AIML <that> Tag

AIML, which stands for Artificial Intelligence Markup Language, is like the language that chatbots and virtual assistants use to understand and respond to us. It’s the behind-the-scenes code that makes them talk to us in a way that feels natural.

Imagine you’re chatting with a friend. If they ask, “How’s the weather?” and you just met them, your answer might be different than if you’ve been talking about the weather for a while. The <that> tag in AIML is like the memory of our chatbot—it helps it remember what we were talking about.

Syntax:

<category>
  <pattern>USER_INPUT_PATTERN</pattern>
  <template>
    <!-- Response template -->
  </template>
  <that>CONTEXT_PATTERN</that>
</category>

Attributes:

• <pattern>: This tag defines the pattern of user input that the rule or pattern will respond to. It’s what the user might say or ask.
• <template>: This contains the possible responses that the chatbot can give. It could include variations or random responses for variety.
• <that>: It specifies the context pattern under which the rule defined by <pattern> should be applied. It helps in managing the context of the conversation.

Example: Directory for ‘that.aiml’

C:\ab\bots\test\aiml\that.aiml

XML

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<aiml version="1.0.1" encoding="UTF-8">

   <!-- Category 1: Initiating Weather Chat -->
   <category>
      <pattern>HOW ABOUT THE WEATHER</pattern>
      <template>Do you enjoy sunny days?</template>
   </category>

   <!-- Category 2: Responding to a Positive Weather Preference -->
   <category>
      <pattern>YES</pattern>
      <that>Do you enjoy sunny days</that>
      <template>Great! Sunshine always brings positive vibes.</template>
   </category>

   <!-- Category 3: Responding to a Negative Weather Preference -->
   <category>
      <pattern>NO</pattern>
      <that>Do you enjoy sunny days</that>
      <template>That's alright. Rainy days have their own charm.</template>
   </category>

</aiml>

Directory for ‘that.aiml.csv‘:

C:\ab\bots\test\aimlif\that.aiml.csv

UserResponse,Pattern,That,Template,FileName
YES,*,Do you enjoy sunny days,Great! Sunshine always brings positive vibes.,that.aiml
NO,*,Do you enjoy sunny days,That's alright. Rainy days have their own charm.,that.aiml

Output :

The `<that>` tag is like the memory of our chatbot. It helps our virtual companions remember what we said before, making our conversations feel natural and friendly. AIML, with its <that> tag magic, turns our interactions with chatbots into smart, enjoyable talks.