VestBot

Serve stock queries

This bot has been created using Bot Framework, it shows how to:

Use CLU to implement core AI capabilities
Implement a multi-turn conversation using Dialogs
Handle user interruptions for such things as Help or Cancel
Prompt for and validate requests for information from the user

Prerequisites

Testing

Testing in local

copy sample.env to .env and fill in the values

Testing in alpha

Alpha is a staging environment for testing. It retrieves server secrets from Secrets Manager in beta AWS account. Because it is served on HTTP via load balancer listener endpoint, it is not registered to Azure Bot Service and cannot be tested via frontend. It can however be tested in Bot Framework Emulator. See Connecting to a deployed bot

Overview

This bot uses CLU, an AI based cognitive service, to implement language understanding.

Node.js version 10.14.1 or higher
```
# determine node version
node --version
```

To run the bot

Install modules
```
npm install
```
Build the bot source code
```
npm run build
```
Setup CLU
Start the bot
```
npm start
```

Testing the bot using Bot Framework Emulator

Bot Framework Emulator is a desktop application that allows bot developers to test and debug their bots on localhost or running remotely through a tunnel.

Install the Bot Framework Emulator version 4.9.0 or greater from here

Connect to the bot using Bot Framework Emulator

Launch Bot Framework Emulator
File -> Open Bot
Enter a Bot URL of http://localhost:8080/api/messages

Connecting to a deployed bot

set the endpoint to the domain (http for alpha)
- alpha: http://${ALPHA_BOT_DOMAIN}:80/api/messages
- else: http://${BOT_DOMAIN}:443/api/messages
download ngrok v2 (https://dl.equinox.io/ngrok/ngrok/stable/archive) and configure "Path to ngrok" in Bot Framework Emulator to its location via gear icon at the bottom left
- latest ngrok is incompatible microsoft/BotFramework-Emulator#2399

Connecting to local bot via Bot Service

When you need to route frontend to the local version of backend, it needs to go through Azure Bot Service

Setup a local bot instance in https://portal.azure.com/#create/Microsoft.AzureBot
Configure its App ID and App Password, store them in the .env file
Setup ngrok to forward to localhost:8080 via ngrok http 8080 --host-header rewrite
Set up the ngrok endpoint in Bot Service's Messaging endpoint
Test in Bot Framework Emulator with the endpoint https://<ngrok endpoint>/api/messages and appropriate App ID and App Password.
Configure Webchat Secret (get from Bot Service -> Channel) in your frontend
Test in Frontend with the Webchat Secret

vest-fyi/VestBot