I’m trying to build a simple ruby command line facebook client that will display all of the user’s friends to the screen (fb_friends.rb) and I am using the fb_graph ruby gem: https://github.com/nov/fb_graph
The problem is, the method user.friends needs to have the user authenticate the application first.
I’ve read a similar question here: Ruby Command line application to update Facebook Status
And from what I understand, you cannot authenticate a user in the command line.
My question is: Is there any other way to authenticate the user?
What I’m thinking: On authentication, the default web browser of the user’s system will pop out, then the user will grant access and authenticate, now the browser window will close and the user will return to the command line app and there he can see the list of his friends.
Is that possible?
Thanks
This isn’t currently possible with Open Graph applications without sharing a server-side authentication token. Facebook requires you maintain control (and not share) your Applications authentication token. If a user were to abuse the command line application, and make a large number of requests to the server, using your app ID and token, you would be the one on the hook.
The best way to accomplish your goal is with a server under your control in between your command line application and the Facebook graph api. The command-line api could direct the user to your website where they would hit the “Facebook Connect” button. The user would authenticate the application with your server, and you could provide them with a token they could pair with their user ID to post status updates or retrieve friends through your server.
The command-line api would interact with your server, and your server with the Facebook Graph API.
A strong side benefit of this approach is that if Facebook’s API changes, your clients would not break (no need to change your own server’s API).