run_bot.py

import os
import time
from slackclient import SlackClient

from bot_commands import handle_queries

BOT_ID = os.environ.get("BOT_ID")
# constants
AT_BOT = "<@" + BOT_ID + ">"

# instantiate Slack & Twilio clients
slack_client = SlackClient(os.environ.get('SLACK_BOT_TOKEN'))


def parse_slack_output(slack_rtm_output):
    """
        The Slack Real Time Messaging API is an events firehose.
        this parsing function returns None unless a message is
        directed at the Bot, based on its ID.
    """
    output_list = slack_rtm_output
    if output_list and len(output_list) > 0:
        for output in output_list:
            if output and 'text' in output and AT_BOT in output['text'] and 'user' in output:
                # return text after the @ mention, whitespace removed
                return (output['text'].split(AT_BOT)[1].strip().lower(),
                        output['channel'],
                        output['user']
                        )

    return None, None, None


if __name__ == "__main__":
    READ_WEBSOCKET_DELAY = 1  # 1 second delay between reading from firehose
    if slack_client.rtm_connect():
        print("StarterBot connected and running!")
        while True:
            command, channel, user = parse_slack_output(slack_client.rtm_read())
            if command and channel:
                print(command, channel, user)
                response = handle_queries.respond_to_command(command, user)
                slack_client.api_call("chat.postMessage",
                                      channel=channel,
                                      text=response,
                                      as_user=True)
            time.sleep(READ_WEBSOCKET_DELAY)
    else:
        print("Connection failed. Invalid Slack token or bot ID?")