How do I create dynamic choice buttons?
# š¤helpr
rapid-manchester-41665
07/25/2023, 5:05 AMSuppose I call an API and retrieve product information that includes a choice of 4 different colors. I would then want to use a Single Choice prompt to ask the user which color they wanted - and display the 4 available colors as response buttons.
Can I do this in BotPress Cloud? I tried using the {{ workflow.choices[0] }} syntax on the item list for the card - but it treated the rest as a literal value instead of substituting.
Is there a way to present a dynamic list of choices where the choice description and number of possible choices is dynamically generated mid-conversation?
rapid-manchester-41665
07/25/2023, 6:17 PMIām getting frustrated! Is there some cache of documentation thatās not on the website???
Iāve almost got this working by using a āBeforeOutgoingMessageā hook. I found I could replace the āoutgoingEvent.payload[āoptionsā] array with the list of choices I want to be displayed - and that actually works (it displays my replacement list of buttons) - but when the user clicks on one of them, the variable still gets set to one of the default options that were set before I replaced them.
I tested this by creating a SingleChoice card that says āWhat is your favorite color?ā and i configured a hard coded list of 3 options: āBlueā, āRedā and āGreenā. Then using the hook, I replace them with a list of 4 options: āRedā, āPurpleā, āGreenā and āMauveā. My new options get displayed correctly - but when I click on Purple or Yellow, the variable stores the value āBlueā (which is not even in the list anymore). š
Can someone please tell me what the ārightā way to do this is ??? Or point me to a document that explains it???
rapid-manchester-41665
07/26/2023, 4:41 PM@early-train-33247 Hi! Iāve had this issue posted for a day and a half so far and havenāt gotten any responses. Is this something you can help me with - or maybe tell me how I can get an answer?
e
early-train-33247
07/26/2023, 11:19 PMHey @rapid-manchester-41665, here is the format you must follow for custom choices:
early-train-33247
07/26/2023, 11:19 PMThe variable needs to be an array with object following this structure
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1133263674392445079/1133901448112001104/image.pngā¾
early-train-33247
07/26/2023, 11:20 PMThat's if you need the value to be assigned to the variable to be different from the label
early-train-33247
07/26/2023, 11:21 PMBut if the value can be the same as the label, the items can be a list of strings ["Blue", "Red", "Green"]
early-train-33247
07/26/2023, 11:21 PMLet me know if that helps
r
rapid-manchester-41665
07/27/2023, 2:20 AMHi @early-train-33247 - thanks for responding - but what I need to know is where I need to create that object. I replaced the object in outgoingEvent.payload[āoptionsā] and it did indeed change the displayed buttons - but when I selected one of them, it returned the prior value for that button index - not the new one I had specified in the āvalueā. So there must be some other place that also needs to be updatedā¦???
rapid-manchester-41665
07/27/2023, 5:48 PMOk - my probablement was that I was trying to do this via a Hook and by modifying the event object directly. I didnāt realize that I could insert a variable into the choices section of the Single Choice. But now I do - and it works. Thank you.
e
early-train-33247
07/27/2023, 6:18 PMHey @rapid-manchester-41665, there is no need to use the hooks because you can add a variable directly in the Items section of the capture (also Action buttons for Cards and Carousels).
I thought you knew this already because in your original question you mentioned you "tried using the {{ workflow.choices[0] }} syntax on the item list for the card"
early-train-33247
07/27/2023, 6:19 PMGlad to know it worked out! š
I also have reported to the team that there should be more information about that!
r
rapid-manchester-41665
07/27/2023, 8:37 PMYup! I did try to use the substitution - but I was using it in the wrong spot! Instead of substituting the entire list (which works), I created a list with 3 items using the UI - and then for each list item, I tried to substitute values {{workflow,choiceItem1}}, {{workflow,choiceItem2}}, {{workflow,choiceItem3}} (which doesnāt work). If I had been more clear and you had realized that was what I meant, all you needed to say was āDonāt substitute the items, substitute the entire list of choicesā, we would have been done two days ago! š But thank you anyhow.
e
early-train-33247
07/28/2023, 10:25 PMEverything takes some trial and error to be learned haha.
At least now you know the exact format for custom choices! You're most welcome!
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