Facebook Messenger

A python library to communicate with the Facebook Messenger API's

Table of Contents

• Installation
• Example usage with Flask
• Timeouts
• Elements
• Attachments
• Templates
• Sender Actions
• Quick Replies
• Thread settings

Installation

Install from pip

pip install fbmessenger

Facebook app setup

• Create a page for your app, if you don't already have one
• Create an app
• Add the Messenger product
• Select the Page to generate a page token
• Use App Secret (optional)

Example usage with Flask

First you need to create a verify token, this can be any string e.g.

'my_verify_token'

Messenger class

We need to extend the BaseMessenger abstract class and implement methods for each of the following subscription fields.

• message
• delivery
• read
• optin
• postback
• account_linking

from fbmessenger import BaseMessenger


class Messenger(BaseMessenger):
    def __init__(self, page_access_token, app_secret=None):
        self.page_access_token = page_access_token
        self.app_secret = app_secret
        self.client = MessengerClient(self.page_access_token, app_secret=self.app_secret)

    def message(self, message):
        self.send({'text': 'Received: {0}'.format(message['message']['text'])}, 'RESPONSE')

    def delivery(self, message):
        pass

    def read(self, message):
        pass

    def account_linking(self, message):
        pass

    def postback(self, message):
        pass

    def optin(self, message):
        pass

Create a route for the callback url

This can be used to process any messages received and also to verify your app

import os
from flask import Flask, request

app = Flask(__name__)
app.debug = True

messenger = Messenger(os.environ.get('FB_PAGE_TOKEN'))

@app.route('/webhook', methods=['GET', 'POST'])
def webhook():
    if request.method == 'GET':
        if (request.args.get('hub.verify_token') == os.environ.get('FB_VERIFY_TOKEN')):
            return request.args.get('hub.challenge')
        raise ValueError('FB_VERIFY_TOKEN does not match.')
    elif request.method == 'POST':
        messenger.handle(request.get_json(force=True))
    return ''


if __name__ == "__main__":
    app.run(host='0.0.0.0')

Timeouts

Any method on either the BaseMessenger or MessengerClient classes which perform network access accept an optional timeout parameter. This should be a number, and causes an exception to be raised if the server (ie. Facebook) has not started responding within timeout seconds (more precisely, if no bytes have been received on the underlying socket for timeout seconds). If no timeout is specified explicitly, requests do not time out. Note that in particular, timeout is not a time limit on the entire response download - just the initial connection.

For example, this call will raise a socket timeout exception if the start of a response has not been received within 10 seconds:

messenger.send({'text': msg}, 'RESPONSE', timeout=10)

If no timeout is provided (the default) then connection attempts will not time out.

Elements

Import the elements (or just the ones you need)

from fbmessenger import elements

Messaging type

Starting from 7th May 2018, Facebook requires that all message sends must include the messaging_type property:

https://developers.facebook.com/docs/messenger-platform/reference/send-api

This is passed in the send() calls below - in each case, we'll just use RESPONSE. You should use whatever value is appropriate for your application. Supported values are:

• RESPONSE (default)
• UPDATE
• MESSAGE_TAG

See Messaging Types for more information.

Notification Type

Any of the elements below may be sent in conjunction with a notification type (see the Send API documentation for more details). notification_type is an optional parameter to the .send() call. For example:

messenger.send({'text': msg}, 'RESPONSE', notification_type='REGULAR')

Supported values are are:

• REGULAR (default)
• SILENT_PUSH
• NO_PUSH

Message Tags

Message tags give you the ability to send messages to a person outside of the normally allowed 24-hour window for a limited number of purposes that require continual notification or updates.

messenger.send({'text': msg}, 'MESSAGE_TAG', tag='NON_PROMOTIONAL_SUBSCRIPTION')

Supported values are are:

• BUSINESS_PRODUCTIVITY
• COMMUNITY_ALERT
• CONFIRMED_EVENT_REMINDER
• NON_PROMOTIONAL_SUBSCRIPTION
• for more see Supported Tags

See Message Tags for more information.

Text

You can pass a simple dict or use the Class

messenger.send({'text': msg}, 'RESPONSE')

elem = elements.Text('Your Message')
messenger.send(elem.to_dict(), 'RESPONSE')

Web button

btn = elements.Button(title='Web button', url='http://example.com')
messenger.send(btn.to_dict(), 'RESPONSE')

Payload button

To use these buttons you must have the message_deliveries subscription enabled

btn = elements.Button(title='Postback button', payload='payload')
messenger.send(btn.to_dict(), 'RESPONSE')

Attachments

You can upload attachments to Facebook for use in their other APIs:

attachment = attachments.Image(url='https://example.com/image.jpg')
client = MessengerClient(page_access_token=12345678)
res = client.upload_attachment(attachment)
print(res)
{"attachment_id": "12345"}

