fb-message-builder

v2.2.0

Published

2 years ago

Build messages for Facebook Messenger API using fb-message-builder

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orkon

claudia bot chatbot messenger builder

Facebook Message builder

Fork of claudia-bot-builder which offers the builder for Facebook messages only. No new features compared to claudia-bot-builder. All credits to the Claudia Bot Builder team

In this guide:

Intro

Facebook Template Message builder allows you to generate more complex messages for Facebook Messenger without writing JSON files manually.

To use it, just require fbTemplate function from Claudia Bot Builder:

const fbTemplate = require('fb-message-builder');

fbTemplate exports an object that contains multiple classes that allows you to generate different types of Facebook Messenger structured messages:

Text messages (this is not template, but we need to have them because of quick answers)
Generic template messages
Button template messages
Receipt template messages
Image attachment messages
Audio attachment messages
Video attachment messages
File attachment messages

More info about each type of structured messages can be found in Facebook Messenger's Complete guide.

Text messages

Text messages returns a simple text. In case you don't need to add quick responses reply with a simple text and Cluaudia Bot Builder will do the rest.

However, if you want to add quick replies check the class below.

API

Text (class) - Class that allows you to build text messages with quick replies

Note: Claudia bot builders versions < 2.1 have just a lower case class text, same method works for versions >= 2.1, but it's deprecated and it will be removed in next major version.

Arguments:

text, string (required) - a simple text to send as a reply.

Methods

| Method | Required | Arguments | Returns | Description | | ------------- | -------- | ---------------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- | | addQuickReply | No | title (string, required, up to 20 characters), payload (string, required), up to 1000 characters | this for chaining | Facebook allows us to send up to 10 quick replies that will appear above the keyboard | | get | Yes | No args. | Formatted JSON to pass as a reply | Get method is required and it returns a formatted JSON that is ready to be passed as a response to Facebook Messenger |

Example

const botBuilder = require('claudia-bot-builder');
const fbTemplate = botBuilder.fbTemplate;

module.exports = botBuilder(message => {
  if (message.type === 'facebook') {
    const message = new fbTemplate.Text('What\'s your favorite House in Game Of Thrones');

    return message
      .addQuickReply('Stark', 'STARK')
      .addQuickReply('Lannister', 'LANNISTER')
      .addQuickReply('Targaryen', 'TARGARYEN')
      .addQuickReply('None of the above', 'OTHER')
      .get();
  }
});

How it looks:

Generic template

The Generic Template can take an image, title, subtitle, description and buttons. This template can support multiple bubbles per message and display them as a horizontal list.

API

Generic (class) - Class that allows you to build Generic template messages

Note: Claudia bot builders versions < 2.1 have just a lower case class generic, same method works for versions >= 2.1, but it's deprecated and it will be removed in next major version.

Arguments:

none

Methods

| Method | Required | Arguments | Returns | Description | | ------------- | -------- | ---------------------------------------- | ------------------- | ---------------------------------------- | | addBubble | Yes | title (string, required), subtitle (string) | this for chaining | Each Generic template can have 1 to 10 elements/bubbles, before you add anything to it. It requires element's title, but it can also accept element's subtitle | | addUrl | No | A valid URL | this for chaining | Adds an url to a current element, requires a valid URL, also requires addBubble to be added first | | addImage | No | A valid absolute URL | this for chaining | Adds an image to a current element, requires a valid URL, also requires addBubble to be added first | | addButton | Yes | title (string, required), value (required, string or a valid URL) | this for chaining | Adds a button to a current element, each button requires a title and a value, where value can be any string if you want postback type or a valid URL if you want it's type to be web_url, at least one button is required, and maximum 3 of them is allowed. It also requires addBubble to be added first | | addQuickReply | No | title (string, required, up to 20 characters), payload (string, required), up to 1000 characters | this for chaining | Facebook allows us to send up to 10 quick replies that will appear above the keyboard | | get | Yes | No args. | Formatted JSON | Get method is required and it returns a formatted JSON that is ready to be passed as a response to Facebook Messenger |

*Required arguments, Messenger requires all elements to have those values, the message builder will throw an error if you don't provide it.

Example

const botBuilder = require('claudia-bot-builder');
const fbTemplate = botBuilder.fbTemplate;

module.exports = botBuilder(message => {
  if (message.type === 'facebook') {
    const generic = new fbTemplate.Generic();

    return generic
      .addBubble('Claudia.js', 'Deploy Node.js microservices to AWS easily')
        .addUrl('https://claudiajs.com')
        .addImage('https://claudiajs.com/assets/claudiajs.png')
        .addButton('Say hello', 'HELLO')
        .addButton('Go to Github', 'https://github.com/claudiajs/claudia')
      .addBubble('Claudia Bot Builder')
        .addImage('https://claudiajs.com/assets/claudia-bot-builder-video.jpg')
        .addButton('Go to Github', 'https://github.com/claudiajs/claudia-bot-builder')
      .get();
  }
});

How it looks:

Button template

The Button Template is useful when you want to present simple text with options, it has the same buttons as Generic template, but it doesn't allow element image and URL, it also doesn't allow multiple elements.

