HOWTO: Twitpic and OAuth

@edentdabr HowTo oauth php twitpic twitter · 25 comments · 700 words · read ~5,157 times.

I am no longer confused! Here is a quick tutorial in how to post images to Twitpic and Twitter when using OAuth. I'm indebted to Steve Corona of Twitpic, for his help with this.

You can see the full code on Dabr's Google Code page.

First of all, you'll need to have enabled OAuth for your Twitter client. I use Abraham's excellent OAuth libraries for PHP.

This tutorial assumes you already have OAuth working. I'll attempt to explain what I'm doing as I go along - but the code should be pretty readable.

Start by reading the Twitpic API documentation. You will also need to register for an API key - this only takes a few seconds.

We start by setting CURL's headers to those required by Twitpic

//Has the user submitted an image and message?
if ($_POST['message'])
{
    $twitpicURL = 'http://api.twitpic.com/2/upload.json';

    //Set the initial headers
    $header = array(
			    'X-Auth-Service-Provider: https://api.twitter.com/1/account/verify_credentials.json',
			    'X-Verify-Credentials-Authorization: OAuth realm="http://api.twitter.com/"'
			);

Next, we create the OAuth credentials that we need. Essentially, we're signing a URL request. We then pass that on to Twitpic and they verify it with Twitter. We never pass our OAUTH_CONSUMER_SECRET - so Twitpic can't impersonate us.

    //Using Abraham's OAuth library
    require_once('OAuth.php');

    // instantiating OAuth customer
    $consumer = new OAuthConsumer(OAUTH_CONSUMER_KEY, OAUTH_CONSUMER_SECRET);

    // instantiating signer
    $sha1_method = new OAuthSignatureMethod_HMAC_SHA1();

    // user's token
    list($oauth_token, $oauth_token_secret) = explode('|', $GLOBALS['user']['password']);
    $token = new OAuthConsumer($oauth_token, $oauth_token_secret);

    // Generate all the OAuth parameters needed
    $signingURL = 'https://api.twitter.com/1/account/verify_credentials.json';

    $request = OAuthRequest::from_consumer_and_token($consumer, $token, 'GET', $signingURL, array());

    $request->sign_request($sha1_method, $consumer, $token);

We add these generated credentials into the header.

    $header[1] .= ", oauth_consumer_key="" . $request->get_parameter('oauth_consumer_key') .""";
    $header[1] .= ", oauth_signature_method="" . $request->get_parameter('oauth_signature_method') .""";
    $header[1] .= ", oauth_token="" . $request->get_parameter('oauth_token') .""";
    $header[1] .= ", oauth_timestamp="" . $request->get_parameter('oauth_timestamp') .""";
    $header[1] .= ", oauth_nonce="" . $request->get_parameter('oauth_nonce') .""";
    $header[1] .= ", oauth_version="" . $request->get_parameter('oauth_version') .""";
    $header[1] .= ", oauth_signature="" . urlencode($request->get_parameter('oauth_signature')) .""";

Add everything into CURL

    //open connection
    $ch = curl_init();

    //Set paramaters
    curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $header);
    curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, TRUE);
    curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER, 0);

    //set the url, number of POST vars, POST data
    curl_setopt($ch,CURLOPT_URL,$twitpicURL);

The data we send to Twitpic (message text, image and key) have to go via POST.

    //TwitPic requires the data to be sent as POST
    $media_data = array(
			    'media' => '@'.$_FILES['media']['tmp_name'],
			  'message' => ' ' . stripslashes($_POST['message']), //A space is needed because twitpic b0rks if first char is an @
			  'key'=>TWITPIC_API_KEY
			);

    curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, true);
    curl_setopt($ch,CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS,$media_data);

All done, we now send the data to Twitpic.

    //execute post
    $result = curl_exec($ch);
    $response_info=curl_getinfo($ch);

    //close connection
    curl_close($ch);

If this has worked, Twitpic will pass back the URL of the image we posted. We then need to post the entire message to Twitter ourselves (Twitpic can't do it for us).

    if ($response_info['http_code'] == 200) //Success
    {
	//Decode the response
	$json = json_decode($result);
	$id = $json->id;
	$twitpicURL = $json->url;
	$text = $json->text;
	$message = trim($text) . " " . $twitpicURL;

This next part is specific to Dabr - your client may post things differently.

