A sample bot optimized for speech-enabled channels such as Cortana.
The minimum prerequisites to run this sample are:
- The latest update of Visual Studio 2015. You can download the community version here for free.
- The Bot Framework Emulator. To install the Bot Framework Emulator, download it from here. Please refer to this documentation article to know more about the Bot Framework Emulator.
- To fully test this sample you must:
- Register you bot in Microsoft Bot Framework Portal. Please refer to this for the instructions. Once you complete the registration, update the Bot's Web.config file with the registered config values (Bot Id, MicrosoftAppId and MicrosoftAppPassword).
- Enable the Cortana Channel and register your bot as a Cortana skill. Refer to this for more information on how to configure channels and to this and this for specific information on how to add the Cortana channel to your bot.
- Publish your bot, for example to Azure or use Ngrok to interact with your local bot in the cloud.
Many channels provides an audio component besides the usual visual component, allowing your bot to have a voice. The BotBuilder SDK has set of features designed specifically to support speech based channels such as Cortana.
The IMessageActivity interface contains two properties (Speak and InputHint) to support speech responses allowing you to define what the bot will say and the speech based client should manage the microphone.
The Speak property should contain text or Speech Synthesis Markup Language (SSML).
The InputHint property expects one of the following values from the InputHints enumeration:
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| AcceptingInput | Your bot is passively ready for input but is not waiting on a response (the mic should be closed) |
| ExpectingInput | Your bot is actively expecting a response from the user (the mic should be left open) |
| IgnoringInput | Your bot is ignoring input. Bots may send this hint if they are actively processing a request and will ignore input from users until the request is complete |
In general the BotBuilder SDK will send these hints for you automatically, so you don't have to worry too much about them. Checkout the use of the Speak and InputHint properties in the StartAsync method from the HelpDialog class.
public async Task StartAsync(IDialogContext context)
{
var message = context.MakeMessage();
message.Speak = SSMLHelper.Speak(Resources.HelpSSML);
message.InputHint = InputHints.AcceptingInput;
message.Attachments = new List<Attachment>
{
new HeroCard(Resources.HelpTitle)
{
Buttons = new List<CardAction>
{
new CardAction(ActionTypes.ImBack, "Roll Dice", value: RollDiceOptionValue),
new CardAction(ActionTypes.ImBack, "Play Craps", value: PlayCrapsOptionValue)
}
}.ToAttachment()
};
await context.PostAsync(message);
context.Done<object>(null);
}
Built-in prompts also have speech support and they can send plain text as well as SSML thanks to the Speak and RetrySpeak properties from the PromptOptions<T> class. Checkout the use of the Speak property in a PromptChoice dialog in the StartAsync method from the CreateGameDialog class.
public async Task StartAsync(IDialogContext context)
{
context.UserData.SetValue<GameData>(Utils.GameDataKey, new GameData());
var descriptions = new List<string>() { "4 Sides", "6 Sides", "8 Sides", "10 Sides", "12 Sides", "20 Sides" };
var choices = new Dictionary<string, IReadOnlyList<string>>()
{
{ "4", new List<string> { "four", "for", "4 sided", "4 sides" } },
{ "6", new List<string> { "six", "sex", "6 sided", "6 sides" } },
{ "8", new List<string> { "eight", "8 sided", "8 sides" } },
{ "10", new List<string> { "ten", "10 sided", "10 sides" } },
{ "12", new List<string> { "twelve", "12 sided", "12 sides" } },
{ "20", new List<string> { "twenty", "20 sided", "20 sides" } }
};
var promptOptions = new PromptOptions<string>(
Resources.ChooseSides,
choices: choices,
descriptions: descriptions,
speak: SSMLHelper.Speak(Utils.RandomPick(Resources.ChooseSidesSSML)));
PromptDialog.Choice(context, this.DiceChoiceReceivedAsync, promptOptions);
}
You will see the following when talking to the Bot via Cortana.
To get more information about how to get started in Bot Builder for .NET and Attachments please review the following resources: