How to Setup the Chat Bridge (IM) Add-On
You can extend your LifeBots bot’s capabilities with the growing library of LifeBots specialized add-ons.
LifeBots add-ons can be purchased in the LifeBots Add-On Store at https://lifebots.cloud/store.
This article walks through setting up the Chat Bridge (Instant Message) add-on, which delivers IMs sent to your bot onto the LifeBots website and lets you reply as your bot from a browser. You can also start a conversation with someone yourself.
What You Can Do With It
- Receive instant messages sent to your bot in real-time
- Reply to users directly through the web interface
- Start a new conversation with any Second Life resident
- Maintain conversation history with all users
- Track unread messages and manage multiple conversations
- Provide customer support or personal assistance remotely
Chat Bridge (IM) vs Trigger Talk (IM)
These two add-ons both handle IMs but solve different problems, and they work well together.
| Chat Bridge (IM) | Trigger Talk (IM) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who replies | You, typing in the browser | The bot, automatically from your rules |
| Best for | Real conversations and support | Instant answers to common questions |
| Needs you present | Yes | No |
| Can start a conversation | Yes | No, it only reacts |
[NOTE:] Many stores run both on the same bot. Trigger Talk answers the routine questions immediately, and anything it cannot handle waits in Chat Bridge for a human reply.
Getting Started
- Purchase the Chat Bridge (Instant Message) Add-On at https://lifebots.cloud/store/addon/chat-bridge-instant-message
- Attach the add-on to one of your LifeBots bots.
- Note: Purchase an additional Chat Bridge (Instant Message) Add-On for each bot you wish to configure.
Step 1: Enable the Add-On
- Visit your LifeBots Dashboard at https://lifebots.cloud/dashboard
- Click Chat Bridge (IM) in the ADDONS section of the Dashboard left panel, which opens the Live IM page
- Find your bot in the list and click Enable Live IM
[IMPORTANT:] Enable Live IM stays greyed out unless the bot is online. If the button will not click, bring the bot online first, then reload the page.
| What You See | What It Means |
|---|---|
| No LiveIM Bots Found | The add-on is not attached to any bot yet. |
| Addon Not Attached | This particular bot does not have the add-on. |
| Live IM Disabled | Attached but switched off. |
| No Manage Permission | Your account can see the bot but not change its add-on settings. |
Once enabled, Open Chat unlocks on the bot card.
Step 2: Open the Conversation View
Click Open Chat. The screen is split: your conversations run down the left, and the selected conversation fills the right.
Every avatar who has IM’d your bot appears in the list, with unread messages marked so nothing gets missed. Click one to read its full history and reply.
Until you pick one, the panel shows Select a Conversation with the prompt “Choose a conversation from the left to start chatting.” If nobody has written yet you see No Conversations and “No one has messaged this bot yet.”
Messages can carry an ADMIN or SYSTEM tag, so you can tell staff replies and automatic messages apart from ordinary conversation.
Step 3: Reply
Type into the box marked “Type a message...” and send. The message is delivered in-world from your bot, and the recipient simply sees an IM from the bot.
[NOTE:] The bot must be online to send or receive IMs. If it is offline the view reports “This bot is currently offline and cannot send or receive messages.”
Step 4: Start a New Conversation
You do not have to wait for someone to write first. Use Start New Chat to open a conversation with any resident:
- Click Start New Chat.
- Enter the Second Life Username of the person you want to chat with, in the form
John Doe. - Look the name up. If it cannot be found you get an error on the field, so check the spelling.
- Once the resident is found, the conversation opens and you can send your first message.
[NOTE:] For single-name avatars, the last name is Resident, so enter Anna Resident rather than just Anna.
Step 5: Give Staff Access (Optional)
You can let a staff member answer IMs without giving them your whole account. Add them as a Sub Account with Chat Bridge (IM) permissions and they get LiveIM-Only Access, which is the conversation view and nothing else.
Tips
- Second Life caps how many IMs an avatar can receive while offline. Reply promptly so conversations do not get capped and lost.
- Pair with Trigger Talk (IM) so people get an instant acknowledgement even when you are away from the browser.
- Give the bot a display name that makes clear it is a shop or support account, so people know who they are writing to.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | What to Check |
|---|---|
| Enable Live IM is greyed out | The bot must be online to enable the add-on, and you need manage permission. |
| Live IM Not Enabled | The add-on is off for this bot. Enable it on the Chat Bridge (IM) page. Sub accounts should contact the account owner. |
| Bot Offline | The bot is not logged in. Bring it online before sending or receiving IMs. |
| Open Chat shows Not Available | The add-on is attached but not enabled. |
| Messages not arriving | Confirm the add-on is enabled for the right bot, and that people are IMing the bot avatar rather than your main account. |
| Username lookup fails on Start New Chat | Check the spelling and include the last name. Single-name avatars use Resident. |
| Replies not delivered | The recipient may have the bot muted, or their offline IM capacity may be full. |
| Sub account cannot see conversations | Their sub account permissions do not include this add-on for this bot. |