Bot framework v4.0 how to execute the previous waterfall step in a dialog

Question

I\'m trying to create a dialog in which I define multiple waterfall steps. In the context of this dialog, I need sometimes to go back to the previous waterfall step accordin

Answer 1

You can use the option parameter in the method "ReplaceDialogAsync" and skip steps with the method "NextAsync".

For example in my waterfall steps (defined in the constructor):

        AddDialog(new WaterfallDialog(nameof(WaterfallDialog), new WaterfallStep[]
        {
            IntroStepAsync,
            ActStepAsync,
            FinalStepAsync
        }));

        // The initial child Dialog to run.
        InitialDialogId = nameof(WaterfallDialog);

If you want pass to second step (in my case ActStepAsync) from the final step (FinalStepAsync) , when I going to replace the dialog I use the created a label in the Dialog:

private const string FLAG = "MY_FLAG";

When I invoke the method from final step I do this :

return await stepContext.ReplaceDialogAsync(InitialDialogId, FLAG, cancellationToken);

So I only need check the option in the first step if the context has the flag :

    // Use the text provided in FinalStepAsync or the default if it is the first time.
        var messageText = stepContext.Options?.ToString() ?? "welcome-message";
        if (messageText.Equals(FLAG_REPROMPT))
        {
            return await stepContext.NextAsync(null,cancellationToken);
        }

Later this you are in the second step