Text Slots

Rasa slots can be filled by entities, but they can also store information from other sources. In this lesson we will fill slot values that are based on text.

Video


Code

We're going to use a form again so we'll need rules in our rules.yml file.

rules:
- rule: Activate form
  steps:
  - intent: request_names
  - action: name_form
  - active_loop: name_form


- rule: Submit form
  condition:
  - active_loop: name_form
  steps:
  - action: name_form
  - active_loop: null
  - slot_was_set:
    - requested_slot: null
  - action: utter_submit
  - action: utter_slots_values

We're referring to a name_form here, which is defined in our domain.yml file.

forms:
  name_form:
    required_slots:
      - first_name
      - last_name
slots:
  first_name:
    type: text
    influence_conversation: true
    mappings:
      - type: from_text
        conditions:
         - active_loop: name_form
           requested_slot: first_name
  last_name:
    type: text
    influence_conversation: true
    mappings:
      - type: from_text
        conditions:
         - active_loop: name_form
           requested_slot: last_name

Because we're using from_text mappings, we can fill slots based on text. It's especially important that these slots have a condition attached to them, so that they can be filled only when the user is in the form.

This domain.yml also contains some responses that help the form ask questions.

responses
  utter_ask_first_name:
  - text: What is your first name?
  utter_ask_last_name:
  - text: So {first_name}, what is your last name?
  utter_submit:
  - text: Ok. Thanks!
  utter_slots_values:
  - text: I will remember that your name is {first_name} {last_name}!

Because we're not using entities, we only need a single extra intent in our nlu.yml file in order to trigger the form.

nlu:
- intent: request_names
  examples: |
    - i want to give you my name
    - give name
    - you need to know my name
    - do you know my name?

Links

Exercises

Try to answer the following questions to test your knowledge.

  1. What is the naming convention for a response that asks for a slot value?
  2. Let's say you want to use the first name to ask for a last name. Do you need to write a custom action for this use-case?
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