API

Button (class) - Class that allows you to build Button template messages

Note: Claudia bot builders versions < 2.1 have just a lower case class button, same method works for versions >= 2.1, but it's deprecated and it will be removed in next major version.

Arguments:

text, string (required) - a text to display above the button(s).

Methods

*Required arguments, Messenger requires all elements to have those values, the message builder will throw an error if you don't provide it.

Example

const botBuilder = require('claudia-bot-builder');
const fbTemplate = botBuilder.fbTemplate;

module.exports = botBuilder(message => {
  if (message.type === 'facebook') {
    return new fbTemplate.Button('How are you?')
      .addButton('Awesome', 'AWESOME')
      .addButton('Great', 'GREAT')
      .addButton('🎵🎵🎵', 'https://youtu.be/m5TwT69i1lU')
      .get();
  }
});

How it looks:

Receipt template

The Receipt Template can be used to send receipts for orders.

API

Receipt (class) - Class that allows you to build Receipt template messages

Note: Claudia bot builders versions < 2.1 have just a lower case class receipt, same method works for versions >= 2.1, but it's deprecated and it will be removed in next major version.

Arguments:

name, string (required) - recipient's Name
orderNumber, string (required) - order number, must be unique
currency, string (required) - currency for order, FB requires valid ISO 4217 currency code, for the list of valid codes check ISO 4217 page on Wikipedia.
paymentMethod, string (required) - payment method details, this can be a custom string. ex: 'Visa 1234'
text, string (required) - a text to display above the button(s).

Methods

| Method | Required | Arguments | Returns | Description | | ------------------ | ----------------- | ---------------------------------------- | ------------------- | ---------------------------------------- | | addTimestamp | No | timestamp (valid JS date object, required) | this for chaining | timestamp of the order | | addOrderUrl | No | url (valid URL, required) | this for chaining | order URL | | addItem | Yes, at least one | title (string, required) | this for chaining | add an item to a receipt, at least one item is required. Beside title, each item can have subtitle, quantity, price, currencty and image, methods bellow explains how to add them | | addSubtitle | No | subtitle (string, required) | this for chaining | current item's subtitle, requires addItem first | | addQuantity | No | quantity (number, required) | this for chaining | current item's quantity, requires addItem first | | addPrice | No | price (number, required) | this for chaining | current item's price, requires addItem first | | addCurrency | No | currency (string, required) | this for chaining | current item's currency, requires addItem first | | addImage | No | image (string, required) | this for chaining | current item's image, requires addItem first and accepts valid absolute urls only | | addShippingAddress | No | street1 (string, required), street2 (string, can be null), city (string, required), zip (string, required), state (string, required), country (string, required) | this for chaining | shipping address if applicable | | addAdjustment | No | name (string), amount (number) | this for chaining | payment adjustments, multiple adjustments are allowed | | addSubtotal | No | subtotal (number, required) | this for chaining | subtotal | | addShippingCost | No | shippingCost (number, required) | this for chaining | shipping cost | | addTax | No | tax (number, required) | this for chaining | total tax | | addTotal | Yes | total (number, required) | this for chaining | total cost | | addQuickReply | No | title (string, required, up to 20 characters), payload (string, required), up to 1000 characters | this for chaining | Facebook allows us to send up to 10 quick replies that will appear above the keyboard | | get | Yes | No args. | Formatted JSON | Get method is required and it returns a formatted JSON that is ready to be passed as a response to Facebook Messenger |

Example

const botBuilder = require('claudia-bot-builder');
const fbTemplate = botBuilder.fbTemplate;

module.exports = botBuilder(message => {
  if (message.type === 'facebook') {
    return new fbTemplate.Receipt('Stephane Crozatier', '12345678902', 'USD', 'Visa 2345')
      .addTimestamp(new Date(1428444852))
      .addOrderUrl('http://petersapparel.parseapp.com/order?order_id=123456')
      .addItem('Classic White T-Shirt')
        .addSubtitle('100% Soft and Luxurious Cotton')
        .addQuantity(2)
        .addPrice(50)
        .addCurrency('USD')
        .addImage('http://petersapparel.parseapp.com/img/whiteshirt.png')
      .addItem('Classic Gray T-Shirt')
        .addSubtitle('100% Soft and Luxurious Cotton')
        .addQuantity(1)
        .addPrice(25)
        .addCurrency('USD')
        .addImage('http://petersapparel.parseapp.com/img/grayshirt.png')
      .addShippingAddress('1 Hacker Way', '', 'Menlo Park', '94025',  'CA', 'US')
      .addSubtotal(75.00)
      .addShippingCost(4.95)
      .addTax(6.19)
      .addTotal(56.14)
      .addAdjustment('New Customer Discount', 20)
      .addAdjustment('$10 Off Coupon', 10)
      .get();
  }
});

How it looks:

Image attachment

Image attachment allows you to send, obviously, an image :)

API

Image (class) - Class that allows you to send an image attachment message

Note: Claudia bot builders versions < 2.1 have just a lower case class image, same method works for versions >= 2.1, but it's deprecated and it will be removed in next major version.

