Message types

Chatlayer.ai supports different types of chat messages, each with its own object structure. Chat messages can be sent:

• In the response from the API plugin

• From your webhook to Chatlayer.ai

Each message has two mandatory fields:

• type: the messages type (carousel, buttons, list, media, text, …)

• config: the message configuration

Text

A text message includes a simple bot text message.

Request format:

{
  "senderId": "a7355930-fa92-11e7-8308-2f056e75d1ee",
  "message":  {
    "text": "Hi, I'm a chatbot"
  },
  "messageCounter": 1,
  "verifyToken": "8wMsLZkdDPT64nqh"
}

Property	Value	Description
text	string	The user test message.

Button Template

A button template includes a simple bot text message and an array of button objects.

Request format:

{
  "senderId": "a7355930-fa92-11e7-8308-2f056e75d1ee",
  "message":  {
    "attachment": {
      "type": "template",
      "payload": {
        "template_type": "button",
        "text": "Hello, in which language can I help you?",
        "buttons": [
          {
            "type": "postback",
            "title": "Nederlands",
            "payload": "437a034cde170b50de1b6a87d1cba104e39b1f6e"
          },
          {
            "type": "postback",
            "title": "English",
            "payload": "a6a318dd6afe997f282b3c7472e038a2e0f4046a"
          },
        ]
      }
    }
  },
  "messageCounter": 1,
  "verifyToken": "8wMsLZkdDPT64nqh"
}

Message object for button template:

Property	Value	Description
attachment	object	The attachment object.

Attachment object:

Property	Value	Description
type	string	The attachment type (template)
payload	object	The attachment payload object. The object structure depends of the attachment type

Attachment payload object:

Property	Value	Description
template_type	string	The template type (button)
text	string (optional)	The text above the buttons ( only for a button template type)
buttons	array	An array of button objects

Button object:

Property	Value	Description
type	string	The button type (web_url - postback - phone_number - element_share)
title	string	The button caption
payload	string (will contain the phone number when type is phone_number) - optional	The button payload. Only for postback type buttons. This is an Opaque identifier please don't try to change or extract meaning out of it.
url	string - optional	The button url. Only for url type buttons

Quick replies

A quick reply message includes a simple bot text message and an array of quick reply objects.

Request format:

{
  "senderId": "a7355930-fa92-11e7-8308-2f056e75d1ee",
  "message":  {
    "text": "Hello, in which language can I help you?",
    "quick_replies": [
      {
        "content_type": "text",
        "title": "Nederlands",
        "payload": "c3e30be2f30687fea0ae419acaeb9d77261631a9",
        "image_url": "https://domain/logo.png"
      },
      {
        "content_type": "text",
        "title": "English",
        "payload": "2e29412e82c8eea8c8b0c170661070d28929a900",
        "image_url": "https://domain/logo.png"
      },
    ]
  },
  "messageCounter": 1,
  "verifyToken": "8wMsLZkdDPT64nqh"
}

Message object for quick replies:

Property	Value	Description
text	string	The text before the quick replies.
quick_replies	array	An array of quick reply objects

Quick reply object:

Property	Value	Description
content_type	string	The quick reply content type (text)
title	string	The button caption
payload	string	The quick reply payload. This is an Opaque identifier please don't try to change or extract meaning out of it.

Generic template

A generic template (carousel) includes a list of generic template elements. The generic template element is a simple structured message that includes a title, subtitle, image, and up to three buttons

Request format:

{
  "senderId": "a7355930-fa92-11e7-8308-2f056e75d1ee",
  "message":  {
    "attachment": {
      "type": "template",
      "payload": {
        "template_type": "generic",
        "elements": [
          {
             "title": "Language",
             "subtitle": "Please set your language",
             "image_url": "https://domain/lang.png",
             "item_url": "https://domain/lang",
             "buttons": [
               {
                 "type": "postback",
                 "title": "Nederlands",
                 "payload": "f0512bd2fcddc53963056dc0d63b52b8caa902ff"
               },
               {
                 "type": "postback",
                 "title": "English",
                 "payload": "4562ae76c34a13647fab90425c68a486b8acf356"
               },
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  },
  "messageCounter": 1,
  "verifyToken": "8wMsLZkdDPT64nqh"
}

Message object for generic template:

Property	Value	Description
attachment	object	The attachment object.

