An extension of the Twitter API lesson from Codecademy to create a command line app that accepts user input. The idea is you can just have it open in a tab in Bash while you're doing other things. I actually use this all the time now...!

Command Line Twitter

require 'rubygems'
require 'oauth'
require 'json'

#You will need to add your keys below and your username where indicated inside the method.

CONSUMER_KEY1 = "" #consumer key
CONSUMER_KEY2 = "" #consumer secret
ACCESS_TOKEN1 = "" #access token
ACCESS_TOKEN2 = "" #access secret

consumer_key = OAuth::Consumer.new(CONSUMER_KEY1,CONSUMER_KEY2)
access_token = OAuth::Token.new(ACCESS_TOKEN1,ACCESS_TOKEN2)

choice = nil

def tweet_method(consumer_key, access_token, choice)
	#You will need these for OAuth. The second of each should be your secret value. 
        #The naming simply refects the order in the two OAuth class constructors.

	case choice

	when "tweet"
		puts "What do you want to tweet?"
		print "> "
		tweet_text = STDIN.gets.chomp
		#tweet_text.to_s

		if tweet_text.length > 140
			tweet_invalid = true
			abort("The tweet is too long (#{tweet_text.length}).")
		end

		baseurl = "https://api.twitter.com"
		path = "/1.1/statuses/update.json"
		address = URI("#{baseurl}#{path}")
		request = Net::HTTP::Post.new address.request_uri
		request.set_form_data(
			"status" => "#{tweet_text}"
			)

		#Set up HTTP
		http = Net::HTTP.new address.host, address.port 
		http.use_ssl = true
		http.verify_mode = OpenSSL::SSL::VERIFY_PEER

		#Debugger
		#puts http.set_debug_output($stderr)

		#Issue the request
		request.oauth! http, consumer_key, access_token
		http.start
		response = http.request request unless tweet_invalid == true

		#Parse and print the tweet if the response code was 200
		tweet = nil
		if response.code == '200'
			tweet = JSON.parse(response.body)
			puts "Successfully posted Tweet: #{tweet["text"]}."
		else
			puts "Could not send the Tweet! " + "Code: #{response.code} \nBody: #{response.body}"
		end 
		return choice
	when "check" 
		# All requests will be sent to this server. Add your screen name below.
		baseurl = "https://api.twitter.com"
		query = URI.encode_www_form(
				"screen_name" => "put_your_screen_name_here",
				"count" => "10",
				"contributor_details" => true
			)

		# The verify credentials endpoint returns a 200 status if
		# the request is signed correctly.
		address = URI("#{baseurl}/1.1/statuses/mentions_timeline.json?#{query}")

		def print_mentions(tweets)
			#puts JSON.pretty_generate(tweets)
			tweets.each do |t|
				output = ""
				output << "#{t["user"]["name"]} "
				output << "(#{t["user"]["screen_name"]}) "  
				output << "#{t["created_at"]}: \n" 
				output << "#{t["text"]}\n\n"
				output << "--- \n\n"
				puts output
			end
		end

		# Set up Net::HTTP to use SSL, which is required by Twitter.
		http = Net::HTTP.new address.host, address.port
		http.use_ssl = true
		http.verify_mode = OpenSSL::SSL::VERIFY_PEER

		#debugger
		#puts http.set_debug_output($stderr)

		# Build the request and authorize it with OAuth.
		request = Net::HTTP::Get.new address.request_uri
		request.oauth! http, consumer_key, access_token

		# Issue the request and return the response.
		http.start
		response = http.request request

		tweets = nil
		if response.code == '200'
			tweets = JSON.parse(response.body)
			print_mentions(tweets)
		else
			puts "Failed, response #{response.code}"
		end
		return choice
	when "exit"
                sec = Time.now.sec
		i = sec + 3
		until sec == i
			print "."
			until Time.now.sec == sec + 1
				#do nothing
			end
			sec += 1
		end
		abort("Quitting...")
	when "help"
		puts "Type 'Tweet' or 'tweet' to compose a tweet."
                puts "Type 'Check' or 'check' to check your mentions."
		puts "Type 'exit' to quit."
		return choice
	else
		puts "I don't understand that! Use 'check' to check tweets or 'tweet' to compose a tweet."
		return choice
	end
end

puts <<MESSAGE
	       
	     
	    |     // _     _  _   _ _   _
	    | /| // |_ |  |  | | | | | |_
	    |/ |//  |_ |_ |_ |_| |   | |_

   Command line Twitter was hacked together with love 
   in Manchester, UK. Tweet me: @hipsters_unite

MESSAGE

until choice == "exit"
	puts "What do you want to do? Use 'check', 'tweet' or 'exit'."
	print "> "
	choice = STDIN.gets.chomp
	choice.downcase!
	tweet_method(consumer_key, access_token, choice) 
	puts "\n\n---------"
end