Facebook FQL: Difference between status table and stream table? - stream

Question

Can anyone tell me what the difference is between the status table and the stream table?
I am querying my own posts using the graph explorer and I find some status updates appear only in the status table, and others appear in both the stream and status table. When I go to my own Timeline I can see posts from both tables.
What is going on here? Why are some in the posts table only, but appear on my Timeline?!
I am trying to find a list of all my posts that are publicly visible, and it seems to do this I need to query both tables and end up with some duplicates. Is there a better way?
Here is an example:
graph.facebook.com/10150680671412355
{
"id": "10150680671412355",
"from": {
"name": "Alan Byrne",
"id": "509517354"
},
"message": "Beans on toast.",
"updated_time": "2012-03-14T10:53:01+0000",
"likes": {
"data": [
{
"id": "xxxxx",
"name": "xxxx"
}
],
"paging": {
"next": "https://graph.facebook.com/10150680671412355/likes?method=GET&metadata=true&format=json&callback=___GraphExplorerAsyncCallback___&access_token=AAACEdEose0cBAPjaO9gCyMZA2TT5hRE7iEkgmksfpNneFdtshFDfp0oM3hiX6I57vUkzGZAyXW5c9YaM1WQFUxt2zTZCden7zTAlbMSDAZDZD&limit=25&offset=25&__after_id=100001368900242"
}
},
"comments": {
"data": [
{
"id": "10150680671412355_31516486",
"from": {
"name": "xxxxx",
"id": "xxxxx"
},
"message": "Peasant. Baked beans on the other hand...",
"can_remove": true,
"created_time": "2012-03-14T11:20:35+0000"
}
],
"paging": {
"next": "https://graph.facebook.com/10150680671412355/comments?method=GET&metadata=true&format=json&callback=___GraphExplorerAsyncCallback___&access_token=AAACEdEose0cBAPjaO9gCyMZA2TT5hRE7iEkgmksfpNneFdtshFDfp0oM3hiX6I57vUkzGZAyXW5c9YaM1WQFUxt2zTZCden7zTAlbMSDAZDZD&limit=25&offset=25&__after_id=10150680671412355_31516486"
}
},
"type": "status"
}
Yet, when I scan for posts on the stream on that same day, this one does not come back
fql?q=select message,post_id,created_time from stream where source_id=509517354 and created_time > 1331596800 and created_time < 1331856000
{
"data": [
{
"message": "",
"post_id": "509517354_10150680640782355",
"created_time": 1331720877
},
{
"message": "",
"post_id": "509517354_10150680632467355",
"created_time": 1331720499
},
{
"message": "MY COMPUTER DOES NOT HAVE VIRUSES! STOP CALLING ME! ARGH!",
"post_id": "509517354_10150680618357355",
"created_time": 1331719866
},
{
"message": "",
"post_id": "509517354_10150680602327355",
"created_time": 1331719906
},
{
"message": "I did it!",
"post_id": "509517354_10150680491832355",
"created_time": 1331716355
},
{
"message": "",
"post_id": "509517354_10150680446052355",
"created_time": 1331714440
},
{
"message": "It got to Australia.\n",
"post_id": "509517354_365689393454249",
"created_time": 1331679835
},
{
"message": "",
"post_id": "509517354_107999992664739",
"created_time": 1331677643
},
{
"message": "",
"post_id": "509517354_10150678888762355",
"created_time": 1331671872
},
{
"message": "Booooo",
"post_id": "509517354_268316116580687",
"created_time": 1331632096
},
{
"message": "'spose I should wander into the office...",
"post_id": "509517354_10150678259167355",
"created_time": 1331625013
},
{
"message": "",
"post_id": "509517354_10150678258862355",
"created_time": 1331624991
},
{
"message": "",
"post_id": "509517354_10150678257547355",
"created_time": 1331624907
},
{
"message": "",
"post_id": "509517354_10150678250602355",
"created_time": 1331631742
}
]
}

Answer 1

The stream contains posts of various types - links, checkins, photos and status updates.
The status table only contains status updates - text with no additional links, photos etc.
If you're hoping to find the content similar to the timeline, you'll want to use the stream table.