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This service is deprecated. It will be deleted in 217 version of SentiOne Automate. Since version 216, Facebook bots can be configured in Channels module and the component responsible for communication with Facebook is Channels Connector.

General description

Facebook Bot is a component responsible for providing bridge between Facebook Messenger API and SentiOne Automate. It allows to conduct conversations with Automate bots using Facebook messenger.

User's messages are being delivered to the application through webhooks technology so that it is important to make sure this component is exposed in a way those webhooks can be delivered.

API

Default port: 5760

Application has got HTTP API which is secured by verification of payload signature made with secret token that is shared between facebook and the component.

There are default endpoints for monitoring purposes. They are described in Components monitoring section.

Databases

This application connects to RabbitMQ in order to persist all incoming messages and to guarantee they will be processed even in case of temporary downtime of application.

Communication

This service communicates with the following services:

To register webhooks, you need to go to Facebook Developer website, and in Application setting in section Webhooks register endpoint. For example: https://facebook.example.com/webhooks - remember to add /webhooks path at the end. Verify token should be the same as in application config in field "webhook-token". It can be any string as long as in the config and in Facebook Developer settings you provide same token.

Config

Application's config:

chatbots.facebook-bot {
    api {
        # Facebook Graph API Url
        facebook-url: "https://graph.facebook.com" 
    }

    bots: [
         {
             # project ID from Automate
             bot-id: "{BOT ID}",
             # your fanpage id, can be fetched using https://findmyfbid.in/ or similar apps
             fanpage-id: "{YOUR FANPAGE ID}",
             # Facebook application id.
             application-id: "{YOUR_APPLICATION_ID}"
             # can be retrieved using application panel, graph api tool or from sentione database (it must be page access token!)
             page-access-token: "{YOUR TOKEN}",
             # webhook token provided when subscribing for webhooks
             webhook-token: "{WEBHOOK TOKEN}",
             # can be foundin the facebook app settings
             app-secret: "{APP SECRET}", # can be foundin the facebook app settings
             # this is where we transfer thread whenDialogStateActionTest using transfer:agent, this is OPTIONAL! By default thread will be transferred to Messagenger inbox
             transfer-app: "263902037430900", # default FB inbox APP
             # How long the bot will be "typing". When 0 bot wont be typing at all (no flicking). OPTIONAL with default: 1 second
             typing-time: 0 seconds
         }
    ]

    webhooks-messaging {
        message-timeout: 15s
    }
}
 

Other required configurations:

# actual address for gateway service  
chatbots.gateway-api.url: "<http://host:port>"   
  
chatbots.messaging {  
  rabbit {  
    hosts: ["HOST:PORT"]  
    username: "USER"  
    password: "PASSWORD"  
  }  
}  

Job execution

None

Troubleshooting

Nothing yet.

Additional resources

Messenger API

How does the Messenger Platform work?

When a person sends a message to a business on Messenger and as long as this Page uses an app to partially or fully automate conversations, the following will happen. Our server sends webhooks to the URL of the business server, where the messaging app is hosted. Using the Send API, the app can respond to the person on Messenger. In this way, developers can build guided conversations to lead people through an automated flow or build an app to serve as a bridge between your agents and your business presence on Messenger.

Quote from official Facebook documentation.

Resources

https://developers.facebook.com/docs/graph-api/
https://developers.facebook.com/docs/messenger-platform/reference
https://developers.facebook.com/docs/messenger-platform/reference/handover-protocol