This section contains the basics required to build and deploy a simple Dialog Application. The Dialog Application is a sequence of combined miniApps and other building blocks (optional) for running a conversation according to the logic predefined.

The progress is saved automatically at any point of the development.

Get familiar with Orchestrator board by following these steps:

  1. To enter the Orchestrator, log into OCP web service or sign up to create an account.

  2. Click the Console button in the right upper corner. This is the unified entry point for managing all OCP services.

3. Navigate to Console → Orchestrator.

4. You will be forwarded to the landing page of Orchestrator where it is possible to:

  • select one of the applications to work on:

  • or start with creating a new application by clicking the +Create button:

5. If it is the first use of the Orchestrator, it is prompted to create a new application. Fill in the fields of the Create new application form that pops up once you log in.

  • Application Name: enter a name for your new Dialog Application.

  • Group: select a group from the available groups of the dropdown list to which the Dialog Application belongs. The Dialog application is accessible from other group members.

6. Click Save to be directed to the Orchestrator board.

  • The left sidebar contains the building blocks: miniApps, Flows and Dialog Controls, which are the building blocks of the Dialog Application.

  • The central part displays the canvas where you can drag and drop building blocks, connect them with arrows and create a Dialog Application.

  • In the upper panel there is a tab of the current Dialog Application. The dot on the left of the current Dialog Application’s name is grey if the application is not deployed and turns green if the application is deployed.

  • In the upper right, there is a dropdown menu of the available Dialog Applications that you can switch between, and the Deploy button to deploy your Dialog Application at any time for testing or production use.

  • Click the Chat  icon in the lower right corner to open the Orchestrator chat and simulate a deployed Dialog Application.

  • The Event Handlers drawer on the right side allows the configuration of possible conversation scenarios if an error occurs.

Create a Dialog Application

To create a simple Dialog Application, follow the steps below:

  1. Navigate to the miniApps panel on the left sidebar and click the Manage button to be directed to OCP miniApps® web application and create a new miniApp. For more information, check out How to manage your miniApps®.

2. Create a miniApp of any particular type. Read on about the types of miniApps on Types of OCP miniApps®.

3. Once created in the miniApps web application, it is automatically listed in the miniApps tab of the Orchestrator.

4. If you want to change some settings of the miniApp, it also possible to do it directly through Orchestrator:

  • Сlick the Options menu in the right upper corner of the miniApp.

  • Select the Configure option.

  • Once clicked, you are redirected to the miniApp’s configuration page within Orchestrator.

4. To apply a miniApp in the Dialog Application, drag and drop it onto the canvas.

5. A basic Dialog Application is built. This Dialog Application that contains this particular miniApp will be played when receiving a call or talking to a chatbot.

6. Click the Deploy button to run the Dialog Application. The Dialog Application is ready to accept calls and have sessions with a chatbot.

7. A message appears if the deployment was completed successfully.

8. To test the Dialog Application, click the Chat icon in the right lower to open the Orchestrator Chat. The Orchestrator Chat simulates the conversation using the deployed Dialog Application on the canvas.

Delete a Dialog Application

To permanently delete a Dialog Application, do the following:

  1. Select the Dialog Application you want to delete and click the Options menu button on the Dialog Application panel.

2. Click on the Delete option to open the confirmation window.

3. In the confirmation window, type CONFIRM DELETE in the corresponding field, and click the Delete button to finish.

Once deleted, the Dialog Application can not be restored!

Orchestrator keyboard functions

Delete a building block (miniApp, Flow, Condition, Transfer)

  1. Click on the building block you want to delete to select it.

  2. Press <Fn> + <Backspace> or the <X> button on the keyboard.

Delete a connection between building blocks

  1. Click on the connection line you want to delete to select it.

  2. Press <Fn> + <Backspace> or <X> button on the keyboard.

Copy and paste a single building block.

  1. Click on a single building block you want to copy.

  2. Press <Cmd/Ctrl> + <C> to copy it.

  3. Hover the cursor onto the canvas and press <Cmd/Ctrl> + <V> to paste it.

To select multiple blocks, hold Shift and then click on each one of them.

Orchestrate an advanced Dialog Application

This section describes advanced features of the Orchestrator:

Connect building blocks

To connect building blocks, follow the steps below:

  1. Navigate to the miniApps panel at the left sidebar, and click the Manage button to create a miniApp in OCP miniApps® web application. Configure this miniApp according to purpose whether it is a question trying to get an intent or information out of the caller, an announcement, or anything else. Once created, it is listed in the miniApps section.

2. Select the created miniApp and drag and drop it onto the canvas.

3. Hover the cursor over a building block on the canvas. When the dots appear, click on the building block and hold. Drag the connection line to the building block you want to connect to (a second miniApp in this case) and release the button to connect them.