Retrieving MySQL data for a restaurant's Telegram bot

I'm working on my first Telegram bot for my restaurant. It's supposed to handle reservations and show the daily menu. I'm using Heroku for PHP and MySQL on a web server.

Here's what I've got so far:

[PHP code snippet showing database connection, query, and Telegram bot logic]

The code works fine without the MySQL part, but when I add it, things break. Am I doing something wrong? Can Telegram bots even use MySQL?

I'm pretty new to this, so any help would be great. Thanks!

I’ve worked with Telegram bots that use MySQL, and it is definitely possible to integrate the two. The problem you’re encountering might be due to how the database connection or the query execution is managed. First, double-check your MySQL credentials and make sure the database is accessible from your Heroku environment. It also helps to wrap your database operations in try-catch blocks so that you can detect any errors early on. Consider using PDO for improved security and error handling, and use your Heroku logs to get more detailed error messages. If issues persist, looking into an ORM like Eloquent might simplify your code and future development.

hey mate, yeah telegram bots can totally use mysql. sounds like ur connection might be off. make sure ur heroku config vars are set right for the db. also, try loggin any errors u get - that usually helps pinpoint the issue. keep at it, you’ll figure it out!

Having developed several Telegram bots with MySQL integration, I can assure you it’s entirely feasible. Your issue likely stems from database connection handling or query execution. Ensure your Heroku environment variables are correctly set for MySQL credentials. I’d recommend implementing prepared statements to prevent SQL injection and improve security. Also, don’t forget to close your database connections after use to avoid resource leaks. If you’re still stuck, try logging all database operations and reviewing Heroku logs for specific error messages. This approach has helped me troubleshoot similar issues in the past. Keep at it - once you get past this hurdle, you’ll find Telegram bots with MySQL backends quite powerful for managing reservations and menus.