METAbolt Based Pandorabots Updated With Multiple Tip Jar Support

All METAbolt based Pandorabots have been updated to provide support for deployment of multiple Smart Tip Jars. The products updated are:

• Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On
• Smart Dance Pole
• Smart Dance Pole and Tip Jar Combo Pack
• Smart Tip Jar 

The Smart Tip Jar now includes a notecard setting to specify the key of the METAbolt based avatar bot to associate with the tip jar. The Tip_Config notecard in the Smart Tip Jar can be modified to set BOT_KEY. Once a valid key is specified in Tip_Config that tip jar will only trigger outfit changes in the avatar designated by that key. The avatar bot's key can be located in the base prim description field or, with some viewers, in the avatar bot's profile. Connecting the Smart Tip Jar to an individual avatar bot allows multiple tip jars to operate within 20 meters of each other.

If you only deploy a single METAbolt based Pandorbot and a single Smart Tip Jar then there is no need to set the BOT_KEY in Tip_Config.

Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On is not associated with or sponsored by METAbolt (http://www.metabolt.net).

How to Animate Your Actorbot or METAbolt Pandorabot

The Pandorabot Actorbot Add-On and Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On can utilize dance, sit, and stand animations much like an Animation Overrider (AO). To enable this feature, drag animations from the owner's inventory into the base prim. In order for the preconfigured dance, sit, and stand commands to function properly the dances must contain the string “dance” in their name, the sits must contain the string “sit” in their names, and the stands must contain the string “stand” in their name. The strings “dance”, “sit”, and “stand” are case insensitive. To rename an animation in your inventory, right click on the animation and select “Rename”. Alternately, you can simply load your animations in the dance pole without renaming them and ignore the dialog menu otions to specify animation type. Renaming animations according to type is recommended.

Note that any AO the bot is wearing will most often have no effect since the bot is "sitting" on the base prim. In fact, it is recommended that bots detach any AO prior to being deployed as some AO's can interfere with the animations in the base prim.

Many excellent animations are freely available either inworld or on the Second Life Marketplace. Once you have located an AO for your bot, extract the animations from the contents of the AO, rename them if necessary, and drag them to the contents of the base prim. To extract the animations from an AO, drag the AO from your inventory to the ground. Right click on the rezzed AO and select "Edit". Click on the "Contents" tab and drag the animations you wish to use from the edit window to your inventory.

A few Marketplace links to free or inexpensive AO's and dances:

• AO's L$0 - L$10
• Dance Animations L$0 - L$10
• Dance Pole with 17 sexy animations (for the Smart Dance Pole)
• Vista Basic Female AO (2 stands)
• TuTy's Elite Sexy Female AO (9 stands, 4 ground sits)
• Bright AO (lots of male and female animations - excellent AO)
• Restless Dance Ball (my dance ball - several dances, L$75)

Inworld you can find many excellent inexpensive animations for L$10 - L$15 at Kuso Kuso. Note also that you do not have to use animations from an AO. Many standalone animations are suitable for use in the base prim.

How to Create Custom Pandorabot Responses

Second Life Pandorabots come preconfigured with AI response capabilities using Wikipedia, Wolfram Alpha, and an Artificial Linguistic Internet Computer Entity (A.L.I.C.E.) programmed in AIML. By default, all Pandorbots use a customized Bot ID at pandorabots.com for their AIML responses. This default Bot ID has been extensively customized for use in Second Life by the Second Life Pandorbots. However, some owners of Second Life Pandorabots may wish to customize their Pandorabot to provide responses specific to their deployment (e.g. shop attendant, tour guide, roleplay bot, etc).

Create Your Own Bot At Pandorabots.com
In order to provide site specific customized responses for your Pandorabot you need to create your own Bot at pandorabots.com. First, sign-up for an account at pandorabots.com by visiting http://pandorabots.com/botmaster/en/new-account. After you have registered for an account and logged in, click "Create a Pandorabot". Enter a name for your Pandorabot in the name field and select one of the "Startup AIML" choices. The default Pandorabot Bot ID uses Dr Wallace's A.L.I.C.E. for the startup AIML and this is the one you should select if you are going to be copying the Second Life Pandorabots AIML (see below).

Train Your New Bot
Once you have entered a name and selected a startup AIML, click "Create Pandorabot". You are now ready to either train or program your customized Pandorabot. The easiest way to provide custom responses is by "training" the Pandorabot. Click on the "Train" button near the top of the page. This allows you to enter phrases a human might say to your Pandorabot, see what the Pandorabot would reply, and type in the response that you would like your Pandorabot to give instead.

Edit Your New Bot's Properties
In addition to training your Pandorabot for specific phrase recognition and custom responses you can edit the Properties of your Pandorabot by clicking on the "Properties" button near the top of the page. Fill in, add, or change any of the Property fields on this page and click "Submit Changes" at the bottom of the page.

Upload Replacement And New AIML Files
Advanced botmasters can more extensively program the Pandorabot by editing the AIML (Artificial Intelligence Markup Language). This allows you to more generally specify patterns to recognize, categories, and templates with which to respond. To edit your Pandorabot's AIML, click on the "AIML" button near the top of the page. Here you can download, modify, and upload the AIML files your Pandorabot uses. First, let's see how you would replace some of your Pandorabot's AIML files with the ones I have customized for use in Second Life.

To use the AIML I have customized download a zip file of my AIML files at http://tinyurl.com/c433udn . My modified AIML files have been  named "AnaA", "AnaB", and so on denoting they replace the default AIML files named "A", "B", and so on.

Once you have downloaded my custom AIML return to the AIML tab at pandorabots.com. In the right hand column, uncheck the AIML files you will be replacing (e.g. uncheck A.aiml if you will be uploading my AnaA.aiml). At the bottom of the page, upload the custom AIML files you wish to use (e.g. the ones you downloaded from Scribd).

In addition to uploading my custom AIML replacement files you can create your own new AIML file specifying the responses you wish your Pandorabot to use. Copy an existing AIML file, rename it, and modify the categories, patterns, and templates to suit your individual bot's deployment. For instance, copy the "pandorabots" AIML file and rename it "MyShop.aiml" replacing the categories, patterns, and templates with phrases to match and responses suited to your shop. Upload your new AIML file(s).

Publish Your New Bot And Copy The Bot ID
Once you have customized your Bot as pandorabots.com you must "Publish" it to get a Bot ID. Click on the bot's name then the "publish" link. You will be taken to a page which says:
This pandorabot is published at:
http://www.pandorabots.com/pandora/talk?botid=blablabla 
Where "blablabla" above is your Bot ID. Copy this string.
Edit the Configuration notecard in your Second Life Pandorabot.
Add a line at the top of the notecard something like:
    BOT_ID = b8dad52dce344c95
but instead of "b8dad52dce344c95" use the Bot ID you copied
above. Save the notecard. You're done.

Subsequent changes to AIML you make at pandorabots.com will
be reflected immediately in your Second Life Pandorabot once
you republish your bot at pandorabots.com.

How to Setup Your Wolfram Alpha App ID

All recent Pandorabots can query Wolfram Alpha for factual answers and computational replies. This includes the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On, Pandorabot Actorbot Add-On, Smart Dance Pole, Inner Spheres, and all Pandorabots. Wolfram Alpha provides what is arguably the largest most intelligent database of publicly accessible information in the world. Wolfram Alpha and Wikipedia enabled Pandorabots are arguably the smartest scripted agents in the world.

However, your Pandorabot is initially configured to access Wolfram Alpha with a shared Application ID that is limited to 2000 queries per month and used by all other unconfigured Pandorabots. It's important to setup your Pandorabot with its own unique Wolfram Alpha AppID.

To configure your Pandorabot with a unique Wolfram Alpha AppID, signup for a Wolfram Alpha Application ID by visiting http://products.wolframalpha.com/api and click the "Sign up" button. Fill out the form with a valid email address, any name you wish, and a brief description of your Pandorabot. Check the terms of use agreement box and enter the password you wish to use and confirm your password. Click "Sign up" again.

You should now be signed in to the Wolfram Alpha Developer Portal and, on the My Apps tab. Click the "Get an AppID" button and fill out the "Get a New AppID" form. Use any Application name and description you like. Click the "Get AppID" button. Copy the APPID string and click "OK".

