developing interactive applications using windows live robots, activities, and alerts

8/14/2019 Developing Interactive Applications Using Windows Live Robots, Activities, and Alerts

1/81

Developing InteractiveApplications UsingWindows Live Robots,

Activities, And AlertsCampbell Gunn

Program ManagerMicrosoft Corporation

John Kim

Pierre Berkaloff

BTB025


2/81

Agenda

IntroductionActivity Applications

Alerts

Building and Deploying Bots


3/81


4/81

Windows Live MessengerApplications

Its all about user interaction

and engagement!

Activities, Bots, Alerts


5/81

Activity Window


Client to Client data xferConversation interaction

HTTPS for secure data exchangeMashup style applications (DHTML & AJAX)



6/81

Interact via the conversation, user tile, psmBroad, or domain specific interaction

Can be combined with Activity appsBuilt on 3rd party hosting platforms

Bot Conversation




7/81

Published via RSS feeds

Draw users back into Messenger

Launch Activities and Bots from toast




8/81

What Are MSN Alerts?

A great new way to deliver information to consumers

Up to 10x more effective than simple e-mail *

Find where customers are on network,

then deliver byMSN Messenger (Desktop Alert and Tab)

MSN Hotmail

MSN Mobile*

A great new way to partner with MSN

Drive trafficReinforce brand

Generate revenues

* Based on 1% average simple email response** Mobile available in US and Canada only


9/81

Windows Live Safety Scanner ActivityApplication

ESPBilly Bot And Activity Application


10/81


11/81


12/81

Activity Applications

How to Create a Messenger ActivityMulti User Activity

Sample Code

Single User ActivitySample Code

Debugging an Activity App

Demo-Walk through


13/81

What Are Activity Apps?

One or two user apps built on the Windows LiveMessenger communication infrastructure

Connect Peer to Peer or through the Windows Live Cloud

Work across firewalls and proxies

Run in an IE window attached to the MessengerConversation window

Can be hosted on the Internet or intranet

Interact with

Messenger conversation stream

Messenger user Info

Launchable from inside or outside Messenger

Contact based invitation model

Launch ability provisioned by Windows Live


14/81

Messenger Activity Platform

Apps can be built using DHTML or ActiveXDevelopment options

ASP.NET, C/C++, C#, Visual Basic, VBScript,JScript, HTML, DHTML, XML, and more

Great international support!

Windows Live Messenger Worldwide Support

25+ languages

45+ Markets

Can be market and/or language specific


15/81

Design Considerations

IE 5.01 or greater requiredMax window size 500 x 500 pixels

Recommended, but now limited

Connection TypesIndirect via Messenger cloud

195k per minute

Direct Peer to PeerLimited by connection bandwidth

Security considerations require that ActiveXapps be certified by Windows Live

No adult, gambling or hateful content

Application should include a Help link


16/81

Messenger Activity Objects

External Parent objectChannel Client to client communication

Error Error code and data

FileInfo File transfer operationsMessenger Dialer and Options dialogs

User User properties

Users Collection Enumerates user list

Access restricted


17/81


18/81

function Channel_OnRemoteAppLoaded() {

// The remote application is loaded and ready; start multiplayer

}

function Channel_OnRemoteAppClosed() {

// Remote application is shutting down; game over

}

function Channel_OnDataReceived() {

// Data received from remote app, inspect value of Channel.Data

}

function Channel_OnDataError() {

// Error during SendData, may need to retry.

