Issue in getting response back while calling an API using axios

[ridhimagarg]

I am using Axios library to make get and post a request for an API in dialogflow fulfillment.

I am using Axios in many intents, but in few intents, it is not able to give a response i.e, It shows "Not available" in test console but I am printing logs then logs are printing successfully but agent.add() is not working and if I am using post request then it is also saving data to my database, mainly it is not printing whatever is present in agent.add().

I am attaching a sample code of one intent only which creates a problem, there are few other intents too which are facing the same issue

function someintent(agent){
      
    const parameter1 = agent.parameters.parameter1;
    //start of If statement
    if(parameter1.toString().length == 5 || parameter1.toString().length == 7){
        
        // Parameters from previous intent 
        const parameters = agent.context.get('previous-followup');
        
        const previous_parameter1 = parameters.parameters['previous-parameter1'];
        
        var previous_parameter2 = parameters.parameters['previous-parameter2'];
        
        var previous_parameter3 = parameters.parameters['previous-parameter3'];
        
        // Some logic for parameter value
        if(previous_parameter2 == ""){
            previous_parameter2 = " ";
        }
        
        if(previous_parameter3 == ""){
            previous_parameter3 = " ";
        }
        
        //Main problem occurs here 
        return axios.post('http://some-api-call', // api to fetch data
        {
        "UserId": 1,
        "Parameter1": previous_parameter2,
        "Parameter2": previous_parameter3,
        }).then((result) => {

        console.log("API result: "+result.data);
        
        if(result.data){

            agent.add('Here is what I found:'); // Problem comes here i.e, it is not printing sometimes 
                                                      and sometimes its not printing
                                                // I tried printing inside _then_ of Axios call but same issue
            
            return axios.post('http://someapi-to-store-data', // another api call to store data
                {	
                    "storedata": result.data
                }).then((result1) => {
                    console.log(result1.data); // If this block of _if_ executes then it is printing in logs
                    console.log('Store data to api'); // It is also printing in logs
                });
            
        }  
        
        else{
            
            agent.add('I am not able to find any information'); // Same problem comes here, not printing
            agent.add('Please enter Name');
            
            return axios.post('http://someapi-to-store-data', // another api call to store data
                {	
                    "storedata": parameter1
                }).then((result1) => {
                    console.log(result1.data); // If this block of _if_ executes then it is printing in logs
                    console.log('Store data to api'); // It is also printing in logs
                });
        }
        
        }).catch(err => {
            console.log("Error calling in  API: ${err}");
            agent.add("Failed to fetch any information");
            return agent.add('Please enter name');    
            });
    
        } // end of main outer If statement
   
    // Else statement start
    else{
        
        agent.add('Please enter valid 5 or 7 digit ');
        agent.context.set({
            'name':'previous-followup'
        });
        agent.context.set({
            'name':'someintent-followup',
            'lifespan': 0
        });
    
    } // end of else statement
    
    }

I am not able to understand what is the issue here as sometimes agent.add() is working and sometimes not but logs and data saving to database is perfectly fine.

I really require a help on this. Urgent help is appreciated.

[onigetoc]

People are sleeping here, we get no respond to help us

[ridhimagarg]

Ya, seems like support is not actively responding.

[Anshul0305]

Hi Ridhima, it could be a timeout issue. Dialogflow has a strict timeout of 5 seconds. So if your API takes more than 5 seconds to respond, Dialogflow will just timeout with an error.

Regarding connecting Dialogflow with an external API, please watch this video that I have created https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4IPOeFCDxI

[sudonitin]

hey, @Anshul0305 database queries might take longer than 5 seconds. What is the solution in this case?

[Anshul0305]

You can write the database query code inside a promise and when the promise resolves, you can trigger an event in Dialogflow using agent.setFollowupEvent() function.