The APPID string you copied should be stored somewhere. This is the Wolfram Alpha AppID you will use in your Pandorabot. Edit the Pandorabot Configuration notecard by right clicking on the Pandorabot or base prim and selecting "Edit". Click on the Contents tab and right click on the Configuration notecard selecting "Open". Add the following line at the top of the notecard:
    ALPHA_APP_ID = the-appid-string-you-copied
Save the notecard and close the edit window.

To recap:

• Visit http://products.wolframalpha.com/api and click "Sign up"
• Fill out the form and click "Sign up"
• Click "Get an AppID" and fill out the form
• Click "Get AppID
• Copy the APPID string and click "OK"
• Edit the Configuration notecard and set ALPHA_APP_ID

How to Start METAbolt Every Time Windows Starts

The PC on which your METAbolt client is running can restart for a variety of reasons. Microsoft frequently installs updates which require a restart. Power interruptions, system crashes, and other temporary failures can cause your computer to reboot. You can easily configure your system to restart METAbolt when this happens thus keeping your bot(s) active and logged into Second Life.

Follow the procedure outlined previously and create a BAT file to start your METAbolt bot(s).

Copy the BAT file(s) to the Windows System Startup Folder:

Start -> All Programs -> Startup on the Start Menu

On Windows 7 this is the folder: 

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

Windows 7 does not allow shortcuts in this Startup folder so a copy of your BAT file rather than a shortcut must be created. Earlier versions of Windows will allow a shortcut.

Pandorabots Can Now Query Wolfram Alpha

The latest major upgrade to all Pandorabots includes support for Wolfram Alpha queries. Wolfram Alpha, created by Wolfram Research, is the world's most sophisticated answer engine. The combination of Wikipedia query, Wolfram Alpha query, and custom AIML responses from pandorabots.com make Pandorabots the smartest scripted agents in Second Life. Or anywhere, for that matter.

Wolfram Alpha query support has been added to all Pandorabots including the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On, Pandorabot Actorbot Add-On, Restless Studio Smart Dance Pole, Inner Spheres, Pandorabot V5, and Subgenius Pandorabot.

To trigger a Wolfram Alpha query simply preface your local chat with one of the trigger phrases setup in the Configuration notecard. By default the Wolfram Alpha trigger phrases are "wolfram", "alpha", and "wolfram alpha". So, for example, chatting "wolfram what is the cube root of 387" would get a response from your Pandorabot:

Input :
387^(1/3)

Exact result :
3^(2/3) 43^(1/3)

Decimal approximation :
7.2873616311218428454286590881202865642949650868366337582348...

Continued fraction :
[7; 3, 2, 11, 1, 23, 1, 27, 2, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 28, 1, 47, 1, 5, 1, 3, 25, 5, 3, 1, ...]

Initially the Pandorabot is configured to use a shared demonstration Wolfram Alpha application ID limited to 2000 queries per month. Configure your Pandorabot with a unique application ID obtained by registering at http://products.wolframalpha.com/api . Edit the Configuration notecard and set ALPHA_APP_ID  to your App ID.

How to Configure a Non-English Second Life Pandorabot

I receive frequent requests from Pandorabot owners asking me how they can get their Pandorabot to respond in a non-English language. The default behavior of all Pandorabots including the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On, Pandorabot Actorbot Add-On, Smart Dance Pole, Inner Spheres, and Pandorabot V5 is to look for trigger phrases in English and respond in English. Some default responses are non-English where translations have been provided in the Artificial Intelligence Markup Language (AIML) the Pandorabot is using at pandorabots.com. Here's how you can configure your Pandorabot to recognize non-English trigger phrases and respond in a non-English language.

The following settings in the Configuration notecard control language preferences in Pandorabots:


Quick & Easy

Edit the Configuration notecard in your Pandorabot and add the following two lines to the top of the notecard:

    LANG_CODE = xx
    WIKIPEDIA_TRIGGERS =what is ,?,what's ,?,what're ,?,what is a ,?,what is an ,?,what is the ,?,what are the ,?,what's a ,?,what's an ,?,who is,?,who are,?,who're,?,who's,?,,?

Where "xx" is one of the 2 letter language codes from the "Wiki" column in the table at http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/List_of_Wikipedias

More Difficult

Add translations of the Wikipedia triggers in the language you prefer. For example, to configure your Pandorabot to query the French Wikipedia when it detects "who is", "what is", or "who are" in French spoken in local chat, set the following:

    LANG_CODE = fr
    WIKIPEDIA_TRIGGERS =what is ,?,what's ,?,what're ,?,what is a ,?,what is an ,?,what is the ,?,what are the ,?,what's a ,?,what's an ,?,who is,?,who are,?,who're,?,who's,?,ce qui est ,?,qui est ,?,qui sont ,?,,?

Similarly, add translations for the EMAIL_TRIGGERS, SPELL_TRIGGERS, and SHUTOFF_TRIGGERS

Detailed & Thorough

Edit the Configuration notecard in your Pandorabot and modify the following notecard settings:

LANG_CODE
Use one of the 2 letter codes from the "Wiki" column in the table at http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/List_of_Wikipedias
For instance, to query the Italian Wikipedia, set
    LANG_CODE = it
If no Wikipedia article exists for your query in the preferred language then the Pandorabot will try the English Wikipedia.

LANG_CODES
A list of 2 letter language codes which will be selectable via the Pandorabot dialog menu.

LANG_NAMES
A list of language names that correspond to the LANG_CODES list. This is what will be displayed in the Pandorbot dialog menu buttons.

UNWIKIABLE_PHRASES
This is a list of phrases which should not be passed to Wikipedia. To accomodate non-English speaking guests, you can translate these phrases into your guests' language(s) and either replace or add to the list.

WIKIPEDIA_TRIGGERS
These phrases trigger a Wikipedia query. Add to this list similar phrases in the language(s) your guests will be using. Alternatively, to force every message the Pandorabot hears to Wikipedia, add an empty string to the list of triggers. For example:

        WIKIPEDIA_TRIGGERS =what is ,?,what's ,?,what're ,?,what is a ,?,what is an ,?,what is the ,?,what are the ,?,what's a ,?,what's an ,?,who is,?,who are,?,who're,?,who's,?,ce qui est ,?,qui est ,?,qui sont ,?,,?

ALPHA_TRIGGERS
These phrases indicate the resident wishes to query Wolfram Alpha for a factual answer. The default Wolfram Alpha triggers are “wolfram alpha”, “wolfram “, and “alpha “. For example, to ask Wolfram Alpha for the cube root of 387 you could say “wolfram what is the cube root of 387”. If you wish to provide Wolfram Alpha triggers in another language, add them to this list.

EMAIL_TRIGGERS
These phrases indicate the resident wishes to send email. Add to this list similar phrases in the language(s) your guests will be using.

SPELL_TRIGGERS
These phrases indicate the resident wishes to check the spelling of a word. Add to this list similar phrases in the language(s) your guests will use.

SHUTOFF_TRIGGERS
These phrases will shut the Pandorabot off until touched. By default the Pandorabot will stop responding when it hears either “Be quiet” or “Shut up” in local chat. Add to this list similar phrases in the language(s) your guests will be using.

Greeting New Arrivals

To set the greeting issued to new arrivals, edit the Greeter_Config notecard and set the GREET_1, GREET_2, GREET_3, and GREET_4 variables with a welcome message in the language of your preference.

Custom Language AIML

Many of the Pandorabot responses are generated with the Artificial Intelligence Markup Language (AIML) at pandorabots.com. Even with all of the above settings configured for a non-English language the Pandorabot will still draw some responses from either the English language Wikipedia, Wolfram Alpha, or the AIML responses at pandorabots.com. Many of the responses at pandorabots.com have been translated into German and French. However, most are English only.

To provide for non-English pandorabots.com responses it will either be necessary to translate the existing default AIML or create a custom set of AIML files in the preferred language. If you have a custom set of AIML files already prepared and used by a public Pandorabot at pandorabots.com then you can configure your Second Life Pandorabot to use that AIML by setting
    BOT_ID = that-pandorabots-id
in the Configuration notecard.

Setup the Smart Tip Jar with the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On

You can easily configure your Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On so that it will operate with the Restless Studio Smart Tip Jar. This can allow your Smart Tip Jar to accept tips, trigger outfit changes, and chat emotes when tipped. Normally the Smart Tip Jar is used in conjunction with the Smart Dance Pole to accept tips and trigger outfit changes of a pole dancer. However, it can also be used in conjunction with the latest Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On.

