Matthias Ott

Just downloaded my Twitter archive again and converted it to Markdown, including high-res images this time. I suggest you do the same if you want a backup of your data that is independent of Twitter’s servers and free from obfuscated t.co links.

Here’s a quick how-to:
https://matthiasott.com/notes/converting-your-twitter-archive-to-markdown

Converting Your Twitter Archive to Markdown · Matthias Ott – User Experience Designer

Matthias Ott is an independent user experience designer and developer from Stuttgart, Germany. Besides design practice he teaches Interface Prototyping at the Muthesius Academy of Fine Arts and Design, Kiel.

Matthias Ott – User Experience Designer
Nov 17, 2022 at 10:10amWeb
Show threadJames HarrisNov 17, 2022
@matthiasott I’m hoping I can download mine, tried the other day and couldn’t because Twitter wouldn’t send an email code anymore
Show threadAshley PorciunculaNov 18, 2022
@matthiasott I requested my archive 3 days ago and haven't got it yet. Not confident it's coming. 😬
Show threadElio CampitelliNov 19, 2022
@AshleyMarineP @matthiasott Mine took like 3 days, but I eventually got it.
Show threadAshley PorciunculaNov 19, 2022
@eliocamp @matthiasott There is hope!
Show threadyuletideNov 22, 2022
@AshleyMarineP @matthiasott same here… just requested again but wouldn’t it be convenient if they disabled this whole feature?
Show threadPavol SalgariNov 22, 2022
@yuletide @AshleyMarineP @matthiasott they can’t at least in the EU as it is a law requirement
Show threadAshley PorciunculaNov 22, 2022
@enkydu @yuletide @matthiasott They've already broken so many laws with the layoffs here, it wouldn't surprise me.
Show threadyuletideNov 26, 2022
@matthiasott @AshleyMarineP @enkydu finally got it yesterday
Show threadPavol SalgariNov 26, 2022
@yuletide @matthiasott @AshleyMarineP I think it depends on size of archive. I request my archive this week and I received link for download next day. But it was only 70MB. I know about people with 3-4GB archives.
Show threadyuletideNov 26, 2022
@AshleyMarineP @matthiasott @enkydu mine was 120mb and took about 3 hours to generate before #elongate so I’m guessing this is a resource issue
Show threadAnne SimonsenNov 22, 2022
@AshleyMarineP @matthiasott Same here.
Show threadAshley PorciunculaNov 23, 2022
@matthiasott It took 8 days, finally got it this morning
Show threadcole beauchampNov 19, 2022
@matthiasott Thank you, just did this!
Show threadJoelle Nebbe (Alpine Wines) 🌄Nov 19, 2022
@matthiasott asked for mine days ago, was told notified when done, still nothing
Show threadRosanna CantavellaNov 19, 2022
@matthiasott What a fascinating job you've done with that Twitter-to-Markdown script, Matthias! I'm just half literate when using command prompt, and I've been able to follow every step anyway! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Show threadMatthias OttNov 19, 2022
@cantavest Hi Rosanna! Thank you – but I only wrote down how it worked for me, all the credit for this amazing little script goes to @timhutton !!! 🙌😊
Show threadRosanna CantavellaNov 19, 2022
@matthiasott @timhutton Oops! Sorry! I'm still finding my feet around here and didn't realise. Of course it was Tim from GitHub. Thank you so much, Tim!!
And thanks, Matthias, for sharing this wonderful tip!
Show threadAlex OsborneNov 21, 2022
@matthiasott thanks for the tip!x
Show threadJuriNov 22, 2022
@matthiasott cool, I know @zachleat has been doing a similar work, even going further and then hosting these archives online for easy linking (iirc)
Show threadMatthias OttNov 22, 2022
@juristr @zachleat Yes, and it is now available here: https://github.com/tweetback/tweetback
GitHub - tweetback/tweetback: Take ownership of your Twitter data and get your tweets back

Take ownership of your Twitter data and get your tweets back - tweetback/tweetback

