Built-in Functions

Zaroc has many useful Functions that can help us handle Dialogflow's Request in our backend and provide a good response.

Zaroc Functions

Intents

These Functions help us to handle Intents

Intent

PHP

• Receives the name of the intent and returns true or false, is used in IF statements to do an specific behavior for an intent in our code

if(intent('intentName')){
    //Do some code
}

Action

• Receives the name of an action and returns true or false, is used in IF statements to filter intents.
• You can use action as other filter to work with specific rules for some intents.

PHP

if(action('actionName')){
    //Do some code
}

.

Parameters

These functions are used to handle Parameters

getIntentParameter

• Returns the value of the specified Parameter in the living Intent

PHP

$parameterValue = getIntentParameter()['parameterName'];

getContextParameter

Keep in Mind

When going deep into context, check Contexts section in Zaroc Advanced

• Returns the value of the specified Parameter in the main context

PHP

$parameterValue = getContextParameter()['parameterName'];

.

Triggers

These functions help us to Trigger Special Behaviors on our Chatbot from the Backend

triggerEvent

• Triggers the Intent that has the event typed as argument
• Receives the Event name and Params as Array
• Params are optional, these params helps to send data to the context from the current intent to the nextIntent that is being trigger by this Function

PHP

$eventName = ["event1"];             #array
$params = [];                        #array

triggerEvent($eventName,$params);

triggerError

• Displays an Error, works for all the integrations.
• Receives as Array, session (optional) if needed to change context values/variables, and the error message. (Check Context section if any doubt)

PHP

$session = [];                                         #array
$errorMessage = ["Query wasnt executed 💥"];           #array

triggerError($session, $errorMessage);

triggerPrompt

• Triggers a Prompt when needed, has the same format as the default required parameters that dialogflow has.
• Its used in Addition with SlotFilling (Check Documentation for SlotFilling).
• Receives as Array, session (optional) if needed to change context values/variables, and the prompt message. (Check Context section if any doubt)

PHP

$session = [];                                          #array
$prompt = ["Whats your favourite food"];                #array

triggerPropmt($session, $prompt);

.

Context

Context help us to save information, with these backend functions we can create and update variables on an specific context.

• Be noticed that we cant delete variables neither contexts. Just create and update.
• To have a whole picture of how Context works, check Context on Zaroc's Advanced.

setContextParameters

• Creates a new context based in the old one, that you can use them into session to apply the changes.
• If the parameter exists, only changes value, if not then the parameter is created with the value.

PHP

$parameters = [                             #associative-array (could be an arrays of arrays of arrays)
    'color' => 'white',
    'animal' => 'bird',
    'coffee' => 'expresso'
];

$contextBody = setContextParameters($parameters);

.

Troubleshoot

In order to Troubleshoot we can use some functions. (Check troubleshoot section for more info)

getInput

• Returns the Entire input Request that Dialogflow has sent
• This input helps you to look at the body and troubleshoot.

PHP

$input = getInput();

getIntent

• Returns the current intent that has been triggered.

PHP

$intent = getIntent();

createInput

• This function allow us to create a file.txt on ourServer with all the Request.
• Receives an array with the name of the file that you would like to create.

PHP

$fileName = ["request"];                             #array
createInput($fileName);

getTimeOut

• Returns the time in ms that took all code execution to be done.
• As webhook has a limit of 5 miliseconds, you only can timeout till that maximum time minus the time that takes your code to be proccesed.

PHP

$time = getTimeOut();

getSourceData

• This function allow us to create file with the data that comes from a Different Source that isnt Dialogflow.
• Receives an array with the name of the file that you would like to create.

PHP

$fileName = ["request"];                                    #array
getSourceData($fileName);

getPlatform

• This function retrieves the current platform that was used for the current request.

PHP

$platform = getPlatform();

getUserInput

• Returns the Input from the user that Triggered the intent

PHP

$userInput = getUserInput();

getBotInput

• Returns the Input from the bot, or the response that the bot gived to the user

PHP

$botInput = getBotInput();

getSessionID

• Returns the sessionId of the current chat/session
• Id format changes depending of the platform/integration

PHP

$sessionId = getSessionId();

getProjectName

• Retrieves the name of the project

PHP

$projectName = getProjectName();

.

Miscelaneous

These functions are not commonly used, but sometimes are helpfull.

getWhatsAppPhoneNumber

• Retrieves a WhatsApp PhoneNumber if you are in Session VIA whatsApp
• This data is provided for mostly wWhatsApp Providers

PHP

$phoneNumber = getWhatsAppPhoneNumber();

getContactId

• Retrieves facebook contact id used for the user that is chatting with the bot

PHP

$contactId = getContactId();

getTelegramChatId

• Returns the ChatId of a Telegram Chat
• Only obtainable if you are chatting via Telegram

PHP

$chatID = getTelegramChatId();

getTelegramCallbackQueryId

• Returns callbackqueryId of Telegram if exists
• Only obtainable if you are chatting via Telegram

PHP

$callbackQueryId = getTelegramCallbackQueryId();