How to Fix the AttributeError in Discord.py When DMing a User on Bot Start

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Understanding the Problem

When your Discord bot starts, you're trying to DM a user by fetching them with their user ID. Here is a simplified version of the code that you might be using:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

At first glance, it seems straightforward. However, if the get_user method returns None, any further actions on the user variable will lead to an error because you cannot send a DM to a None object.

Why user is Returning None

The Solution

To fix this problem, you'll need to use the fetch_user method instead of get_user. The fetch_user method will retrieve the user directly from Discord’s servers, ensuring that you get the correct user object regardless of cache status.

Code Fix

Replace your current user fetching line like so:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Why the Changes Work

Using fetch_user: This method fetches the user object from Discord's servers, avoiding issues with caching.

await Keyword: Since fetch_user is an asynchronous function, it requires the await keyword to work properly. This makes sure that your bot waits for the response from Discord before trying to send the message.

Conclusion