Roll your own Text Messaging Apps with Twilio and MVC 3

I've been messing around with Twilio and their awesome set of TwiML API's this weekend and made a fun little C# Twilio library for creating simple text (and voice) based applications from MVC 3 sites.

How Twilio's TwiML API Works

An SMS comes in to one of your Twilio Phone Numbers.

Twilio Makes a POST or GET call to a URL you set up.

Your site provides a TwiML Response that Twilio parses and executes.

(See Twilio's own how it works page for a way better explanation.)

Using TwilioSharp to Send TwiML Responses From MVC

	using System.Web.Mvc;
	using _8Ball.Common;
	using TwilioSharp.MVC3.Controllers;
	using TwilioSharp.Request;
	public class TextController : TwiMLController
	{
	[HttpPost]
	public ActionResult New(TextRequest request)
	{
	var answer = "The Magical 8-Ball Says: " + Magic8BallAnswerizer3000.GetAnswer();
	return TwiML(response => response
	.Sms(answer));
	// Alternatively:
	//return TwiMLBuilder
	// .Build()
	// .Sms(answer)
	// .ToTwiMLResult();
	}
	}

view raw TextController.cs hosted with ❤ by GitHub

As part of my handy dandy TwilioSharp helper library I've created a base TwiML Controller for easily creating TwiML Responses with a Fluent TwiMLBuilder Class.  

The TwiML Controller exposes a TwiML method that is meant to emulate the ease of use of the Json method available in all MVC Controllers.  The TwiML method takes a Func<TwiMLBuilder, TwiMLBuilder> that acts as your Response Factory method; this makes building complex responses easier by allowing for in line fluent declarations.

Full Fledged Example

You can view a full fledged Magic 8-Ball Answerizer 3000 example on GitHub (which is also live on AppHarbor until I run out of money in my Twilio Account).  Including a more in depth example of using the Fluent TwiMLBuilder for answering phone calls.

	using System.Web.Mvc;
	using _8Ball.Common;
	using TwilioSharp.MVC3.Controllers;
	using TwilioSharp.Request;
	public class CallController : TwiMLController
	{
	[HttpPost]
	public ActionResult New(CallRequest request)
	{
	return TwiML(response => response
	.Say("Thanks for calling the All Knowing Magical 8 Ball.")
	.Say("Ask a Question after the Beep.")
	.Say("Press Pound when done.")
	.Record(Url.Action("Question")));
	}
	[HttpPost]
	public ActionResult Question(CallRecordRequest request)
	{
	return TwiML(response => response
	.Say("The Magical 8 Ball Says")
	.Say(Magic8BallAnswerizer3000.GetAnswer())
	.Pause(1)
	.GatherWhileSaying("Press Any Key To Ask Another Question. Or Pound to Exit.",
	actionUrl: Url.Action("New"),
	timeoutSeconds: 3)
	.Say("Goodbye")
	.Hangup());
	}
	}

view raw CallController.cs hosted with ❤ by GitHub

(The Magical 8-Ball Answerizer 3000 on AppHarbor)

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