Laurence Daxes
Published © MIT

Alexa Hackster Active Challenges Counter

I like to stay in touch with the new Hackster Challenges, but sometimes I do not hear in time. With echo, this will have solution! :)

IntermediateFull instructions provided2 hours553
Alexa Hackster Active Challenges Counter

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Amazon Echo
Amazon Alexa Amazon Echo
×1

Software apps and online services

AWS Lambda
Amazon Web Services AWS Lambda
Yahoo Query Language

Story

Read more

Schematics

Alexa AppKit Architecture

Code

IntentSchema.json

JSON
{
  "intents": [
    {
      "intent": "DxsIntent"
    },
    {
      "intent": "AMAZON.HelpIntent"
    }
  ]
}

SampleUtterances.txt

Plain text
DxsIntent Hello
DxsIntent Tell me
DxsIntent How many active challenges has Hackster
DxsIntent There are how many active challenges on Hackster
DxsIntent Number of active challenges

atom.json

JSON
Atom RSS XML converted to JSON
{
 "query": {
  "count": 1,
  "created": "2016-04-17T17:47:22Z",
  "lang": "es-ES",
  "results": {
   "feed": {
    "lang": "en-US",
    "xmlns": "http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom",
    "id": "tag:www.hackster.io,2005:/challenges?format=atom",
    "link": [
     {
      "href": "https://www.hackster.io",
      "rel": "alternate",
      "type": "text/html"
     },
     {
      "href": "https://www.hackster.io/challenges?format=atom",
      "rel": "self",
      "type": "application/atom+xml"
     }
    ],
    "title": "Active hardware contests",
    "updated": "2016-04-17T17:19:46Z",
    "entry": [
     {
      "id": "tag:www.hackster.io,2005:Challenge/35",
      "published": [
       "2016-04-08T18:18:20Z",
       "2016-04-15T10:00:00Z"
      ],
      "updated": [
       "2016-04-17T17:19:46Z",
       "2016-04-17T17:19:46Z"
      ],
      "link": [
       {
        "href": "https://www.hackster.io/challenges/sparkfun-blynk-contest",
        "rel": "alternate",
        "type": "text/html"
       },
       {
        "href": "https://hackster.imgix.net/uploads/cover_image/file/141974/09-07-Action-Battery.jpg?w=450&h=130&fit=min&fm=jpg",
        "rel": "enclosure",
        "type": "image/jpeg"
       }
      ],
      "url": "https://www.hackster.io/challenges/sparkfun-blynk-contest",
      "title": "IoT For Everyone!",
      "author": [
       {
        "name": "SparkFun",
        "url": "https://www.hackster.io/sparkfun"
       },
       {
        "name": "Blynk",
        "url": "https://www.hackster.io/blynk"
       }
      ]
     },
     {
      "id": "tag:www.hackster.io,2005:Challenge/32",
      "published": [
       "2016-02-15T23:07:46Z",
       "2016-03-11T03:00:00Z"
      ],
      "updated": [
       "2016-04-17T02:20:46Z",
       "2016-04-17T02:20:46Z"
      ],
      "link": [
       {
        "href": "https://www.hackster.io/challenges/KinetisFlexIO",
        "rel": "alternate",
        "type": "text/html"
       },
       {
        "href": "https://hackster.imgix.net/uploads/cover_image/file/132363/2800x800_text.png?w=450&h=130&fit=min",
        "rel": "enclosure",
        "type": "image/jpeg"
       }
      ],
      "url": "https://www.hackster.io/challenges/KinetisFlexIO",
      "title": "Flex Your Mind with Kinetis FlexIO",
      "content": "Go To The Next Level - Learn Embedded Design!",
      "author": {
       "name": "NXP",
       "url": "https://www.hackster.io/NXP"
      }
     },
     {
      "id": "tag:www.hackster.io,2005:Challenge/34",
      "published": [
       "2016-03-31T19:41:13Z",
       "2016-04-08T15:00:00Z"
      ],
      "updated": [
       "2016-04-17T15:20:32Z",
       "2016-04-17T15:20:32Z"
      ],
      "link": [
       {
        "href": "https://www.hackster.io/challenges/amazon-alexa-skill-contest-one",
        "rel": "alternate",
        "type": "text/html"
       },
       {
        "href": "https://hackster.imgix.net/uploads/cover_image/file/140777/header-2.jpg?w=450&h=130&fit=min&fm=jpg",
        "rel": "enclosure",
        "type": "image/jpeg"
       }
      ],
      "url": "https://www.hackster.io/challenges/amazon-alexa-skill-contest-one",
      "title": "Hey Alexa! The Amazon Alexa Skill Contest Series",
      "content": "Natural voice interfaces are the next major disruption in computing. Be part of what's next!",
      "author": {
       "name": "Alexa",
       "url": "https://www.hackster.io/amazon-alexa"
      }
     },
     {
      "id": "tag:www.hackster.io,2005:Challenge/27",
      "published": [
       "2015-10-22T00:38:18Z",
       "2016-02-05T16:00:00Z"
      ],
      "updated": [
       "2016-04-16T15:04:06Z",
       "2016-04-16T15:04:06Z"
      ],
      "link": [
       {
        "href": "https://www.hackster.io/challenges/CI20",
        "rel": "alternate",
        "type": "text/html"
       },
       {
        "href": "https://hackster.imgix.net/uploads/cover_image/file/85748/shutterstock_274028849.jpg?w=450&h=130&fit=min&fm=jpg",
        "rel": "enclosure",
        "type": "image/jpeg"
       }
      ],
      "url": "https://www.hackster.io/challenges/CI20",
      "title": "Terminate the competition with Creator Ci20!",
      "author": {
       "name": "Creator",
       "url": "https://www.hackster.io/creator"
      }
     }
    ]
   }
  }
 }
}

