Q100096: [Connections] Facebook

The Facebook Connection is a definition which tells a module, how to connect to and communicate with a Facebook account. Connections can either be entered directly into the parameter in the module, or can be centrally managed through the global connections tool. If you will be using the same connection in different modules, it is much easier to manage the connection information by creating a global connection. Whether you use a locally defined value in each SQL Server module, or use the global definitions for your Facebook based modules, the format of the connection value is the same for both.

If you use the global connection manager, you will see that as soon as you create a new entry, it will provide you a template for starting your Facebook Connection definition. It would look like the example below.

Token=<token>;

We see from this that the connection needs a single value for one setting. It needs the value for the Token setting which you can gather by following the steps below if you are not already familiar with how to do so.

Getting Facebook Coonfiguration Values

To get a token for use with a Facebook account, the account must first be signed up as a developer.

Setup developer account

• While signed in to the Facebook account you want to use, register as a developer at https://developers.facebook.com/async/registration/.
• When prompted enter mobile phone number to receive a verification text.
• When prompted enter an email address and verify a primary email address.
• When prompted "Which of the following best describes you?" click which seems suitable for you or your organization.
• Click Complete Registration and next follow the steps to create an app / page.

Create a Facebook app

• While signed into Facebook, navigate to https://developers.facebook.com/apps/.
• Click Create App.
• If prompted, What do you want your app to do?, select the option for "Other".
• When prompted, select Business.
• Enter an app name, such as MessageConnector, verify email, and click create app.
• You should now be taken to the Dashboard for your app. Be certain to note the App ID in the toolbar area.

Go to the Graph API explorer

• While signed into Facebook, navigate to https://developers.facebook.com/tools/explorer.
• On right, verify that your app is selected, and under User or Page, click Get Page Access Token.
• Select the page you wish JobServer to post to, or choose the "Opt in to all current and future Pages" option and click Next / Continue. Then click Done / Save.
• Add the permission pages_manage_posts.
• Add the permission publish_to_groups permission.
• Click Generate Access Token and then click Continue.
• Under User or Page, select the page under Page Access Tokens.
• Click the copy icon under `Access Token`` to copy the value for the access token required for use with JobServer.