Images

image = attachments.Image(url='http://example.com/image.jpg')
messenger.send(image.to_dict(), 'RESPONSE')

Audio

audio = attachments.Image(url='http://example.com/audio.mp3')
messenger.send(audio.to_dict(), 'RESPONSE')

Video

video = attachments.Video(url='http://example.com/video.mp4')
messenger.send(video.to_dict(), 'RESPONSE')

Files

file = attachments.File(url='http://example.com/file.txt')
messenger.send(file.to_dict(), 'RESPONSE')

Templates

Import the templates (or just the ones you need)

from fbmessenger import templates

Generic template

btn = elements.Button(title='Web button', url='http://facebook.com')
elems = elements.Element(
    title='Element',
    item_url='http://facebook.com',
    image_url='http://facebook.com/image.jpg',
    subtitle='Subtitle',
    buttons=[
        btn
    ]
)
res = templates.GenericTemplate(elements=[elems])
messenger.send(res.to_dict(), 'RESPONSE')

Button template

btn = elements.Button(title='Web button', url='http://facebook.com')
btn2 = elements.Button(title='Postback button', payload='payload')
res = templates.ButtonTemplate(
    text='Button template',
    buttons=[btn, btn2]
)
messenger.send(res.to_dict(), 'RESPONSE')

Receipt template

element = elements.Element(
    title='Classic White T-Shirt',
    subtitle='100% Soft and Luxurious Cotton',
    quantity=2,
    price=50,
    currency='USD',
    image_url='http://petersapparel.parseapp.com/img/whiteshirt.png',
)
adjustment1 = elements.Adjustment(name='New Customer Discount', amount=20)
adjustment2 = elements.Adjustment(name='$10 Off Coupon', amount=10)
address = elements.Address(
    street_1='1 Hacker Way',
    city='Menlo Park',
    postal_code='94025',
    state='CA',
    country='US'
)
summary = elements.Summary(
    subtotal=75.00,
    shipping_cost=4.95,
    total_tax=6.19,
    total_cost=56.14
)
res = templates.ReceiptTemplate(
    recipient_name='Stephane Crozatier',
    order_number='12345678902',
    currency='USD',
    payment_method='Visa 2345',
    order_url='http://petersapparel.parseapp.com/order?order_id=123456',
    timestamp='1428444852',
    address=address,
    summary=summary,
    adjustments=[adjustment1, adjustment2],
    elements=[element]
)
messenger.send(res.to_dict(), 'RESPONSE')

Media template

btn = elements.Button(
    button_type='web_url',
    title='Web button',
    url='http://facebook.com'
)
attachment = attachments.Image(attachment_id='12345')
res = templates.MediaTemplate(attachment, buttons=[btn])
messenger.send(res.to_dict())

Sender Actions

Typing on

typing_on = SenderAction(sender_action='typing_on')
messenger.send_action(typing_on.to_dict())

Typing off

typing_ffn = SenderAction(sender_action='typing_off')
messenger.send_action(typing_off.to_dict())

Mark seen

mark_seen = SenderAction(sender_action='mark_seen')
messenger.send_action(mark_seen.to_dict())

Quick Replies

quick_reply_1 = QuickReply(title='Do something', payload='Send me this payload')
quick_reply_2 = QuickReply(title='Do something else', payload='Send me this other payload')
quick_replies = QuickReplies(quick_replies=[
	quick_reply_1,
	quick_reply_2
])
text = { text: 'A message' }
text['quick_replies'] = quick_replies.to_dict()
messenger.send(text, 'RESPONSE')

Messenger Profile

Greeting Text

from fbmessenger.thread_settings import GreetingText, MessengerProfile

greeting_text = GreetingText('Welcome to my bot')
messenger_profile = MessengerProfile(greetings=[greeting_text])
messenger.set_messenger_profile(messenger_profile.to_dict())

Get Started Button

from fbmessenger.thread_settings import GetStartedButton, MessengerProfile

get_started = GetStartedButton(payload='GET_STARTED')
messenger_profile = MessengerProfile(get_started=get_started)
messenger.set_messenger_profile(messenger_profile.to_dict())

You can then check for this payload in the postback method

Persistent Menu

from fbmessenger.thread_settings import PersistentMenu, PersistentMenuItem, MessengerProfile

menu_item_1 = PersistentMenuItem(item_type='web_url', title='Menu Item 1', url='https://facebook.com')
menu_item_2 = PersistentMenuItem(item_type='postback', title='Menu Item 2', payload='PAYLOAD')

menu = PersistentMenu(menu_items=[menu_item_1, menu_item_2])

messenger_profile = MessengerProfile(persistent_menus=[menu])
messenger.set_messenger_profile(messenger_profile.to_dict())