	//Send the user's message to twitter
	$request = API_URL.'statuses/update.json';

	$post_data = array('source' => 'dabr', 'status' => $message);
	$status = twitter_process($request, $post_data);

	//Back to the timeline
	twitter_refresh("twitpic/confirm/$id");
    }

If it didn't work, Twitpic will tell us why.

    else
    {
	$content = "
Twitpic upload failed. No idea why!";
	$json = json_decode($result);
	$content .= "
message " . urlencode($_POST['message']);
	$content .= "
json " . print_r($json);
	$content .= "
Response " . print_r($response_info);
	$content .= "
header " . print_r($header);
	$content .= "
media_data " . print_r($media_data);
	$content .= "
URL was " . $twitpicURL;
	$content .= "
File uploaded was " . $_FILES['media']['tmp_name'];
    }
}

25 thoughts on “HOWTO: Twitpic and OAuth”

2010-06-19 16:56

shakoor says:

hi, I am doing everything as it is mentioned, but I am getting this error, {"errors":[{"code":400,"message":"Bad Request. Media not included in POST payload."}]}

can you tell me how can I fix this error ?

Reply
1. 2010-06-19 21:11
  
  Terence Eden says:
  
  Hi Shakoor,
  
  The error message is saying that you're not sending an image to Twitpic. You need to POST the image from a form, like this.... <form method='post' action='twitpic' enctype='multipart/form-data'> <input type='file' name='media' /> Message (optional):<br /> <textarea name='message' style='width:100%; max-width: 400px;' rows='3' id='message'> </textarea> <input type='submit' value='Send'> </form>
  
  HTH
  
  T
  
  Reply
2010-06-21 16:48

shakoor says:

Hi,

thanks for your reply, there were some small errors in my code, I fixed them but now I am getting this error and I have tried alot and I am doing exactly what you said, but I can't resolve this error:

"Could not authenticate you (header rejected by twitter)"

so please tell me how can I resolve this issue.

Reply
2010-06-30 17:09

Ralph says:

I'm sure I'm not the first to find this a really really useful post, but it looks like I'm the first to say it (maybe?).

So thank you! I too was confused as to how to ping twitpic, especially seeing as their documentation is fairly sparse.

(I've ported this to codeigniter, if you're interested I can send you the code?)

Ta,

R

Reply
2010-07-02 05:17

Rafael Dourado says:

I'm getting the same error from shakoor. Could not authenticate you (header rejected by twitter).

Reply
2010-07-12 14:22

Carla says:

hello! thanks for share =]

question: Could we re-use a token and a secret? I'm working on application which posts on twitter using token+secret that were stored on database (these are stored when user use it for the first time). I want to post on twitpic too. I tried to do what you said using the stored token and secret in place of this line list($oauth_token, $oauth_token_secret) = explode('|', $GLOBALS['user']['password']); but I could not be authenticated by this way. Is possible to use the stored token+secret? Any idea ?

Reply
2010-08-16 08:13

Dennis says:

I also get “Could not authenticate you (header rejected by twitter)”. Help please?!

Reply
2010-09-22 18:42

adhi says:

after follow your code...

the message tell "Twitter timed out Dabr gave up on waiting for Twitter to respond. They're probably overloaded right now, try again in a minute."

but when i check the twitpic.com the picture was succeed to upload. the timeline also not update..

any suggestion?

thanks

Reply
1. 2010-09-23 10:39
  
  Terence Eden says:
  
  Hi Adhi, Ratna,
  
  Is your problem with dabr.co.uk or your own server?
  
  Twitter is very unstable and frequently times out. There's nothing we can do about it. Sorry.
  
  T
  
  Reply
  1. 2010-09-23 11:32
    
    adhi says:
    
    i think from dabr code,which line the picture will update timeline because the picture was succeed but not going to timeline...
    
    Thanks
    
    Reply
    1. 2010-09-23 13:10
      
      Ratna Laurentina says:
      
      I agree with adhi again, I upload the source code to my own server, but it turns out like that T_T
      
      Now, there is no image upload service in my dabr server. Do you happen to have any image upload alternative else than twitpic? I can't find dabr yfrog image upload codes..
      
      PS: thank you for replying Terence! ^_^
      
      Reply
2010-09-23 08:00

Ratna Laurentina says:

my problem is the same as adhi, need help please?

