Applied the following changes requested by reviews:

- Bot responses are now plain messages instead of embeds;
- The message history in the WatchChannel cog is now stored using a new dataclass, MessageHistory;
- Removed the truncation option from the modified name field in logging;
- bigbrother now provides user feedback when watching fails due to failing cache update;
- Changed the lay-out of the mod_log alert and set ping_everyone to True;
- Changed the function signature of `post_infraction` utility function to the one-parameter-per-line style;
- Moved the declaration of File within bot/utils/messages.py to before the if/else to make things DRY.

6 files changed, 50 insertions, 91 deletions

diff --git a/bot/__init__.py b/bot/__init__.py
index fecd7ceb3..b6919a489 100644
--- a/bot/__init__.py
+++ b/bot/__init__.py
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ else:
 
 
 logging.basicConfig(
-    format="%(asctime)s pd.beardfist.com Bot: | %(name)33.33s | %(levelname)8s | %(message)s",
+    format="%(asctime)s pd.beardfist.com Bot: | %(name)33s | %(levelname)8s | %(message)s",
     datefmt="%b %d %H:%M:%S",
     level=logging.TRACE if DEBUG_MODE else logging.INFO,
     handlers=logging_handlers
diff --git a/bot/cogs/watchchannels/bigbrother.py b/bot/cogs/watchchannels/bigbrother.py
index dc5e76f55..ff26794f7 100644
--- a/bot/cogs/watchchannels/bigbrother.py
+++ b/bot/cogs/watchchannels/bigbrother.py
@@ -53,36 +53,25 @@ class BigBrother(WatchChannel):
         in the header when relaying messages of this user to the watchchannel.
         """
         if user.bot:
-            e = Embed(
-                description=f":x: I'm sorry {ctx.author}, I'm afraid I can't do that. I only watch humans.",
-                color=Color.red()
-            )
-            await ctx.send(embed=e)
+            await ctx.send(f":x: I'm sorry {ctx.author}, I'm afraid I can't do that. I only watch humans.")
             return
 
         if not await self.fetch_user_cache():
-            log.error("Failed to update user cache; can't watch user {user}")
+
+            await ctx.send(f":x: Updating the user cache failed, can't watch user {user}")
             return
 
         if user.id in self.watched_users:
-            e = Embed(
-                description=":x: The specified user is already being watched.",
-                color=Color.red()
-            )
-            await ctx.send(embed=e)
+            await ctx.send(":x: The specified user is already being watched.")
             return
 
         response = await post_infraction(
             ctx, user, type='watch', reason=reason, hidden=True
         )
+
         if response is not None:
             self.watched_users[user.id] = response
-            e = Embed(
-                description=f":white_check_mark: Messages sent by {user} will now be relayed to BigBrother.",
-                color=Color.green()
-            )
-            await ctx.send(embed=e)
-            return
+            await ctx.send(f":white_check_mark: Messages sent by {user} will now be relayed to BigBrother.")
 
     @bigbrother_group.command(name='unwatch', aliases=('uw',))
     @with_role(Roles.owner, Roles.admin, Roles.moderator)
@@ -105,16 +94,8 @@ class BigBrother(WatchChannel):
 
             await post_infraction(ctx, user, type='watch', reason=f"Unwatched: {reason}", hidden=True, active=False)
 
-            e = Embed(
-                description=f":white_check_mark: Messages sent by {user} will no longer be relayed.",
-                color=Color.green()
-            )
-            await ctx.send(embed=e)
+            await ctx.send(f":white_check_mark: Messages sent by {user} will no longer be relayed.")
 
             self._remove_user(user.id)
         else:
-            e = Embed(
-                description=":x: The specified user is currently not being watched.",
-                color=Color.red()
-            )
-            await ctx.send(embed=e)
+            await ctx.send(":x: The specified user is currently not being watched.")
diff --git a/bot/cogs/watchchannels/talentpool.py b/bot/cogs/watchchannels/talentpool.py
index 5e515fe2e..45b695e55 100644
--- a/bot/cogs/watchchannels/talentpool.py
+++ b/bot/cogs/watchchannels/talentpool.py
@@ -57,36 +57,19 @@ class TalentPool(WatchChannel):
         in the header when relaying messages of this user to the watchchannel.
         """
         if user.bot:
-            e = Embed(
-                description=f":x: **I'm sorry {ctx.author}, I'm afraid I can't do that. I only watch humans.**",
-                color=Color.red()
-            )
-            await ctx.send(embed=e)
+            await ctx.send(f":x: I'm sorry {ctx.author}, I'm afraid I can't do that. I only watch humans.")
             return
 
