QiChatbot – Mastering QiChatVariable¶

Goal

In this tutorial, we will learn how to use the value of a variable in a QiChatbot, using QiChatVariable.

Prerequisites

Before stepping in this tutorial, you should:

Know how to use Android resources.
Be familiar with the Action notion. For further details, see: Running Actions on Pepper.
Know how to use the QiChatbot. For further details, see: Listen and reply — QiChatbot.
Be familiar with the Bookmark notion. For further details, see: QiChatbot – Mastering Bookmark.

Let’s start a new project

Start a new project, let’s call it QiChatVariablesPepper.
Robotify it and make sure it implements the QiSDK & the Robot Life Cycle.

For further details, see: Creating a robot application.

Creating the topic file¶

Create a new topic file named variable.top for the English (en) language.

Add the following content to this file:

topic: ~variable()

proposal: %read ^first["My robot is $var" "There is no value, type one"]

For more details about the syntax, see QiChat - Syntax.

Getting the variable¶

In this section, we will see how to retrieve the var variable present in our topic.

A QiChatbot variable is represented by a QiChatVariable.

Store the following fields in your MainActivity:

// Store the variable.
private var variable: QiChatVariable? = null
// Store the QiChatbot.
private var qiChatbot: QiChatbot? = null

// Store the variable.
private QiChatVariable variable;
// Store the QiChatbot.
private QiChatbot qiChatbot;

To retrieve a variable, use the variable method on a QiChatbot instance. It takes the variable name as parameter (here “var”).

In the onRobotFocusGained method, add the following code:

// Create a topic.
 val topic: Topic = TopicBuilder.with(qiContext)
        .withResource(R.raw.mimic_animal)
        .build()

// Create a new QiChatbot.
qiChatbot = QiChatbotBuilder.with(qiContext)
        .withTopic(topic)
        .build()

// Create a new Chat action.
val chat: Chat = ChatBuilder.with(qiContext)
        .withChatbot(qiChatbot)
        .build()

// Get the variable.
variable = qiChatbot.variable("var")

// Run the Chat action asynchronously.
chat.async().run()

// Create a topic.
Topic topic = TopicBuilder.with(qiContext)
        .withResource(R.raw.variable)
        .build();

// Create a new QiChatbot.
qiChatbot = QiChatbotBuilder.with(qiContext)
        .withTopic(topic)
        .build();

// Create a new Chat action.
Chat chat = ChatBuilder.with(qiContext)
        .withChatbot(qiChatbot)
        .build();

// Get the variable.
variable = qiChatbot.variable("var");

// Run the Chat action asynchronously.
chat.async().run();

Setting the variable¶

To set a value to a QiChatVariable, use the setValue method. Add the following code to your MainActivity class:

private fun assignVariable(value: String) {
    // Set the value.
    variable?.async()?.setValue(value)
}

private void assignVariable(String value) {
    // Set the value.
    variable.async().setValue(value);
}

Testing the functionality¶

We will implement this functionality using:

an EditText to enter the value,
a Button to save the value.

Modify your activity_main.xml file with the following code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<android.support.constraint.ConstraintLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:focusableInTouchMode="true"
    tools:context=".MainActivity"
    tools:layout_editor_absoluteY="0dp"
    tools:layout_editor_absoluteX="0dp">

    <EditText
        android:id="@+id/variable_editText"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:ems="10"
        android:inputType="text"
        android:hint="Value"
        app:layout_constraintRight_toLeftOf="@+id/assign_button"
        app:layout_constraintLeft_toLeftOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent"
        android:layout_marginTop="8dp"
        app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent"
        android:layout_marginBottom="8dp" />

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/assign_button"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Assign"
        app:layout_constraintRight_toRightOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintLeft_toRightOf="@+id/variable_editText"
        app:layout_constraintBaseline_toBaselineOf="@+id/variable_editText" />

</android.support.constraint.ConstraintLayout>

Add these fields to your MainActivity class:

// Store the Bookmark used to read the variable.
private var readBookmark: Bookmark? = null

private EditText variableEditText;
// Store the Bookmark used to read the variable.
private Bookmark readBookmark;

Add the following retrieveAndAssignVariable method:

private fun retrieveAndAssignVariable() {
    val value: String = variable_editText.text
    edit_text.text = ""
    assignVariable(value)
}

private void retrieveAndAssignVariable() {
    String value = variable_editText.getText().toString();
    variableEditText.setText("");
    assignVariable(value);
}

Add this line to the onRobotFocusGained method to retrieve the Bookmark:

readBookmark = topic.bookmarks["read"]

readBookmark = topic.getBookmarks().get("read");

And modify the assignVariable method:

private fun assignVariable(value: String) {.
    // Set the value.
    variable?.async()?.setValue(value).andThenConsume {
        // Read the value.
        qiChatbot?.goToBookmark(readBookmark, AutonomousReactionImportance.HIGH, AutonomousReactionValidity.IMMEDIATE)
    }
}

private void assignVariable(String value) {
    // Set the value.
    variable.async().setValue(value).andThenConsume(ignore -> {
        // Read the value.
        qiChatbot.goToBookmark(readBookmark, AutonomousReactionImportance.HIGH, AutonomousReactionValidity.IMMEDIATE);
    });
}

Note

We are using AutonomousReactionImportance.HIGH and AutonomousReactionValidity.IMMEDIATE so that the Chat goes to the specified bookmark right away.

Add the following code in the onCreate method:

// Assign variable on assign button clicked.
assign_button.setOnClickListener { retrieveAndAssignVariable() }

// Assign variable on assign button clicked.
Button assignButton = findViewById(R.id.assign_button);
assignButton.setOnClickListener(v -> retrieveAndAssignVariable());

variableEditText = findViewById(R.id.variable_editText);

Let’s try it¶

The sources for this tutorial are available on GitHub.

Step	Action
	Install and run the application. For further details, see: Running an application.
	Choose “Mastering QiChat variable”.
	Type “Pepper” and validate. Pepper says “My robot is Pepper”.
	Type “smart” and validate. Pepper says “My robot is smart”.

You are now able to use variables in a QiChatbot!