}

function Channel_OnTypeChanged() {

// Inspect Channel.Type for the state of the connection (Direct, Indirect, Disconnected)

}

function Channel_OnAppClose() {

// Messenger is shutting down, clean up application

}

Required DefinitionsApps must sync these events


19/81

Provisioning Restricted Functionality

SendIMExposes EnterIM & SendIM methods in the Channel object

ReceiveIM

Exposes OnIMReceived event and IM property (ro)

ActiveXload ActiveX controls in local user security context

EnableIP

Allows access to local & global IP addresses

ReplaceIM

Exposes OnIMReceived event and IM property (rw)

SendFile

Exposes file xfer PEMs in the Channel object

UserProperties

Exposes E-mail and Name in User object


20/81

Channel Object

PropertiesData

A variant containing the data received from the remote application

Error

An Error object containing data that could not be delivered

FileInfoA FileInfo object that represents a file being sent or received. RequiresSendFile permission

Type

A ConnectionType value representing the type of connection between peers

IM (read-only)

String containing the instant message that was received and displayed.Requires ReceiveIM permission

IM (read-write)

String containing the instant message that was received. The message canbe changed before it is displayed. Requires ReplaceIM permission


21/81

Use Of XMLHTTP

Given to you with IE 7.0Windows.External.XMLHTTP

Allowed with IE 6.0

ActiveX control allowed to load

CreateObject(XMLHTTP);

Pull in dynamic AJAX content into yourApplication without IFrame manipulation

Support for XMLHTTPGet it with Windows Live Messenger Version 8.0

MSN Messenger 7.5 and lower needs IE 7.0


22/81

Building An Activity

Application


23/81

What Is Provisioning?

Two step processEnabling you to test your application

Making your app available to

Windows Live Messenger usersWhy is provisioning required forWindows Live Messenger Activities.

Verify apps use the Activity API properly

Verify app compliance with Terms of Use

Give Messenger users a great experience


24/81

Provisioning SettingsCreating the msgrp2p.xml file

Enables Messenger to load an un-provisioned application for testing

Same XML as used by Windows LiveServers

Adds item to the Actions menu

Start (Name)(Name) defined by the Name element

Needed on both machines for testing


25/81

Creating msgrp2p.xmlImportant values to set

EntryID = 7 for test apps

Category = 50 for test apps

Sequence = 10 for testing

Name = String displayed in Actions menuURL = HTTP address of Activity web page

TypeApp=application

Dir=gameHeight

max=500

Widthmax=500


26/81

Launching An Activity App

Launch from Actions menuStart (App Name)

Works prior to provisioning

Launching From a Web Page

Only works after provisioning

Invoke Windows Live Messenger by calling:http://messenger.msn.com/Resource/games.aspx?appID=APPID

The APPID valueUniquely represents your Activity appAssigned by Windows Live during provisioning
http://messenger.msn.com/Resource/games.aspx?appID=APPIDhttp://messenger.msn.com/Resource/games.aspx?appID=APPID


27/81

Debugging Setup

Enable debugging in IE Advanced TabUncheck Disable script debugging (IE)

Uncheck Disable script debugging

(Other)Place app and resources on web server

Multi-user apps require 2 machines tohave 2 Messenger logins

Edit msgrp2p.xml to reference web server

Place msgrp2p.xml on test machines

C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger


28/81

Debugging Tips And Tricks

Use VisualStudio 2005.netHave the debugger break post the point where youwant to check variables and walk backwards

Check the P2P channel occasionally in application

JavaScript: Use the debugger keyword to startscript debugging

Place debugger keyword at top of pageEnables vars in Immediate window, Enables settingbreakpoints

Use Alerts oftenUse Channel.SendIM to output debugging text toconversation window

Reopen conversation to reload msgrp2p.xml

App is reloaded on every invocation


29/81

Provisioning, Debugging

And running Application


30/81

Alerts


31/81

What Are MSN Alerts?

FREE Real-Time Info DeliveryA Killer Communications Platform!

Ne

ws

Spo

rts

Blo

gs

Jobhunting

Travel

Products

Any Kind of RSS-Triggered Information


32/81

How Do Users Sign Up?


