andersonba/yve-bot

Smart rule-based bot. For Browser & Node.

yve-bot

The simplest way to build a smart and customized rule-based bot conversation. For Browser & Node environment.

Live demo / Playground

Documentation

Code examples: Yaml - CLI - Browser - Node/Socket.io

yve-bot's Issues

Invalid format for validator with regex

Validator fails when the input is an integer, such as 7192689343.

    - message: Type your phone number. (with DDD)
      name: phone
      type: String
      validators:
        - regex: ^\(?\d{2}\)?\s?\d{4,5}[\.-\s]?\d{4}$

Option's limitation for Multiple/Single choices fields

Should be possible to limit how many options are shown to users in the list of Single/MultipleChoice fields.

Suggestion:

rule:
  - type: MultipleChoice
  - maxOptions: 3
  - options:
    - label: option1
    - label: option2
    - label: option3
    - label: option4
    - label: option5

Would show options 1,2 and the third one would be More options that would show the other options 3, 4 and 5.

Bundle analyzer

Analyze and optimize the bundle sizes

Problems when executors from ext/types threw exceptions

Exceptions thrown by ext/types are being imported based on a different object compared with the expected exceptions in core/controller.ts;

For example when StringSearch receives an empty result from server it throws a ValidatorError extracted from YveBot.exceptions and then controller tries to analyse it by checking if it is an instance of ValidatorError from module ./exceptions. This check results in a fail and then the bot get stuck :/

example: using react component

Extends UI from Core

Extend class from Core to avoid replication code and ensure the correct behavior with split modules (#28) and node/browser code sharing

ui: scroll down unstable when creating new message

Webpack should compile server and client-side files differently

When using node-fetch or any other package that have custom behavior for differents JS environment the compilation of core and ui files should be handled differently, each one using their own particularities.

host the libs on CDN

YveBot shouldn't throw an error when trying to re-define an existing action/type

It will be better if YveBot could re-define those objects BUT if user's force it!

My suggestion:

• Change throw Error behavior by a console.warn
• Allow users to re-define those items by passing an override = true parameter

publish to npm

add flows and rules to current chat instance

Support for add rules dynamically without using session (to avoid replacing all store)

ref #48

single/multiple-choices: support for compile message with option label

- name: colors
  options:
    - label: Black
      value: '#000'
    - label: White
      value: '#FFF'
 
- message: {{colors}} are colors

Result:

#000,#FFF are colors

Expected:

Black,White are colors

Some properties of bot's instances are statics!

Look these LOCs:

YveBot.prototype.types = new Types;
YveBot.prototype.actions = new Actions;
YveBot.prototype.executors = new Executors;
YveBot.prototype.validators = new Validators;

It means no matter how many times you create new instances (new YveBot()) all of them will have the same types, actions, executors, validators properties they are NOT an instance property but a class/static property.

Example:

> var a = new YveBot([{ message: 'Olá!', name: 'test' }], 'ttt');
undefined
> var b = new YveBot([{ message: 'Olá!', name: 'test' }], 'ttt2');
undefined
> a.types === b.types
true
> b.types.xxx
undefined
> a.types.xxx = 123
123
> b.types.xxx
123
> var c = new YveBot([{ message: 'Olá!', name: 'test' }], 'ttt3');
undefined
> c.types.xxx
123
> c.types === a.types
true

jump to first rule of flow

Currently, to jump to specific flow you need to enter the rule name: next: flow_name.rule_name, but it would be nice jump to the first rule of flow without having to type it.

Suggestion to how to jump to "identification" flow:

1. next: "flow:identification"
2. next: identification.
3. next: identification considering the flow as priority rather than the rule

using session?

One question about using session. I am doing as follows.

I starting both as

                  bot.session(sid).start();

and i save the bot state as following

                  bot.on("storechanged",(state,sid)=>{
                     save_to_database({state,sid})
                 })

and I pass the state as following

                const state = read_from_database(sid)
                bot.session(sid,{state}).hear(message);

am I using doing correct? because i am having problem at the previous line, the bot is not responding.
The state is look like this

                { currentIdx: 0, waitingForAnswer: true, output: {} } 

Want to know if this is correct way of using yve-bot.
Thanks in advance!

online IDE to build conversations

For testing purpose

Add replyMessage as prop options from SingleChoice field

It must be possible to set different replyMessage for each options from a SingleChoice field. It should also be possible to do so for MutipleChoice field but for them is not as simple as to the first one mentioned

user context support

Expected

// constructor
new YveBot(rules, {
  context: { user: 123 },
});

// session
bot.session(sid, {
  context: { user: 321 },
});

// how to access
bot.context.user

Is there anyway to add rules without using sessions?

