ask-toolkit

Helper methods to be used in conjunction with Amazon's ask-sdk. (https://ask-sdk-for-nodejs.readthedocs.io/en/latest/)

install

npm install --save ask-toolkit

response handlers

Creates display templates, sends tracking events (if configured), links accounts with LWA (if configured) and sends response to Alexa.

TO USE:

• index.js
  • add alexa.registerHandlers( responseHandlers, ... )
• responseHandlers file
  • add responseBuilder = require( "ask-toolkit" ).response.builder
  • export handlers as array module.exports = [ handler1, handler2, etc ];
  • Replace return handlerInput.responseBuilder.getResponse() with return responseBuilder.ask( handlerInput, responseObj );

EXAMPLE:

Replace

return handlerInput.responseBuilder.speak( output ).reprompt( reprompt ).withSimpleCard( cardTitle, card ).getResponse()

with

return responseBuilder.ask( handlerInput, { speech: { output: output, reprompt: reprompt }, card: { title: cardTitle, output: card } } )

METHODS:

1. responseBuilder.ask( handlerInput, askData, options )
2. responseBuilder.tell( handlerInput, tellData, options )
3. responseBuilder.askForPermissions( handlerInput, data, options, permissions )
4. responseBuilder.sendDirective( handlerInput, directiveObject )
5. responseBuilder.sendLinkAccountCard( handlerInput, data, options )

PARAMS:

askData = {
    card: (Card),
    speech: {
        output: (String),
        reprompt: (String)
    },
    display: (Display)
}

tellData = {
    card: (Card),
    speech: {
        output: (String)
    },
    display: (Display)
}

options = {
    outgoingIntent: {
        name: (String),
        slots: {
            (String): {
                name: (String),
                value: (String)
        }
    },
    repeatSpeech: {  // Can also be passed as data.repeatSpeech
       output: (String),
       reprompt: (String)
    },
    saveRepeat: (Boolean) true,
    shouldEndSession: true | false | null,
    track: (Boolean) true
}

OBJECTS:

Card = {
    image: {
        smallImageUrl: (URL),
        largeImageUrl: (URL)
    },
    output: (String),
    title: (String)
}

Display = {
   actionLinks: (Unknown),
   backButton: (Enum) HIDDEN | VISIBLE (default),
   backgroundImage: (ImageObj),
   hint: (String),
   image: (ImageObj),
   list: [List],
   template: (Enum) BodyTemplate1 | BodyTemplate2 | BodyTemplate3 | BodyTemplate6 | BodyTemplate7 | ListTemplate1 | ListTemplate2,
   text: {
       primary: (TextObj),
       secondary: (TextObj),
       tertiary: (TextObj),
   },
   title: (String),
   token: (String)
}

ImageObj = {
    url: (URL),
    description: (String)(optional)
    height: (Int)(optional),
    width: (Int)(optional),
    size: (Enum)(optional) X_SMALL | SMALL | MEDIUM | LARGE | X_LARGE
}

List = {
   image: (ImageObj)
    text: {
        primary: (TextObj),
        secondary: (TextObj),
        tertiary: (TextObj),
    },
    token: (String)
}

TextObj = {
    type: (Enum) PlainText | RichText,
    text: (String)
}

image specs

• BackgroundImage

  • 1024 x 600

• ListTemplate1

  • 88 x 88

• ListTemplate2

  • Portrait (192 x 280)
  • Square (280 x 280)
  • 4:3 (372 x 280)
  • 16:9 (498 x 280)

• BodyTemplate1

  • inline images only

• BodyTemplate2

  • 340 x 340

• BodyTemplate3

  • 340 x 340

• BodyTemplate6

  • 340 x 340

• BodyTemplate7

  • scalable
  • maintains aspect ratio

Size Recommendations:

• X_SMALL: 480 x 320
• SMALL: 720 x 480
• MEDIUM: 960 x 640
• LARGE: 1200 x 800
• X_LARGE: 1920 x 1280

response utils

ask-tools.response.utils.replaceInSpeechAndCard( responseData, replaceObj )

• Replaces all instances of replaceObj key with value of replaceObj key in responseData speech output, speech reprompt, card title and card reprompt.
• Example:

    ask-tools.response.utils.replaceInSpeechAndCard(
        {
            speech: {
                output: "replace {foo}"
            }
        },
        {
            "{foo}": "bar"
        }
    );
  

  returns:

  {
      speech: {
          output: "replace bar"
      }
  }
  

ask-tools.response.utils.replaceInDisplay( responseData, replaceObj )

• Replaces all instances of replaceObj key with value of replaceObj key in responseData display primary, secondary and tertiary text.
• Example:

    ask-tools.response.utils.replaceInDisplay(
        {
            display: {
                "template": "BodyTemplate2",
                "text": {
                    "primary": {
                        "type": "RichText",
                        "text": "replace {foo}"
                    },
                    "secondary": {
                        "type": "RichText",
                        "text": "replace {foo}"
                    },
                    "tertiary": {
                        "type": "PlainText",
                        "text": "replace {foo}"
                    }
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "{foo}": "bar"
        }
    );
  

  returns:

  {
      display: {
         "template": "BodyTemplate2",
         "text": {
             "primary": {
                 "type": "RichText",
                 "text": "replace bar"
             },
             "secondary": {
                 "type": "RichText",
                 "text": "replace bar"
             },
             "tertiary": {
                 "type": "PlainText",
                 "text": "replace bar"
             }
         }
     }
  }
  

ask-tools.response.utils.replaceInAll( responseData, replaceObj )

• Makes calls to replaceInSpeechAndCard and replaceInDisplay

analytics

• Add ANALYTICS_PROVIDER env var (default: DASHBOT)

ask-tools.analytics.enums.analyticsProvider = {
     DASHBOT: "dashbot"
}

• Add ANALYTICS_TOKEN env var
• index.js
  • add analytics = require( "ask-tools" ).analytics
  • add Alexa.SkillBuilders.custom().addRequestInterceptors( analytics.sendRequestTracking )

isp

• Helper methods for In-Skill Purchasing
• index.js
  • add Alexa.SkillBuilders.custom().withApiClient( new Alexa.DefaultApiClient() )

list-api

• Helper methods for adding items to an Alexa list
• index.js
  • add Alexa.SkillBuilders.custom().withApiClient( new Alexa.DefaultApiClient() )

localization

• Helper methods for internationalization
• index.js
  • add const localization = require( "ask-toolkit" ).localization( strings );
  • add Alexa.SkillBuilders.custom().addRequestInterceptors( localization.requestInterceptor )
• access strings in handlers through handlerInput.attributesManager.getRequestAttributes().t( stringKey )

persisitence

• Helper methods for working with and storing to DynamoDB
• Object automatically stored on every response.
• index.js
  • add persistence = require( "ask-toolkit" ).persistence
  • add Alexa.SkillBuilders.custom().withPersistenceAdapter( persistence.dynamoAdapter( process.env.DYNAMODB_TABLE ) )

persistence methods

All methods are additive. They do not overwrite other object properties.

1. async setPersistentAttributes( handlerInput, attributeObject )
2. setRequestAttributes( handlerInput, attributeObject )
3. setSessionAttributes( handlerInput, attributeObject )
4. async updatePersistentAttribute( handlerInput, attributeKey, val )
5. updateRequestAttribute( handlerInput, attributeKey, val )
6. updateSessionAttribute( handlerInput, attributeKey, val )

services

• KMS - Promise helper to decrypt encrypted ENV vars
  • kmsService = require( "ask-toolkit" ).kmsService
  • await kmsService.decrypt( { apiKey: process.env[ "API_KEY" ] } );

utils

• General helper methods.