[sudonitin]

axios.post(
          'some url',
          orderDetails,
          {headers:{"Content-Type": "application/json"}})
          .then((res) => {
          	console.log(res.data.orderID);  //this one executes
        	conv.ask(res.data.orderID);  //this line does not executes
          	if(res.data.success){
              	orderDetails.orderId = res.data.orderId;
              	conv.ask("great"); //not executing
              	conv.ask(`Refer to this order id ${res.data.orderId}. Send me this order id to know the status of your order.`); //not executing
            }
        }).catch(err => {
          	console.log('failed');
        	conv.ask('Sorry a problem occured. Can you please place the order again');
        });

Have a look at this @Anshul0305 Can you please elaborate on how to create an event and use it with setFollowupEvent()

[Anshul0305]

Try changing conv.ask() to agent.add() Also make sure to add a "return" before axios.post()

For events, please have a look at this link: https://cloud.google.com/dialogflow/docs/events-overview#config

[sudonitin]

@Anshul0305

agent = dialogflow()
agent.add()

Correct me if I am wrong.

return before axios.post() ? This return should just be the keyword?

[Anshul0305]

Please check the default code in Inline Editor.

const {WebhookClient} = require('dialogflow-fulfillment'); const agent = new WebhookClient({ request, response }); agent.add(Welcome to my agent!);

return before axios.post() ? This return should just be the keyword? [Anshul]: Yes, that's correct return axios.post(....YOUR_CODE_HERE.....)

[nasirhm]

Hey @Anshul0305 , i'm trying to implement an external API with Dialogflow fullfillement the data arrives perfectly on the console on the line above but when trying to get it on agent.add(new Card({})) The Card doesn't seem to appear. Help would be really appreciated

[nasirhm]

Here's the link to my code : https://gist.github.com/nasirhm/1dd2ad31e585b350b7a82b6c36a67cec

[nasirhm]

I guess my error is due to dialogflow being timed out in 5 seconds although the whole function take 7 seconds, I couldn't find implementation for events. Kindly share some reference for it along with letting me know if i'm making any other errors.

Seems similar to your problem @ridhimagarg

[nasirhm]

UPDATE : Tried using: agent.setFollowupEvent('Delay1'); agent.setFollowupEvent('Delay2'); before calling the response added it in the event tabs of dialogflow too. Still, the agent.add, doesn't seem to work.

[sudonitin]

Yes, not working for me too. @nasirhm can you share the code format? because as @Anshul0305 said

const agent = new WebhookClient({ request, response });

but this line gives me a warning that request and response are not defined.

@Anshul0305 you have any other solution to this?

[nasirhm]

@globefire the agent line works for me, the problem is somewhere in Dialogflow being timedout.

[nasirhm]

Can you share your code for me to check it out, probably i can help you too.

[sudonitin]

Okay @nasirhm I'll share the code in a minute.

[sudonitin]

app.intent('giveOrderID-phonei/p', (conv, params) => {
	if(params['phone-number']){
		orderDetails.phone = params['phone-number'];
      	conv.ask("..........random text............");
      	axios.post(
          'https://API_URL/',
          orderDetails,
          {
      		headers:{"Content-Type": "application/json"} }).
                then((res) => {

          	if(res.data.success){
              	conv.close(`This is your order id ${res.data.orderID}`);  //>>>>>>>API response (This is not executing)
              	orderDetails.orderId = res.data.orderId;
              	conv.followup('orderIdEvent', { 'id': res.data.orderId }); //>>>>>>This is what I tried doing
            }
        }).catch(err => {
          	console.log('failed');
        	conv.ask('............................Some more random text...................................');
        });
	}
});

@nasirhm This is my code before applying what @Anshul0305 specified.

Can either of you please guide me where and what changes shall I make so that I can use the response of my API?

[nasirhm]

@globefire Seems like you're using actions on google, that by default has a timeout for 10 Seconds, Does the first statement of randomText gets printed ?

[sudonitin]

@nasirhm yes it does. I am able to console log my response(I can see this in firebase console). Its just the google actions where I am not able to use the response.

[nasirhm]

I'm facing the same issue as the response gets displayed on the Console but when it comes to Dialogflow it doesn't show the response, Most probably it times out in 5 seconds. For google actions it's 10 seconds for the agent to be timed out, What's the response time of the API you're trying to implement.

[sudonitin]

@nasirhm I am not sure how to find out that

[nasirhm]

You can do that by using Postman to see how much time does the API take to return the responses.