botbuilder-facebook-quick-replies

Facebook Quick Replies for Microsoft Bot Framework

Short sample

const quick = require('botbuilder-facebook-quick-replies');
 
let message = new builder.Message(session)
  .text('I am a bot. Press buttons below.');
quick.replies(message, ['Yes', 'No']);
session.send(message);

What's it for?

This package provides a way to add Facebook Quick Replies to your bot's message. It works with bots written in Node.js using Microsoft Bot Framework (see the botbuilder package).

It supports plain-text buttons, as well as buttons with different text and underlying value. Images on quick reply buttons are not yet supported.

Most common usage

At the top of your file, add:

const builder = require('botbuilder');
const quick = require('botbuilder-facebook-quick-replies');

Then, when you are creating a message within a dialog:

// Create a plaintext message as usual:
let message = new builder.Message(session)
  .text('What do you think?');
 
// Now add the quick replies:
quick.replies(message, ['Cool!', 'Not bad!']);
 
// And send it to the user:
session.send(message);

This also works fine when your message contains attachments (like HeroCards, rather than just plain text).

When the bot must receive a different value from what the user sees

This is helpful when the button must tell the bot some additional parameters.

// Create a plaintext message as usual:
let message = new builder.Message(session)
  .text('Do you want to buy this product?');
 
// Now add the quick replies:
quick.replies(message, [
  { text: 'Buy Now', value: 'BUY #81571' },
  { text: 'Save for later', value 'SAVE #81571' },
]);
 
// And send it to the user:
session.send(message);

In this case, when the user clicks the Buy Now button, the message that the bot will actually receive is 'BUY #81571'.

Comments and suggestions

If you have any comments, contact me here: https://github.com/catcher-in-the-try/