Getting data from Form Flow and inputting it into an api call

Question

I am stuck at getting variable values from the form I have created using Form Flow. I want these four filters from the user so that I can insert them in my API call and return a JSON object.

In this code filters are manually specified in the URL for clarification purpose only.

When I run this code, API call executes first then the form comes on the Bot-framework Emulator.

[LuisIntent("ProductSearch")]
public async Task ProductSearch(IDialogContext context, LuisResult result)
{
    if (result.TryFindEntity("SearchKeyword", out EntityRecommendation SearchKeywordEntity))
    {
        await context.PostAsync($"Searching for '{SearchKeywordEntity.Entity}'...");

        Enquiry enqform = new Enquiry();
        FormDialog<Enquiry> Enquiryform = new FormDialog<Enquiry>(enqform, Enquiry.BuildEnquiryForm, FormOptions.PromptInStart);
        context.Call(Enquiryform, EnquiryFormSubmitted);

        ApiCall api = new ApiCall();
        string json = ApiCall.GET($"http://127.0.0.1:5000/search?search_keyword=water&av_filter=Asia&in_filter=Chemicals&aa_filter=Home Care&pg_filter=Polymers");
        await context.PostAsync(json);
    }
}

Here is Enquiry.cs

using Microsoft.Bot.Builder.FormFlow;
using System;

namespace BASF_Bot_Application2.Dialogs
{
    [Serializable]
    public class Enquiry
    {
        [Prompt("Would you like to apply some filters to get more specific results? {||}")]
        public bool ApplyFilters { get; set; }

        [Prompt("Where do yo want the product? {||}")]
        public Availability AvailabilityRequired { get; set; }
        public enum Availability
        {
            Global, Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North_America, South_America
        }

        [Prompt("What industry would you prefer? {||}")]
        public Industries IndustriesRequired { get; set; }
        public enum Industries
        {
            Agriculture, Automotive & Transportation, Chemicals, Construction, Electronics & Electrics, Energy & Resources, Furniture & Wood, Home Care and I&I Cleaning, Nutrition, Packaging & Print, Paint & Coatings Industry, Personal Care & Hygiene, Plastics & Rubber, Pulp & Paper, Textile, Leather & Footwear
        }

        [Prompt("Where is the Area of Application? {||}")]
        public Areas_of_Application Areas_of_ApplicationRequired { get; set; }
        public enum Areas_of_Application
        {
            Ag Chem Additives, Cleaning and caring, Construction, Electronics, Food and Beverage, Formulation Technologies, Health, Home and Garden, Home Care, Industrial and Institutional Cleaning, Information technology, Manufacturing, Measuring and control technol., Packaging, Paper and Printing
        }

        public static IForm<Enquiry> BuildEnquiryForm()
        {
            return new FormBuilder<Enquiry>()
                .Field("ApplyFilters")
                .Field("AvailabilityRequired")
                .Field("Industries")
                .Field("Areas_of_Application")
                .Build();
        }
    }
}

Answer 1

Once the form is completed/filled by the user, EnquiryFormSubmitted is triggered, so that's where you will get the values entered by the user and that's where you should make your API call.

private async Task EnquiryFormSubmitted(IDialogContext context, IAwaitable<Enquiry> result)
    {            
        var enquiry = await result;
        //All the user entered details are available in the enquiry object.
        ApiCall api = new ApiCall();
        string parameters = $"search_keyword=water&av_filter={enquiry.Availability}&in_filter={enquiry.Industries}&aa_filter={enquiry.Areas_of_Application}&pg_filter=Polymers";
        string json = ApiCall.GET($"http://127.0.0.1:5000/search?" + parameters);
        await context.PostAsync(json);
        //Whatever more logic is required
    }