Currency Converter Chatbot

This project is a Flask-based chatbot integrated with Dialogflow and Telegram to perform currency conversion. It uses the Exchange Rate API for real-time currency exchange rates and is deployed on Render for hosting.

---

Features

• Converts an amount from one currency to another using real-time exchange rates.
• Integrated with Dialogflow for NLP capabilities.
• Connected to Telegram to provide a conversational interface.
• Deployed on Render for easy access.

---

Prerequisites

1. Python 3.7+
2. Flask Framework
3. Dialogflow Agent
4. Exchange Rate API Key
5. Render Account
6. Telegram Bot Token

---

Setup Instructions

1. Clone the Repository

git clone <repository_url>
cd <repository_folder>

2. Install Required Dependencies

pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Configure API Keys

Replace the placeholder API key in fetch_conversion_factor with your Exchange Rate API key:

api_key = "YOUR_EXCHANGE_RATE_API_KEY"

4. Dialogflow Setup

1. Create a new Dialogflow agent.
2. Define an intent to extract:
   • unit-currency.currency
   • unit-currency.amount
   • currency-name
3. Configure webhook to point to your Render app URL.

5. Telegram Setup

1. Create a Telegram bot using the BotFather.
2. Link your Telegram bot to Dialogflow via a webhook.

6. Run the Application Locally

python app.py

---

Deployment

Deploy on Render

1. Create a new web service in your Render account.
2. Connect your Git repository.
3. Add the following environment variables:
   • EXCHANGE_RATE_API_KEY
   • Other required keys (e.g., Telegram bot token).
4. Deploy and retrieve the Render app URL for Dialogflow webhook.

---

API Details

• Exchange Rate API: Provides real-time currency conversion rates.
• Endpoint Example:

https://v6.exchangerate-api.com/v6/<API_KEY>/pair/USD/EUR

---

Code Overview

Main Endpoints

• /: Handles POST requests from Dialogflow, processes the input, and responds with the converted amount.

Core Functionality

• fetch_conversion_factor(source, target): Fetches the conversion rate between two currencies using the Exchange Rate API.

---

Example Input and Output

Input (from Dialogflow):

{
  "queryResult": {
    "parameters": {
      "unit-currency": {
        "currency": "USD",
        "amount": 100
      },
      "currency-name": "EUR"
    }
  }
}

Output (Response):

{
  "fulfillmentText": "100 USD is 92 EUR"
}

---

Possible Errors

1. Invalid API Key:

   • Ensure your API key is correct and valid.

2. Missing Dialogflow Parameters:

   • Ensure the intent captures all required parameters (unit-currency and currency-name).

3. Conversion Factor Not Found:

   • Check the API response structure and ensure the conversion_rate field exists.

4. Deployment Issues:

   • Verify the webhook URL and environment variable configurations.

---

Acknowledgments

• Exchange Rate API: For providing real-time currency data.

• Dialogflow: For NLP capabilities.

• Telegram: For creating an interactive chatbot interface.