33/81

100% User Opt-In

Delivery to:

DesktopEmailSMS


34/81

Using PRESENCE, Our Alerts PlatformAutomatically Finds User With RSS-TriggeredInformation


35/81

Which DRIVES Traffic ToYour Platform


36/81

And Offers Stunning Click-ThruPERFORMANCE To Almost 200 MillionMessenger Users

LOreal 24% and 35% (Beauty Alerts)

MSN Autos 18% (Detroit Auto Show)

ILoveMessenger 23% (Contest)

Messenger Beta 37% (Upgrade info)


37/81

MSN Alerts ManagerOnline App To Manage It All

Customize

Create

Report


38/81

MSN Alerts PlatformPartners Include

Windows Live Expo

MSNBC

FOX SportsMSN Spaces (Australia)

Feedburner

MSN TravelMoney Central

Etc.


39/81

Best PartZERO deployment time

Please visit http://SignUp.Alerts.MSN.com

or [email protected] for more information

MSN Alerts Platform is Free to Developersand Users (Ad Supported)
http://signup.alerts.msn.com/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://signup.alerts.msn.com/


40/81

Building And Deploying

Windows Live Robots

John KimPierre Berkaloff


41/81

IM Robots Are Not Web Sites

Conversational natureRate of growth

Traffic patterns

Incoming users ramp-up rates at peak timesResponsiveness expectations from users

Off the shelf Web serving technology is notpractical in this environment.

Web serving bandwidth constrained

IM Bots are CPU constrained/OS limitations

constrained


42/81

Case StudySmarter Child

Launched 4 months ago on MSN

300 million+ queries per month

3 million + unique messenger usersTraffic at peak times 300 queries per sec

never promoted or advertisedanywhere

viral growth (entirely word of mouth)

[email protected]

Wh Y N d T B ild B
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


43/81

What You Need To Build Bots

Natural Language EngineConversational System

User Profile

Messenger network faceless clientsupporting latest large range offeatures

All these should be highly scalable andcost effective

Wh Y N d


44/81

What You NeedNatural language

Comprehensive natural language processing engineHighly optimized for IM scale traffic

Efficient natural language definition syntax

Support for both Static , dynamic (data-driven) and procedural lexical items

Automatic binding of user input data to variables

Dialog handlingAbility to handle complex conversational dialogs

Context awarenessGiving preference to the current conversation subject

Anaphora ( Ex: Can you show it to me ?}

Ambiguity resolutionrecognizes ambiguous queries

Prompts user to clarify intent

Language LibrariesLanguage Parsing Rules

Lexicons

Industry specific Extensions

Spell Correction

Wh Y N d


45/81

What You NeedConversational Centric platform

Adaptive output

IM centric User Profile Management

LoggingUsage Reporting

Quality Analysis


46/81

B ildi A A


47/81

Building An Agent

Adding Basic Natural LanguageStarting the Agent

Data Feed Binding

User Input Binding

Adding Conversational Structure

Adding Activity Support

Addi B i N t l L


48/81

Adding Basic Natural LanguageAnd Conversation Structure

? Hello.

- Hi ! Nice to see you.

? I am lost

? Help

- I am here to get you todiscover MSN Music.

I A ti


49/81

In Action

? Hello.- Hi ! Nice tosee you.

? I am lost

? Help

- I am here to

get you todiscover MSN

Music.

I A ti


50/81

In Action


? I am lost

? Help

- I am here to


Music

I A ti


51/81

In Action


? I am lost

? Help

- I am here to


Music.

I A ti


52/81

In Action


? I am lost

? Help

- I am here to


Music.

I A ti


53/81

In Action


? I am lost

? Help

- I am here to


Music.

I A ti


54/81

In Action


? I am lost

? Help

- I am here to


Music.

D t Bi di


55/81

Data Binding

5 Line binding to a RSS feed:

datasource GetMSNMusicFeed() => Title,Description,Link

http {timeout="20"}

http://music.msn.com/services/rss.aspx?uid=00000002-0000-0000-0000-000000000000

simple xml

rsschannel {loop=content}

item {loop=content}

title

description

link

Hooking it up to a reference request

? Show me the top 10

TITLE, DESCRIPTION,LINK = GetMSNMusicFeed() show 10

* Here is the Top 10:

- TITLE

* more to see more items.

