Twitter REST API Method: direct_messages


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direct_messages

Returns a list of the 20 most recent direct messages sent to the authenticating user.  The XML and JSON versions include detailed information about the sending and recipient users.

method status | report a bug

 

URL:

http://api.twitter.com/1/direct_messages.format

 

Formats: 

xml, json, rss, atom 

 

HTTP Method(s):

GET

 

Requires Authentication (about authentication):

true

 

API rate limited (about rate limiting):

1 call per request

 

Parameters:

  • since_id Optional.  Returns only direct messages with an ID greater than (that is, more recent than) the specified ID.
    • Example: http://api.twitter.com/1/direct_messages.xml?since_id=12345
  • max_id. Optional.Returns only statuses with an ID less than (that is, older than) or equal to the specified ID.
    • Example: http://api.twitter.com/1/direct_messages.xml?max_id=54321
  • count.  Optional.  Specifies the number of statuses to retrieve. May not be greater than 200. 
    • Example: http://api.twitter.com/1/direct_messages.xml?count=200
  • page.  Optional. Specifies the page of direct messages to retrieve.
    • Example: http://api.twitter.com/1/direct_messages.xml?page=3

 

Response (about return values): 

          XML example (truncated):

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<direct-messages>

<direct_message>

<id>88619848</id>

<sender_id>1401881</sender_id>

<text>all your bases are belong to us.</text>

<recipient_id>7004322</recipient_id>

<created_at>Wed Apr 08 20:30:04 +0000 2009</created_at>

<sender_screen_name>dougw</sender_screen_name>

<recipient_screen_name>igudo</recipient_screen_name>

<sender>

<id>1401881</id>

<name>Doug Williams</name>

<screen_name>dougw</screen_name>

<location>San Francisco, CA</location>

<description>Twitter API Support. Internet, greed, users, dougw and opportunities are my passions.</description>

<profile_image_url>http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/59648642/avatar_normal.png</profile_image_url>

<url>http://www.igudo.com</url>

<protected>false</protected>

<followers_count>1036</followers_count>

<profile_background_color>9ae4e8</profile_background_color>

<profile_text_color>000000</profile_text_color>

<profile_link_color>0000ff</profile_link_color>

<profile_sidebar_fill_color>e0ff92</profile_sidebar_fill_color>

<profile_sidebar_border_color>87bc44</profile_sidebar_border_color>

<friends_count>290</friends_count>

<created_at>Sun Mar 18 06:42:26 +0000 2007</created_at>

<favourites_count>0</favourites_count>

<utc_offset>-18000</utc_offset>

<time_zone>Eastern Time (US & Canada)</time_zone>

<profile_background_image_url>http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_background_images/2752608/twitter_bg_grass.jpg</profile_background_image_url>

<profile_background_tile>false</profile_background_tile>

<statuses_count>3394</statuses_count>

<notifications>false</notifications>

<following>false</following>

<verified>true</verified>

</sender>

<recipient>

<id>7004322</id>

<name>Doug Williams</name>

<screen_name>igudo</screen_name>

<location>North Carolina</location>

<description>A character.</description>

<profile_image_url>http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/15446222/twitter_48_48_normal.jpg</profile_image_url>

<url>http://www.igudo.com</url>

<protected>false</protected>

<followers_count>19</followers_count>

<profile_background_color>69A1AA</profile_background_color>

<profile_text_color>000000</profile_text_color>

<profile_link_color>F00</profile_link_color>

<profile_sidebar_fill_color>ACBEC1</profile_sidebar_fill_color>

<profile_sidebar_border_color>8A8F85</profile_sidebar_border_color>

<friends_count>3</friends_count>

<created_at>Thu Jun 21 21:16:21 +0000 2007</created_at>

<favourites_count>0</favourites_count>

<utc_offset>-18000</utc_offset>

<time_zone>Eastern Time (US & Canada)</time_zone>

<profile_background_image_url>http://static.twitter.com/images/themes/theme1/bg.gif</profile_background_image_url>

<profile_background_tile>false</profile_background_tile>

<statuses_count>382</statuses_count>

<notifications>false</notifications>

<following>true</following>

<verified>true</verified>

</recipient>

</direct_message>

... truncated ...

</direct-messages>

 

 

Usage examples: 

cURL (about cURL):

curl -u user:password http://api.twitter.com/1/direct_messages.xml

 

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