mirror of https://github.com/zulip/zulip.git
85 lines
3.2 KiB
Markdown
85 lines
3.2 KiB
Markdown
# Interactive bots
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Zulip's API has a powerful framework for interactive bots that react
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to messages in Zulip. This page documents how to run a bot
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implemented using that framework, both on your laptop for quick
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testing as well in a production server environment.
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On this page you'll find:
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* A step-by-step [tutorial](#running-a-bot) on how to run a bot.
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* Common [problems](#common-problems) when developing/running bots and their solutions.
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## Installing the Zulip bots package
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## Running a bot
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This guide will show you how to run an **existing** Zulip bot
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found in [`zulip_bots/bots`](
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https://github.com/zulip/python-zulip-api/tree/master/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots).
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You need:
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* An account in an organization on a Zulip server
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(e.g. [chat.zulip.org](https://chat.zulip.org) or
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yourSubdomain.zulipchat.com, or your own development server).
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Within that Zulip organization, users will be able to interact with
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your bot.
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* A computer where you're running the bot from.
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**Note: Please be considerate when testing experimental bots on public servers such as chat.zulip.org.**
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1. Run `pip install zulip_bots` to install the package.
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*Hint: Do you want to install the latest development version? Check
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out [this](
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writing-bots#installing-a-development-version-of-the-zulip-bots-package)
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guide.*
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1. Register a new bot user on the Zulip server's web interface.
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* Log in to the Zulip server.
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* Navigate to *Settings (<i class="fa fa-cog"></i>)* -> *Your bots* -> *Add a new bot*.
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Select *Generic bot* for bot type, fill out the form and click on *Create bot*.
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* A new bot user should appear in the *Active bots* panel.
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1. Download the bot's `zuliprc` configuration file to your computer.
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* Go to *Settings* -> *Your bots*.
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* In the *Active bots* panel, click on the little green download icon
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to download its configuration file *zuliprc* (the structure of this file is
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explained [here](writing-bots#configuration-file)).
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* The file will be downloaded to some place like `~/Downloads/zuliprc` (depends
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on your browser and OS).
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* Copy the file to a destination of your choice, e.g. to `~/zuliprc-my-bot`.
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1. Start the bot process.
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* Run
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```
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zulip-run-bot <bot-name> --config-file ~/zuliprc-my-bot
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```
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(using the path to the `zuliprc` file from step 3).
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* Check the output of the command. It should include the following line:
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INFO:root:starting message handling...
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Congrats! Your bot is running.
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1. To talk with the bot, mention its name `@**bot-name**`.
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You can now play around with the bot and get it configured the way you
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like. Eventually, you'll probably want to run it in a production
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environment where it'll stay up, by deploying it on a server using the
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Zulip Botserver.
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## Common problems
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* My bot won't start
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* Ensure that your API config file is correct (download the config file from the server).
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* Ensure that your bot script is located in zulip_bots/bots/<my-bot>/
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* Are you using your own Zulip development server? Ensure that you run your bot outside
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the Vagrant environment.
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* Some bots require Python 3. Try switching to a Python 3 environment before running
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your bot.
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