3.md

Create code

TIP: Looking for a good code editor? Check out Notepad++ (Windows) or Atom (Mac)

1. Copy/paste the code below in your editor
2. Save the file in the folder you created in the preparation step as "spark_bot.js"

var Botkit = require('botkit');

var controller = Botkit.sparkbot({
    public_address: process.env.public_address,
    ciscospark_access_token: process.env.access_token,
    secret: process.env.secret,
});
var bot = controller.spawn();

// Start Webserver to process incoming webhooks
controller.setupWebserver(process.env.port||3000,function(err,webserver) {
   controller.createWebhookEndpoints(controller.webserver, bot);
});

// Process incoming messages
controller.hears('hello','direct_message,direct_mention', function(bot, message) {
    bot.reply(message, 'Howdy!');
});

---

Start the Bot code

• MAC: Run this command that sets the environment variables (non-presistent) and starts the script. In the first terminal window type: access_token=BOT_ACCESS TOKEN public_address=https://xyz.ngrok.io node spark_bot.js

  • replacing BOT_ACCESS_TOKEN with the bot token from the previous step
  • replacing https://xyz.ngrok.io with the unique NGROK URL created in the previous step

• WINDOWS: Run these commands to set the environment variables (non-persistent) and starts the script. In the first command prompt type:

  First populate the environment variables:
  C:\Documents\Botkit> SET BOT_ACCESS_TOKEN="your_bot_access_token_here" 
  C:\Documents\Botkit> SET PUBLIC_URL="your_unique_ngrok_URL_here" 
  
  Then execute the bot script:
  C:\Documents\Botkit> node spark_bot.js

You should now see the code starting with a message similar to this:

      

NOTE the Starting webserver on port 3000 and SUCCESSFULLY UPDATED CISCO SPARK WEBHOOKS

---

Test Your Bot

What did we do so far?

1. Created a Spark Bot account.
2. Started NGROK to tunnel webhook traffic to our local computer.
3. Created & started the Bot code.

Let's test our Bot!

1. Open your Cisco Spark client

2. Test your bot script by setting up a 1:1 conversation with your bot. Your bot name should be [email protected], example: [email protected]

3. Send message: hello to your bot Your bot should respond with Howdy!

   

CONGRATULATIONS! You have a working bot. NOW let's make it smarter!