To configure your Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On to work with the Smart Tip Jar, edit the METAbolt_Config notecard in the add-on's Contents. Set the following variables at the top of the notecard:

DEFAULT_OUTFIT_UUID = some-clothing-folder-uuid
NAKED_OUTFIT_UUID = clothing-folder-uuid-used-when-tipped
TIP_LISTEN = TRUE

Also edit the Tip_Config notecard in the Smart Tip Jar's contents and set the following variables at the top of the notecard:

DANCER_NAME = Bot's Fullname
WILL_STRIP = TRUE

The NAKED_OUTFIT_UUID is the UUID of the clothing folder that will be worn when the tip threshold is reached. The DEFAULT_OUTFIT_UUID is the UUID of the clothing folder worn after the tipped outfit duration is over. Setting WILL_STRIP = TRUE simply means that your bot avatar will change outfits when the tip threshold is reached - that may or may not be a naked outfit, it's up to you.

In addition to the above notecard changes, follow the setup procedure detailed in the Restless Studio Smart Tip Jar Manual.

You can purchase the Restless Studio Smart Tip Jar on the Second Life Marketplace.

Smart Tip Jar Enables Pole Dance Bot to Act as Tipped Stripper

The newly released Restless Studio Smart Tip Jar integrates with the Restless Studio Smart Dance Pole accepting tips, triggering a pole dancing Pandorabot to strip, emote, change outfits, and interact with your visitors. Using an integrated Smart Dance Pole and Smart Tip Jar allows you to maintain an artificially intelligent pole dancing bot avatar who accepts tips 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year round without monthly fees or hourly charges. The Smart Tip Jar can automatically trigger your dance pole bot avatar to get naked when a tip threshold is reached and get dressed after a specified duration.

The Smart Tip Jar is designed to be used by a bot logged in via METAbolt and utilizing the Smart Dance Pole but can be used as a normal tip jar as well. The tip jar is a sculpted single prim with a gothic design and glossy glass texture. The tip jar object has No Copy / Modify / Transfer permissions to allow the owner to resize, retexture, configure, and give the Smart Tip Jar as a gift.

Both the Restless Studio Smart Tip Jar and the Restless Studio Smart Dance Pole are available on the Second Life Marketplace as follows:

• Smart Tip Jar - L$295
• Smart Dance Pole - L$395
• Smart Dance Pole & Tip Jar Combo Pack - L$650

The Restless Studio Smart Tip Jar Manual is freely available for download or viewing in PDF format.

Setup a Pole Dance Bot with the Newly Released Smart Dance Pole

I recently modified the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On and integrated it into a dance pole I created. I released this as the Restless Studio Smart Dance Pole, available on the Second Life Marketplace. Using the smart dance pole you can easily setup a pole dance bot.

Setup steps are detailed in the Restless Studio Dance Pole Manual. To setup your Restless Studio Smart Dance Pole for use with a METAbolt avatar:

1. Create a Second Life account with Scripted Agent Status set to bot 
2. Install METAbolt on a Windows computer and enable Auto Sit 
3. Drag the Restless Studio Smart Dance Pole from your inventory to the desired location 
4. Right click the pole and select "Edit"; Click the "Contents" tab of the edit window
5. Edit the Configuration notecard and set FIRST_NAME and LAST_NAME 
6. Drag desired animations from your inventory into the dance pole Contents 
7. Set the "Description" field of the dance pole to your dance bot avatar's Key 
8. Place your dance pole bot avatar within 10 meters of the pole 
9. Login your dance pole bot with METAbolt

This allows you to have a dancer on her pole in your club 24/7. Since the smart dance pole is a Pandorabot, it can chat with your guests, query Wikipedia, send email, check spelling, greet new arrivals, deliver notecards and landmarks, and all the other features of a standard Pandorabot. All for L$395.

Private Channel Pandorabots and Chat Channel Spam

Recently I received a report from a customer whose Pandorabot suddenly started spewing spam into local chat. I traced the problem down to a freebie penis that continually announces its location on channel 2. The customer's Pandorabot had been configured to listen on channel 2 rather than the local chat channel (channel 0).

This does not appear to be a common problem. I've only had one report of private channel spam and there are hundreds of Pandorabots scattered all over the grid. It may be limited to the rare case where a Pandorabot is listening on channel 2 and a resident wearing the OnDuty penis is within chat range. I've asked whether continually announcing your location on a private channel is considered griefing and have yet to receive a reply.

If your Pandorabot suddenly starts spewing spam take the following steps:

• Turn your Pandorabot off by saying "menu" on the Pandorabot's chat channel then clicking the "OFF" dialog menu button
• Edit the Configuration notecard and change the CHANNEL setting. I recommend using a channel number greater than 10 as private chat spam has thus far only been detected on channel 2.
• Restart your Pandorabot by clicking the base prim. If you cannot see the base prim, click View -> Highlight Transparent or CTRL-ALT-T
• Email missyrestless@gmail.com or IM Missy Restless to report the problem. Please provide as many details as possible including channel number and a copy of the chat spam.

I have not yet filed an abuse report against the OnDuty Penis as I'm not sure this is considered abuse (seems to me it should be). I will be making a free Pandorabot update available with private channel spam protection.

How to Upgrade Your Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On

There have recently been a number of improvements to both METAbolt and the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On. Support for the recently released METAbolt Group Responder has been added to the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On. This allows your bot to detect trigger phrases in group chat and respond with customized group IM's. Additional security has been added to the METAbolt LSL API and configuration for this security feature has been added to the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On. Also added is support for easily moving your Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On to another SL object (e.g. a drum kit or dance pole). Many improvements have also been made to the Pandorabot scripts.

If you own a Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On and want to freely upgrade to the current version, you can do so by following these steps:

• Copy any changes you have made to configuration notecards
• Copy/Move any items you have added to the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On Base Prim (e.g. landmarks, notecards, textures, ...)
• Take the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On Base Prim back into your inventory (log your bot out, right click the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On Base Prim and select "Take")
• IM Missy Restless (search for "Missy Restless", click on the "Missy Restless" search result, click on "View Full Profile", click "Instant Message")
• Drag and drop the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On Base Prim item from your inventory onto the Instant Message window (note, the object will have the name of your bot)

You should receive the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On update as soon as I receive notice of the transfer. When you receive the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On box, rez it, open the box, copy the contents to your inventory, and rez the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On Base Prim. You will need to re-do any changes you made to your previous Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On Base Prim (use the saved configuration notecards as reference). Note: I may be away from my computer - if you do not hear from me drop me a reminder.

Enjoy!

Moving the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On Into Another Object

The Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On base prim is, by default, a box. The box disappears when the METAbolt logged in avatar bot sits on it and reappears when the avatar logs out. What if you want that base prim to remain visible and you want it to be something other than a boring box ? Maybe you want it to be a drum kit for your bot drummer or a bar for your bot bartender. Here's how to do that.

First, get the latest Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On from the Second Life Marketplace or by exchanging your current base prim for the latest. Follow the setup procedure described in the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On Manual but add these two settings to the METAbolt_Config notecard:

INVISIBLE_BASE = FALSE
RESIZE = FALSE

Set TEXT_ENABLED = FALSE in the Configuration notecard.

That's it, you can move the scripts and notecards into any object that has Modify permission. I've even had success moving the scripts into already scripted objects although of course this can be problematic if the existing scripts have channel or other conflicts with the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On scripts.

When moving the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On to another object it may be necessary to adjust the sit target. This is a vector consisting of 3 offsets from the base prim - left/right, forward/back, and up/down. The sit target can be specified in the METAbolt_Config notecard with the TARGET setting. For instance, a sit target for a thin vertical object where you want the avatar at the bottom of the object might be:

TARGET = <0.0,0.0,-0.6>

A drum bot might need a sit target toward the rear of the object:

TARGET = <0.0,-0.5,0.2>

How to Enable the METAbolt LSL API for Outfit Changes

Quick & Easy Summary
To enable Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On dialog menu outfit changes, set your METAbolt preferences to disable LSL command security and autorun the LSL API plugin.

Background
Recently the METAbolt LSL API was moved from the METAbolt core to a plugin. In addition, preferences were added to allow METAbolt users to restrict the LSL API use to the owner and/or a scripted object. These changes, although arguably beneficial for METAbolt architecture and security, broke the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On dialog menu commands for outfit changes.

If you are not using outfit folder changes via the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On dialog menu interface then you do not need to make any changes.

In order to re-enable outfit changes in METAbolt 0.9.51.0 and later you will need to make the following changes to your METAbolt preferences (Application -> Preferences).

Enforcing LSL Command Security
The easiest way to enable dialog menu outfit folder changes is to disable LSL command security. This can be done in the Application -> Preferences -> General -> Security/L$ METAbolt preferences pane by unchecking the "Enforce LSL command security" checkbox. See the section "Enhanced LSL API Security" below for an alternate, more secure, and somewhat difficult way to enable outfit folder changes via the dialog menu.

Loading the METAbolt LSL API Plugin
In addition to disabling LSL command security (or using enhanced LSL API security) you will also need to load the LSL API Plugin. To load the plugin automatically on each startup of METAbolt, go to the Application -> Preferences -> Plugins METAbolt preferences pane. In the "Available plugins" window, click on "MB_LSLAPI" then click the ">" button to add it to "Selected plugins". Click "Apply" and "OK". Alternately, the plugin can be loaded manually by clicking "Plugins -> MB_LSLAPI".

Individual Avatar Preferences
Each avatar you login with METAbolt has their own individual preference settings. The preference settings described above (disable LSL command security and autorun the LSL API plugin) must be done for each avatar. To do so, login as an avatar and make these changes to your preferences. Repeat for each METAbolt avatar you use for which you would like to enable outfit folder changes via the dialog menu.

Enhanced LSL API Security
Additional LSL API security is available with the "Enforce LSL command security" checkbox in the METAbolt preferences via the Application -> Preferences -> General -> Security/L$ checkbox. To enable outfit folder changes via the dialog menu _and_ enforce LSL command security you need to set the Master Avatar and Object UUID's. To find the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On base prim UUID you will need some elementary LSL script skills. Create an LSL script with the default state entry as follows: 

state_entry() { 
        llOwnerSay("Owner UUID is " + (string)llGetOwner());
        llOwnerSay("Object UUID is " + (string)llGetKey()); 
}


Drop the script into the base prim Contents. Copy the base prim owner's UUID to the "Avatar UUID" setting. Copy the object UUID string to the "Object UUID" setting. Delete the script from the base prim Contents. Make sure the "Enforce LSL command security" box is checked then click "Apply" and "OK". Repeat for each avatar for which you wish to enable enhanced LSL API security.

METAbolt LSL API Documentation
METAbolt maintains an excellent website with News, Announcements, Downloads, an Add-On/Plugin Directory, a Community Forum, and the METAwiki which provides extensive documentation & tips. The following METAwiki pages provide information on the LSL API:

• General information on how to use the API
• Using preferences
• Controlling the API security level
• Auto loading the MB_LSLAPI plugin

How to Login Multiple Pandorabots with METAbolt

If you are using METAbolt to login more than one Pandorabot then you may find it convenient to create a DOS batch file allowing you to login multiple bots with a single click. To do so, follow this procedure:

• Exit METAbolt if already logged in
• Start METAbolt - enter your avatar's first and last name
• Enter the password
• Check the "Remember my password" option box
• Check the "Create av BAT file" option box
• Click on the login button

This will create a BAT file with the name of your avatar in the "Roaming" folder. To find the location of your Roaming folder:

• Click on the "Help" menu on the top right hand corner of METAbolt
• Select the "About METAbolt" menu option
• "Data Dir" is the location of your Roaming folder

If your bot's name is Jane Doe then the BAT file will be called Jane_Doe.bat, the INI file will be called Jane_Doe_METAbolt.ini.

Repeat the above procedure for each of the bots you wish to login with METAbolt, creating a BAT file in the Roaming folder for each bot. After this is done you can create a master BAT file for all of your bots as follows:

• Open Notepad from the Windows Start menu
• Copy the contents of each of the BAT files in your Roaming folder into Notepad
• In Notepad click  "File -> Save As" and save the file with an extension of ".bat" (e.g. by the name "Login_All.bat")

For example, a batch file to login two avatars named Anya Ordinary and Easy Islay with METAbolt might look something like: 

@ECHO OFF

START "" /D "C:\Program Files\METAbolt (64 bit)\" "C:\Program Files\METAbolt (64 bit)\metabolt.exe" Anya Ordinary password1

START "" /D "C:\Program Files\METAbolt (64 bit)\" "C:\Program Files\METAbolt (64 bit)\metabolt.exe" Easy Islay password2

You can now create a Desktop shortcut for your METAbolt login master BAT file:

• Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the folder where your master BAT file was saved
• Right click on the BAT file and select "Send to -> Desktop"
• An icon for the shortcut to your BAT file will now appear on your desktop

Make sure all METAbolt bots are logged out and click on the newly created desktop icon for your BAT file shortcut. Your bots will all be logged in with METAbolt.

Greeter Disabled By Default

As of 10/10/2011 all Pandorabots available on the Second Life Marketplace have default settings that disable the Greeter. To enable the Greeter in these newly revised Pandorabots:

• Edit the Configuration notecard and set 

     GREET_ENABLED = TRUE

• Edit the Greeter_Config notecard and set one or more of

    GREET_ENABLED = TRUE
     GIVE_LANDMARK = TRUE
     GIVE_NOTECARD = TRUE
     GIVE_NAMED_NOTECARD = TRUE

These changes are also reflected in the updated Pandorabot Actorbot and Pandorabot METAbolt Add-Ons. In addition, support for the Group Responder plugin was added to the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On.

NEW! METAbolt Group Responder Now Supported

A new revision of the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On was released today with support for the METAbolt Group Responder plugin. Now you can configure your Pandorabot to monitor group chat and respond when specified trigger phrases are detected.

This new feature is available in the version 6.0 and later Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On package at https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Pandorabot-METAbolt-Add-On/1793057

There are several add-ons and plugins available for METAbolt. These can be found at http://www.metabolt.net/metawiki/METAbolt_Addins.ashx . Included there you will find the METAbolt Group Responder plugin. Details and installation instructions for the METAbolt Group Responder plugin are available at http://www.metabolt.net/metawiki/METAbolt-Group-Responder.ashx

The Group Responder plugin allows your METAbolt Pandorabot to monitor group chat and respond when group chat contains one or more trigger phrases. To enable this feature first configure your group response settings by editing the METAbolt_Config notecard and setting the GROUP_LISTEN, GROUP_UUID, EXACT_MATCH, TRIGGERS, and RESPONSES variables.

Example Group Responder settings in METAbolt_Config:

GROUP_LISTEN = TRUE
GROUP_UUID = f8e95201-20af-b85f-a682-7ac25ab9fcaf
EXACT_MATCH = FALSE
TRIGGERS = permission to land|permission to takeoff
RESPONSES = cleared for landing on runway 23|cleared for takeoff on runway 11

Once you have configured your group response settings in METAbolt_Config, the Group Responder plugin is installed, and METAbolt is running:

1. Click “Plugins” ? “MB Group Responder” from the METAbolt menu bar
2. Check the "Enable LSL interface" checkbox
3. Click the "Start" button 

In addition to the added support for the METAbolt Group Responder, this new release of the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On has the Greeter disabled by default. To enable the Greeter edit the Configuration notecard and set GREET_ENABLED = TRUE then edit the Greeter_Config notecard and set one or more of:

    GREET_ENABLED = TRUE
    GIVE_LANDMARK = TRUE
    GIVE_NOTECARD = TRUE
    GIVE_NAMED_NOTECARD = TRUE

Text Clients Clothing Layer Problem

Recently several people have reported Second Life clothing display problems when using a text client to login their avatar. Users of both METAbolt and Radegast have seen problems which do not appear when a standard viewer is used (e.g. Viewer 2, Phoenix). I've verified this myself using a jacket layer corset from a Pandorabot owner.

You can read the METAbolt Forum topic discussions here and here.

The problem appears to be in the interaction between the libopenmetaverse library and the SL server code. Further complicating matters is the fact most clothing layers display properly and only a few items have been seen to display incorrectly.

So, what does this mean to you, the Second Life Pandorabot owner ? Well, if you do not use a text client then you have nothing to worry about. If, however, you own an Actorbot or METAbolt Add-On and log an alt in with one of these clients then you may see problems. Currently there is no known workaround and any fix needs to come from either Linden Lab or the Open Metaverse Foundation. All you can do is, after logging your alt in with a text client, login with a standard viewer and check your alt's appearance. If a clothing layer is not displaying properly you will need to replace that clothing item with another.

