Microsoft Teams allows users to integrate third-party cloud storage providers by modifying the default storage options from OneDrive and SharePoint. This capability enables files that are dragged and dropped into the Teams chat or message compose area to be stored in a third-party storage service. Using the Microsoft Teams JavaScript client library (TeamsJS), third-party apps can capture these files through the getDragAndDropFiles API and then upload them to their own cloud storage.

To enable this feature, the latest version of the TeamsJS SDK is required, along with a properly configured app manifest and the app ID of the third-party storage provider. When a file is dragged and dropped, it is temporarily cached in Teams before being fetched by the third-party app and uploaded to its storage. This seamless integration enhances flexibility for businesses using external storage solutions within the Teams environment.

• Message Extensions

Interaction with bot

• Microsoft Teams is installed and you have an account
• Python SDK version 3.7
• dev tunnel or ngrok latest version or equivalent tunnelling solution
• Python SDK min version 3.11

The simplest way to run this sample in Teams is to use Teams Toolkit for Visual Studio Code.

1. Ensure you have downloaded and installed Visual Studio Code
2. Install the Teams Toolkit extension and Python Extension
3. Select File > Open Folder in VS Code and choose this samples directory from the repo
4. Press CTRL+Shift+P to open the command box and enter Python: Create Environment to create and activate your desired virtual environment. Remember to select requirements.txt as dependencies to install when creating the virtual environment.
5. Using the extension, sign in with your Microsoft 365 account where you have permissions to upload custom apps
6. Select Debug > Start Debugging or F5 to run the app in a Teams web client.
7. In the browser that launches, select the Add button to install the app to Teams.

If you do not have permission to upload custom apps (sideloading), Teams Toolkit will recommend creating and using a Microsoft 365 Developer Program account - a free program to get your own dev environment sandbox that includes Teams.

Note these instructions are for running the sample on your local machine, the tunnelling solution is required because the Teams service needs to call into the bot.

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/OfficeDev/Microsoft-Teams-Samples.git

2. Run ngrok - point to port 3978

   ngrok http 3978 --host-header="localhost:3978"

   Alternatively, you can also use the dev tunnels. Please follow Create and host a dev tunnel and host the tunnel with anonymous user access command as shown below:

   devtunnel host -p 3978 --allow-anonymous

3. Create Bot Framework registration resource in Azure

   • Use the current https URL you were given by running the tunnelling application. Append with the path /api/messages used by this sample
   • Ensure that you've enabled the Teams Channel
   • If you don't have an Azure account you can use this Bot Framework registration

4. Bring up a terminal, navigate to Microsoft-Teams-Samples\samples\msgext-thirdparty-storage\python folder

5. Activate your desired virtual environment

6. Install dependencies by running pip install -r requirements.txt in the project folder.

7. Update the config.py configuration for the bot to use the Microsoft App Id and App Password from the Bot Framework registration. (Note the App Password is referred to as the "client secret" in the azure portal and you can always create a new client secret anytime.)

8. Set "BASE_URL" in the config.py as per your application like the ngrok forwarding url (ie https://xxxx.ngrok-free.app) after starting ngrok and if you are using dev tunnels, your URL will be like: https://12345.devtunnels.ms.

9. This step is specific to Teams.

   • Edit the manifest.json contained in the appManifest folder to replace your Microsoft App Id (that was created when you registered your bot earlier) everywhere you see the place holder string {{AAD_APP_CLIENT_ID}} (depending on the scenario the Microsoft App Id may occur multiple times in the manifest.json)
   • Edit the manifest.json for validDomains with base Url domain. E.g. if you are using ngrok it would be https://1234.ngrok-free.app then your domain-name will be 1234.ngrok-free.app and if you are using dev tunnels then your domain will be like: 12345.devtunnels.ms.
   • Zip up the contents of the appManifest folder to create a manifest.zip (Make sure that zip file does not contains any subfolder otherwise you will get error while uploading your .zip package)
   • Upload the manifest.zip to Teams (In Teams Apps/Manage your apps click "Upload an app". Browse to and Open the .zip file. At the next dialog, click the Add button.)
   • Add the bot to personal/team/groupChat scope (Supported scopes)

10. Run your bot with python app.py

Upload an Application to Teams

Select the Build for Your Organization

Log in to Admin Center and Copy App ID

Admin Settings for File Drag-and-Drop to Third-Party Storage

• Admin settings for file drag-drop to third-party storage

Install the Application in Teams

Select a Channel for File Upload

Open the Channels to Access Files

Drag and Drop All Files into Teams

Files Successfully Dragged and Dropped

All Files Loaded in Task Module

Files Loaded into the Compose Area

Send All Dragged and Dropped Files

Drag and Drop Files in Chat

Drop Files in the Chat Window

Load All Files in the Task Module

Upload All Files in the Chat

Send Files in the Chat

To learn more about deploying a bot to Azure, see Deploy your bot to Azure for a complete list of deployment instructions.

• Third-party storage capability
• Turn off Teams Native File Upload policy
• Admin settings for file drag-drop to third-party storage
• App manifest