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
}

Node.js

• Js works in a different Way, so we need to use a different workaround to handle it.
• In App.js we got the current intentName and then we use it on our basics handler function.

const intentName = getIntentName(body);

if (basics(body, intentName) && basics(body, intentName)?.trim !== "") {
  res.send(basics(body, intentName));
}

• Basics file will receive these two params and will switch depending if the intent name is inside here, if that happens a case will be triggered
• If the intent is not inside here, it will return false and the code will be skipped next to the other handler function like (info, test)
• Inside of the case of every intent the dialog will be implemented.

const basics = (body, intentName) => {
  lang = getContextParameter(body, 0)["basics_language"];

  switch (intentName) {
    case "basics_fallback":
      result = triggerEvent("basics_start");
      return result;

    default:
      // return `basics module break, ${intentName} was expected 💥`;
      break;
  }
};

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
}

Node.js

ALPHA;

.

Parameters

These functions are used to handle Parameters

getIntentParameter

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

PHP

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

Node.js

parameterValue = getIntentParameter(body)["parameterName"];

getContextParameter

Keep in Mind

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

• Returns the value of the specified Parameter and Context
• Receives a Number as the index of the specified Context when the variable is living
• You can pass "auto" as parameter to retrieve the main context if you are not able to retrieve correctly your context: Example ( getContextParameter(auto)['parameterName']; )

PHP

// Pass context index as a number if you want that specific context and you know how contexts works Ex: 0
$parameterValue = getContextParameter(0)['parameterName'];
// Pass context index as "auto" to retrieve your context
$parameterValue = getContextParameter("auto")['parameterName'];

Node.js

// Pass context index as a number if you want that specific context and you know how contexts works Ex: 0
parameterValue = getContextParameter(body, 0)["parameterName"];
// Pass context index as "auto" to retrieve your context
parameterValue = getContextParameter(body, "auto")["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);

Node.js

• Result statement have to be returned in the current switch case

eventName = ["event1"];
params = [];

result = triggerEvent(eventName, params);

triggerError

• Displays an Error, works for all the integrations.
• Receives as Array, the name of the intent and the message of the error to trigger.

PHP

$context = false;                                          #string
$contextBody = [];                                         #array
$intentName = ["intent1"];                                 #array
$errorMessage = ["Query wasnt executed 💥"];              #array
$params = [];                                              #array

triggerError($context,$contextBody,$intentName,$errorMessage,$params);

Node.js

• Result statement have to be returned in the current switch case

context = false;
contextBody = [];
intentName = ["intent1"];
errorMessage = ["Query wasnt executed 💥"];
params = [];

result = triggerError(context, contextBody, intentName, errorMessage, params);

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).
• context and contextBody are optional. (Remember to check Doc for Context if you wanna use it).

PHP

$context = false;                                           #string
$contextBody = [];                                          #array
$prompt = ["Whats your favourite food"];                    #array

triggerPropmt($context,$contextBody,$prompt);

Node.js

• Remember to Return the result in the current switch case

context = false;
contextbody = false;
prompt = ["Whats your favourite food"];

result = triggerPropmt(context, contextBody, 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.

setContextParameter

• This Function allow us to add a Parameter to the Selected Context.
• You can pass "auto" as a replace of the contextIndex number you want to retrieve the main context and create new parameters on it

PHP

$contextIndex = [0];                                      #array
$variableName = ["fruit"];                                #array
$variableValue = ["coco"];                                #array

$contextBody = setContextParameter($contextIndex,$variableName,$variableValue);

Node.js

contextIndex = [0];
variableName = ["fruit"];
variableValue = ["coco"];

contextBody = setContextParameter(
  body,
  variableName,
  variableValue
  contextIndex,
);

updateContextParameter

• This functions allow us to update the value of a parameter inside of the selected context.
• You can pass "auto" as a replace of the contextIndex number you want to retrieve the main context and update it

PHP

$contextIndex = [0];                             #array
$variableName = ["fruit"];                       #array
$variableValue = ["Banana"];                     #array

$contextBody = updateContextParameter($contextIndex,$variableName,$variableValue);

Node.js

contextIndex = [0];
variableName = ["fruit"];
variableValue = ["Banana"];

contextBody = updateContextParameter(
  body,
  variableName,
  variableValue,
  contextIndex
);

setContextParameters

• Creates multiple values on the selected Context.
• You can pass "auto" as a replace of the contextIndex number you want to retrieve the main context and create new parameters inside of it

PHP

$contextIndex = [0];                        #array

$parameters = [                             #associative-array
    'color' => 'white',
    'animal' => 'bird',
    'coffee' => 'expresso'
];

$contextBody = setContextParameters($contextIndex, $parameters);

Node.js

contextIndex = [0];

parameters = [
    'color' => 'white',
    'animal' => 'bird',
    'coffee' => 'expresso'
];

contextBody = setContextParameters(body,parameters,contextIndex);

updateContextParameters

• Updates multiples values on the selected context.
• You can pass "auto" as a replace of the contextIndex number you want to retrieve the main context and create new parameters inside of it

PHP

$contextIndex = [0];                        #array

$parameters = [                             #associative-array
    'color' => 'black',
    'fruit' => 'apple',
    'coffee' => 'capuccinno',
    'animal' => 'gorilla'
];

$contextBody = updateContextParameters($contextIndex, $parameters);

Node.js

contextIndex = [0];

parameters = [
    'color' => 'black',
    'fruit' => 'apple',
    'coffee' => 'capuccinno',
    'animal' => 'gorilla'
];

contextBody = updateContextParameters(body,parameters,contextIndex);

.

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();

Node.js

• Result statement have to be returned in the current switch case

result = getInput(data);

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);

Node.js

• This function doesnt need to be returned or catched, just do this in case you would like to see if worked

fileName = ["request"];
createInput(data, fileName);

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);

Node.js

• This function doesnt need to be returned or catched, just do this in case you would like to see if worked

fileName = ["request"];
getSourceData(data, fileName);

getTimeOut

• Returns the time in ms that took all code execution to be done.
• getTimeOut can't take ms that cost the request in being proccesed by Dialogflow (4000 ms).

PHP

$time = getTimeOut();

Node.js

ALPHA;

.

Miscelaneous

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

getUserInput

• Returns the Input from the user that Triggered the intent

PHP

$userInput = getUserInput();

Node.js

ALPHA;

getSessionID

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

PHP

$sessionId = getSessionId();

Node.js

sessionId = getSessionId(body);

getProjectName

• Retrieves the name of the project

PHP

$projectName = getProjectName();

Node.js

ALPHA;

getWhatsAppPhoneNumber

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

PHP

$phoneNumber = getWhatsAppPhoneNumber();

Node.js

ALPHA;

getTelegramChatId

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

PHP

$chatID = getTelegramChatId();

Node.js

ALPHA;

getTelegramCallbackQueryId

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

PHP

$callbackQueryId = getTelegramCallbackQueryId();

Node.js

callbackQueryId = getTelegramCallbackQueryId(body);