Discord.py - message.content is empty for every message

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05-10-2024

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Discord.py: Why is message.content Always Empty?

Are you encountering a frustrating issue in your Discord bot where message.content consistently appears empty, even when users send messages? This common problem can be a real head-scratcher, especially for beginners. Let's break down the potential causes and solutions for this issue.

The Scenario

You've diligently crafted a Discord bot using the popular Discord.py library. You've set up event listeners to respond to incoming messages, but message.content stubbornly remains empty. Your bot seems oblivious to the messages being sent, making it impossible to process user input.

Here's a simplified example of the problem:

import discord

client = discord.Client()

@client.event
async def on_message(message):
    if message.author == client.user:
        return

    print(f"Message received: {message.content}")

client.run("YOUR_BOT_TOKEN")

In this code, you'd expect message.content to print the user's message, but it remains empty.

Why is message.content Empty?

The culprit behind this empty message.content issue is often incorrect event handling or bot permissions. Here are the most likely reasons:

1. Missing Intents: Discord.py requires you to explicitly declare the Intents your bot needs to access. The message.content attribute is part of the Message Content Intent. If this intent is not enabled, you won't receive message content.

2. Bot Permissions: Your bot might lack the necessary permissions to read messages. Ensure your bot has the "Read Messages" permission in the Discord server.

3. Ignoring Bots: You might be accidentally filtering out bot messages. If your code checks message.author == client.user (common for preventing the bot from responding to itself), it might also be filtering out other bot messages sent in the channel.

Troubleshooting and Solutions

1. Enable Message Content Intent:

   • Navigate to your Discord bot application's "Bot" page.
   • Under "Privileged Gateway Intents," enable "Server Members Intent" and "Message Content Intent."
   • Save the changes.

2. Verify Bot Permissions:

   • Go to your Discord server's settings.
   • Under "Roles," find your bot's role.
   • Make sure the "Read Messages" permission is checked.

3. Refine Message Filtering:

   • If you're filtering out bot messages, consider using if message.author.bot to specifically target bot messages. This will prevent accidental filtering of messages sent by other users.

Additional Considerations:

• Discord API Changes: Keep an eye on changes to the Discord API and Discord.py library as new versions might introduce subtle changes that affect your code.

• Debugging Techniques: You can use print statements, the Discord Developer Portal, or a debugger to track the value of message.content and understand where the issue arises.

Don't Let Empty Messages Frustrate You!

By understanding the common causes and implementing the solutions above, you can conquer the "empty message.content" problem and empower your Discord bot to effectively interact with users. Happy coding!