Hello,

A lab has been created before, and its capacity is zero currently. When I publish the lab, there is no option to set the virtual machine capacity, so there is no VM. When I send the invitation link to a user, it says all VMs are claimed…. .  Can someone help me with this issue?

Thanks.

​Hello,A lab has been created before, and its capacity is zero currently. When I publish the lab, there is no option to set the virtual machine capacity, so there is no VM. When I send the invitation link to a user, it says all VMs are claimed…. .  Can someone help me with this issue?Thanks.  Read More

​

A comparison of two communication channels for Azure Bot Service

Introduction

Azure Bot Service is a cloud platform that enables developers to create and deploy conversational agents, also known as bots, that can interact with users through various channels, such as web, mobile, or messaging applications. One of the key features of Azure Bot Service is the ability to connect your bot to multiple channels, such as Skype, Facebook Messenger, Slack, or Teams, using a single bot registration and code base.

However, not all channels offer the same level of functionality and user experience. Some channels, such as web chat or direct line, allow you to customize the look and feel of your bot, as well as the mode of communication, such as text, speech, or both. Other channels, such as Skype or Teams, have predefined user interfaces and only support text-based communication.

In this blog post, we will compare two communication channels that enable you to use speech as an input and output modality for your bot: direct line channel and direct line speech channel. We will explain what they are, how they differ, how to use them, and what are the benefits and limitations of each one.

What is direct line channel?

Direct line channel is a REST API that allows you to communicate with your bot from any client application that can send and receive HTTP requests. You can use direct line channel to create your own custom user interface for your bot, or to integrate your bot with other services or applications. For example, you can use direct line channel to embed your bot in a web page, a mobile app, or a voice assistant.

Direct line channel supports both text and speech as input and output modalities for your bot. However, to use speech, you need to use additional services, such as Cognitive Services Speech SDK or Web Chat Speech Services, to handle the speech recognition and synthesis. You also need to handle the audio streaming and encoding between your client application and the speech service.

What is direct line speech channel?

Direct line speech channel is a WebSocket-based API that allows you to communicate with your bot using speech as the primary input and output modality. You can use direct line speech channel to create voice-enabled user interfaces for your bot, such as voice assistants, smart speakers, or voice bots. For example, you can use direct line speech channel to connect your bot to Cortana, Alexa, or Google Assistant.

Direct line speech channel simplifies the speech integration for your bot, as it handles the speech recognition and synthesis, as well as the audio streaming and encoding, for you. You do not need to use any additional services or SDKs to use speech with your bot. You only need to use the direct line speech channel SDK for your client application, which is available for C#, JavaScript, and Java.

Similarities and difference of both

Both direct line channel and direct line speech channel enable you to connect your bot to any client application that can communicate with them. They also enable you to use speech as an input and output modality for your bot, as well as to customize the user interface and the user experience of your bot.

However, there are some key differences between them, such as:

Direct line channel supports both text and speech, while direct line speech channel only supports speech.
Direct line channel requires additional services or SDKs to use speech, while direct line speech channel does not.
Direct line channel uses REST API, while direct line speech channel uses WebSocket API.
Direct line channel requires you to handle the audio streaming and encoding, while direct line speech channel does not.
Direct line channel has more flexibility and control over the speech settings, such as the language, the voice, the rate, or the pitch, while direct line speech channel has less.
Direct line channel has more latency and overhead for speech communication, while direct line speech channel has less.

How to use direct line speech channel with examples

To use direct line speech channel with your bot, you need to follow these steps:

Create a bot using Azure Bot Service and enable the direct line speech channel in the bot settings. How to add directline speech channel to azure bot
Generate a direct line speech key and endpoint for your bot.
Create a client application using the direct line speech channel SDK for your platform (C#, JavaScript, or Java). Directline speech channel SDK
Initialize the direct line speech channel client with the direct line speech key and endpoint. Directline speech channel client
Start a conversation with the bot using the direct line speech channel client.
Send and receive speech messages from the bot using the direct line speech channel client.
End the conversation with the bot using the direct line speech channel client.

Here is an example of how to use direct line speech channel with C#:

<!DOCTYPE html>

<html lang=”en-US”>

<head>

<title>Web Chat: Using Direct Line Speech</title>

<meta name=”viewport” content=”width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0″ />

<script crossorigin=”anonymous” src=”https://cdn.botframework.com/botframework-webchat/latest/webchat.js”></script>

<style>

html,

body {

height: 100%;

}

body {

margin: 0;

}

#webchat {

height: 100%;

width: 100%;

}

</style>

</head>

<body>

<div id=”webchat” role=”main”></div>

<script>

(async function() {

const fetchCredentials = async () => {

const res = await fetch(‘https://webchat-mockbot-streaming.azurewebsites.net/speechservices/token’, {

method: ‘POST’

});

if (!res.ok) {

throw new Error(‘Failed to fetch authorization token and region.’);

}

const { region, token: authorizationToken } = await res.json();

return { authorizationToken, region };

};

const adapters = await window.WebChat.createDirectLineSpeechAdapters({

fetchCredentials

});

window.WebChat.renderWebChat(

{

…adapters

},

document.getElementById(‘webchat’)