I want to dynamically add rules without loosing the old ones. I need this to use yve-bot with conditional rules that are loaded dynamically based on user's choices on previous rules.

StringSearch validation fails when server result is 0

Method validateAnswer in controller.ts use utils.ensureArray to make sure that user's answer is an array to then iterate this resulted list in all rule's validators.

When a Type implements multiple executors with custom validator to each one of them it could face a "skip validation" of some executor depending on what transformation you do.

In the case of StringSearch type the first transformation get the server result and transforms it to a list of objects in the following shape: { label, value }. When server response is an empty array, the controller tries to iterate an empty string between the registered validators and them it doesn't behaves like expected because an empty array isn't iterated at all.

Suggested solution: each executor's transformation shall validate their own output if you're manipulating user's input into array

how to pass data using session?

How can I pass data through session?

For example,

           bot.session(channelId,{ somedata }).hear(text);

Then, how can I get it in "talk event"

        bot.on("talk", (text, data, sid) => {

          //how to get "somedata" here?

       })

I logged these "data" and could not figure out how to get "somedata"?

Thanks in advance!

core: session doesn't reset and reindex correctly

If rule option is passed, reindex.
If rule option is not passed, do nothing.
If store option is passed, replace store.
If store option is not passed, reset store.

inherited delay in replyMessage

- message: Hello
  delay: 1234
  replyMessage: Thanks

Types "Thanks" with delay defined in rule: 1234 or gets the default defined in yvebot options.

Make the bot passive

Support to jump at any time between the rules using keywords or messages.

Example:
A user sends "help" in anytime during the conversation, then the conversation jumps to a specific rule.

Errors thrown in Controller.run after first run couldn't be handled

When we start the bot with bot.start() it executes bot.controller.run with an auto-inserted promise catch: this.controller.run().catch(this.tryCatch). By doing this the bot is handling only the first execution of controller.run and all following executions are ran in background with no possibility to have an error handler :/

Suggestion: Controller.run should be wrapped in a try/catch and the error should be sent using controller.bot.dispatch('error', error)

How can I set up a rest endpoint without using socket.io?

It would be great if you provide an example of restifying the bot.

Custom validator is not working, could you provide an example?

I was trying to define an customer validator to check user's answer. If the answer is "yes","sure" ... then jump to one rule. Otherwise, terminate (which part I did not write yet).
Here is my code.

      bot.start();

     bot.validators.define("agreed", {
      validate: (expected, answer) => {
          console.log("answer:"answer)
          console.log("expected:"expected)
          return answer === "yes" || answer === "sure";
       },
          warning: "You disagree :( sorry!"
     });

The rules are as following.

        - message: How can I help you?
          name: hello
         type: String
         next: order
        

        - message: would like to order something?!
         name: order
         type: String
         -validators : 
             - agreed : true
               next: food

        - message: what do you like to have?

It works without that validator. I tried to print out inside the definition of validator, but nothing is printed.

Am I defining validator incorrectly?
Could you provide an example of validator or tell me what I am doing wrong here?

Thanks in advance!

example: facebook integration

run tests on ci

feature: grouping rules into flows

Group rules using flow concept.
The flow is not mandatory for rule specification.
It's just an optional feature to organize the bot conversations and prepare for next feature: Add new rules at runtime.

Defining a flow

- flow: flow_name
  rules:
    - List of rules
    - message: ...

# or

- message: List of rules
  flow: flow_name

- message: ...
  flow: flow_name

Jumping between flows

- flow: identification
  rules:
    - Welcome!
    - message: Your name?
      name: name
      type: String
    - message: Thanks!
      next: question.help
    - Skip

- flow: question
  rules:
    - message: Can I help you?
      name: help

# bot> Welcome!
# bot> Your name?
# usr> Anderson
# bot> Thanks
# bot> Can I help you?

Jumping inside flow

Keeping currently behavior

- flow: default
  rules:
    - message: Welcome
      next: end
    - message: Skip
    - message: End
      name: end
      exit: true

- flow: another
  rules:
    - Skip 2
    - message: Skip 3
      name: end

# bot> Welcome
# bot> End

rollup: fix bug on import UI lib

Change to UMD format to support import, plus the browser.