In Action (Data Feed)


56/81


? Show me the top10

TITLE,DESCRIPTION,LINK

=GetMSNMusicFeed()show 10

* Here is the

Top 10:

- TITLE

* more to

see more items.



57/81


? Show me the top 10TITLE,

DESCRIPTION,LINK=

GetMSNMusicFeed()show 10

* Here is theTop 10:

- TITLE

* more to seemore items.

User Input Binding


58/81

User Input Binding

subpattern anArtist+ eminem

+ shakira

? Downloads for ARTIST=anArtist

- Here are the downloads availablefor ARTIST

In Action (User Input Binding)


59/81



+ shakira

? Downloads forARTIST=anArtist

- Here are the

downloadsavailable for

ARTIST



60/81



+ shakira


- Here are the


ARTIST



61/81



+ shakira


- Here are the


ARTIST



62/81



+ shakira


- Here are the


ARTIST



63/81



+ shakira


- Here are the


ARTIST



64/81



+ shakira


- Here are the


ARTIST

Adding Conversational Structure


65/81

Adding Conversational StructureDialogs

? What is the number 1 song?

call ShowNumber1Song()

- Do you want me to play it foryou?

? Yes

- call DoPlayMusic(1)? No

- Ok. What would you like to dothen?

In Action (Dialogs)


66/81

In Action (Dialogs)

? What is the number 1song?

callShowNumber1Song()

- Do you want me toplay it for you?

? Yes

- callDoPlayMusic(1)

? No

- Ok. What wouldyou like to do then?

In Action (Dialogs)


67/81

In Action (Dialogs)




? Yes


? No


In Action (Dialogs)


68/81

In Action (Dialogs)




? Yes


? No


In Action (Dialogs)


69/81

In Action (Dialogs)




? Yes


? No




70/81


Defining which activity to use

function overrides MSNSLPGetAgentMainP4ApplicationName()

return MSNMusic"

function overrides MSNSLPGetAgentMainP4ApplicationId()

return "99991046" // Application ID

Inviting the user

? Invite me again.

? Can you reopen the window?

? Invite me!

call MSNSLPSendInvitationToOpenMainP4Application()

Sending Data to the Activity

Procedure ShowMusicLink(LINK)

REQUEST = StringConcat(REQUEST, "url=", LINK)

call MSNSLPSendData(REQUEST)

In Action (Activity)


71/81




72/81




73/81




74/81




75/81


Live Bot Content


76/81

Live Bot ContentManagement

Natural language andconversationstructure we havebuilt can beedited/approved and

published live

Live Editing


77/81

Live EditingReference questions and content

Deployment


78/81

DeploymentDevelop for free - pay to deploy model

Develop and Test on your Developeredition

When you want to deploy at scaleBuy a Server license

Or

Use Conversagent hosting services

Final Thoughts


79/81

Final Thoughts

SDK Freely available6 months up to 50,000 sessions a month

Download available at:

http://buddyscript.conversagent.com

Contact us at:

[email protected]

Developer Resources
http://buddyscript.conversagent.com/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://buddyscript.conversagent.com/


80/81

Developer Resources

Windows Live Messenger Dev Center on MSDNhttp://msdn.microsoft.com/msn/msnmessenger/Activity API Download

Windows Live Messenger Discussion Forum onMSDN

http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn/showforum.aspx?forumid=112&siteid=1

Windows Live Messenger Team Spacehttp://spaces.msn.com/messengersays/PersonalSpace.aspx

Windows Live Alerts Signuphttp://signup.alerts.msn.com

Windows Live Business Questions?E-mail: [email protected]


81/81

developing interactive applications using windows live robots, activities, and alerts

Documents