Publishing to Facebook Wall

This page was originally written for the 2.x branch of Drupal for Facebook. You're probably using the 3.x branch (or later). The 3.x branch includes a file, modules/fb/contrib/fb_example.module, with code showing the updated API for fb_stream_publish_dialog(). Some of the information that follows is out of date.

Facebook provides a Stream API for publishing content to "streams". These streams include user and page Walls, and also allows you update a user's status. Read Facebook's documentation to get a sense of everything that's possible using these APIs.

Drupal for Facebook includes a module, fb_stream.module, to simplify publishing to Facebook Streams.

fb_stream_publish_dialog()

The fb_stream_publish_dialog() function presents the user with a dialog box. This form allows them to make edits to the content before it is published to their wall, or to skip publishing entirely.

The parameters expected by fb_stream_publish_dialog() closely mirror the parameters expected by FB.Connect.streamPublish (Connect pages) and Facebook.streamPublish (Canvas pages). Consult that documentation for complete details. Note that fb_stream_publish_dialog() function for both Connect and Canvas page apps.

You may call fb_stream_publish_dialog() from any of Drupal's hooks. Use PHP code to compose the messages and control when they are published. Below is an example, from a module called dff_custom. This code is used on the drupalforfacebook.org forums.

/**
 * Implementation of hook_form_alter.
 *
 * Adds a checkbox to node edit and comment forms.  This checkbox lets
 * facebook users know that content may be published to their Wall,
 * and gives them a chance to prevent that.
 */
function dff_custom_form_alter(&$form, $form_state, $form_id) {

  if (isset($GLOBALS['_fb']) && fb_facebook_user()) {
    if ($form['#id'] == 'node-form') {
      // Add checkbox to control feed publish.
      $form['dff_custom']['stream_publish'] = array(
        '#type' => 'checkbox',
        '#title' => 'Share on Facebook',
        '#default_value' => TRUE,
      );
    }
    else if ($form['form_id']['#value'] == 'comment_form') {
      // Add checkbox to control feed publish.
      $form['dff_custom']['stream_publish'] = array(
        '#type' => 'checkbox',
        '#title' => 'Share on Facebook',
        '#default_value' => TRUE,
      );
    }
  }

}

/**
 * Implementation of hook_nodeapi().
 *
 * Publish to facebook Walls when users submit nodes.
 */
function dff_custom_nodeapi(&$node, $op, $a3 = NULL, $a4 = NULL) {
  if ($op == 'insert' || $op == 'update') {
    if (isset($node->stream_publish) && $node->stream_publish) {
      //dpm($node, "dff_custom_nodeapi, publishing to stream");
      // http://wiki.developers.facebook.com/index.php/Attachment_(Streams)
      $attachment = array(
        'name' => $node->title,
        'href' => url('node/' . $node->nid, array('absolute' => TRUE)),
        'description' => $node->teaser,
      );

      $user_message = t('Check out my latest post on !site...',
                        array('!site' => variable_get('site_name', t('my Drupal for Facebook powered site'))));
      $actions = array();
      $actions[] = array('text' => t('Read More'),
                         'href' => url('node/'.$node->nid, array('absolute' => TRUE)),
      );
      fb_stream_publish_dialog(array('user_message' => $user_message,
                                     'attachment' => $attachment,
                                     'action_links' => $actions,
                               ));
    }
  }


}

/**
 * Implementation of hook_comment().
 *
 * Publish to facebook Walls when users submit comments.
 */
function dff_custom_comment(&$a1, $op) {
  if ($op == 'insert' || $op == 'update') {
    if ($a1['stream_publish']) {
      //dpm($a1, "dff_custom_comment, publishing to stream");
      $node = node_load($a1['nid']);
      
      // http://wiki.developers.facebook.com/index.php/Attachment_(Streams)
      $attachment = array(
        'name' => $a1['subject'],
        'href' => url('node/' . $a1['nid'], array('absolute' => TRUE, 'fragment' => 'comment-' . $a1['cid'])),
        'description' => $a1['comment'],
        'properties' => array(t('In reply to') => array('text' => $node->title, 'href' => url("node/" . $node->nid, array('absolute' => TRUE)))),
      );

      $user_message = t('Check out my latest comment on !site...',
                        array('!site' => variable_get('site_name', t('my Drupal for Facebook powered site'))));
      $actions = array();
      $actions[] = array('text' => t('Read More'),
                         'href' => url('node/'.$a1['nid'], array('absolute' => TRUE)),
      );
      fb_stream_publish_dialog(array('user_message' => $user_message,
                                     'attachment' => $attachment,
                                     'action_links' => $actions,
                               ));
    }
  }
 
}