See the Wiki for the last version of this manual.

Introduction

Ector.py is the python module which contains the Ector class, but also the main program to use Ector.

This page explains how to use this program.

Run it

src/Ector.py is to be launched by typing this (provided that Python 2.5+ is installed on your system) in a shell, in the root directory of the pyector project: python src/Ector.py

Options

There are several options you can use.

Here is the synopsis of the command (version 0.2): python Ector.py [-p username=User][-n botname=Ector][-l logfilepath=ector.log][-s|-g][-h]

p --person

This option gives the user name to Ector. It is the name under which you are recognized by Ector. It will be used to create a file username_state.pkl in which it will save the last subjects you talk about (to simplify).

When you talk to Ector, you are named username, and nothing else. Don't use other pseudos or nicknames. The username is displayed before the prompt, so that you always know what's your name ;)

By default, it is User.

You can always change this name during the interactive session by using the @person command: User>@person Bill Bill>

n --name

You can change the name of the bot, but its default name will be Ector. The name you give is capitalized.

l --log

You can change the file in which the log is written. By default, the file is ector.log and is saved in the current directory (from where you launch Ector).

This is the same as the @log command.

h --help

The help option reminds the usage of the program: ``` $python src/Ector.py -h Usage: Ector.py [-p username][-n botname=Ector][-v|-q][-l logfilepath=ector.log] [-s|-g][-h]

Options: --version show program's version number and exit -h, --help show this help message and exit -p USERNAME, --person=USERNAME set the name of the utterer -n BOTNAME, --name=BOTNAME set the name of the bot -v say all that you can say -q shut up! -l LOGNAME, --log=LOGNAME log the dialogue in log file -s, --sentence set sentence reply mode on -g, --generate set generate reply mode on -d, --debug set debug mode on ``` Although some options are already present, they are not functional: -v, -q are not applicable, as Ector does not answer, even in version 0.2.

Use it

Once you have launch the program, you get some license and copyright information: $ python src/Ector.py pyECTOR version 0.4, Copyright (C) 2008 Francois PARMENTIER pyECTOR comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY; for details type `@show w'. This is free software, and you are welcome to redistribute it under certain conditions; type `@show c' for details. @help gives a basic help on pyECTOR commands. User>

From there, you can either type sentences you want Ector to learn, or use some commands. Let's see these commands.

@help

Typing @help, then enter will display all available commands: User>@help You can just start typing phrases. But there are some commands you can use: - @usage : print the options of the Ector.py command - @quit : quit - @exit : quit - @bye : quit - @person : change the utterer name (like -p) - @name : change the bot's name (like -n) - @version : give the current version - @write : save Ector's Concept Network and state - @shownodes : show the nodes of the Concept Network - @showlinks : show the links of the Concept Network - @log [file]: log the entries in the file (no file turns off the logging) - @status : show the status of Ector (Concept Network, states) - @debug [ON|OFF]: set the debug mode on or off User>

@usage

Usage is the same than -h, --help option. It gives the synopsis of the program.

@quit, @exit, @bye

@quit, @exit, and @bye are the same command: it is the only means to quit Ector.

Warning: at this point, if you did not save the ConceptNetwork (using @write), all you said since the last save will be lost!

@person

The @person command let you change your name in the course of the interactive session: User>@person Bill Bill>

Warning: at this point, if you did not save, Ector won't remember your last conversation state the next time you return as User.

@name

The @name command let you change the name of the bot, so that when you say this new name, the bot knows it is him.

Tip: don't use this command too much, except if you want to call the bot another name than "Ector".

@version

Gives the current version of the program. :)

@write

Writes the ConceptNetwork in cn.pkl, in the current directory, and the ConceptNetworkState in username_state.pkl, in the same directory.

@shownodes

This command displays the nodes of the ConceptNetwork, as in the ConceptNetworkModule.

This won't display anything unless there are nodes in the ConceptNetwork. A simple manner to add nodes, is to talk to Ector, naturally.

Example: User>Hi Ector, how are you? Ector> Hi User, how are you? User>@shownodes how ( token): 1 (0,1,0) Hi ( token): 1 (1,0,0) Hi @bot@, how are you? (sentence): 1 (0) , ( token): 1 (0,1,0) @bot@ ( token): 1 (0,1,0) User ( utterer): 1 (2008/12/11) ? ( token): 1 (0,0,1) are ( token): 1 (0,1,0) you ( token): 1 (0,1,0) User>

Warning: this could overwhelm the screen, if your ConceptNetwork is already big!

Note: at the launch, Ector try to read the cn.pkl file. If you already wrote it, the ConceptNetwork shall not be empty.

@showlinks

This command displays the links of the ConceptNetwork, like in ConceptNetworkModule.

Though it is useful to debug and understand how Ector works, you should not use it, as the output is long.

Example: User>Hi Ector, how are you? Ector> Hi User, how are you? User>@showlinks Hi @bot@, how are you? ------(100, 1)-------> , @bot@ ------(100, 1)-------> Hi @bot@, how are you? , ------(100, 1)-------> Hi @bot@, how are you? Hi @bot@, how are you? ------(100, 1)-------> how how ------(100, 1)-------> Hi @bot@, how are you? how ------(100, 1)-------> are Hi ------(100, 1)-------> @bot@ Hi @bot@, how are you? ------(100, 1)-------> you , ------(100, 1)-------> how Hi @bot@, how are you? ------(100, 1)-------> @bot@ you ------(100, 1)-------> Hi @bot@, how are you? Hi ------(100, 1)-------> Hi @bot@, how are you? User ------(100, 1)-------> Hi @bot@, how are you? @bot@ ------(100, 1)-------> , Hi @bot@, how are you? ------(100, 1)-------> User ? ------(100, 1)-------> Hi @bot@, how are you? you ------(100, 1)-------> ? are ------(100, 1)-------> you are ------(100, 1)-------> Hi @bot@, how are you? Hi @bot@, how are you? ------(100, 1)-------> ? Hi @bot@, how are you? ------(100, 1)-------> are Hi @bot@, how are you? ------(100, 1)-------> Hi User>

@showstate

This command displays the state of the nodes of the ConceptNetwork, corresponding to the utterer, like in ConceptNetworkModule.

