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Pandorabots Initial Bot Message


In "Chat Widget" for website I can write "Initial Bot Message" but it's not clear how to create in AIML file reaction for the visitor's response to this Initial Message. As an example I added in "Initial Bot Message" the question "Would you like to see live samples?" It's implied that there are two possible responses - "yes" or "no".

But the code:

<category>
    <pattern>YES</pattern>
    <that>WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE LIVE SAMPLES</that>
    <template>Answer YES</template>
</category>
<category>
    <pattern>NO</pattern>
    <that>WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE LIVE SAMPLES</that>
    <template>Answer NO</template>
</category>

doesn't work.

  • How to make the bot could react on the responses?

  • Is it possible to initiate "Initial Bot Message" from the code? For example I want to create a question with buttons - how to do it?


Solution

  • Yes you can do this. First, you need to create a category that you want your bot to welcome your visitor with. I've made one called "Initial Bot Message" with your welcome message and two buttons.

    <category>
        <pattern>INITIAL BOT MESSAGE</pattern>
        <template>
            Would you like to see live samples?
            <button>
                <text>Yes</text>
                <postback>AnswerYES</postback>
            </button>
            <button>
                <text>No</text>
                <postback>AnswerNO</postback>
            </button>
        </template>
    </category>
    

    Now you need to amend your chat widget code to replace the conversationOpener part with this:

    greetingPattern: "initial bot message",
    

    Now the bot won't say a welcome message, it will call your category and allow you to work with <that> etc