Messages

1

Programming using the Ultra Hal Brain Editor / Time and date functions : Iso Date?

« on: July 02, 2005, 11:23:29 pm »

Hi,

I've been experimenting with various time and date functions, including the memory, halpast and the Date Difference Qualified Demo brain available on this site.

I'm not a programmer, but I've found I can't get them to operate correctly because I'm in Australia ie; we use d/m/y, not m/d/y as in the us. If I change system setting they work. This is most likely a fairly universal problem outside the US I would think.

I've attempted an Iso date conversion routine, which I've probably implemented incorrectly, etc.

Is there a way to specify within the VBscript a date format which can then be used by any following routines?

Having Hal respond with time related conversational information could be very useful, especially in the forthcoming (soon I hope) SQLite based brain.

R.

2

Ultra Hal 7.0 / Load options on start up?

« on: June 23, 2005, 10:18:59 am »

Is it possible to have Hal start up with all preferred options, such as lighting and character texture? I know this can be done through load commands and hap files. Has anyone had success with, say, an initialization script in the brain file, ini, or hla?

It seems such an obvious requirement, next to the character, background and brain etc that are pre-settable from the options menu.

Akin to this, can Hal be run locally in an html document, where it would be possible to create javascript controls for such things?

TIA.
R

3

Ultra Hal 7.0 / Run!!!!

« on: June 23, 2005, 08:01:49 am »

Thanks markofkane,

Having looked around more I find that the "tags", like <HAPFILE> are Hal Commands, and that positioning in the VBscript is important.

It still won't work unless I use <> 1, rather than <> 0, so I guess I need a crash course in VBscript...

It appears that the folders/directories are fixed elsewhere.

Early days yet.

R.

4

Ultra Hal 7.0 / Run!!!!

« on: June 22, 2005, 03:09:48 am »

Help! Going mad trying to get the run command to work from the brain editor.
Current status:
'------------------------------------------------------------------
 
'RUN A HAP FILE AS A RESULT OF USER COMMAND:    

If InStr(UserSentence, "Run happy") <> 1 Then
HalCommands = "What goes here?"
GetResponse = "I like feeling happy."
BlockSave=True
GetResponseBlock = True
End If
'------------------------------------------------------------------

Nothing at all happened untill I changed th <> 0 to <> 1
Now Hal responds with the phrase "I like feeling happy."

What do I need to add to the HalCommands line?
Should it be the whole string eg:
Load [file= [data/standard/safe_moods/Hap_Happy.hap]]

What are the html like "<HAPFILE>Happy.hap</HAPFILE>" tags?

Sorry, demonstrating my ignorance. I'm a real cut and paste type programmer!

TIA
rick

5

Ultra Hal 7.0 / Better voices and TTS engines for Hal.

« on: June 20, 2005, 06:02:14 am »

Well, this is an old topic, but hey!

Creative Labs used to have a TTS engine with their very old, early sound cards which had all the features you mention.

This TTS engine (among a few other ancient bits of software) is why I keep an old PC on my home network.

The TTS responded to sentences and phrases with appropriate inflection, and had child voices. I didn't use these so I'm not that familliar with them. The TTS could also sing.

I used the voices as speech in songs. My favourite was (natch: male) a female voice which sounded like a smoky voiced Russian girl, unsure of vocabulary and grammar, but it seeemed to have all the right inflections, as though dealing with a second language.

If this still interests you, I'll boot up the old fella and send what info I can.

I THINK they're sapi compliant, I seem to recall being able to have the TTS read my emails for instance.