Arguments:

url, string (required) - a valid absolute URL for an image.

Methods

Example

const botBuilder = require('claudia-bot-builder');
const fbTemplate = botBuilder.fbTemplate;

module.exports = botBuilder(message => {
  if (message.type === 'facebook') {
    return new fbTemplate
      .Image('https://claudiajs.com/assets/claudiajs.png')
      .get();
  }
});

How it looks:

Audio attachment

Audio attachment allows you to send audio files.

API

Audio (class) - Class that allows you to send an audio attachment message

Note: Claudia bot builders versions < 2.1 have just a lower case class audio, same method works for versions >= 2.1, but it's deprecated and it will be removed in next major version.

Arguments:

url, string (required) - a valid absolute URL for an audio file.

Methods

Example

const botBuilder = require('claudia-bot-builder');
const fbTemplate = botBuilder.fbTemplate;

module.exports = botBuilder(message => {
  if (message.type === 'facebook') {
    return new fbTemplate
      .Audio('http://www.noiseaddicts.com/samples_1w72b820/4927.mp3')
      .get();
  }
});

How it looks:

Video attachment

Video attachment allows you to send video files.

API

Video (class) - Class that allows you to send an video attachment message

Note: Claudia bot builders versions < 2.1 have just a lower case class video, same method works for versions >= 2.1, but it's deprecated and it will be removed in next major version.

Arguments:

url, string (required) - a valid absolute URL for a video.

Methods

Example

const botBuilder = require('claudia-bot-builder');
const fbTemplate = botBuilder.fbTemplate;

module.exports = botBuilder(message => {
  if (message.type === 'facebook') {
    return new fbTemplate
      .Video('http://techslides.com/demos/sample-videos/small.mp4')
      .get();
  }
});

How it looks:

File attachment

File attachment allows you to send files.

API

File (class) - Class that allows you to send a file attachment message

Note: Claudia bot builders versions < 2.1 have just a lower case class file, same method works for versions >= 2.1, but it's deprecated and it will be removed in next major version.

Arguments:

url, string (required) - a valid absolute URL for a file you want to send.

Methods

Example

const botBuilder = require('claudia-bot-builder');
const fbTemplate = botBuilder.fbTemplate;

module.exports = botBuilder(message => {
  if (message.type === 'facebook') {
    return new fbTemplate
      .File('https://claudiajs.com/assets/claudiajs.png')
      .get();
  }
});

How it looks:

Other attachments

Beside those, Facebook Messenger now supports a few other templates that are not so useful for the common bots, ie. Airline templates.

You can use all those templates by simply providing an object (just a message part, without recepient) instead of a template builder class.

An example:

const botBuilder = require('claudia-bot-builder');

module.exports = botBuilder(message => {
  return {
    attachment: {
      type: 'template',
      payload: {
        template_type: 'generic',
        elements: [{
          title: 'Breaking News: Record Thunderstorms',
          subtitle: 'The local area is due for record thunderstorms over the weekend.',
          image_url: 'https://media.xiph.org/BBB/BBB-360-png/big_buck_bunny_01542.png',
          buttons: [{
            type: 'element_share'
          }]
        }]
      }
    }
  };
});

How it looks:

Handling errors

Facebook Template Message builder checks if the messages you are generating are following Facebook Messenger guidelines and limits, in case they are not an error will be thrown.

Example:

Calling new fbTemplate.text() without text will throw Text is required for text template error.

More info about limits and guidelines can be found in Messenger's Send API Referece.

All errors that Claudia bot builder's fbTemplate library is throwing can be found in the source code.

Errors will be logged in Cloud Watch log for your bot.

Authors

License

MIT -- see LICENSE

Published

Vulnerabilities

Links

Maintainers

Keywords

Readme

Facebook Message builder

Intro

Text messages

API

Methods

Example

Generic template

API

Methods

Example

Button template

API

Methods

Example

Receipt template

API

Methods

Example

Image attachment

API

Methods

Example

Audio attachment

API

Methods

Example

Video attachment

API

Methods

Example

File attachment

API

Methods

Example

Other attachments

Handling errors

Authors

License