A boxcar that returns a Google answer box as JSON

google_answer_box.rb

# frozen_string_literal: true

require 'google_search_results'
require 'boxcars/boxcar'
require 'boxcars/result'
class GoogleAnswerBox < Boxcars::Boxcar
  # The description of this boxcar. Used in the prompt to inform the engine what
  # this boxcar can do.
  ANSWERBOXDESC = "useful for when you need to answer questions that require realtime data." \
              "You should ask targeted questions"

  # implements a boxcar that uses the Google SerpAPI to get the answer box data from search results.
  # @param name [String] The name of the boxcar. Defaults to classname.
  # @param description [String] A description of the boxcar. Defaults to SERPDESC.
  # @param serpapi_api_key [String] The API key to use for the SerpAPI. Defaults to Boxcars.configuration.serpapi_api_key.
  def initialize(name: "AnswerBox", description: ANSWERBOXDESC, serpapi_api_key: nil)
    super(name: name, description: description)
    api_key = Boxcars.configuration.serpapi_api_key(serpapi_api_key: serpapi_api_key)
    ::GoogleSearch.api_key = api_key
  end

  # Get an answer from Google using the SerpAPI.
  # @param question [String] The question to ask Google.
  # @return [String] The answer to the question.
  def run(question)
    search = ::GoogleSearch.new(q: question)
    Boxcars::Result.from_text(find_answer(search.get_hash))
  end

  private

  def find_answer(res)
    # :answer_box=>{:type=>"local_time", :result=>"8:02 AM", :extensions=>["Sunday, May 7, 2023 (MDT)", "Time in Denver, CO"]}
    raise Error, "Got error from SerpAPI: {res[:error]}" if res[:error]

    # might be sending results outside of the answer box ... 
    # see a result for {"type":"organic_result"

    return "No answer found" unless res[:answer_box]
    return res.dig(:answer_box).to_json[0..1000].gsub("%","%%")
  end
end