Getting Started With Conversational Forms And FormFlow Using Microsoft Bot Framework

4. Create a new enum for gender.
   
   1. /// <summary>
   2. /// Gender
   3. /// </summary>
   4. public enum Gender
   5. {
   6. Male,Female
   7. }
   The output looks like below.
   
   
   

5. Create a class for FormFlow with the [Serializable] attribute and create build form method for showing FormFlow.
   
   1. using Microsoft.Bot.Builder.FormFlow;
   2. using Microsoft.Bot.Builder.Dialogs;
   3. using System;
   5. namespace FormFlowBot.FormFlow
   6. {
   7. [Serializable]
   8. public class BusFormFlow
   9. {
   10. /// <summary>
   11. /// List of Form Flow
   12. /// </summary>
   13. public FromCity? FromAddress;
   14. public ToCity? ToAddress;
   15. public DateTime? StartDate;
   16. public BusType? BusTypes;
   17. public Gender? SelectGender;
   18. public string Name;
   19. public int Age;
   21. /// <summary>
   22. /// Build Form
   23. /// </summary>
   24. /// <returns></returns>
   25. public static IForm<BusFormFlow> BuildForm()
   26. {
   27. return new FormBuilder<BusFormFlow>()
   28. .Message("Welcome to the BotChat Bus Booking !")
   29. .OnCompletion(async (context, profileForm) =>
   30. {
   31. string message = "Your Bus booking Successfully Completed .You will get confirmation email and SMS .Thanks for using Chat Bot Bus Booking , Welcome Again !!! :)";
   32. await context.PostAsync(message);
   33. })
   34. .Build();
   35. }
   37. }
   38. }

Calling FormFlow

1. The Messagescontroller class is added in the solution and adds the following MakeRootDialog from a Messagescontroller class.
   
   1. internal static IDialog<BusFormFlow> MakeRootDialog()
   2. {
   3. return Chain.From(() => FormDialog.FromForm(BusFormFlow.BuildForm));
   4. }

2. Call MakeRootDialog from post method in MessagesController calss.
   
   1. /// <summary>
   2. /// POST: api/Messages
   3. /// Receive a message from a user and reply to it
   4. /// </summary>
   5. public async Task<HttpResponseMessage> Post([FromBody]Activity activity)
   6. {
   7. if (activity.Type == ActivityTypes.Message)
   8. {
   9. await Conversation.SendAsync(activity, MakeRootDialog);
   12. }
   13. else
   14. {
   15. HandleSystemMessage(activity);
   16. }
   17. var response = Request.CreateResponse(HttpStatusCode.OK);
   18. return response;
   19. }

Run Bot Application

The emulator is a desktop application that lets us test and debug our Bot on localhost. Now, you can click on "Run the application" in Visual Studio and execute in the browser.

Test application on Bot Emulator

You can follow the below steps for testing your bot application.

1. Open Bot Emulator.
2. Copy the above localhost URL and paste it in emulator e.g. - http://localHost:3979
3. You can append the /api/messages in the above URL; e.g. - http://localHost:3979/api/messages.
4. You won't need to specify Microsoft App ID and Microsoft App Password for localhost testing. So, click on "Connect".
   
   
   

Summary

In this article, we learned how to use FormFlow and collect information from the users. If you have any questions/ feedback/ issues, please write in the comment box.