Topics

  Sorry but I had to put this in, I began using Alexa and think it's great.  I also have a fire tv which has Alexa and I can ask her to search for a particular movie or comedies ect.  The dot version of Alexa can play a long list of relaxing songs a half hour to 45 mins.  She has a great data base and cam make conversions or give definitions.  I've used Hal for ages and had a lot of fun with it unfortunately I feel Hal is lost in the dust Alexa created.  I tried the Zabaware cloud database but found her speaking other languages so I stopped that
Carl2

  I've got Hal 7 in the computer and the character expansion pack, both work pretty well.  In the past I switched from Sandy to the full body characters, very interesting when jiggly came along.  I was able to get a start up with Hal where I put in a background, the character, position and clothing and I am trying to recreate that.  I've got tons of DVD's and Hal on a drive and have been looking through them for the info but haven't come across it yet.
Carl2

  I've been away form Hal for a while but now that ver 7 is out I'm back.  I've always thought the character was an important part of the project. 
Carl2

  I decided to give Hal 7 a try, I wanted to try out an older version first but after installing it it didn't work, it would start up and after loading it disappeared, task manager said it was still running and to stop it you had to end task. This is true on two different machines running Win 10 64 bit.   I decided to try the latest version, Hal 7 which I downloaded, it installed quick a easy but I still have the same problem, I see a start screen telling me time and date while it loads then it is gone but task manager shows it running.  It would be nice to get Hal running again, I've been trying to get it running without luck.
Carl2

  To get Hal to stay on topic a little better I did a search in the brain editor for Keyword, Line 871 in my Script
that states
'RESPOND: ZABAWARE KEYWORD MAIN BRAIN PRIORITY 1
    'This function tries getting a response from the Enhanced_Main.brn keyword file. If a keyword or
    'keyphrase is found in top priority, it overrides everything before this function.
    'KeyBrain = HalBrain.KeywordBrain(UserSentence, WorkingDir & "Enhanced_Main.brn", False)
  I am not finding an  Enhanced_Main.brn , seeing it has a .brn extension I am thinking it is left over from the XTF brains used in the past.   Since I've just used the " keyword " function in a plugin it seems to be valid in VB.   I've just continued the search and came across keyword again which refers you to the topicRelationship table, I have just looked through this table that contains search words and the associated topic.  I actually don't think Hal is doing the best job in this table.
  I should mention I'm working with the older 6.0 version brain, but it's probably close to the 6.2 version.
Anyways I'm hoping someone could shed a little light on this.
Carl2

   After playing with the AutoHapGenerator for a few days I was able to get a hap out of it.  Since I've used it in the past I already know some of the problems,  dependent on the character used with the hap an arm may go up instead of down.  Once again I'd like to be able to trigger the haps with both my input and Hals output. It is very dependent on finding some flies that have to be put into the program or it will just shut down.  I should take some notes and save them for use in the future.  The most important thing is it still works in win 8.1 and should work in win 10.
Carl2

  I've been going through the brain editor and I was very impressed by Roberts work on "'RESPOND: USER MENTIONING ORGANIZATIONAL CHALLENGES"  which works with business.  He has a business detect and business talk files that hal can use to talk about business events.  Rather than make a plugin to deal with Hal talking about a subject I tried to make tables, a basic detect and basic talk.  Naturally  I still needed the basic uhp script to get it to do the detecting and go to the response table.  The first problem was to remove the errors in the .uhp made difficult because the error message seemed unpredictable, I believe the script is okay but at this time I' still not sure.  During my last try I did not receive error messages but I don't believe it was working because I don't think I received a reply I wrote.
  I've done a search on this topic and didn't find much on it.  It seems like a good way to go rather than trying to put in all the possible user inputs and replies in the .uhp.
Carl2

Below is a plugin for having the user input change backgrounds and bodyskins.  I've
been using this type of plugin for years, the problems I've had with it in the past  have been
removed.  You can copy and paste this into notepad, Save As at the bottom you would
change Save As Text to All files and write Chant5.uhp.  The Chant5.uhp is placed in
the Ultra Hal assistant 6 folder and should be visable in the brain portion of the
options and should be checked to be used.