GitHub
Show threadedburnsNov 22, 2022
@matthiasott Thanks, I will try this.
Show threadRetroFun.PLNov 22, 2022
@matthiasott I would, if I could. Twitter's two-factor auth doesn't work anymore so I can't access my archive. Never got the text code.
Show threadDr. Matt LeeNov 22, 2022
@matthiasott it would be good if you could link to the project directly from the post instead of to the developers Mastodon profile. It’s not obvious from there how to find it?
Show threadNicolas HoizeyNov 22, 2022
@matthiasott I'm wondering if using Markdown instead of (or in addition to) JSON in tweetback would make sense
Show threadMatthias OttNov 22, 2022
@nhoizey Yes, that might also be interesting for people who are using CMSs like Kirby 🤔
Show threadNicolas HoizeyNov 22, 2022
@matthiasott a way to add the "edit" feature to old tweets? 😅
Show thread64kbNov 22, 2022
@matthiasott is the internet archive doing anything about t.co links.... it would be good if there was a way we could back them all up there.
Show threadMatthias OttNov 22, 2022
@64kb That’d be great, yes! But I have no idea if they are doing something in this regard.
Show threadPaul IrishNov 22, 2022
@matthiasott where's download_better_images.py? Not seeing it, but .. I did just wake up.. 😊
Show threadNils HörrmannNov 22, 2022
@paul_irish @matthiasott It has been removed, see here: https://github.com/timhutton/twitter-archive-parser/commit/3e3eda61fac8c17058e3680f4ed7fef28d6893ae
Removed download_better_images.py. Added function to import a module … · timhutton/twitter-archive-parser@3e3eda6

…specified by a string.

GitHub
Show threadNils HörrmannNov 22, 2022
@paul_irish @matthiasott If I read the commit history correctly it's now part of the main script: https://github.com/timhutton/twitter-archive-parser/commit/ed6b11ca5f51cfc3047b4c6fbb9fdce32a2667d1
Brought all logic from download_better_images.py into parser.py. · timhutton/twitter-archive-parser@ed6b11c

Python code to parse a Twitter archive and output in various ways - Brought all logic from download_better_images.py into parser.py. · timhutton/twitter-archive-parser@ed6b11c

GitHub
Show threadMatthias OttNov 22, 2022
@nilshoerrmann @paul_irish Ah, great, thanks Nils!
Show threadMatthias OttNov 22, 2022
@paul_irish I still have it here locally and could send it…? 😉
Show threadjoolsNov 22, 2022

@paul_irish @matthiasott I wondered too but saw that Tim Hutton has incorporated it into the parser script: https://github.com/timhutton/twitter-archive-parser/commit/ed6b11ca5f51cfc3047b4c6fbb9fdce32a2667d1

Thanks for the pointer. Worked a treat.

Brought all logic from download_better_images.py into parser.py. · timhutton/twitter-archive-parser@ed6b11c

Python code to parse a Twitter archive and output in various ways - Brought all logic from download_better_images.py into parser.py. · timhutton/twitter-archive-parser@ed6b11c

GitHub
Show threadMatthias OttNov 22, 2022
@jools @paul_irish Yeah, looks like I need to update the post again so that it doesn’t confuse people 😁
Show threadKBSez ✅Nov 22, 2022

@matthiasott

I have requested my archive three times and haven't gotten it...