Attachment object:

Property	Value	Description
type	string	The attachment type (template)
payload	object	The attachment payload object. The object structure depends of the attachment type

Attachment payload object:

Property	Value	Description
template_type	string	The template type (generic)
elements	array	An array of generic template elements (carousel cards)

Generic template element object:

Property	Value	Description
title	string	The carousel card title
subtitle	string	The carousel card subtitle
image_url	string	The carousel card image
item_url	string	The carousel card url. When the user clicks the image the web page opens in a new browser tab.
buttons	array	An array of button objects

Button object:

Property	Value	Description
type	string	The button type (web_url - postback - phone_number - element share)
title	string	The button caption
payload	string (will contain the phone number when type is phone_number) - optional	The button payload. Only for postback type buttons. This is an Opaque identifier please don't try to change or extract meaning out of it.
url	string - optional	The button url. Only for url type buttons

List template

The list template is a list of 2-4 structured items with an optional global button rendered at the bottom. Each item may contain a thumbnail image, title, subtitle, and one button. You may also specify a default_action object that sets a URL that will be opened when the item is tapped.

Request format:

{
  "senderId": "a7355930-fa92-11e7-8308-2f056e75d1ee",
  "message":  {
    "attachment": {
      "type": "template",
      "payload": {
        "template_type": "list",
        "elements": [
          {
             "title": "Language",
             "subtitle": "Select your language",
             "image_url": "https://domain/lang.png",
             "default_action": {
                "type": "web_url",
                "url": "default_url"
              }
             "buttons": [
               {
                 "type": "postback",
                 "title": "Nederlands",
                 "payload": "76601d56d0619ef87552bbfbbfcd714c4fda513b"
               }
            ]
          }
        ],
        "buttons": []
      }
    }
  },
  "messageCounter": 1,
  "verifyToken": "8wMsLZkdDPT64nqh"
}

Message object for list template:

Property	Value	Description
attachment	object	The attachment object.

Attachment object:

Property	Value	Description
type	string	The attachment type (template)
payload	object	The attachment payload object. The object structure depends of the attachment type

Attachment payload object:

Property	Value	Description
template_type	string	The template type (list)
elements	array	An array of list elements
buttons	array	An array of general list button objects

List template element object:

Property	Value	Description
title	string	The carousel card title
subtitle	string	The carousel card subtitle
image_url	string	The carousel card image
default_action	object	The default action when the user taps the list item.
buttons	array	An array of list item button objects

Default action object:

Property	Value	Description
type	string	The action type (web_url)
url	string	The action ur. When the user taps the list element this web page will open in a new browser tab.

Button object:

Property	Value	Description
type	string	The button type (web_url - postback - phone_numberl - element share)
title	string	The button caption
payload	string (type phone_number) - optional	The button payload. Only for postback type buttons. This is an Opaque identifier please don't try to change or extract meaning out of it.
url	string - optional	The button url. Only for url type buttons

Attachment

An attachment represents a file such as images and video.

Request format:

{
  "senderId": "a7355930-fa92-11e7-8308-2f056e75d1ee",
  "message":  {
    "attachment": {
      "type": "image"
      "payload": {
        "url": "image_url",
      }
    }
  },
  "messageCounter": 1,
  "verifyToken": "8wMsLZkdDPT64nqh"
}

Message object for attachment:

Property	Value	Description
attachment	object	The attachment object.

Attachment object:

Property	Value	Description
type	string	The attachment type (image-video)
payload	object	The attachment payload object. The object structure depends of the attachment type

Attachment payload object:

Property	Value	Description
url	string	The attachment url

Rich text

Rich text is text to which formatting is applied. Possible formatting is bold, italic, underlined, hyperlink to URL, hyperlink to bot dialog, heading (1-4), bulleted list and ordered list.

Request format:

{
  senderId: 'a7355930-fa92-11e7-8308-2f056e75d1ee',
  verifyToken: 'e63131e1-459f-45aa-be42-666e1e4ef197',
  message: {
    template: {
      __typename: 'RichTextMessageTemplate',
      order: 1,
      configTranslations: [Object]
    },
    richText: '<p>Paragraph</p>\n' +
      '<p><strong>Bold</strong></p>\n' +
      '<p><em>Italic</em></p>\n' +
      '<p><u>Underlined</u></p>\n' +
      '<p><a href="https://www.sinch.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Hyperlink</a></p>\n' +
      '<p><a href="f36f9056-2659-4d59-8940-4e9c7d3855a3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Go to bot dialog</a></p>\n' +
      '<h1>Heading 1</h1>\n' +
      '<h2>Heading 2</h2>\n' +
      '<h3>Heading 3</h3>\n' +
      '<h4>Heading 4</h4>\n' +
      '<ul>\n' +
      '<li>Bulleted list</li>\n' +
      '</ul>\n' +
      '<ol>\n' +
      '<li>Ordered list</li>\n' +
      '</ol>',
    type: 'richText'
  },
  messageCounter: 2,
  nlp: { intent: { name: null, score: null } },
  dialogstate: {
    id: 'f444b20b-370a-434d-af00-822cbce056ec',
    name: 'Introduction',
    label: null
  }
}

Message object for attachment:

Property	Value	Description
richText	string	The rich text message