Can we test bot in own client without azure or bot emulator?

Question

I'm new to this. I have checked the already asked questions and i could not find the answer for my scenario.

Query: Im trying to create a bot locally, in which i succeeded with the help of docs. I can test that in bot emulator. Now, i want to create my own client in wpf , all the samples i found online having directline secret from azure. But, the emulator working without internet,so i thought ,they must be doing this without secret.

since i'm wpf application developer, i could not understand the emulator source code or make it run-able.

Can any one tell me or point out where i can check how to run bot client locally without azure direcltline secret?

Bot

[BotAuthentication]
public class MessagesController : ApiController
{
    /// <summary>
    /// POST: api/Messages
    /// Receive a message from a user and reply to it
    /// </summary>
    public async Task<HttpResponseMessage> Post([FromBody]Activity activity)
    {
        if (activity.Type == ActivityTypes.Message)
        {
            await Conversation.SendAsync(activity, () => new DirectLineBotDialog());
        }
        else
        {
            await HandleSystemMessage(activity);
        }

        var response = Request.CreateResponse(HttpStatusCode.OK);
        return response;
    }

    private async Task HandleSystemMessage(Activity message)
    {
        if (message.Type == ActivityTypes.DeleteUserData)
        {
            // Implement user deletion here
            // If we handle user deletion, return a real message
        }
        else if (message.Type == ActivityTypes.ConversationUpdate)
        {
            // Handle conversation state changes, like members being added and removed
            // Use Activity.MembersAdded and Activity.MembersRemoved and Activity.Action for info
            // Not available in all channels

            if (message.MembersAdded.Any(o => o.Id == message.Recipient.Id))
            {
                ConnectorClient client = new ConnectorClient(new Uri(message.ServiceUrl));

                var reply = message.CreateReply();

                reply.Text = "Welcome to the Bot to showcase the DirectLine API. Send 'Show me a hero card' or 'Send me a BotFramework image' to see how the DirectLine client supports custom channel data. Any other message will be echoed.";

                await client.Conversations.ReplyToActivityAsync(reply);
            }
        }
        else if (message.Type == ActivityTypes.ContactRelationUpdate)
        {
            // Handle add/remove from contact lists
            // Activity.From + Activity.Action represent what happened
        }
        else if (message.Type == ActivityTypes.Typing)
        {
            // Handle knowing tha the user is typing
        }
        else if (message.Type == ActivityTypes.Ping)
        {
        }

    }
}

Client:

 class Program
{
    private static string directLineSecret = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["DirectLineSecret"];
    private static string botId = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["BotId"];
    private static string fromUser = "DirectLineSampleClientUser";

    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        StartBotConversation().Wait();
    }


    private static async Task StartBotConversation()
    {
        DirectLineClient client = new DirectLineClient(directLineSecret);
        var conversation = await client.Conversations.StartConversationAsync();

        new System.Threading.Thread(async () => await ReadBotMessagesAsync(client, conversation.ConversationId)).Start();

        Console.Write("Command> ");

        while (true)
        {
            string input = Console.ReadLine().Trim();

            if (input.ToLower() == "exit")
            {
                break;
            }
            else
            {
                if (input.Length > 0)
                {
                    Activity userMessage = new Activity
                    {
                        From = new ChannelAccount(fromUser),
                        Text = input,
                        Type = ActivityTypes.Message
                    };

                    await client.Conversations.PostActivityAsync(conversation.ConversationId, userMessage);
                }
            }
        }
    }

    private static async Task ReadBotMessagesAsync(DirectLineClient client, string conversationId)
    {
        string watermark = null;

        while (true)
        {
            var activitySet = await client.Conversations.GetActivitiesAsync(conversationId, watermark);
            watermark = activitySet?.Watermark;

            var activities = from x in activitySet.Activities
                             where x.From.Id == botId
                             select x;

            foreach (Activity activity in activities)
            {
                Console.WriteLine(activity.Text);

                if (activity.Attachments != null)
                {
                    foreach (Attachment attachment in activity.Attachments)
                    {
                        switch (attachment.ContentType)
                        {
                            case "application/vnd.microsoft.card.hero":
                                RenderHeroCard(attachment);
                                break;

                            case "image/png":
                                Console.WriteLine($"Opening the requested image '{attachment.ContentUrl}'");

                                Process.Start(attachment.ContentUrl);
                                break;
                        }
                    }
                }

                Console.Write("Command> ");
            }

            await Task.Delay(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(1)).ConfigureAwait(false);
        }
    }

    private static void RenderHeroCard(Attachment attachment)
    {
        const int Width = 70;
        Func<string, string> contentLine = (content) => string.Format($"{{0, -{Width}}}", string.Format("{0," + ((Width + content.Length) / 2).ToString() + "}", content));

        var heroCard = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<HeroCard>(attachment.Content.ToString());

        if (heroCard != null)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("/{0}", new string('*', Width + 1));
            Console.WriteLine("*{0}*", contentLine(heroCard.Title));
            Console.WriteLine("*{0}*", new string(' ', Width));
            Console.WriteLine("*{0}*", contentLine(heroCard.Text));
            Console.WriteLine("{0}/", new string('*', Width + 1));
        }
    }
}

Please let me know, if im doing anything wrong.

Thank in Advance

Answer 1

Take a look at the excellent Offline DirectLine node package from my colleague Ryan Volum. Don't let the fact that it's Node based deter you just because you're writing a .NET based bot. All it does is stand up a local web server that emulates the DirectLine API and tunnels the requests through to your bot.

It's super simple to use, just follow the usage directions on the package page.