Query Facebook Data as a MySQL Database in Node.js

You can use the SQL Gateway from the ODBC Driver for Facebook to query Facebook data through a MySQL interface. Follow the procedure below to start the MySQL remoting service of the SQL Gateway and start querying using Node.js.

Connect to Facebook Data

If you have not already done so, provide values for the required connection properties in the data source name (DSN). You can use the built-in Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator to configure the DSN. This is also the last step of the driver installation. See the "Getting Started" chapter in the help documentation for a guide to using the Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator to create and configure a DSN.

Most tables require user authentication as well as application authentication. Facebook uses the OAuth authentication standard. To authenticate to Facebook, you can use the embedded OAuthClientId, OAuthClientSecret, and CallbackURL or you can obtain your own by registering an app with Facebook.

See the Getting Started chapter of the help documentation for a guide to using OAuth.

Configure the SQL Gateway

See the SQL Gateway Overview to set up connectivity to Facebook data as a virtual MySQL database. You will configure a MySQL remoting service that listens for MySQL requests from clients. The service can be configured in the SQL Gateway UI.

Query Facebook from Node.js

The following example shows how to define a connection and execute queries to Facebook with the mysql module. You will need the following information:

• Host name or address, and port: The machine and port where the MySQL remoting service is listening for MySQL connections.
• Username and password: The username and password of a user you authorized on the Users tab of the SQL Gateway.
• Database name: The DSN you configured for the MySQL remoting service.

Connect to Facebook data and start executing queries with the code below:

var mysql      = require('mysql');
var connection = mysql.createConnection({
  host     : 'localhost',
  database : 'CData Facebook Sys',
  port	   : '3306',
  user     : 'mysql_user',
  password : 'test'
});
connection.connect();
connection.query('SELECT * FROM Posts', function(err, rows, fields) {
  if (err) throw err;
  console.log(rows);
});

connection.end();