AlexaSkill.json

JavaScript
/**
    Copyright 2014-2015 Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

    Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"). You may not use this file except in compliance with the License. A copy of the License is located at

        http://aws.amazon.com/apache2.0/

    or in the "license" file accompanying this file. This file is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under the License.
*/

'use strict';

function AlexaSkill(appId) {
    this._appId = appId;
}

AlexaSkill.speechOutputType = {
    PLAIN_TEXT: 'PlainText',
    SSML: 'SSML'
}

AlexaSkill.prototype.requestHandlers = {
    LaunchRequest: function (event, context, response) {
        this.eventHandlers.onLaunch.call(this, event.request, event.session, response);
    },

    IntentRequest: function (event, context, response) {
        this.eventHandlers.onIntent.call(this, event.request, event.session, response);
    },

    SessionEndedRequest: function (event, context) {
        this.eventHandlers.onSessionEnded(event.request, event.session);
        context.succeed();
    }
};

/**
 * Override any of the eventHandlers as needed
 */
AlexaSkill.prototype.eventHandlers = {
    /**
     * Called when the session starts.
     * Subclasses could have overriden this function to open any necessary resources.
     */
    onSessionStarted: function (sessionStartedRequest, session) {
    },

    /**
     * Called when the user invokes the skill without specifying what they want.
     * The subclass must override this function and provide feedback to the user.
     */
    onLaunch: function (launchRequest, session, response) {
        throw "onLaunch should be overriden by subclass";
    },

    /**
     * Called when the user specifies an intent.
     */
    onIntent: function (intentRequest, session, response) {
        var intent = intentRequest.intent,
            intentName = intentRequest.intent.name,
            intentHandler = this.intentHandlers[intentName];
        if (intentHandler) {
            console.log('dispatch intent = ' + intentName);
            intentHandler.call(this, intent, session, response);
        } else {
            throw 'Unsupported intent = ' + intentName;
        }
    },

    /**
     * Called when the user ends the session.
     * Subclasses could have overriden this function to close any open resources.
     */
    onSessionEnded: function (sessionEndedRequest, session) {
    }
};

/**
 * Subclasses should override the intentHandlers with the functions to handle specific intents.
 */
AlexaSkill.prototype.intentHandlers = {};

AlexaSkill.prototype.execute = function (event, context) {
    try {
        console.log("session applicationId: " + event.session.application.applicationId);

        // Validate that this request originated from authorized source.
        if (this._appId && event.session.application.applicationId !== this._appId) {
            console.log("The applicationIds don't match : " + event.session.application.applicationId + " and "
                + this._appId);
            throw "Invalid applicationId";
        }

        if (!event.session.attributes) {
            event.session.attributes = {};
        }

        if (event.session.new) {
            this.eventHandlers.onSessionStarted(event.request, event.session);
        }

