HelpBot - Version 1.3 03/17/1999

HelpBot is a Utility "Bot" program for performing various tasks in the ActiveWorlds environment. It was developed utilizing the recently released SDK set of programming tools. HelpBot can be a GreeterBot, TourGuideBot, ReceptionBot, HelpDeskBot, or all of the above. Some of HelpBot's features are:

Greet arriving visitors

Cycle through a set of phrases at a preset frequency

Move to specific locations during each of these phrases acting like a tour guide

Log visitors to a file

Log chat to a file

Keywords can be associated to help phrases

Multiple Bot Masters can be configured

Masters can command the Bot to eject an elusive offensive person

Masters can leave messages with the Bot destined for other registered citizens. The messages will be retrieved upon the citizens next arrival in that world.

Masters can check their messages at any time

A Master can command the Bot to follow anyone

The Bot can be commanded to goto a specific set of coordinates and face a particular direction

Masters can control most of the options via whispers to the Bot

The Bot can be reconfigured "on-the-fly" by changing the init file and whispering the "reconfig" command

The Bots avatar can be changed "on-the-fly" via a whisper by a Master

A subset of the Bots commands are available via an ESC keypress in the console window. No need to open the AW browser

The Bot can be put into "record" mode so tours can be scripted and then loaded for playback

You can define the Bots "local" rectangle and it will greet anyone that enters that rectangle

HelpBot is SHAREWARE. To help me continue development of this fine product, all I ask is a small donation of $20 if you download HelpBot and find it useful. Mail $20US to:

HelpBot
PO Box 106
Jackson, NJ 08527

Download

HelpBot v1.3
Documentation
All of the parameters necessary to get HelpBot up and running are configurable in its INIT file (helpbot.ini). The supplied template INIT file is commented throughout and I will not go into the details here. It should be self-explanatory. The documentation here is to explain the online commanding by Masters and others that visit the world where HelpBot is running. Lets start with the online commands available to Masters:

Master Commands

Console commands are accessed by pressing the ESC key and then typing command at the "HelpBot>>" prompt

Command
syntax (W)hispered
(S)poken
(C)onsole Description

action|<number> W This will cause the Bot to execute one of the preprogrammed actions available to the current selected avatar.
Example: action|3

assist <on/off> W/C This turns "on" or "off" the bots ability to respond to the "Help Key" words.

avatar|<number> W/C This will change the Bots avatar. This number is based on the available avatars for the world it is in and the number is indexed from 0.
Example: avatar|41

check msgs W Masters can check for waiting messages at any time with this command

citnum <citizen> W/C This command will query the Citizen Number of any AW "citizen"

coords W This command will ask the Bot what its current X, Y, Z and Yaw are. It will answer....This is command can be used to "script" the roving coordinates for a tour. If the Bot is in "record" mode, this command will write the Bot's current location to the record.log file in the proper format

die W This kills the Bot process and logs it off

eject|<citizen>|<mins> W This is for those elusive offenders that say "Catch me if you can!" and run off into your world spitting out obscenities as they run...No need to catch up to them and have to right-click on their avatar to eject them...let the Bot do it for you.
Example: eject|IAmAButt|10

follow W This will cause the Bot to follow right along side you until you issue the "stop" command. This shuts off roving automatically. You must move after executing this command to get the Bot to move up along side you.

follow <citizen> W This will cause the Bot to follow right along side of "citizen" until a Master issues the "stop" command. This shuts off roving automatically. The "citizen" must move after executing this command to get the Bot to move up along side.

freq|<num of secs> W This sets the frequency in seconds for how often one of the cycling speech phrases is spoken.
Example: freq|60

goto|<W/E>|<N/S> W This will instruct the Bot to goto a specific set of coordinates.
Example: goto|2|1

greet <on/off> W/C This turns "on" or "off" the greeting for new arrivals to the World
Example: greet off

list visitors W This command needs a little work, but basically if visitor logging is activated, it will spill out a "semi-sorted" list of the visitors contained in the logfile.

load <file> W This will load in a previously recorded tour that was created with the "record" command. Even a "reconfig" will reload this file.

localgreet <on/off> W/C This turns "on" or "off" the Bots greetings when someone enters their local rectangle as defined in the INIT file.

msg|<citizen>|<text> W This will leave a "text" message for "citizen" with the Bot. The next time the "citizen" enters the World, and the Bot is running, the Bot will whisper any messages left for them.
Example: msg|Kalen|Nice Bot, what can't you do?

mute W Same as "speech off"

reconfig W Causes the Bot to re-read the INIT file. This facilitates changes "on-the-fly" for such things as "Help Key/help Text" pairs, the cycling speech or even adding or removing Masters.

record W This will cause the Bot to record all "coords" and "say" commands issued by the same Master that issues the "record" command to a file suitable for playback using the "load" command, or that can be pasted into the INIT file for scripting the tour. The files will be sequentially named "record0.log", "record1.log", etc...

