python - I want to make a multi-page help command using discord.py

Question

I am using discord.py to make a bot, and there are more commands than can fit on one page for my custom help command. I want the bot to add 2 reactions, back and forward, then the user that sent the help message can pick one, and go onto different pages of the help command. I want the bot to be able to edit the message to show the second page, and if they go back, then edit back to the original first page. Could anyone help with this? This is similar to the owobot definitions, where you can scroll back and forth between definitions.

Answer 1

This method would be using Client.wait_For(), and can be easily adapted if you have any other ideas for it.

Example

@bot.command()
async def pages(ctx):
    contents = ["This is page 1!", "This is page 2!", "This is page 3!", "This is page 4!"]
    pages = 4
    cur_page = 1
    message = await ctx.send(f"Page {cur_page}/{pages}:
{contents[cur_page-1]}")
    # getting the message object for editing and reacting

    await message.add_reaction("??")
    await message.add_reaction("??")

    def check(reaction, user):
        return user == ctx.author and str(reaction.emoji) in ["??", "??"]
        # This makes sure nobody except the command sender can interact with the "menu"

    while True:
        try:
            reaction, user = await bot.wait_for("reaction_add", timeout=60, check=check)
            # waiting for a reaction to be added - times out after x seconds, 60 in this
            # example

            if str(reaction.emoji) == "??" and cur_page != pages:
                cur_page += 1
                await message.edit(content=f"Page {cur_page}/{pages}:
{contents[cur_page-1]}")
                await message.remove_reaction(reaction, user)

            elif str(reaction.emoji) == "??" and cur_page > 1:
                cur_page -= 1
                await message.edit(content=f"Page {cur_page}/{pages}:
{contents[cur_page-1]}")
                await message.remove_reaction(reaction, user)

            else:
                await message.remove_reaction(reaction, user)
                # removes reactions if the user tries to go forward on the last page or
                # backwards on the first page
        except asyncio.TimeoutError:
            await message.delete()
            break
            # ending the loop if user doesn't react after x seconds

If your editor doesn't support pasting in the emojis directly, you can use a website such as this one to find the unicodes of the emojis instead. In this case, the forwards arrow was u25c0 and the backwards arrow was u25b6.

Other than that, you should be good to go! The message will delete itself after 60 seconds of inactivity in that message (i.e. nobody reacting with the arrows), but just change the number if you want a longer period before deletion.

Alternatively, you can add in a third emoji, such as a cross, which which delete the message on demand.

---

References:

• Message.add_reaction()
• Message.remove_reaction()
• Client.wait_for()
• Message.edit()
• Message.delete()
• asyncio.TimeoutError - Exception for when user doesn't react in time