Is it possible to query for the pinned pages in a category via the API?
Hi @KajMagnus,
We're very happy with our auto-replying bot that we were able to implement thanks to your recent API additions.
One thing that has come up recently is the need to include pinned pages in a category in our bot's replies. Such pinned pages typically include instructions for users on how to best get help for a specific product (hence different pages are pinned in each category). Such pages are written by the authors of each product (third party devs). Ideally, when our bot replies to a user who isn't following the guidelines on how to report a bug/issue/help request, then we could include text from the pinned page or a link to it, to let them know how to better get help.
This would improve the user experience and free up time for our third party developers to be able to help more people quicker.
The TL;DR:
What we'd like the ability to do, is, given a category's external ID, get a list of the pinned pages, including their #1 posts.
It would also be great if the reply for each page would include its tags. That way, we could utilize tags as a way to declare how such a pinned page should be included in the auto-reply (ie. include the body of the page or just provide as a link).
Another, related function would be to get a list of pages in a category based on their tag, regardless if they're pinned or not.
Would this be relatively easy to add to the API?
- CChristian Scheuer @chrscheuer
See here for the bot in action and an example of pinned pages with help instructions that we'd like to dynamically locate:
KajMagnus @KajMagnus2022-08-03 14:20:35.710ZCorrect me if I'm wrong: You'd like to include titles & links to those Scheps' Bounce Factory 3 pinned pages, in the messages your bot sends? And, for pages with certain "magic" tags, you would also include their #1 post (the Orig Post).
And theoretically it'd be possible to store the above info (which topics are pinned in which category) in your system, but such data would drift out of date — so it's better to use Ty's API?
- CChristian Scheuer @chrscheuer
Yes, exactly. Also, because by having it available in Talkyard and editable there, the formatting matches and the third party developer can edit this content themselves.
Much more flexible than setting it up in our own system where as you said things can more easily drift out of sync.
In reply tochrscheuer⬆:KajMagnus @KajMagnus2022-08-03 14:18:11.560ZThis seems like a good API addition. Yes this should be simple to add to the API. (Simple != quick — still needs code review and some automatic tests.)
get a list of pages in a category based on their tag
Yes and this needs to be available in Ty's own UI too :- ) Maybe can fix both at the same time.
It would also be great if the reply for each page would include its tags. That way, we could utilize tags as a way to declare how such a pinned page should be included in the auto-reply
With reply, you mean the HTTP response to the API request? So, Ty would include a
{ ... tags: [ ...] }or sth like that, in the response. And your bot would look at the tags, and do different things, based on that?Seems like a good idea.
- CChristian Scheuer @chrscheuer
Oops edited - yes, you understood what I meant :)
- Progresswith doing this idea