);

document.querySelector(‘#webchat > *’).focus();

})().catch(err => console.error(err));

</script>

</body>

</html>

Reference : https://github.com/microsoft/BotFramework-WebChat/tree/main/samples/03.speech/a.direct-line-speech

How to use direct line channel with examples

To use direct line channel with your bot, you need to follow these steps:

Create a bot using Azure Bot Service and enable the direct line channel in the bot settings. How to enable dierctline channel
Generate a direct line secret or token for your bot.
Create a client application that can send and receive HTTP requests.
Initialize the direct line channel client with the direct line secret or token.
Start a conversation with the bot using the direct line channel client.
Send and receive text or speech messages from the bot using the direct line channel client.
End the conversation with the bot using the direct line channel client.

Here is an example of how to use direct line channel with C# and Cognitive Services Speech SDK:

<!DOCTYPE html>

<html lang=”en-US”>

<head>

<title>Web Chat: Browser-supported speech</title>

<meta name=”viewport” content=”width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0″ />

<script crossorigin=”anonymous” src=”https://cdn.botframework.com/botframework-webchat/latest/webchat.js”></script>

<style>

html,

body {

height: 100%;

}

body {

margin: 0;

}

#webchat {

height: 100%;

width: 100%;

}

</style>

</head>

<body>

<div id=”webchat” role=”main”></div>

<script>

(async function() {

const res = await fetch(‘https://webchat-mockbot.azurewebsites.net/directline/token’, { method: ‘POST’ });

const { token };

window.WebChat.renderWebChat(

{

directLine: window.WebChat.createDirectLine({ token }),

webSpeechPonyfillFactory: window.WebChat.createBrowserWebSpeechPonyfillFactory()

},

document.getElementById(‘webchat’)

);

document.querySelector(‘#webchat > *’).focus();

})().catch(err => console.error(err));

</script>

</body>

</html>

Reference : https://github.com/microsoft/BotFramework-WebChat/tree/main/samples/03.speech/f.web-browser-speech

What are pre-requisites to use direct line channel?

To use direct line channel with your bot, you need to have the following:

An Azure subscription.
An Azure Bot Service resource.
A direct line secret or token for your bot.
A client application that can send and receive HTTP requests.
Optionally, a speech service or SDK to use speech with your bot.

What are pre-requisites to use direct line speech channel?

To use direct line speech channel with your bot, you need to have the following:

An Azure subscription.
An Azure Bot Service resource.
A direct line speech key and endpoint for your bot.
A client application that can use the direct line speech channel SDK for your platform (C#, JavaScript, or Java).

Sample references and documents

For more information and examples on how to use direct line channel and direct line speech channel with your bot, you can refer to the following resources:

Connect a bot to Direct Line
Connect a bot to Direct Line Speech
Speech SDK
Web Chat samples
Direct Line Speech Client sample

How to use direct line channel with cognitive services like speech

To use direct line channel with cognitive services like speech, you need to use the Cognitive Services Speech SDK or the Web Chat Speech Services to handle the speech recognition and synthesis for your bot. You also need to handle the audio streaming and encoding between your client application and the speech service.

The Cognitive Services Speech SDK is a cross-platform library that enables you to use speech as an input and output modality for your bot. It supports various languages, voices, and speech settings. You can use the Speech SDK with any client application that can communicate with the direct line channel, such as a web, mobile, or desktop app.

The Web Chat Speech Services is a web-based service that enables you to use speech as an input and output modality for your bot. It supports various languages, voices, and speech settings. You can use the Web Chat Speech Services with any web-based client application that can embed the Web Chat component, such as a web page or a web app.

How to use direct line speech channel with cognitive services like speech

To use direct line speech channel with cognitive services like speech, you do not need to use any additional services or SDKs, as the direct line speech channel handles the speech recognition and synthesis for you. You only need to use the direct line speech channel SDK for your client application, which is available for C#, JavaScript, and Java.

The direct line speech channel SDK is a cross-platform library that enables you to use speech as the primary input and output modality for your bot. It supports various languages, voices, and speech settings. You can use the direct line speech channel SDK with any client application that can communicate with the direct line speech channel, such as a web, mobile, or desktop app.

​Microsoft Tech Community – Latest Blogs –Read More 

Is there a way to make sure that you are not getting the chats of all the breakout rooms in a Teams Meeting that I need to be aware of, so am included as Optional, but am not an active attendee of?  For instance, my employees are in a training now that I need to be aware of so it is tentative on my calendar, but I am not in the training.  I am getting every breakout room chat and the meeting chats, even after leaving the conversation and trying to mute.  Thanks!

Brian

​Is there a way to make sure that you are not getting the chats of all the breakout rooms in a Teams Meeting that I need to be aware of, so am included as Optional, but am not an active attendee of?  For instance, my employees are in a training now that I need to be aware of so it is tentative on my calendar, but I am not in the training.  I am getting every breakout room chat and the meeting chats, even after leaving the conversation and trying to mute.  Thanks!Brian  Read More

​

A customer asked for my help in getting the packaging tool and associated driver installed on a VM that is not connected to the internet.  In their case, the VM disk was online for a prep phase as part of a Citrix MCS image-prep scenario.