Reply

2011-03-30 09:51

Rudolf Pietersma says:

I'm trying to change the twitpic information with my image hosting service. The response from my api is not JSON but XML I quess this is the problem? Can somebody help me out?

function twitter_twitrp_page($query) { if (user_type() == 'oauth') { //V2 of the Twitpic API allows for OAuth //http://dev.twitpic.com/docs/2/upload/

    //Has the user submitted an image and message?
    if ($_POST['message']) {
	$twitrpURL = 'http://twitrp.com/drippic2/upload';

	//Set the initial headers
	$header = array(
	    'X-Auth-Service-Provider: https://api.twitter.com/1/account/verify_credentials.json',
	    'X-Verify-Credentials-Authorization: OAuth realm="http://api.twitter.com/"'
	);

	//Using Abraham's OAuth library
	require_once('OAuth.php');

	// instantiating OAuth customer
	$consumer = new OAuthConsumer(OAUTH_CONSUMER_KEY, OAUTH_CONSUMER_SECRET);

	// instantiating signer
	$sha1_method = new OAuthSignatureMethod_HMAC_SHA1();

	// user's token
	list($oauth_token, $oauth_token_secret) = explode('|', $GLOBALS['user']['password']);
	$token = new OAuthConsumer($oauth_token, $oauth_token_secret);

	// Generate all the OAuth parameters needed
	$signingURL = 'https://api.twitter.com/1/account/verify_credentials.json';
	$request = OAuthRequest::from_consumer_and_token($consumer, $token, 'GET', $signingURL, array());
	$request-&gt;sign_request($sha1_method, $consumer, $token);

	$header[1] .= ", oauth_consumer_key="" . $request-&gt;get_parameter('oauth_consumer_key') .""";
	$header[1] .= ", oauth_signature_method="" . $request-&gt;get_parameter('oauth_signature_method') .""";
	$header[1] .= ", oauth_token="" . $request-&gt;get_parameter('oauth_token') .""";
	$header[1] .= ", oauth_timestamp="" . $request-&gt;get_parameter('oauth_timestamp') .""";
	$header[1] .= ", oauth_nonce="" . $request-&gt;get_parameter('oauth_nonce') .""";
	$header[1] .= ", oauth_version="" . $request-&gt;get_parameter('oauth_version') .""";
	$header[1] .= ", oauth_signature="" . urlencode($request-&gt;get_parameter('oauth_signature')) .""";

	//open connection
	$ch = curl_init();

	//Set paramaters
	curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $header);
	curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, TRUE);
	curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER, 0);

	//set the url, number of POST vars, POST data
	curl_setopt($ch,CURLOPT_URL,$twitrpURL);

	//TwitPic requires the data to be sent as POST
	$media_data = array(
	    'media' =&gt; '@'.$_FILES['media']['tmp_name'],
	    'message' =&gt; ' ' . stripslashes($_POST['message']), //A space is needed because twitpic b0rks if first char is an @
	//'key'=&gt;TWITPIC_API_KEY
	);

	curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, true);
	curl_setopt($ch,CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS,$media_data);

	//execute post
	$result = curl_exec($ch);
	$response_info=curl_getinfo($ch);

	//close connection
	curl_close($ch);

	if ($response_info['http_code'] == 200) { //Success
	    //Decode the response
	    $xml = json_decode($result);
	    $id = $xml-&gt;id;
	    $twitrpURL = $xml-&gt;url;
	    $text = $xml-&gt;text;
	    $message = trim($text) . " " . $twitrpURL;

	    //Send the user's message to twitter
	    $request = API_URL.'statuses/update.json';

	    $post_data = array('source' =&gt; 'dabr', 'status' =&gt; $message);
	    $status = twitter_process($request, $post_data);

	    //Back to the timeline
	    twitter_refresh("twitrp/confirm/$id");
	}
	else {
	    $content = "Twitrp upload failed. No idea why!";
	    $content .=  "";
	    $xml = json_decode($result);
	    $content .= "<b>message</b> " . urlencode($_POST['message']);
	    $content .= "<b>xml</b> " . print_r($xml);
	    $content .= "<b>Response</b> " . print_r($response_info);
	    $content .= "<b>header</b> " . print_r($header);
	    $content .= "<b>media_data</b> " . print_r($media_data);
	    $content .= "<b>URL was</b> " . $twitrpURL;
	    $content .= "<b>File uploaded was</b> " . $_FILES['media']['tmp_name'];
	    $content .= "";
	}
    }
    elseif ($query[1] == 'confirm') {
	$content = "Upload success. Image posted to Twitter.";
    }
    else {
	$content = "Image Message (optional):110";
	$content .= js_counter("message", "110");
    }

    return theme('page', 'Twitrp Upload', $content);
}

}

2011-03-30 10:25

Terence Eden says:

Probably best to post the error messages you are getting.