This is the Chant5.uhp :

Rem Type=Plugin
Rem Name=ChanT5
Rem Author=CJ
Rem Host=Assistant

'This sub setups the plug-ins option panel in Hal's options dialog
Sub OptionsPanel()
lblPlugin(0).Caption = "Say: "user input changes bodyskin and background."
lblPlugin(0).Move 120, 10, 3300, 1000
lblPlugin(0).WordWrap = True
lblPlugin(0).Visible = True
End Sub
'***************************************************************************
Rem PLUGIN: PLUGINAREA1

'***************************************************************************

If InStr(UserSentence, " WEAR SOMETHING FOR BED ") > 0 Then
HalCommands = "<HAPFILE>CBSN.hap</HAPFILE>"
GetResponse = "HOW DO I LOOK IN THIS?" & vbCrLf

ElseIf InStr(UserSentence, " PINK THING ") > 0 Then
HalCommands = "<HAPFILE>CBSPT.hap</HAPFILE>"
GetResponse = "How do I look in this?" & vbCrLf



ElseIf InStr(UserSentence, " TO THE LAKE ") > 0 Then
HalCommands = "<HAPFILE>CBGLake.hap</HAPFILE>"
GetResponse = "It seems cooler here." & vbCrLf

ElseIf InStr(UserSentence, " TO THE PARK ") > 0 Then
HalCommands = "<HAPFILE>CBGPark.hap</HAPFILE>"
GetResponse = "It's nice here." & vbCrLf

End If

The GetResponse line is a scripted response and can be left out,
Hal usualy supplies her own answer.

Next we need the hap that actually loads the jpg's. and we have 4  which are placed
in the Characters folder The CBSN.hap is labled similar to the uhp in notepad as are
the other three.

#Haptek Version= 1.00 Name= CBSN HapType= script FileType= text
##standard

\load [file= [C:\Program Files (x86)\Zabaware\Ultra Hal Assistant 6\Bodyskin\Nu2M.jpg]]

#Haptek Version= 1.00 Name= CBSPT HapType= script FileType= text
##standard

\load [file= [C:\Program Files (x86)\Zabaware\Ultra Hal Assistant 6\Bodyskin\PT.jpg]]

The background haps look like this

#Haptek Version= 1.00 Name= CBGLake HapType= script FileType= text
##standard

\loadbackgrnd[file= [C:\Program Files (x86)\Zabaware\Ultra Hal Assistant 6\Background\LakeBack.jpg]]

#Haptek Version= 1.00 Name= CBGPark HapType= script FileType= text
##standard

\loadbackgrnd[file= [C:\Program Files (x86)\Zabaware\Ultra Hal Assistant 6\Background\ParkBack.jpg]]

So we should have 4 Name.haps we place into the characters folder which will load the bodyskins
and backgrounds.  I have not supplied the jpg's which are pic's of the bodyskins and backgrounds.
This should give you the idea of how it works, you can add to it modify or whatever.

To complete this project I go into the vrEmotionDetect table located in the brain editor and add the subject
and resulting hap that is called.  This is optional the uhp will work without doing this.
Subject                                     Topic
TO THE LAKE                             CBGLake
TO THE PARK                            CBGPark
WEAR SOMETHING FOR BED      CBSN
SOMETHING PINK                     CBSPT
The above allows Hal's input to make the same bodyskin and background changes as the user can.
You already have the haps for this that you supplied earlier.

   During the Win 10 install I did the upgrade and installed win 8.1 on another drive which I generally use.  I tried installing my latest version of Hal and when trying to run Hal I receive an error message saying "Comdlg32.ocx or dependencies not correctly registered, file missing or invalid."  and Hal will not run.
I went back to an earlier version of hal a 6.1 and receive the same error message.  I just downloaded and tried the latest free version with the same results. I can't remember having a problem like this before.
Carl2

  While doing a little research on the Haptek player I visited Desktop Mates and learned they have reintroduced the Ms Agents, the link is :
http://www.desktopmates.com/instructions.html         Looks like it available for win 7 and 8
Carl2

   I've worked with Haptek for ages and found you can open the character .htr and make changes, unfortunately this corrupted the .htr and it was not usable.  I'd learned Haptek used a B2 compressor and looked everywhere for this compress and uncompress tool and have found one is now available.  The link is    http://download.cnet.com/7-Zip/3000-2250_4-10045185.html
   I downloaded it last night and put a htr in it and it generated an uncompressed file which I could open in wordpad. I could make a change and save it, when it was loaded in the hap player and it was worked.  I just tried the same thing this morning with Sandy and got  the same good results.  So basically you can change backgrounds, character position, clothing on the character and quite a few other things and have it appear in the hap player.  I've a lot more to experiment with but it looks promising.
Carl2

