Repository: python-discord/bot

Issue:
Add a dynamic message at the bottom of `#how-to-get-help`
Actions https://github.com/python-discord/organisation/issues/315. 

We should have a dynamic message at the bottom of #how-to-get-help saying something along the lines of 
“The currently available channels are #help-element1 and #help-element2, feel free to ask in any of those two channels!”, 
to avoid getting anyone getting confused by the currently open channels like we had in the past. 


Discussion:
How would the #how-to-get-help message be stored? Would the bot just get the latest message from the channel?

I could probably work on this.

Resolving patch:
diff --git a/bot/constants.py b/bot/constants.py
--- a/bot/constants.py
+++ b/bot/constants.py
@@ -406,6 +406,7 @@ class Channels(metaclass=YAMLGetter):
 
     meta: int
     python_general: int
+    how_to_get_help: int
 
     cooldown: int
 
diff --git a/bot/exts/help_channels/_cog.py b/bot/exts/help_channels/_cog.py
--- a/bot/exts/help_channels/_cog.py
+++ b/bot/exts/help_channels/_cog.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
 from bot import constants
 from bot.bot import Bot
+from bot.constants import Channels
 from bot.exts.help_channels import _caches, _channel, _cooldown, _message, _name, _stats
 from bot.utils import channel as channel_utils, lock, scheduling
 
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@
 HELP_CHANNEL_TOPIC = """
 This is a Python help channel. You can claim your own help channel in the Python Help: Available category.
 """
+AVAILABLE_HELP_CHANNELS = "**Currently available help channel(s):** {available}"
 
 
 class HelpChannels(commands.Cog):
@@ -72,6 +74,11 @@ def __init__(self, bot: Bot):
 
         self.last_notification: t.Optional[datetime] = None
 
+        # Acquiring and modifying the channel to dynamically update the available help channels message.
+        self.how_to_get_help: discord.TextChannel = None
+        self.available_help_channels: t.Set[discord.TextChannel] = set()
+        self.dynamic_message: discord.Message = None
+
         # Asyncio stuff
         self.queue_tasks: t.List[asyncio.Task] = []
         self.init_task = self.bot.loop.create_task(self.init_cog())
@@ -114,6 +121,9 @@ async def claim_channel(self, message: discord.Message) -> None:
 
         await _caches.unanswered.set(message.channel.id, True)
 
+        # Removing the help channel from the dynamic message, and editing/sending that message.
+        self.available_help_channels.remove(message.channel)
+
         # Not awaited because it may indefinitely hold the lock while waiting for a channel.
         scheduling.create_task(self.move_to_available(), name=f"help_claim_{message.id}")
 
@@ -275,6 +285,10 @@ async def init_cog(self) -> None:
         # This may confuse users. So would potentially long delays for the cog to become ready.
         self.close_command.enabled = True
 
+        # Getting channels that need to be included in the dynamic message.
+        await self.update_available_help_channels()
+        log.trace("Dynamic available help message updated.")
+
         await self.init_available()
         _stats.report_counts()
 
@@ -332,6 +346,10 @@ async def move_to_available(self) -> None:
             category_id=constants.Categories.help_available,
         )
 
+        # Adding the help channel to the dynamic message, and editing/sending that message.
+        self.available_help_channels.add(channel)
+        await self.update_available_help_channels()
+
         _stats.report_counts()
 
     async def move_to_dormant(self, channel: discord.TextChannel) -> None:
@@ -461,3 +479,25 @@ async def wait_for_dormant_channel(self) -> discord.TextChannel:
         self.queue_tasks.remove(task)
 
         return channel
+
+    async def update_available_help_channels(self) -> None:
+        """Updates the dynamic message within #how-to-get-help for available help channels."""
+        if not self.available_help_channels:
+            self.available_help_channels = set(
+                c for c in self.available_category.channels if not _channel.is_excluded_channel(c)
+            )
+
+        available_channels = AVAILABLE_HELP_CHANNELS.format(
+            available=', '.join(c.mention for c in self.available_help_channels) or None
+        )
+
+        if self.how_to_get_help is None:
+            self.how_to_get_help = await channel_utils.try_get_channel(Channels.how_to_get_help)
+
+        try:
+            if self.dynamic_message is None:
+                self.dynamic_message = await self.how_to_get_help.fetch_message(self.how_to_get_help.last_message_id)
+            await self.dynamic_message.edit(content=available_channels)
+        except discord.NotFound:
+            self.dynamic_message = await self.how_to_get_help.send(available_channels)
+            log.trace("A dynamic message was sent for later modification because one couldn't be found.")


Test patch: