:ASK

Purpose

Queries the user. The user can confirm that a fact is true or not true, or can supply a value to be stored in a relation.

Parameters

clause OR: A clause to be confirmed.
String: A true/false question to be asked.

Examples

  (:ASK (Friend MIKE ALLIE))    ;; user will confirm yes or no
  (:ASK (Friend MIKE ?who))     ;; user will be asked to enter a value for ?who

Success criteria

The users answers Y or T.
The clause is already in the KB.
The user supplies a valid response.

Failure criteria

The user answers N or F.
The user does not supply a valid response.

Notes

Algernon will create a numbered list of all possible values for a non-ground clause. The user will enter a number from the list. This could be a user-interface problem if there are a lot of potential values. This could happen if, for example, the range of a slot is the root class or a class high in the class hierarchy.

Related commands

:PRINT
:PRINTLN

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