How can I set a distinct message for a keyboard button in the Telegram bot API with C#?

Other Questions Telegram bot
1

I want my bot to display a message that differs from the caption shown on the keyboard button in the Telegram client. Currently, my button reads: “What is my location?”, but when clicked, it outputs the same text: “What is my location?”. I prefer it to instead send “/location”.

How can I implement this using C# within the Telegram Bot API?

Edit:

Desired Outcome:

When the user clicks the button, I want the Telegram client to send /age as the typed message instead of show my age (which is present in the button’s text field). Essentially, I need a button with a specific text, but the sent message on click should be different from that text.

2

While it’s not directly possible to send a different message from a button than its label via the standard keyboard in Telegram, you can exploit the CallbackQuery feature with an inline keyboard. Instead of sending the label, you can set a callback data string that your bot interprets to send the desired message. When the button is clicked, the bot receives the CallbackQuery, and you can programatically send the /location command. This is different from the standard ReplyKeyboardMarkup, which sends the button label as the message. Ensure to switch the users to the inline keyboard setup for this functionality.

3

It’s crucial to recognize the limitation within the standard
Telegram keyboard, where the button label acts as the sent message. However, a viable workaround in improving bot interaction is utilizing inline keyboards with CallbackQuery, which allows customization. In C#, you can monitor the CallbackQuery event in your bot and handle the callback data by parsing it to perform relevant actions, such as sending “/location”. Moreover, you can employ BotFather to create a command alias while registering commands for a seamless experience.

4

Another approach is to use the SwitchInlineQuery feature in an inline button. This lets you send a custom command when the button is tapped. Though not exactly the same as your setup, it’s a neat way to dictate bot behavior without users typing specific commands manually.