Code is available here: unterbahn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/whooz-local-messages.zip, and on Google Code: code.google.com/p/whooz/

This is a continuation of the last tutorial, "Sending and receiving text messages in Rails with Twitter" (vimeo.com/3541782).

Here we actually batch import the messages, saving them in a local model. I also demonstrate a script to perform the imports, and set up a table to store key:value pairs for more advanced usage - I'll finish that feature up in a subsequent tutorial.

Saving the messages locally is important for not exceeding the Twitter rate limit, as well as for performing more complex searches and manipulations with the data. It also provides a common message storage if you're importing from multiple sources, say, FrontlineSMS, Clickatell, and Twitter.

This is part of the WHOOZ tutorials series; read more at whooz.org and see the rest at unterbahn.com/categories/tutorials