Hey team, I am facing some issues when it comes to the WhatsApp integration. ---------- Case 1: I have used a single choice field to capture information from the user (screen shot attached). However, once 3 options have been displayed, the question repeats (which is not convenient especially when you have 6+ choices). Screenshot attached as well. So, question 1: Do you have a better solution for that? (Question should not repeat) ------------ Case 2: I have to add that there was a better solution with a menu 1 or 2 weeks ago. In this case, the user can click on the menu and see all the options in a list. The issue in that case was that there was an empty row below each option. As a result, when the user selects submits an option, the response won't be recognised (because there is an empty row). Screenshots attached as well. So, question 2: Do you have a fix for that? A way in which there is no empty row? ------------ Notes: In both cases, I have used a single choice node to ask a question / grasp information. When I setup a bot today, WhatsApp will act like in case 1. When I deploy by bot that I have setup 2 weeks ago, WhatsApp will act like in case 2. So, I'm not able to replicate case 2 with a new bot. So, question 3: Please tell me how to display the menu properly (without empty rows). ------------ Furthermore, I'm having issues with the permanent token for WhatsApp: I have followed your tutorial to setup WhatsApp with a temporary token (everything works). Then I have generated a permanent token, replaced it with the temporary token, and it stopped working... (I have followed your tutorial/guide). And yes, the system user has full access to the app... Please get back on the issues soon. Thanks. Kind regards Silas

@famous-zoo-73118 do you know if we've changed anythign with the WhatsApp integration for choice skills in the last two weeks?

Hey, any updates?

@acceptable-kangaroo-64719 No, nothing has changed recently related to the Whatsapp integration at all.

So, can you fix this?

Hi @aloof-art-3372, thanks for your patience, I've investigated this and it's because there's a limit in the number of choices (3 max) that Whatsapp allows per message, so the Whatsapp integration has to split the choices in groups of 3, and Whatsapp requires each group to have a message so the integration simply reuses the same original message for each group. We have added some enhanced logging for Whatsapp which will appear in the Logs section of the bot, which will indicate when this happens.

Thank you for getting back on this! You are right, but there is also an option which shows a "menu" – this one still does not work, right?

I checked this and it's because the Studio favors single-choice fields for all channels/integrations in general due to their higher usability (it's quicker to click a button than to open a dropdown and select an item)

Yes, I know and that is exactly what I want. The issue in that case is that there are empty rows below each choice (you can see that the label is aligned to the top). Therefore, it does not work

Sorry for the initial confusion. I just finished checking and there's nothing specific in the Whatsapp integration or the bots themselves that would append a new line character at the end of the dropdown options. However, to double check, could you go into the Logs section in your bot in the BP Cloud dashbord and check for a log line that starts with

[whatsapp] Received list reply from Whatsapp:

and let me know if the

value

property in that log line shows a new line character at the end?

I don't think it is caused by Botpress/caused by the choices in Botpress. Instead, it looks like WhatsApp expects another value when it shows the menu variant. Here is the log from the new test: [whatsapp] Handler received request from Whatsapp with payload: undefined [whatsapp] Handler received request from Whatsapp with payload: {"object":"whatsapp_business_account","entry":[{"id":"117734321371799","changes":[{"value":{"messaging_product":"whatsapp","metadata":{"display_phone_number":"15550065196","phone_number_id":"108437355642778"},"statuses":[{"id":"wamid.HBgNNDkxNTEyMTA5Mzc5ORUCABEYEkI0QzhBMzlEQjdBMENDQzE1OQA=","status":"read","timestamp":"1691471723","recipient_id":"4915121093799"}]},"field":"messages"}]}]} [whatsapp] Handler received request from Whatsapp with payload: {"object":"whatsapp_business_account","entry":[{"id":"117734321371799","changes":[{"value":{"messaging_product":"whatsapp","metadata":{"display_phone_number":"15550065196","phone_number_id":"108437355642778"},"contacts":[{"profile":{"name":"Silas"},"wa_id":"4915121093799"}],"messages":[{"from":"4915121093799","id":"wamid.HBgNNDkxNTEyMTA5Mzc5ORUCABIYFjNFQjBEMjk5MzQzN0ZGMkRDODVBMEMA","timestamp":"1691471724","text":{"body":"test"},"type":"text"}]},"field":"messages"}]}]} [whatsapp] Received text message from Whatsapp: test

Good catch, yes, it looks like it's definitely Whatsapp adding that new line at the end. As mentioned earlier, you could try using

.trim()

if the bot is receiving this new line char, so that your bot's logic isn't affected.

Where exactly should I add the trim function? Also, that wouldn't resolve the issue that Whatsapp is displaying an empty line, right?

For example, if you're using the

event.preview

variable to get the user's input from the dropdown selection, you'd do

event.preview.trim()

instead. And no, that wouldn't resolve the issue with Whatsapp doing this, as from what I've looked at it's something completely on their end.

Sorry for not mentioning but I'm in the studio so I'm not sure where to add the .trim()

Interesting. In theory that's only a description which shouldn't be used by Whatsapp, as the

value

is what contains the full string value of the choice. I'll check with the dev that added that empty description to get more context about this. I'll get back to you once I've more info.

Ok, thanks! Looking forward to getting this fixed 🙂

BTW, revising my previous statement about using trim(), if you're storing the result of the choice in a variable, you can simply use

workflow.variableName.trim()

where "variableName" is the name you chose for your variable.

Thank you for the update!

Hi @aloof-art-3372 as a follow up, I did some additional tests and the empty description isn't really affecting the value sent from Whatsapp to the bot, as even with the empty description the bot does receive the original value without any line breaks, so this doesn't seem to be affecting bot functionality/reliability and is more of UX fine tuning of the Whatsapp experience. I'll be working on removing the empty description in the coming weeks once the issue I described earlier with the message pipeline is first resolved, but I'll be sure to get back to you once it's done.

Hey @famous-zoo-73118, thanks for getting back on this. That's quite unfortunate as my clients are already complaining about this "malfunction" (so it's a very high prior issue from my side). Can we pay a fee to fix that issue or at least speed up the process? The first time I reported this issue was more than one month ago via your live chat...

I'll do my best to prioritize this internally, mentioning your case. As soon as the other issue I mentioned is resolved (which is being worked on as we speak) I'll try jumping into this as soon as possible.

Hey @famous-zoo-73118 – got another question regarding the Whatsapp integration. When I chat with the bot, quit for a day and want to continue the conversation, the bot starts from the beginning again. Can I setup something up so that the bot does not quit automatically?

Try increasing the Inactivity Timeout of the bot, it's in the Chatbot Settings under the BP logo in the top left corner of the Studio:

Thanks!

Hi @aloof-art-3372 what kind of updates?

Hey, regarding the whatsapp issue

The Inactivity Timeout option didn’t work?

Hey @famous-zoo-73118, the inactivity issue is fixed - thanks! However, I was referring to the Whatsapp dropdown/menu issue with the empty description (you've got an eta?)

Oh ok, sorry for the confusion, yes, I expect to have an update on this by next week. We're still sorting out the other issues which is blocking this one but that's almost wrapped up.

Many thanks @famous-zoo-73118 – just checked it and looks way better than previously, thanks! The best case would be to remove the "empty" description so that the options are centred. Everything else is fine

Yes, but as mentioned unfortunately Whatsapp has a bug and they actually reject options with no description.

Hey @famous-zoo-73118 ! I have the same problem, and I actually saw a Dentistry that built a bot using Botpress, and whoever built it changed the "Choose" to a custom "Pick one of these options" in a foreign language. Any idea how he did it?