        // Route the request to the proper handler which may have been overriden.
        var requestHandler = this.requestHandlers[event.request.type];
        requestHandler.call(this, event, context, new Response(context, event.session));
    } catch (e) {
        console.log("Unexpected exception " + e);
        context.fail(e);
    }
};

var Response = function (context, session) {
    this._context = context;
    this._session = session;
};

function createSpeechObject(optionsParam) {
    if (optionsParam && optionsParam.type === 'SSML') {
        return {
            type: optionsParam.type,
            ssml: optionsParam.speech
        };
    } else {
        return {
            type: optionsParam.type || 'PlainText',
            text: optionsParam.speech || optionsParam
        }
    }
}

Response.prototype = (function () {
    var buildSpeechletResponse = function (options) {
        var alexaResponse = {
            outputSpeech: createSpeechObject(options.output),
            shouldEndSession: options.shouldEndSession
        };
        if (options.reprompt) {
            alexaResponse.reprompt = {
                outputSpeech: createSpeechObject(options.reprompt)
            };
        }
        if (options.cardTitle && options.cardContent) {
            alexaResponse.card = {
                type: "Simple",
                title: options.cardTitle,
                content: options.cardContent
            };
        }
        var returnResult = {
                version: '1.0',
                response: alexaResponse
        };
        if (options.session && options.session.attributes) {
            returnResult.sessionAttributes = options.session.attributes;
        }
        return returnResult;
    };

    return {
        tell: function (speechOutput) {
            this._context.succeed(buildSpeechletResponse({
                session: this._session,
                output: speechOutput,
                shouldEndSession: true
            }));
        },
        tellWithCard: function (speechOutput, cardTitle, cardContent) {
            this._context.succeed(buildSpeechletResponse({
                session: this._session,
                output: speechOutput,
                cardTitle: cardTitle,
                cardContent: cardContent,
                shouldEndSession: true
            }));
        },
        ask: function (speechOutput, repromptSpeech) {
            this._context.succeed(buildSpeechletResponse({
                session: this._session,
                output: speechOutput,
                reprompt: repromptSpeech,
                shouldEndSession: false
            }));
        },
        askWithCard: function (speechOutput, repromptSpeech, cardTitle, cardContent) {
            this._context.succeed(buildSpeechletResponse({
                session: this._session,
                output: speechOutput,
                reprompt: repromptSpeech,
                cardTitle: cardTitle,
                cardContent: cardContent,
                shouldEndSession: false
            }));
        }
    };
})();

module.exports = AlexaSkill;

index.json

JavaScript
/**
    Copyright 2014-2015 Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.

    Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"). You may not use this file except in compliance with the License. A copy of the License is located at

        http://aws.amazon.com/apache2.0/

    or in the "license" file accompanying this file. This file is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under the License.
*/

/**
 * This simple sample has no external dependencies or session management, and shows the most basic
 * example of how to create a Lambda function for handling Alexa Skill requests.
 *
 * Examples:
 * One-shot model:
 *  User: "Alexa, tell Greeter to say hello"
 *  Alexa: "Hello World!"
 */

/**
 * App ID for the skill
 */
var APP_ID = undefined; //replace with "amzn1.echo-sdk-ams.app.[your-unique-value-here]";

/**
 * The AlexaSkill prototype and helper functions
 */
var AlexaSkill = require('./AlexaSkill');
var request = require('sync-request');


/**
 * DxsSkill is a child of AlexaSkill.
 * To read more about inheritance in JavaScript, see the link below.
 *
 * @see https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Introduction_to_Object-Oriented_JavaScript#Inheritance
 */
var DxsSkill = function () {
    AlexaSkill.call(this, APP_ID);
};

// Extend AlexaSkill
DxsSkill.prototype = Object.create(AlexaSkill.prototype);
DxsSkill.prototype.constructor = DxsSkill;

DxsSkill.prototype.eventHandlers.onSessionStarted = function (sessionStartedRequest, session) {
    console.log("DxsSkill onSessionStarted requestId: " + sessionStartedRequest.requestId
        + ", sessionId: " + session.sessionId);
    // any initialization logic goes here
};

DxsSkill.prototype.eventHandlers.onLaunch = function (launchRequest, session, response) {
    console.log("DxsSkill onLaunch requestId: " + launchRequest.requestId + ", sessionId: " + session.sessionId);
    var speechOutput = "Welcome to the Hackster Active Challenges. You can say: Hello, or ask me: How many active challenges has Hackster";
    var repromptText = "You can say: Hello, or ask me: How many active challenges has Hackster";
    response.ask(speechOutput, repromptText);
};

DxsSkill.prototype.eventHandlers.onSessionEnded = function (sessionEndedRequest, session) {
    console.log("DxsSkill onSessionEnded requestId: " + sessionEndedRequest.requestId
        + ", sessionId: " + session.sessionId);
    // any cleanup logic goes here
};

