Google Actions: Deploy an Endpoint

This page describes the necessary steps for creating and connecting a Google Actions Endpoint. With this Endpoint, you can easily connect your Google App with Cognigy.AI

Within our Cognigy.AI platform, you're able to connect your Cognigy resources to your Google Actions app by using our Google Actions Endpoint integration.

Custom Messages

You can send custom Google Actions messages and templates with Code Nodes. For further information see here.

Description

With the implementation of a Google Actions Endpoint you can easily connect your Google App with Cognigy.AI.

This tutorial covers the necessary steps for creating and connecting a Google Actions Endpoint. If you want to get information about assigning a Flow to the Endpoint and setting up the Data Management see Endpoints.

Two Step Preparation Process

1 Create a Google App on Actions on Google
2 Create and Configure a Google Actions Endpoint on Cognigy.AI

1. Create a Google App

🔗 On Actions on Google

Requirements
✔ Google Account
✔ gactions CLI (see here)

1.1 Go to the Actions Console

On the Actions on Google page log into your Google Account and click then on the button in the upper right corner to open the Actions Console (see figure 1.1).

 

 

Figure 1.1: Button to navigate to the Actions Console

1.2 Create a Project

If not done yet, create a new project for the endpoint (see figure 1.2).

 

 

Figure 1.2: Prompt for creating a Project

1.3 Select Custom as Option

You are on the overview page for selecting a category for your project (after creating a project). Select the Custom option (see figure 1.3).

 

Figure 1.3: Custom Action Option

1.4 Select Blank Project

After creating a Custom action, you will be asked to select a project template. In order to connect the Google Action to Cognigy, we start with a Blank project. Thus, please select the Blank project option (see figure 1.4).

 

Figure 1.4: New Blank Project

1.5 Enter the Information for the Google Action

You have to enter all the necessary information if you want to test and use your Google Action. Enter the invocation name in the "Display name" field you see after creation (see figure 1.5).

Figure 1.5: Google Action Settings

 

 

2. Create and Configure a Google Actions Endpoint

🔗 On Cognigy.AI

2.1 Create a Google Actions Endpoint

First you have to create an Endpoint of the type Google Actions (see figure 2.1). Select your Flow in the Endpoint Editor and save it.

Figure 3.1: Google Actions Endpoint Creation

2.2 Get the Endpoint URL

Move to the top of the Endpoint Configuration page and copy the Endpoint URL which is displayed above the General Settings (see figure 2.2).

Figure 2.2: Endpoint URL

3 Final Step: Connect Your Google Actions App to the Endpoint

🔗 Via gactions CLI

Requirements
✔ Endpoint URL
✔ Update Command (see step 1.4)

Copy the following code snippet and paste it into a file called action.en.json:

{
  "locale": "en",
    "actions": [{
      "description": "Default Welcome Intent",
      "name": "MAIN",
      "fulfillment": {
        "conversationName": "connectToCognigy"
      },
      "intent": {
        "name": "actions.intent.MAIN"
      }
    }],
    "conversations": {
      "connectToCognigy": {
        "name": "connectToCognigy",
        "url": "https://endpoint-dev.cognigy.com/d279b53f72abc25dc93506afb3b09ce60b7bb66128b160bd7ab16915063aafe9",
        "inDialogIntents": [
          {
            "name": "actions.intent.CANCEL"
          }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Change the value for the url field to the Endpoint URL gathered in step 2.2. Save the file as a JSON-file (see figure 3.1).

Figure 3.1: Google Actions Configuration

Next open a Terminal (Windows: Command Prompt) and enter the update command.

./gactions update --action_package PACKAGE_NAME --project PROJECT_ID

Edit the command by changing the PACKAGE_NAME parameter to the path of the JSON-file you just created, and the PROJECT_ID to the Project ID of your Google Action project. You can find the Project ID in the Google Actions Console under "Project Settings".

Figure 3.2: Project ID

Execute the command. This is an example if your gactions file is in the same folder as your action.en.json file and your project ID is projectid :

./gactions update --action_package action.en.json --project projectid

Now you should be all set up to use the Google Actions Endpoint you've created with a Flow of your choice.

 

4 Testing your Google Actions Endpoint

To test your Google Actions Endpoint, click on Test in the Google Actions Console. In case it has not yet updated with your changes from step 3, refresh your browser window. Here you can invoke your Google App with the name you chose, and the message will be sent to your Flow. In the right panel, you can see how any rich content such as cards would be rendered on a Phone.

Figure 4.1: The Google Actions Simulator