Techsurvivors

Welcome to Techsurvivors => Tech => Topic started by: jwboyd on September 19, 2016, 09:45:11 AM

Title: Downloading Facebook posts
Post by: jwboyd on September 19, 2016, 09:45:11 AM
My question is "How can I download and store all of the comments from a Facebook post when there are a very large number of comments?"

You may have read recently about Ben Ellis, a teacher in Nashville who passed away from cancer last week.  A few days before he died, the entire student body from his school sang for him outside his window.  A video of their singing "went viral" after it was re-posted by country singer Tim McGraw.  According to his Facebook page, the video has been viewed 32 million times, and has over 48,000 comments.

The reason I'm asking is that Mr. Ellis' mother Colleen is a good friend of ours.  She asked if I could find a way to download and save the comments so she can read every single one.  The comments are wonderful and have been a source of comfort to her.

I have been able to download the first 5000 comments using the Facebook Graph API Explorer.  I did them 500 at a time and then cut and pasted them to a Word file.  But when I try to go past comment 5000, I get an error message.  I don't know if this is a hard limit in Facebook or if there's a way around it.  A little Googling suggests others have been able to access comments beyond 5000, but I can't see how to do it.

I think you can view the post at
https://www.facebook.com/TimMcGraw/videos/10154563454093556/

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Title: Downloading Facebook posts
Post by: gunug on September 19, 2016, 01:04:51 PM
I'm thinking I saw something about doing this on a Windows 10 website; not sure but I'll look in my history on that browser when I get home.  I need
to do this myself for saving a bunch of stuff on my deceased aunt's Facebook for her daughter who isn't a Facebook user; I'm cutting and pasting the pictures
just fine but some of the other stuff might be tougher! Of course anything on the screen is pretty easy to grab as a graphic!
Title: Downloading Facebook posts
Post by: Paddy on September 19, 2016, 07:03:53 PM
Jack, I don't know about the API, but FB has the ability to download all data. It's in the settings - at the bottom of the General page.

https://www.facebook.com/notes/terabug/down...50118571353989/

The owner of the account would have to do this, obviously.
Title: Downloading Facebook posts
Post by: Xairbusdriver on September 19, 2016, 08:31:07 PM
Not many useful comments in that link, Paddy. Mostly "this-doesn't-work-there-are-no-notes..." whining. OTOH, it is FB! rolleyes.gif

Since you've already found and used the FB Graph API Explorer., it might be quicker to search their dev forums and even post a question there or directly to FB techs.
Title: Downloading Facebook posts
Post by: jwboyd on September 22, 2016, 06:40:21 PM
I think the best suggestion is to look at
the Facebook developer forums, or try to ask Facebook directly.

Mr. Ellis' story has sure touched a lot of people.