Status Updater
For each new post published, the Status Updater plugin updates the status / or profile of the desired social network. Current update options include: Facebook status, Facebook shared link, Facebook page wall, Facebook group wall, Twitter status, Myspace status.
If you use social networks for promoting your blog posts, this plugin (should) save you a lot of work.
Latest news
February 5, 2010: Facebook changed the user interface today. Chances the plugin stops working are near 99.9%, please wait for the next version, coming as soon as possible.
Requirements
- A wordpress blog hosted somewhere :)
- Php 4 or higher
- Curl library
- In order for the cron job simulator to work, your theme must use the wp_footer function correctly (it is mandatory in themes, but you never know if the theme is standard compliant)
Installation
- Unzip and upload ‘fb-status-updater’ directory to your ‘/wp-content/plugins/’ directory
- Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in the Admin panel
- Fill required data in the plugin options page
- Ensure the fbSessionData.txt file, in the /wp-content/plugins/fb-status-updater/ directory is writable from PHP
Features
- You might set up basic options and let the plugin run every time you publish a new post (or every time a scheduled in the future post becomes available) or, by activating the “Advanced status composition” option, fine tune how and where to push each post
- Update a Facebook profile status
- Update a Facebook Fan Page status
- Share the post as link, with title, summary and a picture, on a Facebook profile
- Share the post as link, with title, summary and a picture, on a Facebook fan page wall
- Update the Twitter status
- Use your favourite link shortener service with the Twitter Status
- Update a Myspace profile status
- Edit the status “template”. The pushed status is usually made by 2 tokens: post title and post url. You can change the order of the 2 tokens as you like, as well as add any other work/char. Example:
Hey did you know %POST-TITLE% -> %POST-URL%
Enhancements / todo list
- update a Facebook Group wall
- share the post as link on a Facebook Group wall
- add Stumble up on as share option
- add Linkedin as share option
- add tinyurl, http://yourls.org/ to the available shortener services
- find a way to store FB login credentials in a place where other plugins do not have access to
Changelog
- 1.5.6 the plugin was not updating Facebook pages and Myspace profile anymore, solved
- 1.5.3 “the plugin was not working on windows servers” bug fixed, “in some cases the post image wasn’t cought correctly, if not specified in the custom fields” bug fixed, “facebook asking for date of birth to confirm account” issue fixed
- 1.5.2 tr.im bug fixed, “facebook is asking for captcha a little too much” bug fixed
- 1.5.1 custom image not stored along with the post bug fixed, “header cannot be sent…” bug fixed
- 1.5 better user interface, share as link on page wall option available, choose your favourite url shortener service, many bugs solved
- 1.4 Myspace status update, Facebook share as link
- 1.3.2 removed the plugin activation function that screwed up on so much environments; minor bugs fixed; decide from the advanced section if a specific article should be sent to both social networks or just one, the one you want; “Facebook not updating” issue with debug; “share as facebook link” request not yet implemented, I know you’re waiting for it
- 1.3 url shortener service on j.mp (if your server has the php json library, otherwise on is.gd); different status for facebook/twitter with advanced options; facebook group wall support; strict control on wall id fields (more difficult for users now not understanding that a wall id is not a url); default status template: decide where you want the url, the title and any other word/char
- 1.2.3 plugin activation bug solved
- 1.2.2 some more bugs fixed
- 1.2.1 some more bugs fixed
- 1.2 minor fixes + cron job for posts published in the future + twitter status update
- 1.1 log email format issue solved, added one more wall to post to, send one post just one time
- 1.0 First public release
Download
Download the Facebook Status Updater plugin now!
Previous versions
Issues
- If your Facebook password contains the + symbol, the plugin won’t be able to login. You should choose a different password that might contain other symbols. Currently working on this issue but can’t say when it will be solved.
Security Issues
Using this plugin might bring some security issues to your Facebook account. Please read carefully.
The Fb Status Updater plugin stores your Facebook login credentials into your own wordpress database (that’s how wordpress can use your Facebook account each time you publish a post).
If you believe your wordpress database is not a safe place to store such data (if someone else beyond you has access to it, if you think an hacker can somehow connect to it and see its data), do not use this plugin.
If you think your own database is safe, please note that any wordpress plugin can access the wordpress database. If you plan to try and install many new plugins and don’t exactly know what they do, do not use this plugin because a malicious one could just sniff your FB authentication data and send it by email everywhere.
The Fb Status Updater plugin itself should be safe, it all depends on the environment it is asked to work.
If this is not clear or if you have any doubt, feel free to leave a comment (and subscribe to rss comment in order to read the reply :))
I just posted a new blog and went and gave 755 permissions to fbSessionData.txt and it still giving me a warning in the settings area. I am just wondering if what I did was the right thing to do. Thanks. :)
Sorry to disturb you again.