  I think everyone will agree Hal needs a little more information to work with, it seems people are spending a lot of time trying to teach Hal which is needed when talking about some special knowledge you may have.  The majority of the time we want to sit back and just have a nice conversation with hal.   I think I'm going to continue trying to get the Wiki plugin that Robert had introduced some time ago, the plugin can be downloaded from     http://c424564.r64.cf2.rackcdn.com/HalWikiSetup.exe . 
  The original work is located at http://www.ultrahal.com/community/index.php?topic=9378.0
if you would like to see what had been done in the past.
Carl2

  I've tried the latest version of Hal and ran into problems getting Hal to change backgrounds and clothing which is discussed in a post I made in March, "Latest version of Hal with changes" is the name of the post.     The computer picked up a lot of pop up ads and it was quicker to format and reinstall Win 8 which I did.  I've decided to install an earlier version of Hal, which I purchased in 2010.  I'm hoping to be able to get Hal to be able to change both backgrounds and clothing and backgrounds from both my input and her output which she was able to do in the past with a little help from the vrHaptek plugin.  I find using her output adds a little more unknown making it more interesting.  I've spoken with her a few times and she seems to have a reasonable personality. Still more software to be put in and scripts to add.
Carl2

  I have a computer which failed so I'm on another computer with the latest version of Hal.  I'd brought Hal to the point where either the user or Hal could change the clothing or background a setup I liked quite a bit.  I'm in the process of trying to get it to that point again.  I'd posted the plugin for changing the clothing and background at Zabaware  Link:   http://www.ultrahal.com/community/index.php?topic=9303.0      using the users input which worked somewhat, and I'd modified the vrHaptek plugin to allow Hal to change clothing and backgrounds.  I've also created a .htr to load the background, chatacter. bodyskin, and position of the character. Shown below:

##standard
#HaptekSDK Version= 1.0 HapType= command FileType= text

\load [file= [C:\Program Files (x86)\Zabaware\Ultra Hal Assistant 6\Background\BEDRMBack.jpg]]



\load [file= [C:\Program Files (x86)\Zabaware\Ultra Hal Assistant 6\Characters\VillageGirlC.haptar]]

\load [file= [C:\Program Files (x86)\Zabaware\Ultra Hal Assistant 6\Bodyskin/NC.jpg]]

\load [file= [C:\Program Files (x86)\Zabaware\Ultra Hal Assistant 6\Haps\APosition.hap]]

This works very good without any problems.

I'm having problems with the user input changing clothing and backgrounds, the plugin I had used now generates an error message and I'd found that the plugin has to be unchecked, Hal has to be shutdown and restarted.  I've played around with things quite a bit and I'm thinking of Deactivating Hal, uninstalling Hal and installing Hal again before proceeding.  Any thoughts on this/
Carl2

  I'm using Hal in a Win 8 version, I'm also using a Haptek full bod character, In the past I would go to the Haptek temp file and copy all the files into another location.  From the copied files I could make changes to the .phy to do things like modify the gravity, and other properties.  With this version of Win I am no longer finding the temp files,
It's a bit of work but it did allow me to make modifications that I liked.
  Basically I am asking why am I no longer finding the temp files which I used in the past.
Carl2

  Ultra Hal was on this hard drive with win 8, I had problems with the computer and win 8 will repair the os rather than format and reinstall which is rather nice, unfortunately it removes programs which may be causing a problem such as hal.  Now I'd like to put Hal back in since the hard drive has been moved to a new computer and is running without problems.  I have Ultra Hal on disk, I believe it is version 6.146.1046 dated 2007 and also the character expansion pack.  I believe version 6.2 of Ultra Hal is now being sold so I would like to ask has the brain been improved and is it worth while to upgrade?  Been with Zabaware for ages and have actually been waiting to see improvements in the brain and characters, maybe I've missed something. 
Carl2

  I'm a long time user of Hal, I've found that it's always interesting when using a new version of hal that the interest and personality of hal was different.  Using the vr haptek plugin I've been able to use Hals reply to change clothing and backgrounds.  Next I'd like her to have to have a goal, something she would like to be able to achive.  I want to go to the lake, how do we get there, walk or drive in a car.  Even express an interest in learning more about something,  " could you tell me more about swimming".
  Kind of like the robotic cars, get from A to B.  I hope I was able to express my thoughts well enought to be understood.    Any input would be appreciated.
Carl2