StringSearch type isn't working after selecting bubble from server's response

Some change from 1.9.0 to 1.10.0 that cause a malfunction on StringSearch

synonyms support

• Should receive a string (comma-separated)
• Should receive an array
• Should store the option.value in output instead of synonym

Expected:

- ...
  type: SingleChoice
  options:
    - value: Yes
      synonyms: Yep, All right, Okay
    - value: No
      synonyms:
        - Bye
        - Really?

> bot: Yes or no?
> user: yep
// store: { confirmation: "Yes" }

Not firing custom validator?

(asked that question earlier, but still the custom validator is not invoking).

I am trying to define a validator, so could do somewhat complex checking.
I am using your example to test the custom validator "agreed" as shown below.

                   - message: What's your name?
                     name: name
                     type: String
                     replyMessage: Thanks for the answer, {name}!

                 - message: What city do you live in?
                   name: city
                   type: String
                   -validators :
                      - agreed: true
                         next: choice


              - message: Make your choice
                name: choice
                type: SingleChoice
                options:
                   - label: 1
                   - label: 2

The program is the same as your "cli" example, I just added the validator "agreed".

           bot.validators.define("agreed", {
               validate: (expected, answer) => {
               console.log('agreed is invoked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!')
               console.log("EXPECTED", expected);
               console.log("ANSWER", answer);
               return true;
              },
            warning: "You disagree :( sorry!"
         });

I should be able to see these logs are printed, but it is not happening. The bot is going through all these messages, but never invoked the validator "agreed".

am I missing something here? Please, help!

Thanks in advance.

Make rule.parser method an async function

Since transform method is an async function I think rule.parser should also be an async function.

option value is overwritten by label when value is nullable

found using transform into a custom type

- ...
  options:
    - label: Empty value
      value: null

See https://github.com/andersonba/yve-bot/blob/master/src/ui/ui.ts#L47

Result: "Empty value"
Expected: null

Scroll down in "Continue" link after select an option

The bot should call scroll down after select or use visibility: hidden instead of display: none.

choose actions/validators using array of string [yaml]

Currently

- type: name
  actions:
    - action1: true
    - action2: true

Suggested

- type: name
  actions:
    - action1  # assumes true
    - action2
    - action3:
      prop1: value
      ...

types: improves transform definition

currently, we raise an error inside of transform to make it loopable, it seems bad.

expected: transform a set of user data by multiple steps into single output based on previous answers.

bot asks: what color?
 -> user answers: gr
   -> bot request api
   -> bot asks: gray or green
     -> user chooses: green
       -> bot store green

Customize time in bot typing

Configure it via options

ui: add extra classes to identify rule type in bubble messages

• yvebot-ruleType-SingleChoice
• yvebot-ruleType-MultipleChoice

Split types into plugin modules

Possibilite the user to choose which types will be used, reducing bundle size.

core: improves actions flow

• add postActions to be executed right after the user answer
• move actions to before exit

Expected:

preActions: before bot message
actions: after bot message
postActions: after user answer

tests: 100% coverage

• core/utils
• core/validators
• core/actions
• core/types
• core/store
• core/module
• core/bot
• core/controller
• core/exceptions
• ui/utils
• ui/ui
• ui/bot

show timestamp in conversation messages

Add bot name in the message

+------------------+
| YveBot
| Hi, I am YveBot!
+------------------+

how to get output in "talk"?

I have two questions.

1. Currently, I get user inputs when the conversation with the bot is over, as documentations show.

       bot.on('end', (output, sessionId) => {
                    console.log('User inputs:', output);
       });
   

is there a way to get it in the "talk" event? Note that I am using session.

2. In rules, we can inject the user’s answers into bot's replies. Is it possible to inject texts from somewhere also? For example, load some text from data base in an custom action of a rule, then inject the text into "replyMessage" of the rule?

I want the second one to display some data dynamically to users, so wondering how to achieve it.

Thanks in advance!

ui: do not scroll down to avoid breakdown of reading

avoid scroll down when current scroll position isn't bottom

String search type

Generic type to simulate an autocomplete on chat.

• bot asks a question
• user answers with some words
• bot calls search API to get the answer
  • if returns one result, ask for confirmation
  • if returns multiple, ask for choose options using MultipleChoice
• user continues the flow with the new value from API