James P,
What version of the XTF Brain are you using? You should have the XTF Brain v1.2 patch installed over the v1.0 installation.
As a reminder please read my postings (shown below) that discuss how the XTF Brain v1.2 should be installed and what minor fixes are needed after installation. I want everyone to get maximum benefit from the XTF Brain until I can get the next version released someday.
http://www.zabaware.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1243http://www.zabaware.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1237The XTF Brain v1.0 could, under rare conditions, incorrectly assume relations between topics. Version v1.2 fixes this problem. I say the problem was rare, but it could become more common depending on how people cut and paste other scripts into the XTF Brain uhp file. If you are using v1.0 I think this could be your Hal's problem.
If you think you have bad "related topic" info in Hal you can fix the .brn files manually.
Example excerpt from my "XTF_BIRD_Related.brn" file:
" [MERONYMS_EXIST_FLAG] ","True"
" BEAK ","True"
" BILL ","True"
" NEB ","True"
" NIB ","True"
" PECKER ","True"
" FURCULA ","True"
" FOWL ","True"
" [MERONYMS_END_HERE] ","True"
" [SYNONYMS_EXIST_FLAG] ","True"
" VERTEBRATE ","True"
" CRANIATE ","True"
" MEAT ","True"
" BADMINTON EQUIPMENT ","True"
" [SYNONYMS_END_HERE] ","True"
" AIRPLANE ","False"
" AIRPLANES ","False"
" DOVE ","True"
" DOVES ","True"
" PARROT ","True"
" PARROTS ","True"
" DUCK ","True"
" DUCKS ","True"
" FISH ","True"
When the user confirms to Hal that two topics are related they are saved to the two relevant topic files named in the style "XTF_<topicname>_Related.brn" where <topicname> in the above case is BIRD. Meronyms and synonyms, if they exist, are generated automatically by the XTF Brain. User generated info is appended at the end of the file. In the above example the user obviously told Hal that DUCK is related to the topic BIRD and that AIRPLANE and BIRD are not related. See the "True" vs "False" flag? However somehow the topic FISH is also listed at the end as "True". FISH is not related to BIRD. The line with FISH in it should be deleted or the word "True" changed to "False". That way Hal knows the correct relationship. If you suspect a bad relationship you can check the suspect file. NOTE: Please be careful when manually editing any of Hal's files. If the file ends in a Carriage Return character (looks like a blank line) make sure that format is preserved.
Another possible concern...
Another minor concern when cutting and pasting scripts has to do with the use of the GetResponseBlock and BlockSave variables. For best performance these two variables should be added to scripts that are pasted into the XTF Brain where it makes sense. Look at examples within the XTF Brain code to get an idea. If GetResponseBlock = True it tells a script segment not to overwrite the current GetResponse string. In this case the GetResponse string may contain a message from the "CREATE RELATED TOPICS RESPONSE" or "CREATE RELATED TOPICS INQUIRY" functions that inform the user of Hal learning a new relation between two topics.
If BlockSave = True then a script segment shouldn't save the current user input to any file. In this case the user input may contain Hal's name, or contain a non-conversational command from the user or other input which shouldn't be saved as conversation material in any of Hal's many .brn files.
As for the "Error 424 Object required 'Halbrain'" error some function script has a typo or other error in it.
It's just a guess but the line...
Set HalBrain = CreateObject("UltraHalAsst.Brain")
might be missing in a function declaration that's trying to use it.
I hope this helps. Good luck.
=vonsmith=