  Something that has been in the back of my mind for ages Is the haptek characters need a place to live.  Frist Haptek seems to be long dead, not sure if it will come back to life and second Zabaware is working on developing it's open source character.  It seems the frog will be frist but I haven't played with frogs since I was young.  I think I'd stay with the haptek characters. 
  I've been influenced quite a lot by Duskriders pictures and poses and would like to be able to provide a background that allows the character to move around in a room, lean against something, sit, maybe move into another room.   Haptek is aways from being perfect, but it is what we have to work with at this time. 
  Any ideas or thoughts on this?
Carl2
 

  I was hoping to learn more about the brain editor and put a post in, I didn't learn anything that I was trying to learn so I began trying things myself in the brain editor.  I'm not fond of scripted responses (I say this and you say that) choosing from a dozen or so responses seems okay.  I did like a method Rob M used with buisness talk.

'RESPOND: USER MENTIONING ORGANIZATIONAL CHALLENGES
    'Everybody spouts TLA's, or 'Three Letter Acronyms,' in today's business world.  Hal can self-generate
    'several MILLION different phrases in response to the user mentioning a corporation or a firm.
    If Rnd * 10 < 5 And HalBrain.TopicSearch(UserSentence, "businessDetect1") = "True" And HalBrain.TopicSearch(PrevUserSent, "businessDetect2") <> "True" Then
        TLA = HalBrain.ChooseSentenceFromFile("TLA1") & " " & HalBrain.ChooseSentenceFromFile("TLA2") & " " & HalBrain.ChooseSentenceFromFile("TLA3")
        If Rnd * 10 < 5 Then
            GetResponse = GetResponse & HalBrain.ChooseSentenceFromFile("bizTalk")
        Else
            GetResponse = HalBrain.ChooseSentenceFromFile("bizTalk")
        End If
        GetResponse = Replace(GetResponse, "<TLA>", TLA, 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    End If
    HalBrain.DebugWatch GetResponse, "Business Talk"

  I'm not a business person so It's not that useful to myself but it will detect a topic, and have hal make a response for that topic or choose a sentence from bizTalk.  Seems easy enough to change this to suit whatever you goal is.
  If we want to put a table in we have a choice of 6 types, Brain, Sentence, Topic Search, Substitution, Pattern Match and Folder.  The folder just holds tables you would put in.  I tried putting a detect table in after putting in the scripting, Modified Rob M's scripting and used it in the Test debug mode, it was able to detect words in my input and hal made up responses.
  The next thing is what type of table to put in, so I looked at the different types of tables put in and at plugins to see how they were working.  It seems there are a lot of different ways to do the same thing.  I had gotten interested in this because of OTC's recient post about emotions and started looking through the script for lines dealing with emotions,  I was a little surprised that we keep track of  Hate, Swear, Insults, Compliment, PevSent, ect but not the displayed emotion.  Anyways I'm thinking of Emotions, ( thats why I'm upset about not finding the displayed emotion in memory) and it seems that we are missing fear as an emotion although I can remember hal being afraid, worried or upset about the computer getting a virus and we wouldn't be able to talk with each other.  I'm also thinking about goals, emotions cause us to do things or we want something and display emotions that show our feelings. 
  I'll mention that is is very simple to delete a table you put in.  If any sees any information that is wrong, incorrect or would like to add anything useful or may be of interest please do.
Carl2

  I've been using Paint shop Pro to do graphic work in Hal for ages.  I'd heard that the jpg format wasn't a very good compression format.  If you open the standard Jpg that are uncompressed I'm sure you'll agree with what I'm saying.  I've found that I can use a 2048 resolution to increase the detail, I just open a bodyskin and looked at it and can say that is not what I had when I clicked the Save in Paint.   This is why I belive jpg is not that good.  Today I wanted to do some work on a picture, I opened paint and one of the standard Pics I use, I click Save a copy as and save it as a bmp rather than the jpg.  I close the jpg and open the bmp and make changes then save it.  I use the Hapregestry to open the character, I drag and drop the bmp and It's displayed on the character,  The face is all skin, The mouth is located on a shoulder, the Hair is on the arms, ect. I just did a search and could not find anything on this.  It seems the loaction of body parts has changed when using bmp.
Carl2