[Informal introduction to the <topic> modified ALICE package]

AIML <topic> Tag Implemented

  A while ago I began tossing around the idea of creating a 
<topic> AIML tag and playing with it to see how useful it could 
be.  (I mentioned it on the ALICE/AIML PC ONLINE message board if 
anyone wants to see the original proposal.)  Since then I have 
found more and more applications for such a feature so I decided 
to add it to a version of ALICE and play with it.  I have enjoyed 
playing with it so much that I figured someone else might have a 
use for it as well.  If you would like to try it out I have the 
modified package available on The ALICE Connection web site: 
"http://www.geocities.com/krisdrent"   
  As useful as I have found this concept, I am making no 
assertions as to whether it would be considered a "healthy" 
addition to the current AIML spec. If Dr. Wallace feels it would 
be a good addition then maybe it might show up some day in other 
releases. But that is not the purpose of this side project. It is 
just to experiment with the possibilities of the <topic> tag....  
Okay, on to the point:

--- OVERVIEW: What functionality does the <topic> tag offer? 
Just a couple of basics off the top of my head...
1. <topic> allows ALICE to prefer responses that deal with the 
topic currently being discussed. This creates topical 
conversation, yet still has the ability to move from one subject 
to another.
2. <topic> allows ALICE to have duplicate patterns in different 
contexts (topics) allowing ALICE to have different responses to 
the same input patterns depending on the topic. For example, 
"overriding" the " * " pattern for different topics. (I'll give 
an example with this.)
3. As always, you can still use the <gettopic/> tag to refer to 
the topic in your output statements (templates).
4. As always, you can add topics on top of all your existing AIML 
to keep your bot's current personality.  

--- What does the tag look like? Where is it used? -----
  Topic tags are placed around one or more categories.  (Usually 
many.)  The categories (with each respective "pattern", "that", 
and "template") within a set of <topic> </topic> tags would be 
associated with the defined topic. The name of the topic would be 
given by a "name" property in the beginning topic tag. Here would 
be the full AIML format with topic:

<alice> 
 
 <topic name="THE TOPIC"> 

  <category> 
   <pattern> phrase </pattern> 
   <that> phrase </that> 
   <template> phrase </template> 
  </category> 

 </topic> 

</alice>


--- Okay, HOW is <topic> used? ----
  The concept is that a person uses the <settopic> tags to set 
the current topic being discussed.  Once the topic is set, when 
the user types in a statement for ALICE to find a response for, 
the categories defined within the <topic> tags matching the 
current topic will be searched first... before any of the non-
topic categories, or the default categories.  If there is not a 
matching category defined in the current topic, then any 
categories that are not defined in topic tags are searched. As 
mentioned before, you can create categories with identical 
<pattern> phrases in different topics, each with different 
responses that cater to the current topic.

An proof of concept example:
A very useful topic entry might be the default "*" input for 
specific topics.  If ALICE were set up on a pet store web site 
and a person was talking to ALICE about dogs, a useful entry 
might be:

<topic name="DOGS">

 <category>
  <pattern> * </pattern>
  <template>
   <random>
    <li> Dogs are one of the most popular pets to have.</li>
    <li> Have you ever met a Chihuahua you didn't like?</li>
    <li> What else do you know about dogs? </li>
    <li> Do you have any questions about dogs? </li>
   </random>
  </template>
 </category>

//more dog categories....

</topic>

Normally there would be many entries in a topic, but in this 
example, we simply entered the default "*".  In this case, if the 
person said something that ALICE didn't have a specific 
programmed response for, she could still respond intelligently 
within the current topic. (Note: this is all assuming there are 
existing categories that might set the current topic to "DOGS")

Also, though topics can only have one name, they can contain the 
wild characters "*" or "_" just like a pattern. Also, while 
sticking with the pattern criteria, only one wildcard character 
is allowed per name.  This would allow topics like "CARING FOR 
DOGS" or "GROOMING DOGS" to also fall into the "_ DOGS" topic.  
As with patterns, the more specific topics would gain preference 
over the wildcarded topic.  This means that if the topic is 
currently "GROOMING DOGS" and yet there is not a programmed 
response for the input in that category, then "_ DOGS" would be 
checked, and then next the default categories.

There are more creative uses for the <topic> tag, but I have 
already flooded you with text.  I have included a sample AIML 
file called "Lizards.aiml" with the zip of the modified ALICE 
package. It creates a couple of topics about lizards.  It goes 
along with the pet store example, except it's for lizards. 
(Weird, I know, but I only get to work on this stuff around 3am.) 
I will also be adding some more info in a FAQ or doc that I will 
include on the ALICE Connection web site. Those who are 
interested may look there--the others will be spared from my 
ramblings.

Anyone interested in more conversation about this may e-mail me 
or join in on the message board 
(http://www.triumphpc.com/discus/) ALICE/AIML forum.

Kris Drent
drent@facm-kdrent.unl.edu