Show threadMatthias OttNov 22, 2022
@kbsez 😔 Sorry to hear that. In my case, it took about two days the second time. I’ve also heard from people who had to request it several times until it worked. Hope you’ll get yours eventually!
Show threadTom ResingNov 22, 2022
@matthiasott thanks. doing this now
Show threadCharles RoperNov 22, 2022
@matthiasott I did mine last week. Have stuck it in an #Obsidian vault for easy search. 👍
Show threadLeo 💪🏼Nov 22, 2022
@matthiasott thank you for pointing me in the right direction… this is great.
Show threadSean BootsNov 22, 2022
@matthiasott @otfrom Super helpful, thanks for writing this up! 🙌
Show threadXander ✺ Spectral CodexNov 22, 2022
@matthiasott Thanks, that's helpful! And for anyone out there who requested an archive and didn't receive a follow-up, try again, it might fail without any notice. I got lucky the second time around.
Show threadBrianNov 22, 2022
@matthiasott Thank you for sharing, very helpful!
Show threadClaire Giordano ✨Nov 23, 2022

@matthiasott Thank you soooo much for writing up these instructions & to @timhutton for creating the Python script.

Heads-up @asw this is exactly what we were chatting about, looks like Tim and Matthias have given us a path to better #TwitterBackups! (I think @sogrady will appreciate this too)

#TwitterMigration #TwitterBackups

Show threadAaron W | ☕️Nov 23, 2022
@clairegiordano @matthiasott @timhutton @sogrady thanks for sharing this! I just need a good solution for Bookmarks now.
Show threadTim HuttonNov 23, 2022
@asw @clairegiordano @matthiasott @sogrady Are bookmarks in the archive anywhere?
Show threadAaron W | ☕️Nov 24, 2022
@timhutton @clairegiordano @matthiasott @sogrady unfortunately not. We need something else to pull them down. I found a nice tool on glitch but it only did a small number of the many that I have.
Show threadEd RossNov 23, 2022
@matthiasott @Leneux That reminds me: I asked for my Twitter data last Friday and it still isn't ready! I guess that's the problem with having an account since 2007 and trying to get all the data while everyone else is doing the same
Show threadMichelle B 🇩🇲🇪🇺Nov 23, 2022
@edaross @matthiasott yeah I did mine a couple of weeks ago, been easing back since so not worried about losing anything since.
Show threadJohnNov 24, 2022
@matthiasott This looks really useful, but it's only for people who know how to write code, isn't it? I followed the instructions, installed Python and downloaded the parser.py, but I can't make it work. :(
Show threadJohnNov 24, 2022
@matthiasott Sorry. Shouldn't bug you with this.
Show threadMatthias OttNov 24, 2022
@TheSupercargo Hi! :) No worries! Did the installation of Python work or did you see any errors? And are you familiar with the terminal? You would need to enter the command to run the script in the terminal. But first, you need to copy the script into your Twitter archive folder and go into that directory in the terminal (e.g. with `cd /name/of/your/directory`).
Hope you’ll get it to work. Good luck! 🤞
Show threadJohnNov 24, 2022
@matthiasott Thank you. Yes, I just got it to work now. I had to find out how to open a command window inside the folder with the archive - but first I had to _realise_ that was what I should. Never done it before. But it worked as far as I can see. Haven't checked the images yet though. Too tired. I'll look at it again tomorrow.
Show threadRep. Eric Gallager (no "h"!)Nov 24, 2022
@matthiasott I used that script awhile ago; is it worth re-running it again as the script gets improved?
Show threadMatthias OttNov 24, 2022
@egallager I didn’t look into it, so I don’t know. I still keep my “original” archive around in case I need to run the script (or any other tool) against it, however.
Show threadTypographicaDec 18, 2022
@matthiasott Help me understand why markdown instead of html.
Show threadMatthias OttDec 19, 2022
@typographica It’s a good format to later convert to HTML (😁) with a static site generator or a CMS like @getkirby. If you want a website of your Twitter archive, you could give Tweetback a try as well: https://github.com/tweetback/tweetback
GitHub - tweetback/tweetback: Take ownership of your Twitter data and get your tweets back

Take ownership of your Twitter data and get your tweets back - tweetback/tweetback

GitHub
Show threadGuillermo LatorreDec 19, 2022
@matthiasott buenísimo, voy a probarlo. Seguro que esto le encanta a @[email protected]
Show threadEmelia 👸🏻Dec 19, 2022
@matthiasott that reminds me.. I still need to finish my archive to activitypub converter