, email, url, location, description Required: *none* Sets values that users are able to set under the "Account" tab of their settings page. Only the parameters specified will be updated; to only update the "name" attribute, for example, only include that parameter in your request. Returns: ExtendedUser update_profile_background_image update_profile_background_image(image) Parameters: image Required: image Updates the authenticating user's profile background image. Expects raw multipart data, not a URL to an image. Returns: ExtendedUser update_profile_colors Parameters: profile_background_color, profile_text_color, profile_link_color, profile_sidebar_fill_color, profile_sidebar_border_color Required: *none* Sets one or more hex values that control the color scheme of the authenticating user's profile page on twitter.com. These values are also returned in the /users/show API method. Returns: ExtendedUser update_profile_image update_profile_image(image) Parameters: image Required: image Updates the authenticating user's profile image. Expects raw multipart data, not a URL to an image. Returns: ExtendedUser user_timeline Parameters: id, user_id, screen_name, since_id, max_id, count, page Required: *none* Returns the 20 most recent statuses posted from the authenticating user. It's also possible to request another user's timeline via the id parameter. This is the equivalent of the Web /archive page for your own user, or the profile page for a third party. Returns: ArrayRef[Status] verify_credentials Parameters: *none* Required: *none* Returns an HTTP 200 OK response code and a representation of the requesting user if authentication was successful; returns a 401 status code and an error message if not. Use this method to test if supplied user credentials are valid. Returns: ExtendedUser Search API Methods These methods are provided when trait "API::Search" is included in the "traits" option to "new". search search(q) Parameters: q, callback, lang, rpp, page, since_id, geocode, show_user Required: q Returns tweets that match a specified query. You can use a variety of search operators in your query. Returns: ArrayRef[Status] trends Parameters: *none* Required: *none* Returns the top ten queries that are currently trending on Twitter. The response includes the time of the request, the name of each trending topic, and the url to the Twitter Search results page for that topic. Returns: ArrayRef[Query] trends_current trends_current(exclude) Parameters: exclude Required: *none* Returns the current top ten trending topics on Twitter. The response includes the time of the request, the name of each trending topic, and query used on Twitter Search results page for that topic. Returns: HashRef trends_daily Parameters: date, exclude Required: *none* Returns the top 20 trending topics for each hour in a given day. Returns: HashRef trends_weekly Parameters: date, exclude Required: *none* Returns the top 30 trending topics for each day in a given week. Returns: HashRef TwitterVision API Methods These methods are provided when trait "API::TwitterVision" is included in the "traits" option to "new". current_status current_status(id) Parameters: id, callback Required: id Get the current location and status of a user. Returns: HashRef update_twittervision update_twittervision(location) Parameters: location Required: location Updates the location for the authenticated user. Returns: HashRef LEGACY COMPATIBILITY This version of "Net::Twitter" automatically includes the "Legacy" trait if no "traits" option is provided to "new". Therefore, these 2 calls are currently equivalent: $nt = Net::Twitter->new(username => $user, password => $passwd); $nt = Net::Twitter->new( username => $user, password => $passwd, traits => ['Legacy'], ); Thus, existing applications written for a prior version of "Net::Twitter" should continue to run, without modification, with this version. In a future release, the default traits may change. Prior to that change, however, a nearer future version will add a warning if no "traits" option is provided to "new". To avoid this warning, add an appropriate "traits" option to your existing application code. ERROR HANDLING There are currently two strategies for handling errors: throwing exceptions and wrapping errors. Exception handling is the newer, recommended strategy. Wrapping Errors When trait "WrapError" is specified (or "Legacy", which includes trait "WrapError"), "Net::Twitter" returns undef on error. To retrieve information about the error, use methods "http_code", "http_message", and "get_error". These methods are described in the Net::Twitter::Role::WrapError. if ( my $followers = $nt->followers ) { for my $follower ( @$followers ) { #... } } else { warn "HTTP message: ", $nt->http_message, "\n"; } Since an error is stored in the object instance, this error handling strategy is problematic when using a user agent like "LWP::UserAgent::POE" that provides concurrent requests. The error for one request can be overwritten by a concurrent request before you have an opportunity to access it. Exception Handling When "Net::Twitter" encounters a Twitter API error or a network error, it throws a "Net::Twitter::Error" object. You can catch and process these exceptions by using "eval" blocks and testing $@: eval { my $statuses = $nt->friends_timeline(); # this might die! for my $status ( @$statuses ) { #... } }; if ( $@ ) { # friends_timeline encountered an error if ( blessed $@ && $@->isa('Net::Twitter::Error' ) { #... use the thrown error obj warn $@->error; } else { # something bad happened! die $@; } } "Net::Twitter::Error" stringifies to something reasonable, so if you don't need detailed error information, you can simply treat $@ as a string: eval { $nt->update($status) }; if ( $@ ) { warn "update failed because: $@\n"; } SEE ALSO Net::Twitter::Error The "Net::Twitter" exception object. This is the official Twitter API documentation. It describes the methods and their parameters in more detail and may be more current than the documentation provided with this module. LWP::UserAgent::POE This LWP::UserAgent compatible class can be used in POE based application along with Net::Twitter to provide concurrent, non-blocking requests. SUPPORT Please report bugs to "bug-net-twitter@rt.cpan.org", or through the web interface at . Join the Net::Twitter IRC channel at . Follow net_twitter: . Track Net::Twitter development at . ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many thanks to Chris Thompson , the original author of "Net::Twitter" and all versions prior to 3.00. Also, thanks to Chris Prather (perigrin) for answering many design and implementation questions, especially with regards to Moose. AUTHOR Marc Mims LICENSE Copyright (c) 2009 Marc Mims The Twitter API itself, and the description text used in this module is: Copyright (c) 2009 Twitter This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself. 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