If you see any display problems with text clients please let me know and I will pass the information along to the appropriate forums. Hopefully this will be fixed soon.

Help If You Get Stuck In Setup

It's not unusual for a first time customer to get confused or stuck when setting up their Pandorabot. This is especially true of the Actorbot and METAbolt Add-Ons as they are a little more complicated. I'll try to distill down the most common problems in setup here and in a "Help" notecard.

1. Read the Manual
The first thing I do when contacted for assistance in setting up a Pandorabot is to point out the PDF manual and make sure the user is following the step-by-step setup procedures detailed there. The manuals are included in the product as a notecard but are far easier to read in PDF format. Each Pandorabot model has its own manual but all of them include the Pandorabots Owner Manual V5. In addition to the base Pandorabot setup, if you have purchased either the Actorbot or METAbolt Add-On then there is a manual for that as well:

• Pandorabot Actorbot Add-On Manual
• Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On Manual

If you have one of the Add-On's then start with that manual and use the Pandorabot Owner Manual V5 for later configuration of your Pandorabot. If you have the Pandorabot V5 then ignore the Add-On manuals and start by reading the Pandorabots Owner Manual V5.

2. Read the Configuration Notecard
By far the most common error in Pandorabot setup is mistakenly thinking you have set a configuration in a notecard when all you really did was modify a comment. All of my configuration notecards are in the following format:

setting_1 = value_1
setting_2 = value_2
END_SETTINGS
#
# Configuration notecard for the <whatever> script.
# Settings are specified in the format "<name> = <value>"
# DO NOT use "=" in either the <name> or <value>
# Place any uncommented configuration settings above the
# END_SETTINGS line above. Lines below END_SETTINGS
# will not be read and are here for information and help
# configuring.
#
# Comment describing setting_1
# setting_1 = default_value_1
#
# Comment describing setting_1
# setting_2 = default_value_2

You have to make your configuration settings above the END_SETTINGS line and delete the "#" character from the beginning of the line.

3. Isolate and Describe Your Problem
Know which step in the step-by-step setup process you are on. Be able to describe what you have done and what results you are seeing. How does that differ from the expected behavior ? It's hard to help when all I know is "I'm stuck!" or "It's broke!". I can provide assistance only if I know where you are, what you have done, and what you are seeing. So, take notes and follow the step-by-step setup procedure until you hit a snag. Then tell me exactly what you have done and where you are. This really helps. It's also often helpful if Actorbot or METAbolt users test their 3rd party text client first by logging the alt in with either Actorbot or METAbolt then logging themselves in with a standard viewer. Is the alt there ? Did it get successfully logged in with the text client ?

4. Send me an Instant Message or E-mail
I can see my Second Life IM's in my email even when I am not logged in to Second Life. I can also reply to IM's via email when not logged in to Second Life. You can IM me (Missy Restless) anytime. You can also send email to missyrestless@gmail.com. Because of timezone differences and scheduling conflicts I may not get to your message right away or even that day. Don't waste your time with a message like "Can you help ?" then wait a day for me to say "Yes" then another day for you to say what the problem is. Describe your problem, the steps you have taken, and the outcome you have observed in your initial request for assistance. Just assume I will help - I will. Do not hesitate to contact me if you are stuck.

5. Send me a copy of your notecard(s)
It often helps me to understand what you have done if I can review your configuration notecard(s). The Pandorabot base prim contains the Pandorabot V5 configuration notecard named "Configuration". If you have the Actorbot Add-On then there is another configuration notecard called "Actorbot_Config". If you have the METAbolt Add-On then the add-on configuration notecard is called "METAbolt_Config". The Greeter configuration notecard is called "Greeter_Config". To send me one or more of these notecards:

• Login to Second Life as yourself using a standard viewer
• Edit the Pandorabot prim - right click the prim and select "Edit"
• Click on the "Contents" tab of the edit window
• Click on the notecard you want to copy
• Drag the notecard to your inventory
• Open my Second Life Profile (e.g. search for Missy Restless)
• Drag the notecard from your inventory onto my profile window
• Send me an IM telling me what notecard(s) you sent me

I hope this helps a little. Let me know what other help tips I should add to this post and the Help notecard.

How to Setup a Quiet Model Pandorabot

Recently I assisted a shop owner with the setup of 6 Pandorabot METAbolt Add-Ons to be used as models in her store. Basically, the Pandorabots just needed to login, stand in a pose before a product board, wear the skin/shape/clothing/attachments the shop was selling, and shut the f**k up. If you want to deploy multiple "quiet" Pandorbots, here is how to do so.

First, set NAME_ENABLED = TRUE. This means that the Pandorabot will only respond to chat that includes either her first or last name. Set the first and last names to some strings not commonly used in chat. Also, set the CHANNEL to a non-zero value - the bot will be listening on a private channel and not on local chat. Set AI_ENABLED = FALSE.

Here is an example Pandorabot Configuration notecard for a "quiet" Pandorabot:

FIRST_NAME = Something_Not_Common
LAST_NAME = Also_Not_Common
NAME_ENABLED = TRUE
TEXT_ENABLED = FALSE
RESTRICTED_ACCESS = 1
CHANNEL = 9
GREET_ENABLED = FALSE
AI_ENABLED = FALSE

If you are deploying a Pandorabot as a model you may not want her to act as a greeter, issuing a welcome to new arrivals and delivering notecards and landmarks. To disable the greeter functionality of the Pandorabot, simply delete the Greeter script from the Pandorabot's base prim. You may want to make a copy of the Greeter script before deleting it. Delete the Greeter script in all Pandorabot model's base prims.

If you have multiple Pandorabot METAbolt Add-Ons deployed in the same general vicinity then you need to assign them unique channels. Edit the METAbolt_Config notecard and set the CHANNEL for each Pandorabot to a unique positive integer.

Using the Free EVE Avatar as a Pandorabot

You can use the really cute and well done EVE Avatar as the avatar for your Actorbot or METAbolt Pandorabot. Login to the Second Life Marketplace as the account you use as your Actorbot or METAbolt bot and search for "EVE Avatar". Click on the "EVE Avatar (Free)" link (somebody else copied the original and is selling it for L$100).

Login to Second Life as the account you use for your Actorbot or METAbolt bot, accept delivery of the EVE Avatar, rez the new object from your inventory, unpack and copy it to your inventory. After delivery and unpacking you can simply wear the new EVE folder and your bot should look like the EVE avatar. Logout of Second Life and Log back in using either Actorbot or METAbolt (I'm assuming here that you have already setup your Actorbot or METAbolt as a Pandorabot).

Caution: you cannot use sit and stand animations in the Pandorabot base prim with the EVE avatar as they cause the underlying shape to stick out of the robot attachments.

Now METAbolt Site Is Down

Today the METAbolt site http://metabolt.net went down and continues to be unavailable. Earlier this week the Sine Wave Actorbot site http://sinewaverobots.com was down for several days. Kinda makes you wonder, huh? Is somebody attacking virtual world bot websites ? Probably just coincidence. Or not.

People who access Second Life with METAbolt can still login using the METAbolt client but issuing a command (e.g. change clothing folder) and anything else that uses the website does not work.

I'll comment here, post to the Facebook page, Plurk, and Tweet when metabolt.net is back up.

Sine Wave Actorbot Site Down!

The Sine Wave Actorbot site at http://www.sinewaverobots.com is down and has been down for several days. This means that all Pandorabot Actorbot Add-Ons are unable to login to Second Life. I do not know when or if the Sine Wave Actorbot site will be restored.

All owners of the Pandorabot Actorbot Add-On can exchange their purchased product for a free Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On by IM'ing Missy Restless inworld or  emailing missyrestless@gmail.com and requesting an exchange. The METAbolt Add-On can do almost everything the Actorbot Add-On can do, is lighter weight, frequently updated, and well supported. In fact, even when Sine Wave is up I recommend METAbolt over Actorbot for all uses except those requiring your bot to sit on another prim and return (e.g. sex bot).

