Direct Message Buttons

[xjose97x]

Hello!
I notice that so far, the buttons we add to Direct Messages chats (https://dev.twitter.com/rest/direct-messages/buttons), can only point to URLs.
Is there any option to make it send a message to the current chat? More or less how facebook or skype has the buttons implemented.

Thanks

[andypiper]

No, the DM button enables you to create a new DM session but not to pre-populate the message.

[xjose97x]

It would be nice to have that feature. This way the user can be guided.

For instance, the first message the bot sends is:
Hello, I’m the news bot. What topic do you want to know about?
(WORLD)
(LOCAL NEWS)
(POLITICS)
(OTHER)

If the user clicks on the WORLD button, it would let the bot know that, and inmediately reply to the user with a news related to the world.

It can be pretty useful to guide the conversation, and make the user not write. Facebook, Skype, Slack, Microsoft Teams, etc already support this. Since Twitter is entering the world Direct Message bots, it would be nice to have a feature like this.

Thanks!

[andypiper]

Ah - I misunderstood what you were asking for! I thought you were asking about Direct Message buttons on websites. I should have paid more attention to what you were asking

This is part of the new Direct Message beta functions - welcome messages and quick replies provide these features.

[xjose97x]

Right. However, I’m requesting to have that feature as Buttons, like the Buttons you alrady provide as URLs.

[andypiper]

Thanks - buttons are for linking out to URLs and quick replies are for the pre-populating text responses you describe. These are beta features so we are happy to listen to the feedback but right now there are no immediate plans to change these definitions.

Why would the text responses as buttons be “better” than the quick replies, in your estimation?

[xjose97x]

I believe it feels more natural. Those quick replies at the bottom of the screen feel more like a … perhaps a menu for global messages/handlers. Maybe I’m biased because of the facebook persistent menu: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/messenger-platform/messenger-profile/persistent-menu

However, I don’t think the feature I’m requesting would hurt, right?

[andypiper]

Sure, as I said, happy to pass it along and thanks for the request - not in our immediate plans but the feedback is useful! (and sorry for my initial misunderstanding of the question!)

[xjose97x]

Haha it’s ok. Also I’m really thankful for the great efforts you guys are doing. Twitter soon releasing webhooks, and the new features you’re releasing in the Twitter platform and API is really amazing.

Keep it going!

PD: @andypiper, added you on Skype, I’d like to ask you something about the API.

[andypiper]

Appreciate it, but I’m very sorry that I can’t provide private support or answer API questions via channels like Skype etc - I’d be inundated and I already live most of my day on these forums and Twitter - I hope you understand that. Thank you!

[system]

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