Access the Infochimps Query API via commandline

A tutorial on how to use chimps to access the Infochimps Query API via commandline.

1. Sign up for the API
2. When you get your API key, create your chimps dotfile: sudo nano ~/.chimps
3. Put this in your dotfile:

   :query:
         :username: your_api_name
         :key:      you_api_key
   
   

4. Install chimps: sudo gem install chimps. (make sure you have gemcutter as a source otherwise it won’t find the gem: gem sources -a http://gemcutter.org)
5. Run a query! % chimps query soc/net/tw/influence screen_name=infochimps

It should return with something like this:

{"replies_out":13,"account_age":602,"statuses":166,"id":15748351,"replies_in":22,"screen_name":"infochimps"}

That’s it!