Bot Framework - imBack or postBack message without buttons? Is it possible?

Question

I am trying to display a card (or list of links ) to my Skype, Slack or Messenger users with some postBack actions.

Herocard works fine, they display the buttons with the text like in this example:

    IMessageActivity replyMessage = context.MakeMessage();
    replyMessage.Attachments.Add(
    new HeroCard
    {
        Subtitle = "Settings",
        Buttons = new List<CardAction> {
            new CardAction(ActionTypes.ImBack, $"Spell-check {spellcheckst}", value: $"Set Spell-check setting {spellcheckst}", text: $"Spell-check {spellcheckst}", displayText: $"Spell-check {spellcheckst}"),
            new CardAction(ActionTypes.ImBack, $"Small-talk {smalltalkst}", value: $"Set Small-talk setting {smalltalkst}", text: $"Small-talk {smalltalkst}", displayText: $"Small-talk {smalltalkst}")

        }
    }.ToAttachment()
    );
    await context.PostAsync(replyMessage);

But buttons take a lot of screen real estate and many times their captions are truncated.

Is there a way to trigger a postBack or imBack card action without displaying buttons. Here is an example scenario, when the User asks for Help, the Bot displays list of commands:

Add a webpage Try Me
delete a webpage Try Me
Display help Try Me
etc.

The "Try Me" links would postBack to the bot exactly as the buttons above do.

Is this possible to do?

Thanks

Manoj Bhardwaj Manoj Bhardwaj · Accepted Answer · 2017-12-07T12:58:23

Indeed, large button name will create a problem and it's look like alien to cards. In place of that you can do that using Carousel Cards. Put below code in your dialog and check. I am doing it and its working.

 public Task StartAsync(IDialogContext context)
        {
            context.Wait(MessageReceivedAsync);

            return Task.CompletedTask;
        }
        public virtual async Task MessageReceivedAsync(IDialogContext context, IAwaitable<IMessageActivity> result)
        {
            var reply = context.MakeMessage();

            reply.AttachmentLayout = AttachmentLayoutTypes.Carousel;
            reply.Attachments = GetCardsAttachments();

            await context.PostAsync(reply);

            context.Wait(this.MessageReceivedAsync);
        }

        private static IList<Attachment> GetCardsAttachments()
        {
            return new List<Attachment>()
            {
                GetHeroCard(
                    "Add a webpage",
                    "",
                    "",
                    new CardImage(url: "https://cdn.dribbble.com/users/22691/screenshots/1958250/attachments/340010/Button_800x600.gif?sz=328"),
                    new CardAction(ActionTypes.ImBack, "Add a webpage", value: "Add a webpage")),
                GetHeroCard(
                    "delete a webpage",
                    "",
                    "",
                    new CardImage(url: "https://cdn.dribbble.com/users/22691/screenshots/1958250/attachments/340010/Button_800x600.gif?sz=328"),
                    new CardAction(ActionTypes.ImBack, "delete a webpage", value: "delete a webpage")),
                GetHeroCard(
                    "Display help",
                    "",
                    "",
                    new CardImage(url: "https://cdn.dribbble.com/users/22691/screenshots/1958250/attachments/340010/Button_800x600.gif?sz=328"),
                    new CardAction(ActionTypes.ImBack, "Display help", value: "Display help")),
                GetHeroCard(
                    "etc",
                    "",
                    "",
                    new CardImage(url: "https://cdn.dribbble.com/users/22691/screenshots/1958250/attachments/340010/Button_800x600.gif?sz=328"),
                    new CardAction(ActionTypes.ImBack, "etc", value: "etc")),

            };
        }

        private static Attachment GetHeroCard(string title, string subtitle, string text, CardImage cardImage, CardAction cardAction)
        {
            var heroCard = new HeroCard
            {
                Title = title,
                Subtitle = subtitle,
                Text = text,
                Images = new List<CardImage>() { cardImage },
                Buttons = new List<CardAction>() { cardAction },
            };

            return heroCard.ToAttachment();
        }

I hope this will help you out to solve your concern.

Below is the scren shot for your reference.

Bot Framework - imBack or postBack message without buttons? Is it possible?

2 Answers