Reply to Tweet with Tweepy - Python

Question

I can't seem to get tweepy to work with replying to a specific tweet:

auth = tweepy.OAuthHandler(CONSUMER_KEY, CONSUMER_SECRET)
auth.set_access_token(ACCESS_KEY, ACCESS_SECRET)

api = tweepy.API(auth)

### at this point I've grabbed the tweet and loaded it to JSON...

tweetId = tweet['results'][0]['id']

api.update_status('My status update',tweetId)

The api says it takes optional parameters and in_reply_to_status_id is the first, but it seems to be ignoring it altogether. This script will post an updated status, but it does not link it as a reply to the tweetId that I'm passing.

API for reference: http://code.google.com/p/tweepy/wiki/APIReference#update_status

Anyone have any ideas? I feel like I'm missing something simple here...

Thanks in advance.

Well then, it was something simple. I had to specify who the tweet was directed towards using the @ notation. api.update_status('My status update @whoIReplyTo',tweetId) — mcriecken, Feb 17 '12 at 03:52

score 38 · Answer 1 · edited Jul 19 '19 at 21:05

38

Just posting the solution so no someone else suffers the way I did. Twitter updated the API and added an option named auto_populate_reply_metadata

All you need to do is set that to true, and the leave the rest as should be. Here is a sample:

api.update_status(status = 'your reply', in_reply_to_status_id = tweetid , auto_populate_reply_metadata=True)

Also, the status_id is the long set of digits at the end of the tweet URL. Good Luck!

edited Jul 19 '19 at 21:05

George

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answered Jul 19 '19 at 19:46

Kanyesigye Akbr

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This probably should be the new answer. Thanks. – blitzblade Mar 09 '20 at 21:39
does this solution leave a comment in a tweet? can this function do "quote retweet"? – han shih Feb 12 '22 at 15:14

score 24 · Answer 2 · answered May 21 '12 at 00:36

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I ran into the same problem, but luckily I found the solution. You just need to include the user's screen_name in the tweet:

api.update_status('@<username> My status update', tweetId)

answered May 21 '12 at 00:36

Ibrahim Alghamdi

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Spent hours trying to figure out the problem and finally found this solution! Thanks! – thameera Aug 12 '12 at 17:49
Same problem here...this is the only answer which worked for me. Thank you buddy! – CoderOfTheNight Oct 25 '15 at 21:07
THnaks a lot buddy ! – Talk is Cheap Show me Code Apr 16 '20 at 20:04

score 18 · Answer 3 · edited Jul 24 '12 at 06:54

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You can also do

api.update_status("my update", in_reply_to_status_id = tweetid)

edited Jul 24 '12 at 06:54

bluish

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answered Feb 18 '12 at 21:37

Dave Kasper

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THis should be the best option – user3378649 Feb 23 '15 at 04:00
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This did not work for me. You do need to add the user's handle in the Tweet for it to be a reply. Otherwise it will count as a new Tweet from you, not a reply to an existent Tweet. – Diego Mora Cespedes Jan 28 '17 at 21:13
@DiegoMoraCespedes This is wrong (at least now it is). You have to add `auto_populate_reply_metadata=True` along with `in_reply_to_status_id`. This means that you *don't* have to add the user's handle in the Tweet in order for it to work. – pigeonburger Dec 11 '20 at 02:21

score 15 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 09 '12 at 21:52

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Well then, it was something simple. I had to specify who the tweet was directed towards using the @ notation.

api.update_status('My status update @whoIReplyTo',tweetId)

answered Nov 09 '12 at 21:52

mcriecken

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Worked first time. I was missing the tweet id number. Great question and answer - thanks! – Adjam Mar 23 '14 at 17:38

score 2 · Answer 5 · answered May 17 '17 at 00:55

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I discovered that I had to include the tweet's ID string (rather than actual ID number) when specifying the tweet that I was replying to

api.update_status('@whoIReplyTo my reply tweet',tweetIdString)

answered May 17 '17 at 00:55

ckirksey3

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score 1 · Answer 6 · answered Nov 07 '17 at 13:35

This seems to be a bug in Tweepy – even if you make a call to api.update_status with the correct parameters set,

api.update_status(status=your_status, in_reply_to_status=tweet_to_reply_to.id)

the tweet will not be a reply. In order to get a reply, you need to mention the user you want to reply to AND specify the correct in_reply_to_status id.

reply_status = "@%s %s" % (username_to_reply_to, your_status)
api.update_status(status=reply_status, in_reply_to_status=tweet_to_reply_to.id)

Keep in mind though – Tweepy and Twitter's servers still enforce a maximum number of 140 characters, so make sure you check that

len(reply_status) <= 140

Again, I think this is a bug because on the Twitter app, you can reply without embedding the username of the person to whom you're replying.

score 1 · Answer 7 · answered Mar 20 '22 at 13:18

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reply_status = "@%s %s" % (tweet.user.screen_name, "type your reply here")
api.update_status(status=reply_status, in_reply_to_status_id=tweet.id)

this is the last correct form, I just test it a few minutes ago

answered Mar 20 '22 at 13:18

Alan

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Reply to Tweet with Tweepy - Python

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