sp-dev-fx-webparts/samples/react-bot-framework

Microsoft Bot Framework Web Chat

Summary

Name	Image	Description
Bot Framework v4 WebPart		A web part that uses the botframework-webchat module to create implement a React component to render the Bot Framework v4 webchat component. This web part is able to render Text and richt attachments (Images, Cards, Adaptive Cards, ...) and has settings for branding purposes.
Bot Framework v3 WebPart		A web part that acts as a web chat component for bot's built on the Microsoft Bot Framework using the DirectLine API. When sending messages the web part uses the username of the currently logged in user. The web part has settings for color for branding purposes.

You can see this web part sample, including a sample VS 2015 bot application in practice from PnP SPFx Special Interest Group recording where sample was demonstrated.

Used SharePoint Framework Version

Applies to

• SharePoint Framework Developer
• Office 365 developer tenant
• Microsoft Bot Framework

Prerequisites

You need to have a bot created and registered using the Microsoft Bot Framework and registered to use the DirectLine Channel, which will give you the secret needed when adding this web part to the page. For more information on creating a bot and registering the channel you can see the official web site at dev.botframework.com, as well as various tutorials over at www.garypretty.co.uk/category/microsoft-bot-framework/ & Stephan Bisser's blog

See more details on how to create a bot from following locations.

• Getting started with the Connector - MS Bot Framework documentation
• Creating your first bot with the Microsoft Bot Framework – Part 1 – Build and test locally - @GaryPretty
• Creating your first bot with the Microsoft Bot Framework – Part 2 – publishing and chatting through Skype- @GaryPretty
• Create a QnA Bot with Azure Bot Service v4

Notice that you can find simplistic bot implemented with Visual Studio 2015 using the bot templates (Oct 2016) under the vs2015-bot-application folder. This is simplistic bot based on above blog posts, which responses random string back.

Solution

Solution	Author(s)
bot-framework	Gary Pretty (@garypretty, garypretty.co.uk)
webpart v4	Stephan Bisser (@stephanbisser, bisser.io)

Version history

Version	Date	Comments
1.0	October 11th, 2016	Initial release
1.1	Jan 24th, 2017	Updated to RC0
1.2	Feb 23rd, 2017	Initial load bug fix
1.3	February 8, 2018	Updated to SPFx 1.7
1.4	September 4, 2019	Added BotFramework webchat v4

Disclaimer

THIS CODE IS PROVIDED AS IS WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, MERCHANTABILITY, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT.

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Minimal Path to Awesome

• Clone this repository

• in the command line run:

  • npm install
  • tsd install
  • gulp serve

• Register your bot in the Microsoft Bot Framework Portal, configure the DirectLine channel on the bot and obtain your DirectLine secret.

Features

This Web Part illustrates the following concepts on top of the SharePoint Framework:

• Connecting and communicating with a bot built on the Microsoft Bot Framework using the DirectLine Channel
• Validating Property Pane Settings
• Office UI Fabric
• React

When adding the web part to a page you need to obtain your bot's DirectLine channel secret via the Azure Portal. You then add this secret via the Property Pane of the web part. If there is an error initializing the DirectLine Client with the bot then they will be shown in the console within the browser.

You can add DirectLine channel to bot from the bot details page under the "Add a featured channel" section

After this, you can click Edit for the just added Channel to get the needed secret for the client side web part.

Additional settings can be set to style the web part, including:

Version	Description
v3 & v4	Foreground / background colors for messages & sendbox, both from the user and from the bot
v4	Add avatar images or initials for both user and bot
v4	Hide upload button in sendbox
v3	Display title of the web part
v3	Web part header background color
v3	Placeholder text

Currently the Bot Framework Webchat v3 web part only supports plain text conversations with a bot. Other message types, such as Rich Cards and Attachments are not supported, so in order to use that, use the Bot Framework Webchat v4 web part