Add delay between two messages in Microsoft BOT Framework

Question

I am developing a bot in Microsoft bot framework 4 and would like to introduce a delay and show the "typing" icon between two messages. I have two statements as follows:

await turnContext.SendActivityAsync(MessageFactory.Text(statement.Body), cancellationToken);
await turnContext.SendActivityAsync(MessageFactory.Carousel(GetCarousel(statement)), cancellationToken);

I would like to show the "typing" or "....." between these two messages.

How can this be done?

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 23 '20 at 21:17

0

This answer has a couple of methods. Many people have found the delay activity type to work for them, but for some reason it didn't work for me.

Instead, I've found awaiting a promise to be the best method. If you just add the typing activity without the promise, it will skip right to the next activity. You might try using the typing activity with the delay activity in the above linked answer, but below is what I have done and it works for me. Just add these lines in between your activity.

await step.context.sendActivity({ type: ActivityTypes.Typing });
await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, process.env.DIALOG_DELAY));

I set my delay (in ms) in my app settings. I strongly recommend that, or at least defining it globally, in case you decide to adjust the delay later.

answered Apr 23 '20 at 21:17

billoverton

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Where is Promise taken from? – user1144596 Apr 23 '20 at 21:30
It’s native to nodejs I think. I didn't import anything to be able to use it. – billoverton Apr 24 '20 at 01:06
Oh, is there an equivalent in C#? – user1144596 Apr 24 '20 at 15:41
Take a look here https://stackoverflow.com/questions/38996593/promise-equivalent-in-c-sharp – billoverton Apr 24 '20 at 15:44

Add delay between two messages in Microsoft BOT Framework

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