         if isinstance(user, Member) and any(role.id in STAFF_ROLES for role in user.roles):
-            e = Embed(
-                description=f":x: **Nominating staff members, eh? You cheeky bastard.**",
-                color=Color.red()
-            )
-            await ctx.send(embed=e)
+            await ctx.send(f":x: Nominating staff members, eh? Here's a cookie :cookie:")
             return
 
         if not await self.fetch_user_cache():
-            log.error(f"Failed to update user cache; can't watch user {user}")
-            e = Embed(
-                description=f":x: **Failed to update the user cache; can't add {user}**",
-                color=Color.red()
-            )
-            await ctx.send(embed=e)
+            await ctx.send(f":x: Failed to update the user cache; can't add {user}")
             return
 
         if user.id in self.watched_users:
-            e = Embed(
-                description=":x: **The specified user is already in the TalentPool**",
-                color=Color.red()
-            )
-            await ctx.send(embed=e)
+            await ctx.send(":x: The specified user is already being watched in the TalentPool")
             return
 
         # Manual request with `raise_for_status` as False because we want the actual response
@@ -105,7 +88,7 @@ class TalentPool(WatchChannel):
 
             if resp.status == 400 and response_data.get('user', False):
                 e = Embed(
-                    description=":x: **The specified user can't be found in the database tables**",
+                    description=":x: The specified user can't be found in the database tables",
                     color=Color.red()
                 )
                 await ctx.send(embed=e)
@@ -114,11 +97,7 @@ class TalentPool(WatchChannel):
                 resp.raise_for_status()
 
         self.watched_users[user.id] = response_data
-        e = Embed(
-            description=f":white_check_mark: **Messages sent by {user} will now be relayed to TalentPool**",
-            color=Color.green()
-        )
-        await ctx.send(embed=e)
+        await ctx.send(f":white_check_mark: Messages sent by {user} will now be relayed to TalentPool")
 
     @nomination_group.command(name='history', aliases=('info', 'search'))
     @with_role(Roles.owner, Roles.admin, Roles.moderator)
@@ -132,11 +111,7 @@ class TalentPool(WatchChannel):
             }
         )
         if not result:
-            e = Embed(
-                description=":warning: **This user has never been nominated**",
-                color=Color.blue()
-            )
-            await ctx.send(embed=e)
+            await ctx.send(":warning: This user has never been nominated")
             return
 
         embed = Embed(
@@ -170,11 +145,7 @@ class TalentPool(WatchChannel):
         )
 
         if not active_nomination:
-            e = Embed(
-                description=":x: **The specified user does not have an active Nomination**",
-                color=Color.red()
-            )
-            await ctx.send(embed=e)
+            await ctx.send(":x: The specified user does not have an active Nomination")
             return
 
         [nomination] = active_nomination
@@ -182,11 +153,7 @@ class TalentPool(WatchChannel):
             f"{self.api_endpoint}/{nomination['id']}",
             json={'end_reason': reason}
         )
-        e = Embed(
-            description=f":white_check_mark: **Messages sent by {user} will no longer be relayed**",
-            color=Color.green()
-        )
-        await ctx.send(embed=e)
+        await ctx.send(f":white_check_mark: Messages sent by {user} will no longer be relayed")
         self._remove_user(user.id)
 
     @nomination_group.group(name='edit', aliases=('e',), invoke_without_command=True)
@@ -210,11 +177,7 @@ class TalentPool(WatchChannel):
         except ClientResponseError as e:
             if e.status == 404:
                 self.log.trace(f"Nomination API 404: Can't nomination with id {nomination_id}")
-                e = Embed(
-                    description=f":x: **Can't find a nomination with id `{nomination_id}`**",
-                    color=Color.red()
-                )
-                await ctx.send(embed=e)
+                await ctx.send(f":x: Can't find a nomination with id `{nomination_id}`")
                 return
             else:
                 raise
@@ -222,16 +185,13 @@ class TalentPool(WatchChannel):
         field = "reason" if nomination["active"] else "end_reason"
 
         self.log.trace(f"Changing {field} for nomination with id {nomination_id} to {reason}")
+
         await self.bot.api_client.patch(
             f"{self.api_endpoint}/{nomination_id}",
             json={field: reason}
         )
 
-        e = Embed(
-            description=f":white_check_mark: **Updated the {field} of the nomination!**",
-            color=Color.green()
-        )
-        await ctx.send(embed=e)
+        await ctx.send(f":white_check_mark: Updated the {field} of the nomination!")
 
