SKype for business as channel

[tahazayed]

I want to support Skype for business as a channel, can I use this DLL Microsoft.Bot.Connector.Emulator.Core.dll (included in Bot Framework Emulator)?

[jameslew]

Skype for Business isn't yet added as a channel to the Bot Framework, though it's high on our priority list.

I'm not sure how you'd use the emulator core for that, but you've peaked my curiosity :).

[ronnelsantiago]

do you have any timeline on this one? is this currently being worked on? can you give us an indication here please.

[tomlm]

I can assure you that it is being worked on, but not timeline.

[ronnelsantiago]

sounds good enough for me.. thanks.

[tahazayed]

I built skype for bussiness client using lync sdk and I am using Microsoft.Bot.Connector.Emulator.Core.dll to send message to the bot connector<->conversation and it is working fine with me, I am asking about is it legal or not?

[naoyanickf]

@tahazayed it's great! Can I use it?

[tahazayed]

@jameslew @naoya0731 @pablocastro
https://github.com/tahazayed/BotConnectorSkypeForBusiness

[b4usat]

@tahazayed i tried the sample in the repo. When i tried sending message to my deployed bot, its returning no response. Can you please help me here?
Same bot i tried connecting from bot console emulator with ngrok forwading url. So i am getting response from my bot. Is the same way i have to use here as well?

[tahazayed]

@b4usat, close any conversation window then ask someone to start a conversation and it will work

[abhishan]

I found this blog post by @adoprog
http://devopssnippets.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/integrating-lyncskype-for-business-with.html
This uses Direct Line channel and Lync API (UCMA can also be potentially used). I haven't tried this yet, but its worth a shot.
The only challenge is that this wont work for Skype for Business Online.

~Abhishek
Acuvate Software

[tahazayed]

@abhishan I already built another one with lynk sdk https://github.com/tahazayed/BotConnectorSkypeForBusiness
And it works with skype for business online as it just a client not server application

[abhishan]

@tahazayed - Thanks for the link. Will check it out.
Few questions:
Do we run it on every user desktop that needs access to the bot? OR, Do we need to dedicate a PC that acts as the Bot's Skype client?
If a user is using Skype on mobile, will it support this scenario?
Thanks in advance...

~ Abhishek
Acuvate Software

[tahazayed]

You will need one dedicate pc for the bot.
Any user can talk to it

[abhishan]

@tahazayed Cool. This would work in the interim, while we wait for an official MS release... Thank you!

[shankarmuppalla]

@tahazayed I tried the code from repository .There is no response from my deployed bot in SFB even after closing all conversation windows but when i tried with ngrok with forwarding url in emulator , there is a response. Can you plz help if i'm missing anything here.

[tahazayed]

@shankarmuppalla
Happy new year
1-Change BotURL in App.config with yours
2-Debug MainForm.cs

[shankarmuppalla]

@tahazayed Thank you Wish you the same.

1- BotURL Changed in App.Config
2- During Debugging MainForm.cs ,There is a "System.NullReferenceException" thrown as oBotResult.attachments is NULL .
and Under oResponse--> Message -->Text displayed as " 500 Internal Server Error".
How do i come out of this ? Thanks in Advance!

[tahazayed]

The issue in WCF
Disable custom error in WCF web.config

[romanNedzelsky]

I changed BotURL, changed ID and Secure, but still has "Additional information: Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.Office.Uc, Version=15.0.4603.1000" when try to run. I read somewhere, that it shuold be coused by bad versions of Lync SDK and Lync Client, which has to be installed to install SDK. I has those versions:
SDK: 15.0.4603.1000
Client: 15.0.4420.1017 (Lync 2013 Basic)

Would it be possible to help me somehow? I really want to run this great solution :/

[tahazayed]

Copy this file from lync sdk installation folder under program files to your bin folder

[romanNedzelsky]

Great, thank you, this works, now the code is runing, but somehow, when I write "Hi", I have no response at all even I know, that bot is functional via normaln skype, slack or webchat...

[tahazayed]

Debug MainForm.cs

[shankarmuppalla]

@tahazayed Disabled custom errors and now there is this "401 unauthorized error" during debug . My bot is deployed to Azure with url something like this https://mybot.azurewebsites.net/api/messages and provided AppId and AppSecret respectively in the code as well.