Actorbot users who do not own the Pandorabot Actorbot Add-On may wish to switch to METAbolt. The Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On can be purchased on the Second Life Marketplace at https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Pandorabot-METAbolt-Add-On/1793057 for L$395

METAbolt 0.9.49 Released Sep 3

A new version of the METAbolt thin client for Second Life was released September 3, 2011. This version, 0.9.49, provides support for avatar physics and contacts sets as well as several other new features and bug fixes. Owners of the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On are encouraged to update. If you currently have a previous version of METAbolt installed then all that is necessary to upgrade is to exit METAbolt if it is running then start METAbolt. You will automatically be prompted if you wish to download and install the update.

If you do not have METAbolt currently installed then you can download the current version at http://metabolt.net/downloadbinary.aspx

The new contact sets feature (METAbolt calls it friend groups) is pretty cool. It allows you to specify groups of contacts and is a planned but as yet unreleased feature of Viewer 2 and Phoenix/Firestorm. The avatar physics feature already exists in Viewer 2 and Phoenix. This allows your avatar to "wear" a physics layer that can specify how you want your breasts and rear to bounce.

Inara Pey has a nice review of the new features in METAbolt at http://modemworld.wordpress.com/2011/09/05/metabolt-updates/

The METAbolt Forum announcement for this release describing the features and bugfixes is at http://www.metabolt.net/METAforums/yaf_postst531_METAbolt-V-0-9-49-0-is-on-release---.aspx

Voice and Actorbot Advanced Triggers

Pandorabots can be configured to speak in either a male or female computer generated voice. The Pandorabot will display what it says in local chat and, if configured for voice, speak the chat as well. It does this passably well. To configure your Pandorabot to speak, edit the Configuration notecard and add one of the following lines to the top of the card:

    VOICE = Female
of
    VOICE = Male

However, if the Pandorabot is an Actorbot Add-On and you use the Actorbot advanced settings at sinewaverobots.com to program a trigger with a chat action then that chat will not be voiced. This is a known limitation of the Pandorabot Actorbot Add-On. Since the chat is generated by sinewaverobots.com and not the Pandorabot scripts it does not pass through the speech capability of the Pandorabot scripts.

It's possible I will come up with an update that will allow programmatic Pandorabot speech via Actorbot settings at sinewaverobots.com but for now speech is only supported via local chat in Second Life.

Why Am I Getting "HTTP error ..." From My Pandorabot?

Occasionally your Pandorabot might reply with the message "HTTP error ...". This happens when the request to pandorabots.com times out. If you see this error, open a browser and go to http://pandorabots.com to verify that the site is up. If the site is down then check back later, hopefully service will be restored shortly. If the site is up, verify that you can chat with the default Pandorabot there by visiting http://pandorabots.com/pandora/talk?botid=85173fb54e344b2d and entering any text in the "Tell Ana" field.

If pandorabots.com is down or otherwise unavailable then the AI chat facility will be disabled. The Pandorabot will still be able to query Wikipedia, greet new arrivals, deliver notecards & landmarks, and all other functions. It will just reply with "HTTP error ..." when attempting to access pandorabots.com.

Missy Returns!

I have been afk for a while but have returned all refreshed from swimming and sunning and eating and drinking and <insert fun thing here>. I will answer all the email and IM questions I received while away as soon as possible.

p.s. RL is super fun sometimes!

How to Disable the Pandorabot Greeter

A few Pandorabot owners have contacted me requesting assistance disabling the Greeter. By default, the Pandorabot runs a greeter script which welcomes new arrivals and delivers a notecard, landmark, and Pandorabot Users Guide. To disable this functionality simply edit the Configuration notecard in the Pandorabot contents and add a line at the beginning of the notecard as follows:

    GREET_ENABLED = FALSE

Save the notecard and the Pandorabot will reset and disable the Greeter script.

However, older versions of the Pandorabots may not properly disable the Greeter script after modifying the Configuration notecard as described above. If this is the case with your Pandorabot you can request an update (free) by IM'ing Missy Restless inworld or emailing missyrestless@gmail.com. Alternately, you can disable the Greeter function by simply deleting the Greeter script from the Pandorabot contents. Prior to deleting the script, copy it to your inventory in case you wish to re-enable the Greeter later.

METAbolt 0.9.46.0 Does Not Support Physics Layer

Due to changing versions of libopenmv the current release of METAbolt does not support the physics layer. What this means is that your Pandorabot METAbolt bot should not wear any physics layer. There is a known issue with interaction of the physics layer and viewers not supporting the physics layer where the avatar may occasionally be "Ruthed" (take on the appearance of the Ruth starter avatar). To be safe, for now, do not wear a physics layer on avatars using METAbolt 0.9.46.0.

I have communicated with Legolas Luke, the primary METAbolt developer, and he indicates that physics layer support is coming. Stay tuned.

I Just Want a Greeter - What are my Options?

One common question I get goes something like:

"I'm searching for a bot who welcomes my guests and talks to them. Must my pc be running all the time with the viewer open ? Or do you use your own software ? Is the Bot always logged in ?"

Pandorabots come in several styles all of which can be used as greeters, provide artificially intelligent chat, query Wikipedia, deliver notecards/landmarks, and more. Your options for setting up a Pandorabot greeter/conversationalist include the following:

1. The 2-D Pandorabot V5 is basically a texture applied to a scripted object. The 2-D Pandorabot V5 does not need a viewer running nor is it logged in to Second Life - it is simply an object that is rezzed at your store or home. It can be configured as a greeter, chats, queries Wikipedia, spell check, and other features you expect from a Pandorabot. However, it is a static two dimensional cutout and is not as realistic as the other Pandorabots.
2. A 3-D sculpted Pandorabot V5 is similar to the 2-D Pandorabot V5 but is a sculpted object made to resemble a parrot. It can be rezzed in place or worn. It is a static three dimensional sculpted prim and does not require a viewer nor is it logged into SL.
3. An animated 3-D shape and particle display that contains a Pandorabot V5. Similar to both of the above, the Inner Spheres Pandorabot is a rezzed object, does not need a viewer, and does not need to be logged into SL. It is a rotating set of geometric shapes and particle displays - intelligent eye candy!
4. A 3-D animated avatar Pandorabot is the most sophisticated of the Pandorabots. These require a viewer and must be logged into Second Life just like any avatar. They provide a realistic animated avatar and, in some ways, are indistinguishable from a "real" person :) They use a thin text client as viewer so they consume very little computer resources. The viewer can be left running and minimized without undue strain on a normal system. The 3-D animated avatar Pandorabot must be logged in to be visible. They come in two varieties - the Actorbot Add-On and the METAbolt Add-On. I prefer and recommend the METAbolt Add-On as it is lighter weight, in active development, and supports the physics layer. Both are Windows only clients.

The prices for the models of Pandorabot described above are:

• 2-D Pandorabot V5 is L$245
• 3-D sculpted Pandorabot V5 is L$245
• 3-D Inner Spheres Pandorabot is L$245
• 3-D animated avatar Pandorabot is L$395

All are available on the Second Life Marketplace at http://tinyurl.com/3goercp

Update for METAbolt

A new version of METAbolt has been released. This is primarily a maintenance release with a few new features. See the forum post for details on changes and the download page for binaries and source code.

From the forum post:

[ Features ]

It's now possible to change profile picture by dragging and dropping image or texture on to it
Inventory items can be dragged and dropped onto the avatar profile photo as well as the give box at the bottom of the profile window

[ Ehancements ]

Checkboxes on Group Information window to list group on profile and disable group notices are now functional
Group roles can be created/deleted
Group roles can be assigned/unassigned to avatars
Chat/IM text is now in black instead of gray

[ Fixes ]

Logged in avatar was disappearing from radar
Object Manager was not updating if teleported while it's open
Land owner on About Land was not showing
META3D camera was not working
Land properties was not updating after a TP
The support email address on the Exception window was wrong
Worn Attachments and META3D windows were crashing if TPed while they are open

Pandorabots Facebook Page

You can "like" and follow Pandorabot activities on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pandorabots/219783958035664

Notice of updates, tips, configuration issues, and more are posted there. Check us out on Facebook!

Fix for Actorbot/METAbolt Custom Greeting

There is a bug in the Pandorabot's greeter script which prevents the owner from configuring the default greeting for Actorbot and METAbolt Pandorabots. Here is the problem and a workaround.

The default Pandorabot greeting is specified by four strings labelled GREET_1, GREET_2, GREET_3, and GREET_4. The default greeting for a standalone Pandorabot uses GREET_1 and GREET_2 as follows:

"Hello <name of avatar>! Chat with me in local chat. Visit the Pandorabots Blog at http://pandorabot.blogspot.com/"

If the Pandorabot is running as an Actorbot then the following is added  to the default greeting (GREET_3):

"IM me with the message 'Help' for commands."

If the Pandorabot is running as an Actorbot or with METAbolt then the following is added to the default greeting (GREET_4):

"Say 'menu' in local chat for dialog menu of commands."

Should you wish to change the default greeting then each of these strings can be specified by editing the Greeter_Config notecard. Unfortunately, a bug in the Greeter script prevents the GREET_4 string from being specified in the Greeter_Config notecard. Fortunately, there is an easy workaround and a fixed Greeter script will be in the next update.

The workaround for specifying a custom GREET_4 string is to edit the Greeter script itself rather than the Greeter_Config notecard. Near the beginning of the Greeter script are the following lines:

// The greeting will be 'GREET_1 <name of avatar>! GREET_2'
// If running as an Actorbot, greeting will also include 'GREET_3'
// If running as an Actorbot or METAbolt, greeting will also include 'GREET_4'
string GREET_1 = "Hello";
string GREET_2 = "Chat with me in local chat. Visit the Pandorabots Blog at http://pandorabot.blogspot.com/";
string GREET_3 = "IM me with the message 'Help' for commands.";
string GREET_4 = "Say 'menu' in local chat for dialog menu of commands.";

Simple change the string "Say 'menu' in local chat for dialog menu of commands." to whatever you like. The same can be done for the other strings but only GREET_4 needs to be changed here and not in the configuration notecard.

Should you prefer, I can send you a pre-release copy of the fixed Greeter script which will allow you to make all greeter configuration changes to the Greeter_Config notecard rather than editing the script itself. IM Missy Restless with your request.

Sine Wave Local Client is Windows Only

It has come to my attention that the Sine Wave local desktop client used to login/logout their Actorbot scripted agent is now only supported on Windows desktops. There is no version for the Mac.

This leaves Mac users with only three alternatives:

1. Run their Actorbot(s) via Sine Wave servers at $L5/hour/bot
2. Attempt to run the Windows client under Boot Camp on a Mac
3. Buy a PC ! :)

Unfortunately, the METAbolt desktop client is also Windows only. So, tough luck Mac users.

Yahoo! Spelling Suggestion Service Fixed

Some of you may have noticed that the Pandorabot spell check function was not working properly. No suggestions were being provided by the Pandorabot. This is because Yahoo! changed their Spelling Suggestion API to require an application ID.

Fortunately, this was fairly easy to fix and the required changes could be made on the server side in the PHP code used to access Yahoo!. The service has been fixed and all Pandorabots should now be providing spell checking services inworld.

To test your Pandorabot, simply chat in local "spell madnna" or any word you want spelling suggestions for rather than madnna. The example "spell madnna" should return the spelling suggestion "madonna". Note, if you have configured your Pandorabot to chat on a private channel then you will need to precede the test with the channel number (for example, "/55 spell madnna").

METAbolt Upgrade Supports Physics Layer

A newly updated METAbolt client is available for download. The new version, released May 30, includes support for the new physics layer. Linden Lab recently added the physics layer which allows avatars to configure parameters that control breast, stomach, and butt bouncing. Prior to this release, avatars logged into Second Life with METAbolt could not wear the physics layer.

Here is the notice from the METAbolt forum:

This is a major upgrade and may require you to remove the version you have and then install this one...that is only if you experience issues after the upgrade.

What's new and what's changed?

[ Features ]

* New feature to upload images under the Tools menu option
* The new "body physics" layer is now supported
* New META3D feaure to view and intereact with objects in 3D via the "View 3D" button on the Object Manager window
* You are also to view and interact with attachments/huds via the attachments icon, in 3D.

[ Enhacements ]

* Files can now be attached to Group Notices
* Upgraded to the latest version of libomv
* Inventory folders are now displayed in alphabetical order by default

[ Fixes ]

* Return button in Object Manager was not checking for land owner and was disabled all the time
* Minor bug fixes in Inventory

METAbolt Updates & Configuration Settings

The Good News: the METAbolt development team provides fairly frequent updates to the METAbolt text client. This indicates it is in active development, bugs are getting fixed, features added, all good.

The Bad News: occasionally it may be necessary to re-initialize your upgraded METAbolt client by removing any existing .ini files in the data directory and restarting. This means a new METAbolt password will be regenerated and you will need to re-do your preferences. It is only necessary to remove your METAbolt .ini file(s) when the format of the .ini files change (infrequent) or if they have somehow become unusable/corrupt.

What this means for Pandorabot METAbolt owners

Owners of a Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On who have re-initialized their METAbolt client may need to reconfigure the Pandorabot METAbolt base prim. This will be necessary if you have set the MD5SUM in the METAbolt_Config notecard. To set your newly upgraded MD5SUM follow these steps:

1. Locate and copy your newly generated METAbolt password. In your METAbolt client go to Application -> Preferences -> Security/L$ and copy the METAbolt password string.
2. Make sure your bot is logged out (Main -> Logout)
3. Login to Second Life as the owner of the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On
4. Edit the Pandorabot METAbolt base prim and open the METAbolt_Config notecard. Find the CHANNEL setting. If you have not specified a CHANNEL setting then your channel is 777.
5. Close the edit window and enter your METAbolt password from step 1 above into local chat in the following format --- "/777 password=string-from-step-1-above" (replace 777 with the CHANNEL setting from step 4 and do not use the quotes).
6. Copy the MD5 checksum string that is returned in local chat
7. Edit the Pandorabot METAbolt base prim and open the METAbolt_Config notecard. Replace the MD5SUM setting with the new MD5 checksum string from step 6. Close the notecard and edit session.

Yes, it's a hassle. No, you do not need to do this every upgrade - only for those infrequent METAbolt upgrades that require the removal of the .ini file(s) from the data directory and only if you have configured an MD5SUM in your METAbolt_Config notecard.

NOTE: the above process of configuring your MD5SUM setting will also be necessary if you reset your METAbolt password.

Pandorabot vs Actorbot vs METAbolt - Which Bot to Buy ?

People seem to often be confused about which of the Restless Studio Pandorabots to purchase. I am frequently asked which one best suits their needs and what is the difference between them. I'll try to provide a brief overview of the differences between the various models and a capsule feature review.

All of the Pandorabot models provide an artificial intelligent chat, Wikipedia query, greeter, notecard/landmark dispenser, spell check, email, group invites, speech synthesis, and dialog menu interface.

The simplest Pandorabot is the Pandorabot V5 which comes in a variety of appearances. In addition to the male, female, and Steven Colbert / Bob Dobbs two dimensional textured cutouts there is also a 3D sculpted parrot either perching on a stand or worn on the owner's shoulder. The 2D cutout Pandorabots are really all the same and each can be configured to appear as male, female, rotating Bob/Steven head, parrot, or any texture you add to the contents. The 3D sculpted parrot can only be configured to appear as the sculpted object either perched or worn.

The Inner Spheres Pandorabot includes the same scripts and functionality as the Pandorabot V5 but appears as rotating changing textured geometric shapes that emit a variety of particle displays. This is intended to serve as an art display or club entertainment as well as provide the standard AI chat and Wikipedia query features of the Pandorabot V5. The Inner Spheres Pandorabot can also be worn and you can configure it to appear as your avatar.

The Pandorabot Actorbot Add-On and Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On are 3D animated Pandorabots that appear as an avatar and provide all of the Pandorabot features as well as the ability to cycle through dances and stand animations. Whereas the Pandorabot V5 and Inner Spheres Pandorabot are prims that you rez, the Actorbot and METAbolt Pandorabots are actual Second Life avatars that are automatically logged into Second Life via a free desktop client that you run or (in the case of the Actorbot) via a server that you pay for by the hour (5L per hour per Actorbot).

It can be difficult to choose between the Actorbot and METAbolt Pandorabots. The differences and features of each make them well suited for a variety of deployments. I'll try to review each briefly to give you an idea of which might be better suited for your needs.

Actorbots can be programmed to perform specific actions when a given trigger condition is met. For instance, if an Actorbot is paid 250L that could trigger an action. Actions can be any one of instant message, chat, send group invitation, give object, wear outfit, play animation, stop animation, or sit on prim. The Actorbot Pandorabot is more programmable and scriptable than the METAbolt Pandorabot. On the other hand, the METAbolt Pandorabot utilizes an extremely lightweight desktop client that can run as many bots as you like. The Actorbot desktop client is limited to three free Actorbots, does not have near the features of the METAbolt client, and is somewhat more resource intensive. If you want to "drive" your bot via your desktop then the METAbolt Pandorabot is better equipped and really quite feature full.

