Hey everyone! I’m trying to figure out how to get the chat IDs for all past conversations with my Telegram bot in fewer than 30 words. My bot chatted with User X before being restarted; now, without a new message from User X, how can I retrieve their chat ID without manually storing it?
Telegram’s Bot API does not offer a method to automatically retrieve past conversation IDs without prior storage. To work around this, you should implement a persistent storage system such as a database or file to record chat IDs as new messages arrive. While libraries like Telethon and Pyrogram provide additional functionality beyond the standard Bot API, they have their own limitations and may require adherence to specific Terms of Service.
sry mate, thats a tough one. telegram doesn’t store chat history for bots 
you’d need to save IDs yourself in a database or file. maybe try using telethon library? it has more features than the regular bot API
As someone who’s been in your shoes, I can tell you it’s not straightforward. Telegram’s design doesn’t allow bots to access chat history easily. I’ve found that implementing a persistent storage solution is crucial. In my projects, I use a simple SQLite database to store chat IDs as they come in. It’s lightweight and gets the job done.
Another approach I’ve used is to periodically backup chat IDs to a JSON file. This way, even if your bot restarts, you can quickly load the IDs back into memory.
Remember, while third-party libraries might offer more features, they often come with their own set of challenges and potential ToS issues. Stick with the official Bot API if possible, and focus on robust local storage strategies.