best practice random quote / array / function / session attributes

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NewUser-c237cd19-fdfd-4555-b7fc-68c07a3a66d5 asked · Apr 23, 2019 at 12:15 PM

best practice random quote / array / function / session attributes

Hey guys,

i'm new to ask sdk v2 and got a question in understanding best practice for storing data:

I want to improve the behaviour of the "random quote" example skill so that there are no double quotes and Alexa states, that all quotes have been read aloud. My Code:

function randomQuote() {  
    if (data.length !== 0) {        // array not empty
        let randomNum = Math.floor(Math.random() * data.length);
        data.splice(randomNum, 1);  // remove selected quote from array
        return data[randomNum];
    }   else {
        let finishedMessage = 'no more data';
        data = refillArray; //refill the array
        return finishedMessage;
    }
} 

const randomQuoteIntentHandler= {
  canHandle(handlerInput) {
    const request = handlerInput.requestEnvelope.request;
    return request.type === 'IntentRequest' &&
      ( request.intent.name === 'randomQuoteIntent' ||
        request.intent.name === 'AMAZON.StartOverIntent' ||
        request.intent.name === 'AMAZON.YesIntent');
  },
  handle(handlerInput) {
    const speechText = randomQuote();  // random quote is called 
    return handlerInput.responseBuilder
      .speak(`${speechText}`)
      .reprompt(`${speechText}`)
      .getResponse();   
  },
};

Unfortunately this code with calling the randomQuote function doesn't work properly. So there are still double quotes.

What is best practice for that kind of use case? Answers in pseudo code are also very welcome!

Thanks guys.

help intents session intent request history

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Answer 1 · 2019-04-23T18:03:37Z

RokasV answered · Apr 23, 2019 at 06:03 PM

Yes, you'll get repeats because you don't persist anywhere quotes that user has already heard. You have to read about persisting attributes. In this case it depends what you want to achieve. If you want that user wouldn't hear repeats only in the sessions he is in, then you can use session attributes to persist data.

If you want that user wouldn't hear repeats every-time he starts the skill, then you have to persist your attributes in the database, for example dynamoDB.

There are quite a few example how to persist data in the github.

If I where you and my quotes would be in an array which order won't change, then you can save user heard quotes indexes in some sort of array and check against it when you are choosing the quote if the chosen index exists there or not. Pseudo code would be:

get attributes (whichever type of attributes you decide to use)

get random index quote index
check if that index was already heard
if yes choose another index
else pick the quote
push this index to 'heardQuotes' array
save persistence attributes

That would be it. If you'll need more help with this, let me know.

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NewUser-c237cd19-fdfd-4555-b7fc-68c07a3a66d5 · Apr 23, 2019 at 07:22 PM

Hi RokasV,

thanks for your response! When you look at my randomQuote function you can see that i splice the chosen quote from the array, so it's not possible to get a quote twice - actually. Order of the array elements doesn't matter.

I'll try to get a better understanding of persistence and session attributes because i guess that this is the "ask sdk" way to go. I thought i could handle this problem with simple array js tweaks as you've written in your answer as well - without the use of attributes. But i think the function scope in combination of calling the IntentHandler result in some scope error business.

array.length + elements will change as i call them from an airtable sheet with airtable API - implemented with node airtable module.

Thanks for your answer!

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RokasV NewUser-c237cd19-fdfd-4555-b7fc-68c07a3a66d5 · Apr 23, 2019 at 08:36 PM

Yeah, splicing removes an element in that program instance from array, but when the new request comes, array is again back to its original form. Imagine that every interaction is restarting your program and starting it all over again. Because you don't persist that array anywhere, it gets reset.

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NewUser-c237cd19-fdfd-4555-b7fc-68c07a3a66d5 RokasV · Apr 24, 2019 at 06:52 AM

Ah, i see! You're totally right. Thanks RokasV! I think i now understand the logic of handler calls. I'll try to do some tests with session & persistence attributes. Thanks!

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