Facebook Connector returns #NULL! errors

satsanga · September 12, 2016, 8:58am

Hi, I have built a social media dashboard using the social connectors of SEOtools. Since a week or 2, the Facebook connector shows the #NULL! error for 'like_count', 'comment_count', 'click_count', 'share_count' and 'total_count'. (I have the Pro version installed v.5.1.4)
Is this something that can be fixed? Thanks!

diskborste · September 12, 2016, 9:19am

Unfortunately, FB has updated their API and individual like/comment/share requests are not available. You can use the following to get the aggregate of the aforementioned variables:

=JsonPathOnUrl(CONCATENATE("http://graph.facebook.com/?id=";A2);"share.share_count")

Where A2 is the cell with the URL.

satsanga · September 12, 2016, 11:59am

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, the formula returns blank cell..... I will research this some more.

diskborste · September 12, 2016, 7:06pm

Did you try replacing the ";" characters with ","?

satsanga · September 13, 2016, 5:38am

I did
My formula: =JsonPathOnUrl(CONCATENATE("http://graph.facebook.com/?id=",A126),"share.share_count")

diskborste · September 15, 2016, 9:28am

Weird, what happens when you visit the following URL in a browser?

http://graph.facebook.com/?id=http://www.notified.com

Does it give you a Json response?

satsanga · September 15, 2016, 12:30pm

See attachment screenshot

diskborste · September 15, 2016, 12:53pm

Weird, did you try Concat instead of Concatenate?

What happens if you try: =JsonPathOnUrl("http://graph.facebook.com/?id=http://www.notified.com","share.share_count")

satsanga · September 15, 2016, 1:01pm

=JsonPathOnUrl(CONCAT("http://graph.facebook.com/?id=",A126),"share.share_count")
returns a #VALUE! error

=JsonPathOnUrl("http://graph.facebook.com/?id=http://www.notified.com","share.share_count")
returns '5' So that works! For facebook shares.... but can JSON generate the likes of a fb page?

Sorry I just got somewhat comfortable with the XPath syntax, JSON is new for me

diskborste · September 15, 2016, 1:13pm

Json can generate the likes count and any value that is available in the Json page. Unfortunately, Facebook has removed the like count of external URL:s.

nielsbosma · September 17, 2016, 12:23pm

I've made a new connector that replaces some of the previous functionality:

github.com

nielsbosma/SeoTools-for-Excel-Connectors/blob/master/Facebook.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<Suite Title="Facebook" RequireVersion="8.1" Id="Facebook" Category="Social" SourceUrl="https://github.com/nielsbosma/SeoTools-for-Excel-Connectors/blob/master/Facebook.xml" HelpUrl="http://seotoolsforexcel.com/facebook/" HelpText="Documentation">

  <Author Name="Victor" Url="http://community.seotoolsforexcel.com/users/diskborste/activity"/>

	<BrowserAuthenticator AuthUrl="https://www.facebook.com/v3.1/dialog/oauth?client_id=1305465169512905&amp;response_type=token&amp;redirect_uri=https://www.facebook.com/connect/login_success.html" StayAuthenticated="false" QueryParameter="access_token"/>

  <Resources>
    <Resource Id="Fail">
      <Fail>
				<JsonPath Expr="error.message"/>
      </Fail>
    </Resource>
  </Resources>

  <RestConnector Id="PagesLookup" Title="Page Lookup" HelpText="https://developers.facebook.com/docs/graph-api/reference/page/">
    <Parameters>
      <Text Id="Ids" Title="Page Ids (one per row)" Debug.DefaultValue="56796081303" Required="true" Multiline="true"/>
    </Parameters>
    <Batch Parameter="Ids" Separator="\n" ItemsPerBatch="50"/>

This file has been truncated. show original

(Put the Facebook.xml in your connectors folder and restart Excel)

nielsbosma · September 17, 2016, 2:12pm

Or just get the latest beta Looking for SeoTools 6.0 beta testers! (updated 2016-11-03)

satsanga · September 17, 2016, 6:03pm

Thanks Niels, I will download it and give it a try.

scottsv · September 26, 2016, 1:20pm

Hi guys, does anyone have a link to an announcement or article that refers to this Facebook API change? I've looked but can't find anything.

Also - does "shares" now encompass all engagements (shares, reactions etc)?

Thanks!

nielsbosma · September 28, 2016, 6:35pm

They announced it with an error message:

I think share = number of times it's been shared on facebook. I don't think Facebook is sharing like for urls anymore.

diskborste · September 29, 2016, 8:33am

"Shares" are equal to the sum of shares, likes, and comments. I've compared the new share value to my earlier extractions of the individual values and they are equal.