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HOW TO BUILD A ROBOT
Or a how to connect Github with Asana
but that doesn’t sound half as cool…
@robertdall robertdall.com/bot
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I HAD A LARGE PROJECT
• Client in Seattle
artwolfe.com
• Contractors: Sechelt
Vancouver, Gig Harbour and
Rostov-on-Don Russia.
• All communication was on
Asana for both client and
contractor.
@robertdall robertdall.com/bot
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INSPIRATION SVN-BOT
• WordPress Core IRC Channel has a SVN Bot which posts
instant messages to the IRC channel when a commit has been
made.
@robertdall robertdall.com/bot
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SETTING UP ASANA
1. You can use your own
account but then every
commit will be under your
name in Asana.
2. Create a new user (with a
different email) and call it “git
commit” or “commit” I also
gave this user the Octocat
Icon.
3. Copy the API key under that
account.
@robertdall robertdall.com/bot
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SETTING UP GITHUB
• Github Sync is Repo based
not user based.
• Under webhooks and
services of the repo.
• Put the Asana API key in
the Auth token.
• Can be restricted to branch
@robertdall robertdall.com/bot
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WORKFLOW GIT
1. Create / Assign task in Asana
2. Take url from Asana and put it into the description of commit in Github.
3. Not application specific any way you want to commit to GitHub will
work.
4. Make the commit.
@robertdall robertdall.com/bot
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WORKFLOW ASANA
1. In Asana it will show up under extra the user you made.
2. It will show who made the commit, the branch and the
summary.
@robertdall robertdall.com/bot
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HOW THIS HELPS
Contractors Client bug tracker
@robertdall robertdall.com/bot
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A COUPLE SIDE NOTES
1. We had this set up for uploading code via SFTP and then commit the code
to the repo. We weren’t using any auto deployment to the repo on upload.
2. I didn’t want track every single commit on Asana. Just the major ones,
which either completed the task or which required review by another
team member. I felt every commit was a bit of overkill. But this method
allowed to be selective.
3. We wanted to use Asana for bug tracking even though GitHub could do it
because the client was already use to Asana and not everyone was familiar
with the code.
4. Finally I realized when trying to find an email from Github support. That
calling my bot “Git Commit” wasn’t the best choice. As I had Asana email
me on every task comment. “Commit” would have done fine.
@robertdall robertdall.com/bot
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IT’S ABOUT PRODUCTIVITY
NOT THE PRODUCT
• Bit Bucket to Asana
https://bitbucket.org/fiveminutes/bitbucket2asana/
• Zendesk GitHub Integration
https://support.zendesk.com/entries/23282986-Syncing-
Zendesk-with-GitHub-Setting-up-TissueApp
• GitHub Trello integration
https://trello.com/b/WRjUiL4R/testing-trello-github-integration
@robertdall robertdall.com/bot