Giving me file permission error I have given the file 777 but this time it is not working please take a look
Php/Wordpress cannot write into this file: :fbSessionData.txt. Please ensure PHP has the correct permissions set to write and update that file. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, please contact your server admin / webmaster. If you don’t want to see this message every time you publish a new post while you try solving the problem, just disable this plugin. More about file permissions on Wordpress
Awesome Plugin! I’m using on three different blogs so I just sent you a donation to say thank you. Quick question: I’m familiar with how to change permissions, I’ve done it many times but for some reason when I try to push a status I’m getting the nag screen.
I changed permission to 755 and 777 and still get the problem. I made sure that the folder its in is also 775 but I’m still getting the error. Any suggestions?
There seems to be a new problem now. with the file permissions.
I have changed them all the way up to 777 and it still gets an error
version 1.5.4?
Hi:
Have there been any issues reported about picture captions in Facebook? I’m getting the html showing-up in my posts (the picture has a caption and the picture itself has an embedded link). It doesn’t post the picture itself unless I manually tell it where the pic is located and even then, it still shows the html:
[caption id="attachment_384" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Caption Text Would Be Here"][/caption]
Thanks…
I just popped in to see if you had responded, noticed that my comment was still awaiting moderation but I see that you answered Kathleens so I updated to 1.5.4 and am no longer having the problem. Thank you!!
Hi,
I have been looking for this type of plugin, but I’m afraid that the Curl library thing seems a bit too complicated. I’m not sure I understand how to fix that…
@everyone: comments need to be approved just because askimet is not blocking the huge amount fo spam this blog is getting :)
I was a away yesterday night and couldn’t immediately fix the path issue. Sorry about that… as soon as I got home I fixed it and uploaded the new version. My fault, I should have triple checked that thing before releasing it. Now it should be pretty stable.
@Stellan Don’t understand what you mean…
@Pat I’m looking into that… later. Thanks
Hi !
Since a few days, the “Status Updater” admin box doesn’t displays on the “New post” interface. I have updated to 1.5.4 but that doesn’t work anymore.
Any ideas ?
Thanks,
Loic.
@Looic
Errr… no. Which WP version are you using?
2.8.5 :-(
In which PHP file could I put a printf(“hello”) in the plugin code, to try to guess why the plugin box doesn’t displays ?
I have another problem, I don’t know if it’s linked, the Facebook doesn’t updates anymore but in the setting configuration, the “try to login” works well. The twitter update works.
Beuuuuuuuu :-( :-( :-(
@Looic
The only place where the word “hello” is written in a plugin file is in the explanation part of the inc-fb-status-option.php line 525:
happen until a visitor says hello :)The only thing I can think of, with these information, is a kind of conflict with another plugin…
What does the log email says as reason for the update going wrong?
Hi, I found the problem. That was me : the “advanced edit status” checkbox… was not checked. :-(
Any Idea on the lengthly posts? Is anyone else having a problem when you post a new article, it takes a few minutes to post?
I have not fully tested this, but I have just downloaded a wordpress iphone app. I love the idea of posting from my phone. Is there anyway to have status updater post to facebook for those entries? I realize there is the cron (is that a true linux cron, or just a script that is launched by user activity on the site)
@Chris
Just publish the post one minute in the future and the cron will push it to social network. As written everywhere in the plugin info, it’s a cron simulation: a function triggered to the wp_footer() action, performed by users browsing your site.
The ignore_user_abort(true); instruction should allow the pushing process to end even if the user goes to another page before the process is ended.
Never happened to me to wait more than 30 seconds while pushing to all available options.
Devu,
Like you told me, I added
$postUrl .= “#utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=facebook”;
Just after the following block in inc-fb-status-updater
if ($fbLongUrl) {
$postUrl = get_permalink($post_ID);
} else {
$postUrl = get_bloginfo(“wpurl”).”/?p=”.$post_ID;
}
In that, in order to automatically add #utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=facebook at the end of all my urls in Facebook (so I can track it on Google Analytics).
Do you have any idea why it only adds “#utm_source=facebook” and not the rest of the appendix ? I already tried with & instead of &.
Note : I’m using bit.ly shortener service.
I mean I already tried to use & and & amp ; (without spaces)
I just tried the 1.5.4 update and the login/status update problems I was having seem to have been solved with this version. :-) Thanks man. :-)
Oops, actually, no it only posted to the profile, not to my page, I see this error in the log: There was an error while assemblig parameters to share the link on the facebook page.
userId: [redacted] pageId: [] composerId: [] postFormId: [redacted] fb_dtsg: gdetA]
Wait, hang on, my bad. Duh, I actually pasted SOMEONE ELSE’S Facebook Page URL into my settings, that’s why 1.5.4 gave me an error. It’s a good thing I rechecked it. I put the correct URL in and all IS in fact well. :-D
Actually, I have to retract my retraction. For some reason, the second time I tried to post, even with the correct page filled in it would not post to my page and it gave me an error. :-(
1.5.4 is breaking WP MU. You can log into the root of a MU install (ex website.com) but once you enter your login credentials at a subdomin, the page loads blank (ie subdomain.website.com).
