bluebot-node is a lightweight, server-side, IRC-style chat bot for Facebook group chats written in Node.js. It uses the Node.js facebook-chat-api.
Ensure that you have the required dependencies installed, namely Node.js and facebook-chat-api. You can install the later with npm using npm install facebook-chat-api.
The bot is configured by editing the static.js file. Configure like so:
// Login credentials
this.EMAIL = /* valid Facebook log-in email address */
this.PASSWORD = /* valid Facebook log-in password */
// Settings
this.THREAD_ID = /* valid Facebook thread ID */
this.PREFIX = /* valid bot prefix, used to trigger commands e.g. @Botname */
this.BOTNAME = /* valid bot name, e.g. Botname */
this.ON = false; /* leave set to false */THREAD_ID refers to the Thread ID of the group chat the bot will be active in. You can find it by accessing the group chat on Facebook and looking at the URL:
The facebook-chat-api can be used to log into Facebook with an AppState loaded from a file in bot.js if desired. Refer to the appropriate section of the facebook-chat-api documentation.
The bot is designed for the end-user to customize and add functionality as needed. It comes with a basic suite of commands: on, off, help, echo, roll, and status. These cover the fundamental requirements for the operation of the bot. A simple framework for writing your own commands is provided; simply instantiate a new object using the Command constructor. Store the object as an instance variable to module.exports in commands.js. Example:
/* inside commands.js */
module.exports = function() {
/* inside module.exports */
/* construct this.roll with Command constructor */
/* Command constructor format: new Command(String name, String description, String help, Function implementation) */
this.roll = new Command("roll",
"Rolls a random integer from 1 to 100 inclusive",
"No additional options available.",
function(parent, api, params, message) {
var roll = (Math.floor(Math.random() * 100) + 1);
api.sendMessage(message.senderName + " rolled " + roll, message.threadID);
if (roll == 100) {
api.sendMessage("GODLIKE", message.threadID);
}
}
);
}The roll command automatically becomes accessible during chat use, activating with chat message @Botname roll (assuming PREFIX = @Botname) and appearing in the list generated by @Botname help.
Persistence functionality is available by appending to the this.PERSISTENCE array in commands.js. "Persistence" in this case refers to the binary (on/off) state of a command that must interact with each message sent to the chat, regardless of bot call by prefix.
An example of such a function is included as echo. Persistence of echo is activated with @Botname echo on and disabled with @Botname echo off. Once enabled, echo will parrot all following chat messages until turned off.
Refer to the implementation of the Command class in command.js to see the full range of functionality available.
Note that bot activity occurs in bot.js while commands are created in commands.js. This separation of logic makes it convenient for the end user to add functionality without understanding the nuances of the bot.js implementation. Of course, bot.js may comfortably be tweaked if this is desired.