App set-up events are events that occur when an app is installed from the Freshworks Marketplace, updated to the latest version, or uninstalled. An app set-up event is a synchronous event and you can enable your app to decide whether the event should reach completion. For example, if a webhook has to be registered during app installation, you can use the app set-up event to disallow installation if the webhook registration fails.
To configure and use the app set-up events:
From your app’s root directory, navigate to manifest.json.
Subscribe to an event by configuring an event listener. To do this, include the events attribute, specifying the app set-up event and the corresponding callback methods as follows:
manifest.json"events": { "<eventName>": { "handler": "<eventCallbackMethod>" } }
When an app set-up event occurs, the corresponding event listener invokes a callback method and passes a standard payload to the method.
In server.js, define the callback function.
Note:The default app execution timeout is 20 seconds. If the request timeout is increased to 20, 25, or 30 seconds, the app execution timeout is extended to 40 seconds.
Payload attributes
When an app set-up event occurs, a payload is passed to the callback method. The payload is a JSON object with the following attributes.
- account_idstring
Identifier of the Freshdesk account, auto-generated when the account is configured for a business.
- app_settingsobject
Information pertaining to the app settings as a JSON object of key-value pairs. If your app does not use the app settings functionality, an empty JSON object is returned.
- domainstring
Domain name for the Freshdesk account. For example, acn.freshdesk.com.
- eventstring
Identifier of the app set-up event.
Possible values: onAppInstall, onAppUninstall, afterAppUpdate.
- iparamsobject
Installation parameters specified as a JSON object of <parameter name>: <parameter value> pairs.
- regionstring
Region where the Freshdesk account is deployed.
Possible values: US, EU, EUC, AUS, and IND.
- timestampnumber
Timestamp of when the app set-up event occurs, specified in the epoch format.
Configure onAppInstall
When an app user clicks the Install button corresponding to the app, the onAppInstall event is triggered. For app installation to reach completion, in the callback function definition, use the renderData() method without any arguments. To disallow app installation if a mandatory action fails, use an error object as the argument - renderData({error-object}).
error-object attribute
- messagestringRequired
Message indicating why the mandatory action failed. Should not exceed 60 characters.
For example,
renderData({message: "Installation failed due to network error."});
To configure the onAppInstall event:
Subscribe to the onAppInstall event by using the following sample manifest.json content:
manifest.json"events": { "onAppInstall": { "handler": "onAppInstallCallback" } }
Define the corresponding callback that allows completion of installation by using the following sample server.js content:
server.jsexports = { onAppInstallCallback: function(payload) { console.log("Logging arguments from onAppInstallevent: " + JSON.stringify(payload)); // If the setup is successful renderData(); } }
Define the corresponding callback that disallows installation if a mandatory action fails, by using the following sample server.js content:
server.jsexports = { onAppInstallCallback: function(payload) { console.log("Logging arguments from onAppInstallevent: " + JSON.stringify(payload)); // If there is an error during the setup, see screenshot below renderData({message: "Invalid API Key"}); } }
Configure afterAppUpdate
After you upload a new version of your app, in the Apps gallery > MANAGE APPS, an Update button is displayed next to the app (for admin users). If the admin clicks the button and updates the app, the new app version is installed and the afterAppUpdate event is triggered.
In your new version’s app files, you can:
- Subscribe to the event by configuring event and its corresponding callback function.
- Use the callback function to carry out certain app actions. To let an app user continue using the updated version, in the callback function definition, as part of the app logic, use the renderData() method without any arguments.
- If any mandatory action that must be carried out as part of the app set-up (update) fails, if the mandatory parameters that are required to carry out the app actions are unavailable, or in any such error scenarios, use the registered callback function to revert to the earlier installed app version. To perform this, use an error object as the argument of the renderData() method - renderData({error-object}).
![Image of Freshdesk Dashboard](/docs/images/app-sdk/freshdesk/afterAppUpdate.png)
error-object attribute
- messagestringRequired
Message indicating why the mandatory action failed. Should not exceed 60 characters.
For example,
renderData({message: "Invalid API key. App reverted to previous version. Try updating again."});
To configure the afterAppUpdate event:
Subscribe to the afterAppUpdate event by using the following sample manifest.json content:
manifest.json"events": { "afterAppUpdate": { "handler": "afterAppUpdateCallback" } }
Define the corresponding callback that does not interrupt usage of the updated app, by using the following sample server.js content:
server.jsexports = { afterAppUpdateCallback: function(payload) { console.log("Logging arguments from afterAppUpdate event: " + JSON.stringify(payload)); // If the setup is successful renderData(); } }
Define the corresponding callback that reverts the app to the earlier installed version if a mandatory action fails, by using the following sample server.js content:
server.jsexports = { afterAppUpdateCallback: function(payload) { console.log("Logging arguments from afterAppUpdate event: " + JSON.stringify(payload)); // To revert to earlier installed app version. renderData({message: "Updating to the latest version of the app failed due to network error."}); } }
Configure onAppUninstall
When an app user clicks the Uninstall button corresponding to the app, the onAppUninstall event is triggered. For app uninstallation to reach completion, in the callback function definition, use the renderData() method without any arguments. To disallow app uninstallation if a mandatory action fails, use an error object as the argument - renderData({error-object}).
error-object attribute
- messagestringRequired
Message indicating why the mandatory action failed. Should not exceed 60 characters.
For example,
renderData({message: "Uninstallation failed due to network error."});
To configure the onAppUninstall event:
Subscribe to the onAppUninstall event by using the following sample manifest.json content:
manifest.json"events": { "onAppUninstall": { "handler": "onAppUninstallCallback" } }
Define the corresponding callback that allows completion of uninstallation, by using the following sample server.js content:
server.jsexports = { onAppUninstallCallback: function(payload) { console.log("Logging arguments from onAppUninstallevent: " + JSON.stringify(payload)); // If all mandatory uninstallation actions are successful renderData(); } }
Define the corresponding callback that disallows uninstallation if a mandatory action fails, by using the following sample server.js content:
server.jsexports = { onAppUninstallCallback: function(payload) { console.log("Logging arguments from onAppUninstallevent: " + JSON.stringify(payload)); // If there is an error during uninstallation renderData({message: "Uninstallation failed due to network error"}); } }
Test
- To test a serverless app, use the latest version of Chrome.
- As testing is only a simulation of events, actual data or record associated with the event is not created in the back-end. To create actual data and then test your event, publish your app as a custom app and test the events manually.
- Ensure that the JSON files that contain the sample payloads to test events, are available at <app's root directory>/server/test_data.
To simulate an event and test your app:
From the command line, navigate to the directory that contains the app related files and run the following command.
fdk run
In the address bar of the browser, enter https://localhost:10001/web/test. A dialog box is displayed.
Click Select an event. The list of all events configured in the server.js file is displayed.
Select an event to simulate
Note: To test app setup events, select onAppInstall, afterAppUpdate, or onAppUninstall.
Select an event. The corresponding payload is displayed. To test a different scenario other than the default, edit the payload.
Click Simulate. If the event is successfully simulated, the Simulate button changes to a Success button. If the event simulation fails because of invalid payload data, the Simulate button changes to a Failed button. Modify the payload appropriately and click Simulate.