NOTE: Though it is useful to debug and understand how Ector works, you should not use it, as the output is long.

Example: User>Hi Ector, how are you? Ector >Hi User, how are you? User>@showstate oldav av age Node 97 93 2 how(token) 97 90 2 Hi(token) 92 84 2 Hi @bot@, how are you?(sentence) 97 93 2 ,(token) 97 90 2 @bot@(token) 82 65 2 User(utterer) 97 93 2 ?(token) 97 90 2 are(token) 97 93 2 you(token)

@cleanstate

This command, mainly aimed at debugging, can be used to clean the state from non-activated nodes. It is much more readable when @showstate display fewer nodes.

Example: User>But you don't have a mouth! Ector> Don't have a mouth! User>@showstate oldav av age Node 76 65 4 Yes, you speak loudly ;)(sentence) 52 24 6 me(token) 0 0 0 already(token) 39 11 6 In fact, I did.(sentence) 0 0 0 I(token) 97 93 2 mouth(token) 19 0 0 User(utterer) 39 11 6 Did you hear me?(sentence) 0 0 0 ?(token) 0 0 0 What can we talk about, now?(sentence) 0 0 0 chatterbots(token) 0 0 0 fine(token) 0 0 0 You're welcome.(sentence) 52 24 6 fact(token) 0 0 0 What(token) 43 14 6 Did(token) 0 0 0 can(token) 97 90 2 But(token) 0 0 0 that(token) 0 0 0 could(token) 0 0 0 Hi @bot@, how are you?(sentence) 0 0 0 Yes, I could.(sentence) 58 7 4 ,(token) 52 24 6 .(token) 79 65 4 loudly(token) 0 0 0 You already said that.(sentence) 0 0 0 thanks(token) 85 72 4 ;)(token) 6 0 0 how(token) 34 0 0 '(token) 0 0 0 any(token) 0 0 0 speak(token) 0 0 0 about(token) 92 84 2 But you don't have a mouth!(sentence) 97 90 2 don(token) 0 0 0 now(token) 0 0 0 Well, we could speak about chatterbots, couldn't we?(sentence) 34 0 0 !(token) 0 0 0 I'm fine, thanks you.(sentence) 97 90 2 a(token) 0 0 0 m(token) 34 0 0 have(token) 0 0 0 it(token) 0 0 0 @bot@(token) 43 14 6 hear(token) 0 0 0 welcome(token) 0 0 0 talk(token) 34 0 0 t(token) 34 0 0 you(token) 0 0 0 re(token) 0 0 0 Hi(token) 0 0 0 we(token) 0 0 0 are(token) 0 0 0 Don't you have any idea?(sentence) 0 0 0 couldn(token) 0 0 0 I know that, you already said it!(sentence) 0 0 0 Well(token) 0 0 0 said(token) 43 14 6 did(token) 0 0 0 Don(token) 9 0 0 Yes(token) 0 0 0 idea(token) 0 0 0 know(token) 43 14 6 In(token) 0 0 0 You(token) User>@cleanstate User>@showstate oldav av age Node 76 65 4 Yes, you speak loudly ;)(sentence) 52 24 6 me(token) 39 11 6 In fact, I did.(sentence) 97 93 2 mouth(token) 39 11 6 Did you hear me?(sentence) 52 24 6 fact(token) 43 14 6 Did(token) 97 90 2 But(token) 58 7 4 ,(token) 52 24 6 .(token) 79 65 4 loudly(token) 85 72 4 ;)(token) 92 84 2 But you don't have a mouth!(sentence) 97 90 2 don(token) 97 90 2 a(token) 43 14 6 hear(token) 43 14 6 did(token) 43 14 6 In(token) User>

@log

This command change the way the log is taken, in two manners:

1. change the file in which the log is automatically written
2. stop the logging, giving no filename, or using @logoff

Example: User>@log Log off (ector.log) The logging off display the last log file name.

To log on, or change the name of the log: User>@log test.log Log file: test.log

@status

The status command display the nodes of the ConceptNetwork, and the name of the states that were created:

User>@status how ( token): 1 (0,1,0) Hi ( token): 1 (1,0,0) Hi @bot@, how are you? (sentence): 1 (1) bot ( token): 1 (0,1,0) , ( token): 1 (0,1,0) User ( utterer): 1 (2008/11/11) ? ( token): 1 (0,0,1) are ( token): 1 (0,1,0) you ( token): 1 (0,1,0) States (1) User

@sentence [on|off]

Set sentence mode on or off. When the sentence mode is on, Ector thinks a bit about what you said, and then picks one sentence among those he has already heard.

Using @sentence without any argument gives the current sentence mode.

@generate [on|off]

Set generate mode on or off. When the generate mode is on, Ector thinks a bit about what you said, and then generates a sentence from one of its activated tokens (usually, a word you used in the previous sentence). This generation is a contextually statistical one: likelihood of a word after one another is taken into account, but activation of the word too.

Activation means concepts that are in the thinking process of Ector (concepts being sets of tokens).

Using @generate without any argument gives the current generate mode.