@Julien
The shortener service is used only for twitter.
Try this:
$postUrl .= urlencode("#utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=facebook");
@B.
You should activate the “Debug facebook update” and send me the full huge log email, just once: fcastaldo@gmail.com.
I’m pretty busy this week and my responses are slower than usual, sorry.
@David
I think the page loads blank because there’s some error in the php, and php.ini is set so that errors are not displayed. Any chance to have the php error log?
This is detecting my blog address incorrectly. The WP admin is at a location http://www.domain.com/blogname/wp-admin but the blog is actually blog.domain.com. The plugin is detecting the admin URL and creating links as http://www.domian.com/?P1 which won’t work. There needs to be a way to specify the blog root or domain in the config so tht the links are usable.
Just got this
Hey,
a new post has been published on your blog and the Status Updater plugin attempted to push it on social networks.
There was an error while assemblig parameters to share the link on the facebook page.
userId: [] pageId: [] composerId: [] postFormId: [] fb_dtsg: ]
Doesn’t help me know if it’s the plug in or my entered data. Any ideas?
Hi Devu:
Is the problem I’m having here:
http://www.francesco-castaldo.com/plugins-and-widgets/fb-status-updater/comment-page-6/#comment-7545
something your going to get to in another revision, or something very soon?
Thanks…
Hi,
I having trouble with your plugin. It was working fine but now it wont let me access the settings page.
Could you please suggest how I can correct this
Cheers
Chris Tuck
This plugin worked first two times for me ..and suddenly stop working?
I’ve just started to receive this error too. Was working fine before :(
@B.
I am actually seeing the same issue over the last couple of days. The first post worked fine posting to facebook. Everyone after has failed with a similar error :(
New error with facebook (page).
I send you the Debug Mail yesterday
Ok thanks everyone. Later this afternoon (CET) I’ll have some free time and I’ll see what happened with the plugin.
Having the same problem like above since a few days, too. I wanted to write you an email but found others are having trouble too and you are already working on it.
Have you already found a solution? :)
Anyway, thanks for the great plugin!
It will not send as link to my page on works as status. It will post link to home profile as default regardless if page only s checked. Please advis.
Also it was woking fine and quit. Since then I no longer see the thumbnail when manualy linking on my facebook page.
Thanks,
What happen to the group settings for Status Updater? With the new version I no longer see how to update my Facebook Group wall as there is no settings for WP groups. Module is great but the entire purpose us using it was for the groups.
*FB groups.
any Update ?
Love this plugin. All was running fine until I upgraded to version 1.5.4 and now it is not updating anything or sending me an email. I have checked everything and all log ins are right, checked to verify Facebook and it confirmed the connection. I did just add my birthday in to see if that is it.
I’m not super techie, so not sure if I am missing something but would love to check it out and resolve. Thanks!
I just tried it again using the Advanced settings to select options for my post and it is still not working. Help! Should I try reinstalling and maybe go back to the earlier version? Thanks!
I tested a solution with one of the plugin beta testers and it seems to work. I’m uploading the new release later this evening.
For everyone who wants to use the previous version, you’ll find it here: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/fb-status-updater/download/
Is it something I am doing or need to do? I can’t figure out for the life of me what would have changed? Thanks.
@devu
I get this error everytime I do an update now –
Fatal error: Allowed memory size of 33554432 bytes exhausted (tried to allocate 190321 bytes) in /home/public_html/wp-content/plugins/fb-status-updater/inc-fb-status-updater.php on line 852
But things “seem” to be posting OK… any ideas?
@Jim
That’s a wordpress error that has been tracked somethere… you need to edit your /wp-settings.php file, line 16:
define(‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ‘32M’);
change it to
define(‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ‘64M’);
ah, top man, i thought i had done that previously, but I hadn’t!
Will report back if errors.
Do you know if its possible to make the post to Facebook but use a bit.ly style service for the links? They are a nice quick simple way to track the links popularity…
Really good plugin, thanks a lot for it :D
Mine is still not posting. I downloaded the new version last night. Any assistance ideas? Thanks!
I’m not getting the updates by email and it’s giving me a post ID number. Not sure where I would find an error code?
Can someone explain to me how to get this application to post to my group please?
Also is it possible to have my group post be updated on all fans of my group. I current have over 1,000 fans and want to be able to update my WP posts and in turn update my group post and if at all possible have that send to all fans of my group.
Is any of this possible?
I uploaded the directory into the plug-ins directory but it doesn’t show up in the plugins admin pane.
??