Core: how to get forward_from with getMessage()->getForwardFrom()

[cypherbits]

Required Information

• PHP version: 7.0
• PHP Telegram Bot version: 0.40.1
• Using MySQL database: no
• Update Method: Webhook
• Self-signed certificate: no
• RAW update (if available): yes

On a custom UserCommand
getMessage()->getForwardFrom() should return a User but returns null. The reply from Telegram is correct, I can see on the raw update logs that forward_from is defined with the user data, but this method don't return a User but null. As I can't see where can ask this project this questions, I do it by opening a issue...

I didn't change original code or is a complex project yet, it should work, I'm looking at the UserCommand examples to make mine.

[noplanman]

Hi @juanjofm

You need to catch the getForwardFrom in the GenericmessageCommand, as it doesn't count as a user command.

Could you explain what you're trying to achieve? And what do you mean by On a custom UserCommand?

[cypherbits]

what I want to do is that when a message is forwarded to the bot in a private chat with a user and the message from a public group for example and with a command like /getid the bot returns the original user id.

what I mean on a custom UserCommand its just a new command on the Commands folder copying example files, but I get null when I try to get getMessage()->getForwardFrom()

[noplanman]

Ok, that should work though.

• Message to be forwarded: /getid (from private chat or group)
• Forwarded to the bot
• Bot executes the getid command
• You have access to the 'forwardFrom' User object
• Get the ID using $this->getMessage()->getForwardFrom()->getId()

What does your raw update look like?
(Replace the IDs and names to ensure privacy)

[cypherbits]

Well, for me $this->getMessage()->getForwardFrom() is already null.

raw update like $this->getUpdate()->toJson()? doesn't show "forward_from" and the User object.

But, on raw logs like
Longman\TelegramBot\TelegramLog::initUpdateLog($path . '/' . $BOT_NAME . '_update.log');
it shows "forward_from" and User data is good.

[noplanman]

Strange. If the message itself is forwarded, there should be something in ->getForwardFrom().

What if you add this to your GenericmessageCommand.php in execute() method:

$message = $this->getMessage();

return Request::sendMessage([
    'chat_id' => $message->getChat()->getId(),
    'text'    => $message->getForwardFrom() ? $message->getForwardFrom()->getId() : 'not forwarded...',
]);

Then forward a message to your bot in the private chat. Does this work?

[cypherbits]

says not forwarded...

[noplanman]

Hmm, that's very strange. Will need to do some testing to figure this one out.

Any extra information you can give me about your setup?

[cypherbits]

mmm idk, I know it is weird, is it working for you? It needs a database? Im not using one. But the data Telegram sends is good because you can see it on the log...

[noplanman]

Yes, it's working for me, with and without database, with and without webhook.
I don't understand yet why it's not working, even though it's in the raw update...

[cypherbits]

Do you have PHP 7 too? Idk what to do next, I tried many things already. I can't even find an error that can be the cause of this problem.

[noplanman]

Do you have PHP 7 too?

Yes I do. Don't think that's the problem though.

Summoning @jacklul @akalongman @MBoretto
Any ideas?

Alternatively, would it be possible to log into your server that's running the bot?

[cypherbits]

would it be possible to log into your server that's running the bot?

sorry, thats no possible xD

[cypherbits]

Can be some parsing error? I mean, if on the logs I get the right json from Telegram but when I do $this->getUpdate()->toJson() the "forward_from" already doesnt exists?

[noplanman]

I've just noticed that getUpdate() doesn't seem to be returning the correct value I think.
Something weird is going on, hmmm 😕

[jacklul]

What I noticed when it comes to DB:

Forward message from private chat:

• forward_from = id (correct)
• forward_from_chat = null (missing)
• forward_from_message_id = null (correct)

Forward message from group chat:

• forward_from = id (correct)
• forward_from_chat = null (missing)
• forward_from_message_id= null (correct)

Forward message from channel:

• forward_from = null (correct)
• forward_from_chat = id (correct)
• forward_from_message_id = number (correct)

I bet $this->getMessage()->getForwardFrom()->getId() will work correctly on messages forwarded from channels.

[chuv1]

I met this problem too, and found out that it's a correct behavior, since -

[cypherbits]

ok, for me forward_from ,forward_from_chat , forward_from_message_id is null forwarding group chats or channel messages, all null.

I'm using this inside class GetidCommand extends UserCommand {

And, sorry, I did this again:

What if you add this to your GenericmessageCommand.php in execute() method:

$message = $this->getMessage();

return Request::sendMessage([
'chat_id' => $message->getChat()->getId(),
'text' => $message->getForwardFrom() ? $message->getForwardFrom()->getId() : 'not forwarded...',
]);

Then forward a message to your bot in the private chat. Does this work?

and the result is that it returns empty answer (without command, just forwarding from group or channel).

I have php cache disabled btw.

I tried on other hosting/server and its not working.

[noplanman]

@juanjofm Did you manage to resolve this?

[cypherbits]

Hi @noplanman no, but I stopped trying... Everything else worked well.

[HamidBaseri]

i have this issue to. does any idea to solve this?

[akalongman]

Is this still actual?

[ttvd94]

I think it is all about Telegram's recent privacy update. Users can break the link back to them in forwarded messages.
If a user breaks the link, then getForwardFrom() would return null which shouldn't. Because there are already some information about the forwarded message like forward_sender_name, forward_date and text.

Hope the bug will be resolved soon.

[noplanman]

@ttvd94 Are you experiencing this problem now?

(This issue is very old, so not sure the initial problem is due to the recent changes)

[cypherbits]

I don't know how, but I resolved this issue long ago, it was working, sorry for not commenting. But I can't test if it's working right now because I don't develop a Telegram bot since more than a year now.
Let me look for the code and see if I can help with it.

[ttvd94]

@ttvd94 Are you experiencing this problem now?

@noplanman Yes I am. And I worked it around like I said.

[noplanman]

Right, I've had a look at this and this isn't a Telegram problem, but rather a data access problem.

As @ttvd94 pointed out, sometimes the forwarded message doesn't contain the forward_from field but instead has the forward_sender_name and forward_date fields set.

So when trying to access the data, that needs to be checked for:

$message           = $this->getMessage();
$forward_from_date = $message->getForwardDate();
$forward_from_name = $message->getForwardSenderName();
if ($forward_from = $message->getForwardFrom() ?: $message->getForwardFromChat()) {
    $forward_from_name = $forward_from->tryMention();
}