Use the Inner Spheres Pandorabot as an Avatar

The Inner Spheres Pandorabot, a set of rotating geometric objects, can be worn as an attachment. In fact, using the alpha mask feature of the appearance editor, you can make your avatar invisible and wear the Inner Spheres Pandorabot. In this way you appear to be rotating cool objects emitting particles!

First, edit your appearance (Edit -> Appearance). Save your current appearance in case you want to restore it later by clicking the "Save As" button and giving it a name. Click the Alpha tab. Check all of the Alpha boxes (Head Alpha, Upper Alpha, Lower Alpha, Hair Alpha, and Eye Alpha). Click "Save As" and save your invisible appearance.

Click "OK" and exit the appearance editor. You should now appear invisible except for any attachments you may be wearing. Remove all attachments. I even detach my AO as an invisible avatar really doesn't need an AO.

Locate the Inner Spheres Pandorabot in your inventory. Right click on the Inner Spheres Pandorabot and select "Attach to -> Spine" (or another attachment point if spine is in use). You should appear as rotating geometric objects and respond as a Pandorabot.

The most common problem with wearing a Pandorabot as an attachment is the use of the greeter when teleporting to other locations. I recommend turning the greeter off or minimalizing your greeting. To configure the greeter and a few other things to tailor your Pandorabot as an attachment you will need to edit your configuration notecards.

Right click the Inner Spheres Pandorabot you are wearing and select "Edit". In the Contents tab of the edit window find the Configuration notecard. Right click the Configuration notecard and select "Open". Add the following lines to the top of the Configuration notecard:

FIRST_NAME = <your avatar's first name>
LAST_NAME = <your avatar's last name>
NAME_ENABLED = TRUE
TEXT_ENABLED = FALSE
RESTRICTED_ACCESS = 1
HOVER_ENABLED = FALSE
GREET_ENABLED = FALSE
AI_ENABLED = FALSE

Save your changes and close the edit window. Some of the above are only suggestions based on my experience using Inner Spheres as my avatar appearance. I like to set NAME_ENABLED = TRUE because then the Pandorabot will only respond when either my first or last name is used in local chat. Otherwise it responds to all local chat and that can be annoying. Since I will be teleporting to other locations I turn the greeter off. Use your own judgment.

If you wish to leave your greeter on but fine tune it's behavior, set GREET_ENABLED = TRUE in the Configuration notecard and edit the greeter configuration notecard Greeter_Config. Several parameters allow you to adjust your greeter in the following ways:

If you wish to send new arrivals an Instant Message greeting, set
GREET_ENABLED = TRUE
Otherwise, set GREET_ENABLED = FALSE

If you wish to give new arrivals a landmark, set
GIVE_LANDMARK = TRUE
Otherwise, set GREET_ENABLED = FALSE

If you wish to give new arrivals a notecard, set
GIVE_NOTECARD = TRUE
Otherwise, set GREET_ENABLED = FALSE

If you wish to give new arrivals the named notecard NOTE_NAME,
GIVE_NAMED_NOTECARD = TRUE
Otherwise, set GREET_ENABLED = FALSE

I also like to edit the Inner_Config notecard and set:

SOUND_ON = FALSE

Finally, I edit the Inner Spheres Pandorabot and position it a little higher so the rotating prims don't go underground and the whole assembly appears to float slightly above my head. This way I can wear a cape or hat or other attachments and it will look like the invisible caped person with rotating geometric objects floating over her head is present.

Create a 3D Sculpted Pandorabot

If you own one of the 2D Pandorabots you can easily transform it into a 3D Pandorabot using a sculpted prim. Sculpted prims can give the appearance of a 3D avatar. All that is required is to move the scripts, notecards, and landmarks from your 2D Pandorabot into the contents of a 3D sculpted prim. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you.

First, find or create a 3D sculpted prim you want to use as a Pandorabot. It doesn't have to be a single prim, it can be as elaborate as you like or just a single prim. You must have modify permission on the sculpted prim. XD Fusion has a few free full perm 3D sculpted prims and some animated sculpted prims for sale. Any modifiable prim will do and it doesn't have to be a male/female human form. I run one Pandorabot as a spinning texture changing bunch of prims in a club setting.

Create a folder in your inventory where you will temporarily store the scripts, notecards, and landmark(s). Rez the 2D Pandorabot and edit it by right clicking and selecting "Edit". In the edit window click on "Contents". Select all the items in the contents by left clicking on the first one and shift left clicking on the last one. Left click and hold the mouse button down as you drag the items from the Pandorabot contents to the new folder you created. Release the mouse button. Your Pandorabot contents should be in the new folder. You can close the edit window and take the Pandorabot back into your inventory.

To make sure the Pandorabot does not attempt to apply a texture to itself, edit the Configuration notecard. Right click on the Configuration notecard in your new folder and select "Open". Add the following line to the top of the Configuration notecard:

TEXT_ENABLED = FALSE

Close the notecard editing window.

Rez the sculpted prim you want to use as a Pandorabot. Edit the prim and click on the Contents tab. Select the items from your new folder you wish to copy. You do not need to copy the textures. Drag and drop the items from your inventory into the Contents tab of the edit window. While still in edit mode, select "Tools -> Reset Scripts in Selection" from your viewer's menu bar. Close the reset window and close the edit window.

You should be running a 3D sculpted Pandorabot now!

Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On Released

Pandorabot V5 is now integrated with METAbolt to provide a realistic 3D animated bot avatar that can chat, greet new arrivals, query Wikipedia, check spelling, send email, deliver notecards & landmarks, and issue group invitations. The Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On can significantly enhance a METAbolt bot providing the many features of the Pandorabot V5 as well as a graphical dialog menu your guests can use to interact with your METAbolt bot.

The Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On is available on the Second Life Marketplace for L$395.

Steps required to setup an integrated METAbolt/Pandorabot:

1. Purchase one Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On for each of your METAbolt bots
2. Create a Second Life account with Scripted Agent Status set to bot (create one account for each METAbolt bot you want to run)
3. Install METAbolt and enable Auto Sit
4. Rez the Pandorabot METAbolt Base Prim and edit configuration notecards
5. Edit the Pandorabot METAbolt Base Prim description field
6. Copy desired animations into METAbolt base prim
7. Reset scripts
8. Login your METAbolt bot

Setup is detailed in the Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On Manual

 

Pandorabot METAbolt Add-On and Restless Studio are not associated to or sponsored by METAbolt (http://www.metabolt.net).

Pandorabot V5 Upgrade Instructions

If you own a Pandorabot V4 or earlier and want to freely upgrade to Pandorabot V5 you can do so by following these steps:

• Copy any changes you have made to configuration notecards
• Copy/Move any items you have added to the Pandorabot (e.g. landmarks, notecards, textures, ...)
• Take the Pandorabot back into your inventory (right click the Pandorabot and select "Take")
• IM Missy Restless (search for "Missy Restless", click on the "Missy Restless" search result, click on "View Full Profile", click "Instant Message")
• Drag and drop the Pandorabot item from your inventory onto the Instant Message window

You should receive the Pandorabot V5 as soon as I receive notice of the IM transfer. When you receive the Pandorabot V5 box, rez it, open the box, copy the contents to your inventory, and rez the Pandorabot V5. You will need to re-do any changes you made to your previous Pandorabot (use the saved configuration notecards as reference). Note: I may be away from my computer so allow me a day or so and if you do not hear from me drop me a reminder.

Note also that owners of the Pandorabot Actorbot Add-On and Add-On Lite can use the same process to upgrade to V5.

Enjoy!

Pandorabot & Actorbot Add-On V5 Released

The new improved Pandorabot V5 and associated Actorbot Add-On and Add-On Lite were released today January 3, 2011. Available on the Second Life Marketplace at http://tinyurl.com/26vjryb these updates include many new features as well as bug fixes and performance enhancements. The updated V5 manuals are available in OpenOffice and PDF format at http://www.scribd.com/missyrestless

Owners of the Pandorabot V4 and earlier can upgrade freely to Pandorabot V5. Upgrade instructions are detailed in a separate post.

Enjoy!