NAME Net::Twitter::Lite - A perl interface to the Twitter API VERSION This document describes Net::Twitter::Lite version 0.01000 SYNOPSIS use Net::Twitter::Lite; my $nt = Net::Twitter::Lite->new( username => $user, password => $password ); my $result = eval { $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}> $status->{text}\n"; } }; warn "$@\n" if $@; DESCRIPTION This module provides a perl interface to the Twitter APIs. It uses the same API definitions as Net::Twitter, but without the extra bells and whistles and without the additional dependencies. Same great taste, less filling. This module is related to, but is not part of the "Net::Twitter" distribution. It's API methods and API method documentation are generated from "Net::Twitter"'s internals. It exists for those who cannot, or prefer not to install Moose and its dependencies. You should consider upgrading to "Net::Twitter" for additional functionality, finer grained control over features, full backwards compatibility with older versions of "Net::Twitter", and additional error handling options. MIGRATING FROM NET::TWITTER 2.x If you are migrating from Net::Twitter 2.12 (or an earlier version), you may need to make some minor changes to your application code in order to user Net::Twitter::Lite successfully. The primary difference is in error handling. Net::Twitter::Lite throws exceptions on error. It does not support the "get_error", "http_code", and "http_message" methods used in Net::Twitter 2.12 and prior versions. Instead of # DON'T! my $friends = $nt->friends(); if ( $friends ) { # process $friends } wrap the API call in an eval block: # DO! my $friends = eval { $nt->friends() }; if ( $friends ) { # process $friends } Here's a much more complex example taken from application code using Net::Twitter 2.12: # DON'T! my $friends = $nt->friends(); if ( $friends ) { # process $friends } else { my $error = $nt->get_error; if ( ref $error ) { if ( ref($error) eq 'HASH' && exists $error->{error} ) { $error = $error->{error}; } else { $error = 'Unexpected error type ' . ref($error); } } else { $error = $nt->http_code() . ": " . $nt->http_message; } warn "$error\n"; } The Net::Twitter::Lite equivalent is: # DO! eval { my $friends = $nt->friends(); # process $friends }; warn "$@\n" if $@; return; In Net::Twitter::Lite, an error can always be treated as a string. See Net::Twitter::Lite::Error. The HTTP Status Code and HTTP Message are both available. Rather than accessing them via the Net::Twitter::Lite instance, you access them via the Net::Twitter::Lite::Error instance thrown as an error. For example: # DO! eval { my $friends = $nt->friends(); # process $friends }; if ( my $error = $@ ) { if ( blessed $error && $error->isa("Net::Twitter::Lite::Error) && $error->code() == 502 ) { $error = "Fail Whale!"; } warn "$error\n"; } Unsupported Net::Twitter 2.12 options to "new" Net::Twitter::Lite does not support the following Net::Twitter 2.12 options to "new". It silently ignores them: no_fallback If Net::Twitter::Lite is unable to create an instance of the class specified in the "useragent_class" option to "new", it dies, rather than falling back to an LWP::UserAgent object. You really don't want a failure to create the "useragent_class" you specified to go unnoticed. twittervision Net::Twitter::Lite does not support the TwitterVision API. Use Net::Twitter, instead, if you need it. skip_arg_validation Net::Twitter::Lite does not API parameter validation. This is a feature. If Twitter adds a new option to an API method, you can use it immediately by passing it in the HASH ref to the API call. Net::Twitter::Lite relies on Twitter to validate its own parameters. An appropriate exception will be thrown if Twitter reports a parameter error. die_on_validation See "skip_arg_validation". If Twitter returns an bad parameter error, an appropriate exception will be thrown. arrayref_on_error This option allowed the following idiom in Net::Twitter 2.12: # DON'T! for my $friend ( @{ $nt->friends() } ) { # process $friend } The equivalent Net::Twitter::Lite code is: # DO! eval { for my $friend ( @{ $nt->friends() } ) { # process $friend } }; Unsupported Net::Twitter 2.12 methods clone The "clone" method was added to Net::Twitter 2.x to allow safe error handling in an environment where concurrent requests are handled, for example, when using LWP::UserAgent::POE as the "useragent_class". Since Net::Twitter::Lite throws exceptions instead of stashing them in the Net::Twitter::Lite instance, it is safe in a current request environment, obviating the need for "clone". get_error http_code http_message These methods are replaced by Net::Twitter::Lite::Error. An instance of that class is thrown errors are encountered. METHODS AND ARGUMENTS new This constructs a "Net::Twitter::Lite" object. It takes several named parameters, all of them optional: 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::Lite". clientver The value for the "X-Twitter-Client-Version" HTTP header. It defaults to current version of the "Net::Twitter::Lite" module. clienturl The value for the "X-Twitter-Client-URL" HTTP header. It defaults to the search.cpan.org page for the "Net::Twitter::Lite" distribution. useragent_class The "LWP::UserAgent" compatible class used internally by "Net::Twitter::Lite". 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::Lite/0.01000 (Perl)". 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::Lite" 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". identica If set to 1 (or any value that evaluates to true), apiurl defaults to "http://identi.ca/api". credentials($username, $password) Set the credentials for Basic Authentication. This is helpful for managing multiple accounts. API METHODS AND ARGUMENTS Most Twitter API methods take parameters. All Net::Twitter::Lite API methods will accept a HASH ref of named parameters as specified in the Twitter API documentation. For convenience, many Net::Twitter::Lite 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 }); Methods that support the "page" parameter expect page numbers > 0. Twitter silently ignores invalid "page" values. So "{ page => 0 }" produces the same result as "{ page => 1 }". REST API Methods 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) alias: follow_new 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 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 100 followers per page. 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 100 friends per page. 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. Currently, Twitter returns IDs ordered from most recently followed to least recently followed. This order may change at any time. 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 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 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 ERROR HANDLING When "Net::Twitter::Lite" encounters a Twitter API error or a network error, it throws a "Net::Twitter::Lite::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::Lite::Error' ) { #... use the thrown error obj warn $@->error; } else { # something bad happened! die $@; } } "Net::Twitter::Lite::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::Lite::Error The "Net::Twitter::Lite" 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::Lite 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::Lite development at . 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.