DxsSkill.prototype.intentHandlers = {
    // register custom intent handlers
    "DxsIntent": function (intent, session, response) {
        
        var url = "https://query.yahooapis.com/v1/public/yql?q=select%20*%20from%20xml%20where%20url%20%3D%20'https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hackster.io%2Fchallenges%3Fformat%3Datom'&format=json&env=store%3A%2F%2Fdatatables.org%2Falltableswithkeys";

        var res = request('GET', url );
        var data = JSON.parse(res.getBody('utf8'));
        //console.log(data.query.results.feed.entry.length);
        if(data.query.results.feed.entry.length > 0){
            var contests = []; var nc=0;
            var te = data.query.results.feed.entry.length;
            for(var i in data.query.results.feed.entry){ nc++;
                var contest_txt = '';
                var entry = data.query.results.feed.entry[i];
                //console.log(entry);
                var url = entry.url;
                var title = entry.title;        
                //console.log(title);
                var authors = entry.author; //console.log(authors);
                var authors_name = [];
                if(authors){
                    if(Array.isArray(authors)){
                        //console.log('xxxxx');
                        for(var j in authors){
                            var a = authors[j]; //console.log(a);
                            var n = a.name;
                            authors_name.push(n);
                        }
                    }else{
                        var a = authors;                
                        //console.log('+++');
                        //console.log(a);
                        var n = a.name;
                        authors_name.push(n)
                    }
                }
                contest_txt += nc + '. ';
                contest_txt += title;
                if(authors) contest_txt += ' by ';
                contest_txt += authors_name.join(', ');
                contest_txt += '.';
                
                contests.push(contest_txt);
            }
            //console.log(contests);
            var contests_txt = contests.join(' ');

            var speech = 'There ';
                speech+= (te>1)?'are ':'is ';
                speech+= te;
                speech+= ' active challenges';
                speech+= (te>1)?'s':'';
                speech+= ': ';
                speech+= contests_txt;

        }else{
            var speech = 'No active challenges';
        }                
        //console.log(speech);
        
        response.tellWithCard(speech, "Active Challenges", speech);
        
    },
    "AMAZON.HelpIntent": function (intent, session, response) {
        response.ask("You can ask me: How many active challenges has Hackster", "You can ask me: How many active challenges has Hackster");
    }
};

// Create the handler that responds to the Alexa Request.
exports.handler = function (event, context) {    
    var dxsSkill = new DxsSkill();
    dxsSkill.execute(event, context);
};

test.js

JavaScript
var request = require('sync-request');

var url = "https://query.yahooapis.com/v1/public/yql?q=select%20*%20from%20xml%20where%20url%20%3D%20'https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hackster.io%2Fchallenges%3Fformat%3Datom'&format=json&env=store%3A%2F%2Fdatatables.org%2Falltableswithkeys";

var res = request('GET', url );
var data = JSON.parse(res.getBody('utf8'));
//console.log(data.query.results.feed.entry.length);
if(data.query.results.feed.entry.length > 0){
	var contests = []; var nc=0;
	var te = data.query.results.feed.entry.length;
	for(var i in data.query.results.feed.entry){ nc++;
		var contest_txt = '';
		var entry = data.query.results.feed.entry[i];
		//console.log(entry);
		var url = entry.url;
		var title = entry.title;		
		//console.log(title);
		var authors = entry.author;		
		var authors_name = [];
		if(Array.isArray(authors)){
			for(var j in authors){
				var a = authors[j];
				var n = a.name;
				authors_name.push(n);
			}
		}else{
			var a = authors;
			var n = a.name;
			authors_name.push(n)
		}

		contest_txt += nc + '. ';
		contest_txt += title;
		contest_txt += ' by ';
		contest_txt += authors_name.join(', ');
		contest_txt += '.';
		
		contests.push(contest_txt);
	}
	//console.log(contests);
	var contests_txt = contests.join(' ');

	var speech = 'There ';
		speech+= (te>1)?'are ':'is ';
		speech+= te;
		speech+= ' active contest';
		speech+= (te>1)?'s':'';
		speech+= ': ';
		speech+= contests_txt;

}else{
	var speech = 'No active contests';
}

console.log(speech);
console.log('end');

Credits

Laurence Daxes

Laurence Daxes

19 projects • 35 followers
Systems Engineer Bachellor, I Love technology, and IoT World https://youtube.com/c/DaxesHacks

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