rove <on/off> W/C This turns "on" or "off" the roving capability of the Bot
Example: rove off

say|<text> W/C This will instruct the Bot to Say a particular string of "text". This command will also write the "text" portion to the record.log file if the Bot is in "record" mode. This should always be after issuing a "coords" command. The Bot will prompt for the "say" command
Example: say|Danger Will Robinson

speak W Same as "speech on"

speech <on/off> W/C This turns "on" or "off" the cycling Speech
Example: speech off

status W/S/C This queries the Bots status returning information on when it was activated, a visitor count, commands processed count and command errors count

stop W This stops the Bot from following you after a "follow" command.

tracking W/C This queries the number of avatars, their names and citizens numbers that the Bot is currently tracking

turn|<angle> W This will instruct the Bot to turn and face a particular direction
Example: turn|45

version W This returns the HelpBots Version information

whisper|<citizen>|<text> W This will instruct the Bot to "whisper" a particular string of "text" to a specific "citizen"
Example: whisper|BoZo|Are those really your feet?

Copyright © 1999 Shaun "Kalen" Finn kalen@download.net

Command syntax	(W)hispered (S)poken (C)onsole	Description
action\|<number>	W	This will cause the Bot to execute one of the preprogrammed actions available to the current selected avatar. Example: action\|3
assist <on/off>	W/C	This turns "on" or "off" the bots ability to respond to the "Help Key" words.
avatar\|<number>	W/C	This will change the Bots avatar. This number is based on the available avatars for the world it is in and the number is indexed from 0. Example: avatar\|41
check msgs	W	Masters can check for waiting messages at any time with this command
citnum <citizen>	W/C	This command will query the Citizen Number of any AW "citizen"
coords	W	This command will ask the Bot what its current X, Y, Z and Yaw are. It will answer....This is command can be used to "script" the roving coordinates for a tour. If the Bot is in "record" mode, this command will write the Bot's current location to the record.log file in the proper format
die	W	This kills the Bot process and logs it off
eject\|<citizen>\|<mins>	W	This is for those elusive offenders that say "Catch me if you can!" and run off into your world spitting out obscenities as they run...No need to catch up to them and have to right-click on their avatar to eject them...let the Bot do it for you. Example: eject\|IAmAButt\|10
follow	W	This will cause the Bot to follow right along side you until you issue the "stop" command. This shuts off roving automatically. You must move after executing this command to get the Bot to move up along side you.
follow <citizen>	W	This will cause the Bot to follow right along side of "citizen" until a Master issues the "stop" command. This shuts off roving automatically. The "citizen" must move after executing this command to get the Bot to move up along side.
freq\|<num of secs>	W	This sets the frequency in seconds for how often one of the cycling speech phrases is spoken. Example: freq\|60
goto\|<W/E>\|<N/S>	W	This will instruct the Bot to goto a specific set of coordinates. Example: goto\|2\|1
greet <on/off>	W/C	This turns "on" or "off" the greeting for new arrivals to the World Example: greet off
list visitors	W	This command needs a little work, but basically if visitor logging is activated, it will spill out a "semi-sorted" list of the visitors contained in the logfile.
load <file>	W	This will load in a previously recorded tour that was created with the "record" command. Even a "reconfig" will reload this file.
localgreet <on/off>	W/C	This turns "on" or "off" the Bots greetings when someone enters their local rectangle as defined in the INIT file.
msg\|<citizen>\|<text>	W	This will leave a "text" message for "citizen" with the Bot. The next time the "citizen" enters the World, and the Bot is running, the Bot will whisper any messages left for them. Example: msg\|Kalen\|Nice Bot, what can't you do?
mute	W	Same as "speech off"
reconfig	W	Causes the Bot to re-read the INIT file. This facilitates changes "on-the-fly" for such things as "Help Key/help Text" pairs, the cycling speech or even adding or removing Masters.
record	W	This will cause the Bot to record all "coords" and "say" commands issued by the same Master that issues the "record" command to a file suitable for playback using the "load" command, or that can be pasted into the INIT file for scripting the tour. The files will be sequentially named "record0.log", "record1.log", etc...
rove <on/off>	W/C	This turns "on" or "off" the roving capability of the Bot Example: rove off
say\|<text>	W/C	This will instruct the Bot to Say a particular string of "text". This command will also write the "text" portion to the record.log file if the Bot is in "record" mode. This should always be after issuing a "coords" command. The Bot will prompt for the "say" command Example: say\|Danger Will Robinson
speak	W	Same as "speech on"
speech <on/off>	W/C	This turns "on" or "off" the cycling Speech Example: speech off
status	W/S/C	This queries the Bots status returning information on when it was activated, a visitor count, commands processed count and command errors count
stop	W	This stops the Bot from following you after a "follow" command.
tracking	W/C	This queries the number of avatars, their names and citizens numbers that the Bot is currently tracking
turn\|<angle>	W	This will instruct the Bot to turn and face a particular direction Example: turn\|45
version	W	This returns the HelpBots Version information
whisper\|<citizen>\|<text>	W	This will instruct the Bot to "whisper" a particular string of "text" to a specific "citizen" Example: whisper\|BoZo\|Are those really your feet?