Search code examples
pythonupdatestelegram-bot

Updating Telegram Bot Commands In Realtime

Telegram allows the commands to be updated using setMyCommands. I can successfully update the commands in realtime based on the user input using a python API, pyTelegramBotAPI.

However, the problem is the user has to exit the chat with the bot and then come back to the chat again to see the new commands (by typing /).

Is there any way that I can have the bot update the list of commands in realtime with the user still in the chat?

Solution

  • Actually it is possible to do this real time if you set the scope to chat with specific user. There is parameter scope in set_my_commands function. By default set_my_commands affects all the chats of your bot. However, you can provide telegram.BotCommandScopeChat as a value of scope param. See the code below, it updates the command menu immediately without need to switch chats.

    def _set_menu(commands: List[BotCommand], update: Update):
''' sets the chat commands menu '''
bot = Bot(os.getenv('TELEGRAM_TOKEN'))
bot.delete_my_commands()
if update:
    bot.set_my_commands(
        commands=commands,
        scope=telegram.BotCommandScopeChat(
            chat_id=update.effective_chat.id
    ))
else:
    bot.set_my_commands(commands=commands)