message_ts type

This reference documents the Slack types at the platform level. Their availability and structure may differ in each SDK

Type: slack#/types/message_ts

Property	Type	Description
default	The type that is being described.	An optional parameter default value.
description	string	An optional parameter description.
examples	An array of the type being described.	An optional list of examples.
hint	string	An optional parameter hint.
title	string	An optional parameter title.
type	string	String that defines the parameter type.

Declare a message_ts type:

JSON manifest

// ...
"input_parameters": {
  "message_ts": {
  "type": "slack#/types/message_ts",
  "description": "The ts value of a message"
  }
}
// ...

Deno Slack SDK

//...
input_parameters: {
  properties: {
    message_ts : {
      type: Schema.slack.types.message_ts,
      description: "The ts value of a message"
    },
  },
},
//...

Message Timestamp example

In this example workflow from the Simple Survey sample app, a message_ts is used as an input parameter in two functions.

import { DefineWorkflow, Schema } from "deno-slack-sdk/mod.ts";

import { CreateGoogleSheetFunctionDefinition } from "../functions/create_google_sheet.ts";
import { CreateTriggerFunctionDefinition } from "../functions/create_survey_trigger.ts";
import { SaveSurveyFunctionDefinition } from "../functions/save_survey.ts";
import { RemoveThreadTriggerFunctionDefinition } from "../functions/remove_thread_trigger.ts";

const CreateSurveyWorkflow = DefineWorkflow({
  callback_id: "create_survey",
  title: "Create a survey",
  description: "Add a request for feedback to a message",
  input_parameters: {
    properties: {
      channel_id: {
        type: Schema.slack.types.channel_id,
        description: "The channel containing the reacted message",
      },
      parent_ts: {
        type: Schema.types.string,
        description: "Message timestamp of the reacted message",
      },
      parent_url: {
        type: Schema.types.string,
        description: "Permalink to the reacted message",
      },
      reactor_id: {
        type: Schema.slack.types.user_id,
        description: "User that added the reacji",
      },
    },
    required: ["channel_id", "parent_ts", "parent_url", "reactor_id"],
  },
});

// Step 1: Create a new Google spreadsheet
const sheet = CreateSurveyWorkflow.addStep(
  CreateGoogleSheetFunctionDefinition,
  {
    google_access_token_id: {},
    title: CreateSurveyWorkflow.inputs.parent_ts,
  },
);

// Step 2: Create a link trigger for the survey
const trigger = CreateSurveyWorkflow.addStep(CreateTriggerFunctionDefinition, {
  google_spreadsheet_id: sheet.outputs.google_spreadsheet_id,
  reactor_access_token_id: sheet.outputs.reactor_access_token_id,
});

// Step 3: Delete the prompt message and metadata
CreateSurveyWorkflow.addStep(RemoveThreadTriggerFunctionDefinition, {
  channel_id: CreateSurveyWorkflow.inputs.channel_id,
  parent_ts: CreateSurveyWorkflow.inputs.parent_ts,
  reactor_id: CreateSurveyWorkflow.inputs.reactor_id,
});

// Step 4: Notify the reactor of the survey spreadsheet
CreateSurveyWorkflow.addStep(Schema.slack.functions.SendDm, {
  user_id: CreateSurveyWorkflow.inputs.reactor_id,
  message:
    `Feedback for <${CreateSurveyWorkflow.inputs.parent_url}|this message> is being <${sheet.outputs.google_spreadsheet_url}|collected here>!`,
});

// Step 5: Send the survey into the reacted thread
const message = CreateSurveyWorkflow.addStep(
  Schema.slack.functions.ReplyInThread,
  {
    message_context: {
      channel_id: CreateSurveyWorkflow.inputs.channel_id,
      message_ts: CreateSurveyWorkflow.inputs.parent_ts, //used here as part of the message_context object
    },
    message:
      `Your feedback is requested – <${trigger.outputs.trigger_url}|survey now>!`,
  },
);

// Step 6: Store new survey metadata
CreateSurveyWorkflow.addStep(SaveSurveyFunctionDefinition, {
  channel_id: CreateSurveyWorkflow.inputs.channel_id,
  parent_ts: CreateSurveyWorkflow.inputs.parent_ts,
  reactor_id: CreateSurveyWorkflow.inputs.reactor_id,
  trigger_ts: message.outputs.message_context.message_ts, //Referenced here individually
  trigger_id: trigger.outputs.trigger_id,
  survey_stage: "SURVEY",
});

export default CreateSurveyWorkflow;