Silly Script to Download Some Random Facebook Profile Images

get_random_facebook_profile_image.rb

require "rest_client"

MISSING_IMAGE_RESPONSE = RestClient.get "https://graph.facebook.com/012345678/picture?type=large"
QUESTION_MARK_IMAGE_RESPONSE = RestClient.get "https://graph.facebook.com/2252150634/picture?type=large"
DIGITS = (0..9).to_a

def get_random_facebook_profile_image(image_path, max_tries=200)
  for tries in 0..max_tries
    # Generate a random 9 digit identifier
    random_id = ''
    9.times { random_id << DIGITS.sample.to_s }

    # Keep trying to find an image that isn't the default MISSING_IMAGE_RESPONSE or QUESTION_MARK_IMAGE_RESPONSE
    response = nil
    url = "https://graph.facebook.com/#{random_id}/picture?type=large"
    begin
      puts "Attempting to GET Random Facebook Image: #{url}, Try #{tries}"
      response = RestClient.get url
      if response.body != MISSING_IMAGE_RESPONSE.body and
         response.body != QUESTION_MARK_IMAGE_RESPONSE.body
        open(image_path, "wb") do |file|
          file.write(response.body)
        end
        return true
      end
    rescue Exception => e
      puts "Exception trying to GET Random Facebook Image: #{url}: #{e}"
    end
  end
  return false
end