Microsoft Teams: Message Extension fails in my loaded app (zip): 'Unable to reach app'

Question

I am working with Microsoft TEAMS application and I need to add a call to my application. My questions:

-------------- QUESTION 1 --------------

I am trying to use the HelloWorld Web app (HW) from TEAMS application, but 'Unable to reach app' message appears.

I have my HW compiled (Microsoft.Teams.Samples.HelloWorld in Visual Studio 2017) running locally (browser opens in http://localhost:3333/)

And with ngrok I can access remotelly (https://5d4c6462.ngrok.io) ngrok http 3333 -host-header=localhost:3333

This HW client generates a .zip with 2 .png files and the manifest.json file

Then in my TEAMS app (left panel) I go to Apps-'Upload a custom app', browse and get that .zip. My HW is visible for my user

In 'Teams' tab, I select a Team (MyTeam) and in 'Manage Team'-Apps, I install HW app ('More apps' button), but do nothing with 'Bot'/'Tab' and 'Messaging' options (all of them have a 'Set up' button that seems to do nothing)

After that, in MyTeam I can see the HW app when I write @hello, and my commands from composeExtensions (manifest) are available

But when I enter a text, 'Unable to reach app' is displayed

I supponse my problem is in the manifest file, but I don't know where... Anything related with an ID? Really there is no Message Extension URL to access my application...

In my Visual project, 'Assembly Info' I have a GUID value: "f543a88..."

I have used this value in the manifest, for 'id', and for 'botId' in 'bots' and 'composeExtensions' The rest of the values in the manifest file are the ones by default

-------------- QUESTION 2 --------------

I have some concepts not really understood, even after reading the apps-bots docu...

If I have an app (previous Hello World, for instance), i can upload it from Teams application (as explained above). And it can send messages to my application (or it will do when web application is found)
But how can I do that with a running bot? For instance from .NET framework samples (such as EchoBot project in csharp_dotnetcore solution)? I mean that project has no manifest to upload, where commands are visible for TEAMS to display... Must I create an app from TEAMS and load this bot during creation process?

In HW sample app, i have an MessagesController : ApiController to receive mesages, and I can check if it is a Message Extension with

public async Task<HttpResponseMessage> Post([FromBody] Activity activity)
{
    using (var connector = new ConnectorClient(new Uri(activity.ServiceUrl)))
    {
        if (activity.IsComposeExtensionQuery())

But can I check that in a BOT? AsFarAsIKnow, ActivityHandler are used to process received messages, with its methods (OnMessageActivityAsync, ...)

In an app like HW sample, is it possible to return something more complex than a text when a text is received? For instance, a Card
In a app manifest file, 'composeExtensions' have 'commands', where parameters are required (different types are available: text, date,...) But is it possible to create a command with no parameter? I mean maybe i just want to send a command to my application

Sorry If i.m saying anything with no sense, I am really new in TEAMS apps/bots...

Any help, please?

Thanks, Diego

Did you find what was going wrong? I am trying the same thing and it shows the app is not reachable. @diego — Akshat G

8a9 8a9 · Accepted Answer · 2020-06-09T12:50:14

Googling a similar issue when trying to get the sample bot to work in the C# Hello World Teams demo (https://github.com/OfficeDev/msteams-samples-hello-world-csharp), this point from one of @Diego's replies above:

c. Where I set the password in the manifest? I see no place for that

Made me realise that although, as above, I had entered the botid in the manifest.json, the bot password has to be entered in the appsettings.json file.

Microsoft Teams: Message Extension fails in my loaded app (zip): 'Unable to reach app'

4 Answers