[luscl1]

I've got the exact same error as @shankarmuppalla

[romanNedzelsky]

I've also got exactly the same eror as @shankarmuppalla and @miau4...do you have any ideas?

[tahazayed]

I will debug as well to check the issue and give you feedback ASAP

[yevsh]

One question:
Is it possible to use local (intranet) bot with the BOT Framework?
As we can't/won't publish our bot for all to see/use, the bot is for local use only.

[romanNedzelsky]

Hello @tahazayed, any progress on debuging? thank you very much.

[virendrak]

@romanNedzelsky , Please find below solution of your comment/query #565 (comment), provided by @ankitbko in ticket -ankitbko/SkypeForBusinessBot#1

In properties of Microsoft.Office.Uc "Embed Interos Types" is set to "True" which makes "Copy Local" to false. Just changing "Embed Interos Types" to "False" will work.

[ankitbko]

@romanNedzelsky Also make sure Copy Local is set to true once you change Embed Interops to False

[shankarmuppalla]

@tahazayed Any solution for the error? Thanks!

[ankitbko]

@yevsh Yes you can create a bot which works locally. You can see the example here. The bot is hosted locally and is not registered with Bot Connector. The only outside communication is to LUIS which you can replace with any on-premise implementations which are available.

[luscl1]

The problem about the "401 unauthorized error" during debug is still there.. does someone have a solution?

[romanNedzelsky]

I still cannot make this solution working :( any progress @tahazayed ? Or anyone else? something?

[tahazayed]

Hello, sorry I will finish my master's exams by tomorrow and I will check the error intensely.

[tahazayed]

Hello,I fixed the reference issue also I uploaded the web service that used by the bot

[tahazayed]

@romanNedzelsky kindly get the latest version and use my web service under this folder"sampleservice"

[romanNedzelsky]

@tahazayed thank you for the update, will try, just quick question, is it possible using your solution use of some graphical objects in the conversation like choice buttons, herocards, or images? I am asking, because we tried to use directconnect channel, it works, but text only, so all the selection you have to do using writing numbers, you havent any herocards with thumbails or images (or we dont know how to do it, that the other possibility ;) ) thank you very much

[tahazayed]

@romanNedzelsky check this https://docs.botframework.com/en-us/csharp/builder/sdkreference/attachments.html

[tahazayed]

@romanNedzelsky I think we can build a game, or sending tasks and get approvals

[romanNedzelsky]

@tahazayed well the reference is related to bot and skype, so the question is, if I will connect to bot with skype for business, will it work?

[tahazayed]

Theoretically it will work as Skype for business is just a channel, give it a try you have the source code

[nikhilpularru]

@tahazayed I really liked your implementation and have just 1 question in mind, how can we modify your code to handle multiple conversation at once?

[tahazayed]

@nikhilpularru Thanks, actually it handles, I use myRemoteParticipantUri as conversation's ID

[abhishan]

We have developed and launched a commercial version of a Skype for Business connector by leveraging UCWA and DirectLine. You can read more at this blog post here: http://acuvate.com/blog/chatbots-on-skype-for-business/

[ankitbko]

@abhishan Great work. I had also written a blog on how to create SFB connector using UCWA - https://ankitbko.github.io/2017/02/Sykpe-For-Business-Bot-Using-UCWA/

[sjwaight]

Now officially supported as a Channel. Details here: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/skype/skype-for-business-bot-framework/docs/overview

[tahazayed]

@sjwaight: The Skype for Business Bot Framework channel is currently supported for Skype for Business Online. Skype for Business Server 2015 is not supported.
However I support Skype for Business Server 2015

[vikasr111]

@tahazayed I am also trying to setup bot on Skype for Business Server 2015.
If you have successfully setup, can you please guide me through?

[kapil-p-jain]

I built skype for bussiness client using lync sdk and I am using Microsoft.Bot.Connector.Emulator.Core.dll to send message to the bot connector<->conversation and it is working fine with me, I am asking about is it legal or not?

Hey can you help .. how you did that?

[kapil-p-jain]

I found this blog post by @adoprog
http://devopssnippets.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/integrating-lyncskype-for-business-with.html
This uses Direct Line channel and Lync API (UCMA can also be potentially used). I haven't tried this yet, but its worth a shot.
The only challenge is that this wont work for Skype for Business Online.

~Abhishek
Acuvate Software

hey how you achieve that