Backchannel: Proactive welcome activity

[robbiew]

Having trouble finding any code examples in the repo for Backchannel usage, specifically around using postactivity -- triggering events (I'm using ReactWebChat).

The goal is to trigger a pro-active message via Backchannel to the user as a welcome (using Directline).

This may be sames as #1441

Do any such examples exist? Thanks!

[compulim]

@robbiew can you check this PR #1286?

We are still drafting this. Since it touch pretty much every saga (a.k.a. business logic) on the production code, it's pending a thorough test.

The reason we need a production code change is to make the sample simpler and more intuitive. You can look at the proposed sample here.

const store = window.WebChat.createStore({}, ({ dispatch }) => next => action => {
  if (action.type === 'DIRECT_LINE/CONNECT_FULFILLED') {
    dispatch({
      type: 'WEB_CHAT/SEND_EVENT',
      payload: {
        name: 'webchat/join',
        value: { language: window.navigator.language }
      }
    });
  }
  return next(action);
});

Expect it to drop as dev build around end of December. Production build around mid February (or earlier if we decided to release a point release.)

[dividor]

Hi @compulim,

I am testing the above code, and though the event seems to be fired, I see nothing on the bot.

Using dev <script src="https://cdn.botframework.com/botframework-webchat/master/webchat.js"></script> ...

And this client code ...

                      (async function () {
                            const store = window.WebChat.createStore({}, ({ dispatch }) => next => action => {
                            if (action.type === 'DIRECT_LINE/CONNECT_FULFILLED') {
                                console.log("Sending activity ...")
                                dispatch({
                                type: 'WEB_CHAT/SEND_EVENT',
                                payload: {
                                    name: 'webchat/join',
                                    value: { language: window.navigator.language }
                                }
                                });
                            }
                            return next(action);
                            });
                            window.WebChat.renderWebChat({
                                userID: params['userid'],
                                directLine: window.WebChat.createDirectLine({ 
                                    token: params['directLineToken'] 
                                }),
                                store
                            }, document.getElementById('botChat'));
                            document.querySelector('#botChat > *').focus();
                        })().catch(err => console.error(err));

Browser console shows "Sending activity ...", but nothing arrives at the bot as far as I can tell, where my bot is defined ...

// Listen for incoming activities and route them to your bot main dialog.
server.post('/api/messages', (req, res) => {
    // Route received a request to adapter for processing
    adapter.processActivity(req, res, async (turnContext) => {
        // route to bot activity handler.
        await bot.onTurn(turnContext);
    });
});

And ....

async onTurn(turnContext) {

        console.log("STUFF2: " + JSON.stringify(turnContext))
}

Is there something I'm doing wrong please? thanks, Matt

[peterswimm]

We are seeing the same problem - any updates on a fix?

[peterswimm]

@compulim Looks like we missed the dec projection is there a revised estimate?

[droidriz]

passing parameters with v3 was so easy..... need help with v4 :(

[nrobert]

Looks like the latest PR on this subject, completed with a sample, will help you:

• PR: https://github.com/Microsoft/BotFramework-WebChat/pull/1286
• Sample: https://github.com/Microsoft/BotFramework-WebChat/blob/master/samples/15.d.backchannel-send-welcome-event/index.html

Enjoy!

[compulim]

Thanks @nrobert.

Yea, running back-and-forth multiple times on the code and finally it is in! Now in development branch, @4.2.1-master.849e563.

The reason it took so long is because we revamped most sagas. We didn't notice that take(A) -> put -> take(A) -> put -> (loop), is not an atomic operation. In this pattern, we will miss some A actions. Instead, we need to do takeEvery(A, put) -> (loop) instead.

It is in, tell me what you think about it. 😄