Passing an external user ID through MS Bot Framework

Question

I am working on a Skype bot, using Microsoft's Bot Framework.

I have an external website, where a user can create an account, obtaining a userID. I would like to have a button on my website that allows me to link their account to a Skype conversation.

The only way I can work it at the moment is by having the Skype bot ask for the user's email, then the user has to go onto the website and confirm that that was them on Skype. Not a good UX.

I know Telegram lets you do what I want with "deep linking", and Kik can do it by scanning QR codes. Facebook Messenger can do it by including the Facebook JSSDK in the page with a "Connect to this bot" button.

Is there any way to do this on Skype?

Answer 1

Use individual deep link mechanism for each bot (e.g. telegram) that you wish to implement.

1. How to setup Telegram webhook the simple way.

2. Telegram webhook requirement

HOWEVER, it doesn't work on Skype. Microsoft bot builder deep linking

he only way I can work it at the moment is by having the Skype bot ask for the user's email, then the user has to go onto the website and confirm that that was them on Skype. Not a good UX.

This is the only way so far for Skype.

Answer 2

Use the "Sign-in Card" workflow to have your users authenticate with your website before proceeding with the Skype bot conversation.

The Sign-in card enables a bot to request that a user sign-in. It typically contains text and one or more buttons that the user can click to initiate the sign-in process.

For documentation and code example, see:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/bot-framework/dotnet/bot-builder-dotnet-add-rich-card-attachments#add-a-sign-in-card-to-a-message

Blog article showing sign-in card walk-through:

https://tsmatz.wordpress.com/2016/09/06/microsoft-bot-framework-bot-with-authentication-and-signin-login/

Additional code examples:

• .NET SDK - https://github.com/Microsoft/BotBuilder-Samples/tree/master/CSharp/cards-RichCards#sign-in-card
• Node.js SDK - https://github.com/Microsoft/BotBuilder-Samples/tree/master/Node/cards-RichCards#sign-in-card