Build reply templates with SmartBot

Define reusable SmartBot reply templates, validate numeric input, and understand SmartTasker boundaries.

SmartBot, SmartAmountDialog and SmartTasker are runtime classes. SmartBot separates reply text and layouts from the commands that supply data. It does not create your product rules or verify that a user earned a reward.

For a complete menu with English and Spanish, shared layouts, and a language switch, follow Build a two-language SmartBot menu. The sections below describe the individual APIs.

Configure a language template

In an owner-only /setup command:

Configure a language template · Example 1

const smart = new SmartBot();
smart.setupLng("en", {
  commands: {
    "/hello": { text: "Hello, {displayName}!", parse_mode: "HTML" }
  },
  titles: {},
  types: {}
});
Bot.sendMessage("Templates saved.");

Then create /hello:

Configure a language template · Example 2

const smart = new SmartBot({ params: { displayName: "friend" } });
smart.handle();

Expected result: Hello, friend!. The first configured language becomes the default. setupLng stores the supplied dictionary; re-run your setup after editing it. setUserLang("en") selects an already configured language for the current user.

For user-supplied names in HTML templates, escape <, > and &, or choose a suitable plain-text sending path. Placeholders substitute values; they do not sanitize them.

Organize templates

commands maps command names to layouts. A layout can use text, keyboard, inline_buttons, photo, parse_mode, chat_id, alias/aliases, and editing options. Keep one primary output type per layout rather than combining a photo and several competing output types.

Organize templates · Example 3

const language = {
  commands: {
    "/menu": {
      text: "Choose an action",
      inline_buttons: [[
        { text: "Help", command: "/help" },
        { text: "Website", url: "https://bots.business" }
      ]]
    },
    "/help": { text: "Send /menu to return." }
  },
  types: {},
  titles: {}
};

Store it with setupLng and call handle() in the commands that use it. add(object) merges template parameters, set(object) replaces them, and fill(textOrObject) resolves placeholders. Keep {placeholder} names and command keys unchanged in translations. Reusable types can be referenced with #/path/to/type; titles adds common parameters.

run({ command: "/help" }) runs another bot command. Editing a message requires a real message ID and applicable Telegram context; a template's edit flag alone cannot identify an arbitrary older message.

isAlias(message) checks a supplied string against template aliases and returns true for a match. Supply the text explicitly. These template comparisons are exact and have their own behavior; they are separate from command aliases configured in the app. Constructor options include strict_params, defaultMarkdown, skip_cmd_folders and debug. Debug output can contain template parameters, so avoid putting credentials in them.

Validate an amount

For a complete conversation with a question, invalid-input retry, cancellation, and saved quantity, use Ask for a quantity.

SmartAmountDialog validates input but does not transfer or reserve a resource. Without a SmartBot instance it returns true on success or the configured error value on failure. Compare strictly with true:

Validate an amount · Example 4

const dialog = new SmartAmountDialog({
  min: 1, max: 20, curValue: 12, onlyInteger: true,
  dialogErrors: {
    invalid: "Enter a number.",
    notInteger: "Enter a whole number.",
    zero: "No amount is available.",
    notEnough: "More than your available amount.",
    small: "Enter at least 1.",
    big: "Enter no more than 20."
  }
});
const result = dialog.accept("5");
if (result !== true) {
  Bot.sendMessage(result);
  return;
}
Bot.sendMessage("Accepted: " + dialog.amount);

With smartBot: smart supplied, failure returns false and the formatted message is in dialog.errMsg. The option is smartBot, not smart_bot. Inputs use digits with an optional decimal point; negative numbers and comma decimals are not accepted. skipZero skips the zero available balance check, not all numeric limits.

SmartTasker for task progress

For two complete commands with progress that survives return visits, follow Save progress in a learning checklist. It is a self-reported learning exercise with no wallet or reward transfers.

Create it with a name, an array of { id, amount } task definitions and your SmartBot instance:

SmartTasker for task progress · Example 5

const smart = new SmartBot();
const tasker = new SmartTasker({
  name: "tutorial", smartBot: smart, balance: 0,
  tasks: [{ id: "read_intro", amount: 1 }]
});
const remaining = tasker.getTasksForWork();
Bot.sendMessage("Tasks remaining: " + remaining.length);

Use defineWork(taskId) and completeExecution(taskId) only after your own trusted verification. Completion stores user progress and changes the instance's balance; it does not automatically persist a separate ResourcesLib balance. manyTimes permits repeated completion. Task IDs must be strings without spaces or colons.

Method	Contract
defineTask(idOrDefinition)	Select a task and add its fields to SmartBot parameters
defineWork(taskId)	Select the task and load its current user execution
skipTask()	Mark the first remaining task skipped; return whether another task remains
addBalance(amount)	Change this instance's numeric balance; reject a negative resulting balance
clearUserProgress()	Clear the current user's saved task progress, allowing a fresh start; reserve for a protected reset/debug flow
prepareTaskQuestion({ taskID, onAnswer })	Populate the configured question and answer parameters for a template
acceptAnswer(text)	Parse a callback-shaped value into { taskID, isCorrect }; default to command parameters when omitted

The question helper acceptAnswer() reads correctness from callback parameters; it is not proof of a secure quiz answer. Do not authorize valuable rewards from that flag. For a basic conversation flow, collect input is simpler.