Reply

2011-03-31 11:06

Rudolf Pietersma says:

This is what I'm getting:

Array ( [url] => http://twitrp.com/drippic2/upload [content_type] => text/xml [http_code] => 200 [header_size] => 758 [request_size] => 652 [filetime] => -1 [ssl_verify_result] => 0 [redirect_count] => 0 [total_time] => 1.853142 [namelookup_time] => 0.004088 [connect_time] => 0.004235 [pretransfer_time] => 0.004239 [size_upload] => 88922 [size_download] => 129 [speed_download] => 69 [speed_upload] => 47984 [download_content_length] => 0 [upload_content_length] => 88922 [starttransfer_time] => 0.007135 [redirect_time] => 0 ) Array ( [0] => X-Auth-Service-Provider: https://api.twitter.com/1/account/verify_credentials.json [1] => X-Verify-Credentials-Authorization: OAuth realm="http://api.twitter.com/", oauth_consumer_key="oYZMHa63wTaotuDlWA7A", oauth_signature_method="HMAC-SHA1", oauth_token="34570110-ae12Ki4vGKDog7kfsKJFSUitPb4lVxzLqlxobeKc", oauth_timestamp="1301565933", oauth_nonce="68c3b2306886d8e5c44e4f9e28da55df", oauth_version="1.0", oauth_signature="vDciGS4MpaNMT%2BQBqcbky1AH%2B8I%3D" ) Array ( [media] => @/var/www/clients/client1/web55/tmp/phpAliKL0 [message] => Hond ) Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /var/www/clients/client1/web55/web/common/twitter.php:439) in /var/www/clients/client1/web55/web/common/theme.php on line 143 rudolfpi | home | replies | directs | search | favourites | followers | friends | twitpic | twitrp | trends | lists | settings | about | logout Twitrp upload failed. No idea why!

message Hond xml 1 Response 1 header 1 media_data 1 URL was http://twitrp.com/drippic2/upload File uploaded was /var/www/clients/client1/web55/tmp/phpAliKL0

Reply
2011-04-06 14:44

Rudolf Pietersma says:

Any ideas?

Reply
2011-05-10 18:11

Charlie says:

I'm getting the error:

{“errors”:[{"code":400,"message":"Bad Request. Media not included in POST payload."}]}

Are there any limitations on matching up keys between Twitter and TwitPic, or on what tokens and token secrets can be used on behalf of the user?

Reply
1. 2011-05-11 15:34
  
  Terence Eden says:
  
  That message seems to indicate you didn't send them the picture. As for the tokens, suggest you read the documentation or speak to TwitPic directly.
  
  Reply
2011-05-13 09:34

kees fekkes says:

Thanks very much for this Terence, it works.

However, when I use the uploadAndPost.Json , the image is uploaded but no tweet is generated towards Twitter.

Do you have any experience with this method ?

Reply
1. 2011-05-13 16:46
  
  Terence Eden says:
  
  I've not used it. Sorry.
  
  Reply
2. 2011-05-15 13:58
  
  Terence Eden says:
  
  uploadAndPost is outdated - see the latest documentation http://dev.twitpic.com/docs/
  
  Reply
2011-12-05 09:20

Joel gathoni says:

Wat about lockerz,yfrog php codes?

Reply
1. 2011-12-05 09:54
  
  Terence Eden says:
  
  I don't know. Sorry. Check with those sites for their requirements.
  
  Reply

2011-12-05 09:57

Rudolf Pietersma says:

Here's the code for twic.li

function twitter_uploadpicture_page($query) { if (user_type() == 'oauth') { //Has the user submitted an image and message? if ($_POST['message']) { $messages = stripslashes($_POST['message']); $serviceURL = 'http://twic.li/photos/upload.json';

	//Set the initial headers
	$header = array(
	    'X-Auth-Service-Provider: https://api.twitter.com/1/account/verify_credentials.json',
	    'X-Verify-Credentials-Authorization: OAuth realm="http://api.twitter.com/"'
	);

	//Using Abraham's OAuth library
	require_once('OAuth.php');

