I am having a difficult time sending a variable that holds a random text string as a property to an APL template using display directive. how can this be done? it doesn't seem difficult. i cannot find anything or anybody writing about it.i have tried list data and sending {stringval} and "${footerString}" etc. i display it and have alexa speak it before i send it and it is spoken so i know it is stored properly. i have tried let, var, const for the string value in the .js file but all of them only only show the varible name on the display card ${footerString} where the random title should go. my footHint is supposed to show a random string variable that holds a random text string each time someone plays. basically i want to send a randomly selected text string from an array to my render dir to set that string as the text value in the datasource for the text. property.
template...
"type": "Container",
"when": "${@viewportProfile == @hubRoundSmall}",
"items": [
{
"type": "Text",
"style": "textStyleBody",
"paddingLeft": "@marginLeft",
"paddingRight": "@marginRight",
"paddingBottom": "90",
"position": "relative",
"alignSelf": "auto",
"fontWeight": "normal",
"fontSize": "30",
"textAlign": "center",
"textAlignVertical": "auto",
"fontStyle": "normal",
"text": "${launchData.properties.headlinesm}"
}
],
"grow": 1,
"justifyContent": "end"
},
{
"type": "AlexaFooter",
"footerHint": "${launchData.properties.kombatfact}",
"hintText": "${launchData.properties.hintFooter}",
"when": "${viewport.shape != 'round'}"
}
]
}
]
}
},
"datasources": {
"launchData": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"background": "https://mortkom.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/subzero/subzeroback.jpg",
"backgroundsm": "https://mortkom.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/subzero/subzerowall2.jpg",
"headericon": "https://mortkom.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/misc_vo/mklogognew2.png",
"headerTitle": "Sub-Zero",
"headerSubtitle": "Grandmaster Sub-Zero",
"hintText": "Try, \"Alexa, Open Test Your Might!\"",
"headline": "This is your headline",
"headlinesm": "Brothers Bi-Han and Kuai-Liang of the Lin-Kuei",
"kombatfact": "${footerString}",
"hintFooter": "Alexa, click here"
}
}
},
my index.js----
const factoid = [
'"Originally an army brat of military service."',
'"Now runs the army."',
'"Kidnapped impending invasion. If only they had listened."'
];
function randomdata(mydata) {
var i = 0;
i = Math.floor(Math.random() * mydata.length);
return(mydata[i]);
}
<tried this way> const $footerString =randomdata(funfact)
<tried this way both hold string> let $footerString=randomdata(funfact)
const speakOutput = 'do you hear this phrase ${footerString}';
console.log($footerString);
if (aplHelper.supportsAPL(handlerInput)) {
handlerInput.responseBuilder.addDirective({
type: 'Alexa.Presentation.APL.RenderDocument',
version: '1.3',
document: require('./documents/launchScreen.json'),
datasources: {
launchData: {
type: 'object',
properties: {
"background": "https://mortkom.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/subzero/subzeroback.jpg",
"backgroundsm": "https://mortkom.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/subzero/subzerowall2.jpg",
"headericon": "https://mortkom.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/misc_vo/mklogognew2.png",
"headerTitle": "Sub-Zero",
"headerSubtitle": "Grandmaster Sub-Zero",
"hintText": "Try, \"Alexa, Open Test Your Might!\"",
"headline": "hello there",
"headlinesm": "Brothers Bi-Han and Kuai-Liang of the Lin-Kuei",
"kombatfact": "${footerString}",
"hintFooter": ""
},
}
}
}
);
}
