V2 of VoiceWP should be coming out in about 2 weeks, it'll have support for the Echo Show, and a new skill type for creating podcast skills
Finally, I'm looking into creating a new skill in VoiceWP, and I'm sorry, but the current instructions are not complete enough for me.
- It seems I don't need to register an endpoint, since class-voicewp.php appears to do it.
- The request trickles down to skill_dispatch, which executes:
do_action( 'voicewp_custom_skill', $skill_type, $id, $request, $response ); - "do_action" is a WordPress call to execute all functions attached to the action hook, "voicewp_custom_skill".
That's where I'm lost...what do I do next? Clearly, I should create a function (where?). And, I should add my function to the voicewp_custom_skill hook (how, exactly?). I think it would look like this:
add_action( 'voicewp_custom_skill', 'my_function_name_here' );
That's as far as I could figure out tonight. Any help welcome!
add_action( 'voicewp_custom_skill', 'my_function_name_here', 10, 4 );
function my_function_name_here( $skill_type, $id, $request, $response ) {
// Take a look at alexa/skill/news.php
// the news_request() function shows the logic for getting the intent,
// and then performing the appropriate actions, and returning a response
}
@mimetic you can start with just an echo statement to make sure it's properly outputting content. My recommendation if you're creating a custom skill from scratch is to still use a custom endpoint rather than utilizing this hook because it will be slightly more performant, there's a bit less internal routing logic that would have to run.
So, I did something slightly different to try for flexibility. My skill is "explore" (for now).
- added an "explore" option in voicewp_fm_alexa_app_settings, as a Skill Type
- duplicated the "news" class (in alexa/skill), and renamed it Explore, as a basis for a new skill.
- modifed skill_dispatch to use the Skill Class value to load the class, e.g. the Explore class
This approach lets me create a new "Skill" post with WordPress, set the Skill Type to "explore", and it will use the explore class. The idea is to be able to keep the existing skills built into voiceWP, and to most easily extend it with minimal changes to the base VoiceWP code. And, I can call the same website and access multiple "skills", which is very useful.
So, to extend in this case:
- Add new class name as a "Skill Type" for user to choose
- Add a new class as a file, e.g. myclass.php, in the alexa/skill folder
- The skill endpoint is the post ID number of the skill, e.g. ...skill/651
What next:
- Skill settings should move from settings to appear the skill post (depending on the Skill Type)
- Read the list of skills in the alexa/skill folder, and make that the basis for the "Skill Type" menu, so you just have to drop your skill class into the folder...and you're done!
Happy to share the work, of course!
is your speakeasy skill still in dev?
This one, the develop branch. I'm in the middle of stuff...but it mostly works.
https://github.com/mimetic/voicewp/tree/develop
https://github.com/mimetic/voicewp/tree/develop
I've tried to keep changes to the "explore" skill, but I did have to tweak some of your code.
Not as elegant as your work, I'm sure. Basically, I'm adding dialoging directives, so I can have 1-work answers, and making the skills more modular. I want articles with links to other articles.
I've used a plugin called "Related Posts for WordPress" to link to other posts, and I haven't abstracted that functionality from my code, so it's hard-wired. That's not a good idea, of course, but I'm developing. What it does is let the user choose posts which are related to the current post; I manage to get the ID of those related posts. I use the "Excerpt" field for a one-word tag, so Alexa can ask, "Would you like to hear more about {linked-post-excerpt} or {linked-post-excerpt} or {linked-post-excerpt}?". User replies with the single word, e.g. "politics", and Alexa plays that linked post.
It's a little clumsy right now, but you get the idea.
In essence, we are navigating a database of linked records, which is pretty cool.
I've used a plugin called "Related Posts for WordPress" to link to other posts, and I haven't abstracted that functionality from my code, so it's hard-wired. That's not a good idea, of course, but I'm developing. What it does is let the user choose posts which are related to the current post; I manage to get the ID of those related posts. I use the "Excerpt" field for a one-word tag, so Alexa can ask, "Would you like to hear more about {linked-post-excerpt} or {linked-post-excerpt} or {linked-post-excerpt}?". User replies with the single word, e.g. "politics", and Alexa plays that linked post.
It's a little clumsy right now, but you get the idea.
In essence, we are navigating a database of linked records, which is pretty cool.
i like it :)
Must be the same.
Good afternoon! I'd like to create a custom skill, but would prefer to extend the functionality of your plugin with a plugin that runs beside it to avoid modifying your code. Helps for updating the plugin down the road without losing my customizations. Do you have a custom skill "child" plugin or otherwise a custom skill plugin dependent upon the original VoiceWP plugin?
Basically want to build a custom skill using your plugin's available functions, but follow best practices: https://iandunn.name/2014/01/10/the-right-way-to-customize-a-wordpress-plugin/
And is there info on a v2?
@sturtus hey, there's an example in the readme on creating custom skills without modifying the plugin https://github.com/alleyinteractive/voicewp#creating-your-own-custom-skills
@sturtus My version of VoiceWP lets you add your plugin as, well, a plugin. I had to make a few mods to the code. I'm on vacation, back in a few days, and my fork on github isn't up to date. However, it might be good enough for you.
https://github.com/mimetic/voicewp
https://github.com/mimetic/voicewp
Look in the alexa/skill folder. I made a "plugin" called "explore". I modifed the original code minimally, just enough to allow the "explore" skill to work.
(Just checked, it's a month or so out of date...but it should work. I'll update in a few days when I get home.)
(Use the "develop" branch").
(Cool if we could do this right...my solution is a real kludge.)
there a certain feature or functionality you're looking for sooner rather than later?
cc @msaltzm1