telegram-reader

What this skill does

# Telegram News Skill (Read-Only)

Reads Telegram channels and groups for financial news and market research using [tdl](https://github.com/iyear/tdl), a Telegram CLI tool.

**This skill is read-only.** It is designed for financial research: reading channel messages, monitoring financial news channels, and exporting message history. It does NOT support sending messages, joining/leaving channels, or any write operations.

---

## Step 1: Ensure tdl Is Installed

**Current environment status:**

```
!`(command -v tdl && tdl version 2>&1 | head -3 || echo "TDL_NOT_INSTALLED") 2>/dev/null`
```

If the status above shows a version number, tdl is installed — skip to Step 2.

If `TDL_NOT_INSTALLED`, install tdl based on the user's platform:

| Platform | Install Command |
|----------|----------------|
| macOS / Linux | `curl -sSL https://docs.iyear.me/tdl/install.sh \| sudo bash` |
| macOS (Homebrew) | `brew install telegram-downloader` |
| Linux (Termux) | `pkg install tdl` |
| Linux (AUR) | `yay -S tdl` |
| Linux (Nix) | `nix-env -iA nixos.tdl` |
| Go (any platform) | `go install github.com/iyear/tdl@latest` |

Ask the user which installation method they prefer. Default to Homebrew on macOS, curl script on Linux.

---

## Step 2: Ensure tdl Is Authenticated

**Current auth status:**

```
!`(tdl chat ls --limit 1 2>&1 >/dev/null && echo "AUTH_OK" || echo "AUTH_NEEDED") 2>/dev/null`
```

If `AUTH_OK`, skip to Step 3.

If `AUTH_NEEDED`, guide the user through login. **Login requires interactive input** — the user must enter their phone number and verification code manually.

### Login methods

**Method A: QR Code (recommended — fastest)**

```bash
tdl login -T qr
```

A QR code will be displayed in the terminal. The user scans it with their Telegram mobile app (Settings > Devices > Link Desktop Device).

**Method B: Phone + Code**

```bash
tdl login -T code
```

The user enters their phone number, then the verification code sent to their Telegram app.

**Method C: Import from Telegram Desktop**

If the user has Telegram Desktop installed and logged in:

```bash
tdl login
```

This imports the session from the existing desktop client. The desktop client must be from the [official website](https://desktop.telegram.org/), NOT from the App Store or Microsoft Store.

### Namespaces

By default, tdl uses a `default` namespace. To manage multiple accounts:

```bash
tdl login -n work -T qr      # Login to "work" namespace
tdl chat ls -n work           # Use "work" namespace for commands
```

### Important login notes

- Login is a **one-time** operation. The session persists on disk after successful login.
- If login fails, ask the user to check their internet connection and try again.
- **Never ask for or handle Telegram passwords/2FA codes programmatically** — always let the user enter them interactively.

---

## Step 3: Identify What the User Needs

Match the user's request to one of the read operations below.

| User Request | Command | Key Flags |
|---|---|---|
| List all chats/channels | `tdl chat ls` | `-o json`, `-f "FILTER"` |
| List only channels | `tdl chat ls -f "Type contains 'channel'"` | `-o json` |
| Export recent messages | `tdl chat export -c CHAT -T last -i N` | `--all`, `--with-content` |
| Export messages by time range | `tdl chat export -c CHAT -T time -i START,END` | `--all`, `--with-content` |
| Export messages by ID range | `tdl chat export -c CHAT -T id -i FROM,TO` | `--all`, `--with-content` |
| Export from a topic/thread | `tdl chat export -c CHAT --topic TOPIC_ID` | `--all`, `--with-content` |
| Search for a channel by name | `tdl chat ls -f "VisibleName contains 'NAME'"` | `-o json` |

### Chat identifiers

The `-c` flag accepts multiple formats:

| Format | Example |
|--------|---------|
| Username (with @) | `-c @channel_name` |
| Username (without @) | `-c channel_name` |
| Numeric chat ID | `-c 123456789` |
| Public link | `-c https://t.me/channel_name` |
| Phone number | `-c "+1 123456789"` |
| Saved Messages | `-c ""` (empty) |

---

## Step 4: Execute the Command

### Listing chats

```bash
# List all chats
tdl chat ls

# JSON output for processing
tdl chat ls -o json

# Filter for channels only
tdl chat ls -f "Type contains 'channel'"

# Search by name
tdl chat ls -f "VisibleName contains 'Bloomberg'"
```

### Exporting messages

Always use `--all --with-content` to get text messages (not just media):

```bash
# Last 20 messages from a channel
tdl chat export -c @channel_name -T last -i 20 --all --with-content -o /tmp/tdl-export.json

# Messages from a time range (Unix timestamps)
tdl chat export -c @channel_name -T time -i 1710288000,1710374400 --all --with-content -o /tmp/tdl-export.json

# Messages by ID range
tdl chat export -c @channel_name -T id -i 100,200 --all --with-content -o /tmp/tdl-export.json
```

### Key rules

1. **Check auth first** — run `tdl chat ls --limit 1` before other commands to verify the session is valid
2. **Always use `--all --with-content`** when exporting messages for reading — without these flags, tdl only exports media messages
3. **Use `-o FILE`** to save exports to a file, then read the JSON — this is more reliable than parsing stdout
4. **Start with small exports** — use `-T last -i 20` unless the user asks for more
5. **Use filters on `chat ls`** to help users find the right channel before exporting
6. **NEVER execute write operations** — this skill is read-only; do not send messages, join channels, or modify anything
7. **Convert timestamps** — when the user gives dates, convert to Unix timestamps for the `-T time` filter

### Working with exported JSON

After exporting, read the JSON file and extract the relevant information:

```bash
# Export messages
tdl chat export -c @channel_name -T last -i 20 --all --with-content -o /tmp/tdl-export.json

# Read and process the export
cat /tmp/tdl-export.json
```

The export JSON contains message objects with fields like `id`, `date`, `message` (text content), `from_id`, `views`, and media metadata.

---

## Step 5: Present the Results

After fetching data, present it clearly for financial research:

1. **Summarize key messages** — highlight the most relevant news or market updates
2. **Include timestamps** — show when each message was posted
3. **Group by topic** — if multiple channels, organize by theme (macro, earnings, crypto, etc.)
4. **Flag actionable information** — note breaking news, price targets, earnings surprises
5. **Provide channel context** — mention which channel/group each message came from
6. **For channel lists**, show channel name, member count, and type

---

## Step 6: Diagnostics

If something isn't working:

| Error | Cause | Fix |
|-------|-------|-----|
| `not authorized` or session errors | Not logged in or session expired | Run `tdl login -T qr` to re-authenticate |
| `FLOOD_WAIT_X` | Rate limited by Telegram | Wait X seconds, then retry |
| `CHANNEL_PRIVATE` | No access to channel | User must join the channel in their Telegram app first |
| `tdl: command not found` | tdl not installed | Install using Step 1 |

---

## Reference Files

- `references/commands.md` — Complete tdl command reference for reading channels and exporting messages

Read the reference file when you need exact command syntax or detailed flag documentation.