Microsoft has a document Using the MSIX Packaging Tool in a disconnected environment – MSIX | Microsoft Learn which attempts to explain what is needed, but really covers the offline case (meaning that the image you are installing is not the running OS), and this leads to confusion.  I am documenting the approach that I came up with for this online, but detached from the internet, scenario.

First, read the article mentioned above and gather the files that you will need.  You will want the two files for the packaging tool (the msixbundle and the license), and the appropriate FOD cab file for the OS version that you will be installing into.  For the script below, I added the cab file to a subfolder (W10Driver). 

You copy the folder with these files onto the target system somewhere, and then open a PowerShell (or ISE) window with elevated privileges and run the script.

NOTE: Forum rules prevent me from putting in the real name of the command needed to install the driver.  So it appears below as XDISM.  Please remove the letter X.

# Get folder that this PS1 file is in so that we can find files correctly from relative references
$executingScriptDirectory = Split-Path -Path $MyInvocation.MyCommand.Definition -Parent

Add-AppxProvisionedPackage -online -PackagePath “$($executingScriptDirectory)MSIXPackagingtoolv1.2024.405.0.msixbundle” -LicensePath “$($executingScriptDirectory)Microsoft.MSIXPackagingTool_8wekyb3d8bbwe_cef5ab15-7bbf-b9b8-e614-3a6718b22258.xml”

XDISM /Online /add-package /packagepath:”$($executingScriptDirectory)W10DriverMsix-PackagingTool-Driver-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~.cab”

Start-Sleep 10

​A customer asked for my help in getting the packaging tool and associated driver installed on a VM that is not connected to the internet.  In their case, the VM disk was online for a prep phase as part of a Citrix MCS image-prep scenario.
 
Microsoft has a document Using the MSIX Packaging Tool in a disconnected environment – MSIX | Microsoft Learn which attempts to explain what is needed, but really covers the offline case (meaning that the image you are installing is not the running OS), and this leads to confusion.  I am documenting the approach that I came up with for this online, but detached from the internet, scenario.
 
First, read the article mentioned above and gather the files that you will need.  You will want the two files for the packaging tool (the msixbundle and the license), and the appropriate FOD cab file for the OS version that you will be installing into.  For the script below, I added the cab file to a subfolder (W10Driver). 
 
You copy the folder with these files onto the target system somewhere, and then open a PowerShell (or ISE) window with elevated privileges and run the script.
 
NOTE: Forum rules prevent me from putting in the real name of the command needed to install the driver.  So it appears below as XDISM.  Please remove the letter X.
 
# Get folder that this PS1 file is in so that we can find files correctly from relative references$executingScriptDirectory = Split-Path -Path $MyInvocation.MyCommand.Definition -Parent

Add-AppxProvisionedPackage -online -PackagePath “$($executingScriptDirectory)MSIXPackagingtoolv1.2024.405.0.msixbundle” -LicensePath “$($executingScriptDirectory)Microsoft.MSIXPackagingTool_8wekyb3d8bbwe_cef5ab15-7bbf-b9b8-e614-3a6718b22258.xml”

XDISM /Online /add-package /packagepath:”$($executingScriptDirectory)W10DriverMsix-PackagingTool-Driver-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~.cab”

Start-Sleep 10

   Read More

​

I am attaching a permalink to text in my adaptive card, which I am sending to a Microsoft Teams public channel. However, when I click on the permalink, nothing happens. When I copy the link and paste it into a new tab, it opens the correct message, which means the permalink is correct. I am also attaching a video for context.

Please fix this issue in Microsoft Teams as soon as possible, or if this behavior is expected, kindly let me know.

​I am attaching a permalink to text in my adaptive card, which I am sending to a Microsoft Teams public channel. However, when I click on the permalink, nothing happens. When I copy the link and paste it into a new tab, it opens the correct message, which means the permalink is correct. I am also attaching a video for context. Please fix this issue in Microsoft Teams as soon as possible, or if this behavior is expected, kindly let me know.   Read More

​

The foundation models that power Microsoft’s AI experiences are evolving constantly, becoming more powerful and efficient. In recent months, we’ve received questions from customers about which foundation model or models Microsoft deploys in its Copilot for Microsoft 365 service. 

Today, Copilot for Microsoft 365 uses a combination of foundation models, allowing us to match the specific needs of each feature – e.g., speed, creativity – to the right model.  

We are consistently evaluating and aligning the capabilities of both existing and new foundation models. When we can demonstrate that any model enhances the capabilities of Copilot for Microsoft 365, we will make necessary changes to incorporate that model and improve our customers’ experiences. 

Regardless of the specific foundation model used, we never use your customer data to train those models. Your data is encrypted while it is in transit and at rest and is processed in alignment with the same terms and conditions that apply to all the content your organization generates in our Microsoft 365 services. 

​Microsoft Tech Community – Latest Blogs –Read More