     def _nomination_to_string(self, nomination_object: dict) -> str:
         """Creates a string representation of a nomination."""
diff --git a/bot/cogs/watchchannels/watchchannel.py b/bot/cogs/watchchannels/watchchannel.py
index 8f0bc765d..16212e3b0 100644
--- a/bot/cogs/watchchannels/watchchannel.py
+++ b/bot/cogs/watchchannels/watchchannel.py
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@ import re
 import textwrap
 from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
 from collections import defaultdict, deque
-from typing import Optional
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from typing import Iterator, Optional
 
 import aiohttp
 import discord
@@ -39,6 +40,16 @@ def proxy_user(user_id: str) -> Object:
     return user
 
 
+@dataclass
+class MessageHistory:
+    last_author: Optional[int] = None
+    last_channel: Optional[int] = None
+    message_count: int = 0
+
+    def __iter__(self) -> Iterator:
+        return iter((self.last_author, self.last_channel, self.message_count))
+
+
 class WatchChannel(ABC):
     """ABC that implements watch channel functionality to relay all messages of a user to a watch channel."""
 
@@ -52,7 +63,6 @@ class WatchChannel(ABC):
         self.api_default_params = api_default_params  # E.g., {'active': 'true', 'type': 'watch'}
         self.log = logger  # Logger of the child cog for a correct name in the logs
 
-        # These attributes can be left as they are in the child class
         self._consume_task = None
         self.watched_users = defaultdict(dict)
         self.message_queue = defaultdict(lambda: defaultdict(deque))
@@ -61,7 +71,7 @@ class WatchChannel(ABC):
         self.retry_delay = 10
         self.channel = None
         self.webhook = None
-        self.message_history = [None, None, 0]
+        self.message_history = MessageHistory()
 
         self._start = self.bot.loop.create_task(self.start_watchchannel())
 
@@ -118,13 +128,14 @@ class WatchChannel(ABC):
                 TextChannel: {"**Failed to load**" if self.channel is None else "Loaded successfully"}
                 Webhook: {"**Failed to load**" if self.webhook is None else "Loaded successfully"}
 
-                The Cog has been unloaded."""
+                The Cog has been unloaded.
+                """
             )
 
             await self.modlog.send_log_message(
                 title=f"Error: Failed to initialize the {self.__class__.__name__} watch channel",
                 text=message,
-                ping_everyone=False,
+                ping_everyone=True,
                 icon_url=Icons.token_removed,
                 colour=Color.red()
             )
@@ -221,7 +232,7 @@ class WatchChannel(ABC):
         limit = BigBrotherConfig.header_message_limit
 
         if msg.author.id != last_author or msg.channel.id != last_channel or count >= limit:
-            self.message_history = [msg.author.id, msg.channel.id, 0]
+            self.message_history = MessageHistory(last_author=msg.author.id, last_channel=msg.channel.id)
 
             await self.send_header(msg)
 
@@ -258,7 +269,7 @@ class WatchChannel(ABC):
                     exc_info=exc
                 )
 
-        self.message_history[2] += 1
+        self.message_history.message_count += 1
 
     async def send_header(self, msg) -> None:
         """Sends a header embed with information about the relayed messages to the watch channel"""
diff --git a/bot/utils/messages.py b/bot/utils/messages.py
index 5c9b5b4d7..94a8b36ed 100644
--- a/bot/utils/messages.py
+++ b/bot/utils/messages.py
@@ -97,11 +97,13 @@ async def send_attachments(message: Message, destination: Union[TextChannel, Web
             if attachment.size <= MAX_SIZE - 512:
                 with BytesIO() as file:
                     await attachment.save(file)
+                    attachment_file = File(file, filename=attachment.filename)
+
                     if isinstance(destination, TextChannel):
-                        await destination.send(file=File(file, filename=attachment.filename))
+                        await destination.send(file=attachment_file)
                     else:
                         await destination.send(
-                            file=File(file, filename=attachment.filename),
+                            file=attachment_file,
                             username=message.author.display_name,
                             avatar_url=message.author.avatar_url
                         )
diff --git a/bot/utils/moderation.py b/bot/utils/moderation.py
index e81186253..c1eb98dd6 100644
--- a/bot/utils/moderation.py
+++ b/bot/utils/moderation.py
@@ -14,8 +14,13 @@ HEADERS = {"X-API-KEY": Keys.site_api}
 
 
 async def post_infraction(
-    ctx: Context, user: Union[Member, Object, User], type: str, reason: str,
-    expires_at: datetime = None, hidden: bool = False, active: bool = True
+    ctx: Context,
+    user: Union[Member, Object, User],
+    type: str,
+    reason: str,
+    expires_at: datetime = None,
+    hidden: bool = False,
+    active: bool = True,
 ):
 
     payload = {