ibm-cloud/slack-chatbot-database-watson

Code for the solution tutorial "Build a database-driven Slackbot" (chatbot) with a custom extension in IBM Watson Assistant

Note:
Code and instructions relating to the previous version of the tutorial Build a database-driven Slackbot are located in the branch cloud-functions.

Build a database-driven Slackbot with IBM Watson Assistant

This repository contains the code for IBM Cloud solution tutorial Build a database-driven Slackbot. It uses IBM Watson Assistant to create a chatbot and link it to Slack for a "Slackbot". By integrating a custom extension into the assistant, the chatbot can reach out to a Db2 on Cloud database. The custom extension is a Python app which provides a REST API for database objects. The chatbot can retrieve and insert data by calling these API functions. The Python app is deployed to IBM Code Engine.

Run and test locally

The app was tested with Python 3.10. You can either run the app directly or first build, then run it as container. Direct:

1. Install the required modules as specified in requirements.txt.
2. Edit .env to configure the database connection and a secret token / API key.
3. Run python3 app.py

Use the podman or docker tool to build and run the container.

1. docker build -t slackbot:2 .
2. Edit .env to configure the database connection and a secret token / API key.
3. docker run -p 8080:8080 --env-file .env slackbot:2

The file .env.sample shows a sample configuration:

• DB2_URI: Has the SQLAlchemy URL to the Db2 database
• API_TOKEN: Is the secret for the API key authentication.
• TABLE_ARGS: Is an optional setting to specify a different table schema. The EVENTS table is created in the default schema for the connection. This can be overwritten.

If you stored the Db2 credentials in a file slackbotkey.json, then use jq to create the URL using this command:

cat slackbotkey.json | jq '.[].credentials.connection.db2 | (.authentication.username + ":" + .authentication.password + "@" + .hosts[0].hostname + ":" + (.hosts[0].port | tostring) + "/" + .database + "?Security=SSL")'

The output follows this schema db2+ibm_db://user:[email protected]:port/bludb?Security=SSL;.

Create or recreate the database objects by calling the following API. Adapt the host, port, and API key as necessary.

curl -X 'POST'  'http://127.0.0.1:5000/database/recreate?confirmation=True' -H 'accept: application/json' -H 'API_TOKEN: MY_SECRET'

OpenAPI Specification

The Python app is based on the APIFlask API framework which itself is based on Flask. The OpenAPI specification for the application can be (re-)generated using:

flask spec --output slackbot-openapi-spec.json

You can also access the running app at the /docs (Swagger UI) and /redoc (Redoc) endpoints for interactive API documentation. See the APIFlask documentation on Swagger UI and Redoc for details.

License

See License.txt for license information.

slack-chatbot-database-watson's Issues

Simplify setup script regarding quotes

move quotes into variable assignment

Error message "The data cannot be displayed" when accessing the DB2 database in console

After creating DB2 database by executing "ibmcloud resource service-instance-create eventDB dashdb-for-transactions free us-south" command, received Error message "The data cannot be displayed" when accessing the DB2 database in console.

When the DB2 database is created in IBM Cloud console, it is ok.

Issue with setup.sh script

When running ./setup.sh YOURSECRET "dashdb-for-transactions" the following error is produced.

FAILED
'fn' is not a registered command. See 'ibmcloud help'.
...

• The script has correct permissions to execute the commands within
• Using ibm cloud cli version: ibmcloud version 2.0.0+5a84b9b-2021-06-23T20:06:11+00:00

Command './setup.sh YOURSECRET "dashdb-for-transactions"' partially fails

When running command
./setup.sh YOURSECRET "dashdb-for-transactions"

It partially fails. It fails to create table and add sample data. It returns

ok: created namespace slackbot
If you are using any deprecated action runtimes, update them to continue receiving updates and support. Deprecated runtimes might be disabled in future.
For more information see https://ibm.biz/Functions-Runtimes
ok: whisk namespace set to slackbot
ok: created package slackdemo
ok: created action slackdemo/db2Setup
Credentials 'slackbotkey' from 'dashdb-for-transactions' service instance 'eventDB' bound to 'slackdemo/db2Setup'.
{
"dberror": {}
}
{
"dberror": {}
}
ok: created action slackdemo/dispatch
Credentials 'slackbotkey' from 'dashdb-for-transactions' service instance 'eventDB' bound to 'slackdemo/dispatch'.

Remove code and references to Conversation connector

because of switch to Botkit

Can't get step 4 to work

Hi, I can get everything 'working fine' as advised, including Slack - Watson Assistant integration. But I can't get 'step 4' to work. Basically, when I type 'help' in slack, just nothing happens. I can't even access any logging/monitoring information to see if my watson assistant is being reached.... Please advise. thanks

db2Setup fails because resource-controller.ibm.com: no such host

ibmcloud fn service bind dashDB slack/db2Setup --instance eventDB
error: Unable to query services of the target resource group 'da4eeb910056460aa153f13b1352e661':
Get https://resource-controller.ibm.com/v1/resource_instances?resource_group_id=da4eeb910056460aa153f13b1352e661&resource_id=&resource_plan_id=: dial tcp: lookup resource-controller.ibm.com: no such host