	// instantiating OAuth customer
	$consumer = new OAuthConsumer(OAUTH_CONSUMER_KEY, OAUTH_CONSUMER_SECRET);

	// instantiating signer
	$sha1_method = new OAuthSignatureMethod_HMAC_SHA1();

	// user's token
	list($oauth_token, $oauth_token_secret) = explode('|', $GLOBALS['user']['password']);
	$token = new OAuthConsumer($oauth_token, $oauth_token_secret);

	// Generate all the OAuth parameters needed
	$signingURL = 'https://api.twitter.com/1/account/verify_credentials.json';
	$request = OAuthRequest::from_consumer_and_token($consumer, $token, 'GET', $signingURL, array());
	$request->sign_request($sha1_method, $consumer, $token);

	$header[1] .= ", oauth_consumer_key="" . $request->get_parameter('oauth_consumer_key') .""";
	$header[1] .= ", oauth_signature_method="" . $request->get_parameter('oauth_signature_method') .""";
	$header[1] .= ", oauth_token="" . $request->get_parameter('oauth_token') .""";
	$header[1] .= ", oauth_timestamp="" . $request->get_parameter('oauth_timestamp') .""";
	$header[1] .= ", oauth_nonce="" . $request->get_parameter('oauth_nonce') .""";
	$header[1] .= ", oauth_version="" . $request->get_parameter('oauth_version') .""";
	$header[1] .= ", oauth_signature="" . urlencode($request->get_parameter('oauth_signature')) .""";

	//open connection
	$ch = curl_init();

	//Set paramaters
	curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, $header);
	curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, TRUE);
	curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_SSL_VERIFYPEER, 0);

	//set the url, number of POST vars, POST data
	curl_setopt($ch,CURLOPT_URL,$serviceURL);

	$media_data = array(
	    'media' => '@'.$_FILES['media']['tmp_name'],
	    'message' => ' ' . $messages, //A space is needed because twitpic b0rks if first char is an @
	    'key'=>TWICLI_API_KEY
	);

	curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POST, true);
	curl_setopt($ch,CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS,$media_data);

	//execute post
	$result = curl_exec($ch);
	$response_info=curl_getinfo($ch);

	//close connection
	curl_close($ch);

	if ($response_info['http_code'] == 200) { //Success
	    //Decode the response
	    $json = json_decode($result);
	    $id = $json->slug;
	    $imgurl = $json->mediaurl;
	    $message = trim($messages) . " " . $imgurl;
	    //Send the user's message to twitter
	    $request = API_URL.'statuses/update.json';

	    $post_data = array('source' => 'Rupi', 'status' => $message);
	    $status = twitter_process($request, $post_data);

	    //Back to the timeline
	    twitter_refresh("upload picture/confirm/$id");
	}
	else {
	    $content = "twic.li upload failed. No idea why!";
	    $content .=  "";
	    $json = json_decode($result);
	    $content .= "<b>message</b> " . urlencode($_POST['message']);
	    $content .= "<b>json</b> " . print_r($json);
	    $content .= "<b>Response</b> " . print_r($response_info);
	    $content .= "<b>header</b> " . print_r($header);
	    $content .= "<b>media_data</b> " . print_r($media_data);
	    $content .= "<b>URL was</b> " . $serviceURL;
	    $content .= "<b>File uploaded was</b> " . $_FILES['media']['tmp_name'];
	    $content .= "";
	}
    }
    elseif ($query[1] == 'confirm') {
	// because the thumbnail is big enough, I think better using the Sencha.io again. :)
	$content = "Upload success. Image posted to Twitter.
	";
    }
    else {
	$content = "Image Message (optional):110";
	$content .= js_counter("message", "110");
    }

    return theme('page', 'Twic.li Upload', $content);
}

}

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2010-07-10 18:05

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25 thoughts on “HOWTO: Twitpic and OAuth”

shakoor says:

Terence Eden says:

shakoor says:

Ralph says:

Rafael Dourado says:

Carla says:

Dennis says:

adhi says:

Terence Eden says:

adhi says:

Ratna Laurentina says:

Ratna Laurentina says:

Rudolf Pietersma says:

Terence Eden says:

Rudolf Pietersma says:

Rudolf Pietersma says:

Charlie says:

Terence Eden says:

kees fekkes says:

Terence Eden says:

Terence Eden says:

Joel gathoni says:

Terence Eden says:

Rudolf Pietersma says:

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