Running a Dialogue - dialogos-project/dialogos GitHub Wiki
In order to run the dialog, simply select Dialog -> Run. Once the dialog begins execution, the dialog control system will attempt to connect to all devices. Execution will then start from the Start node of the main dialog graph. As soon as the End node is reached, execution will stop. You can also end the execution by clicking Stop from the toolbar, or selecting Menu -> Stop from the menubar.
During execution, the node which is currently being processed will be colored light blue, making it easy to keep track of the dialog flow. For testing purposes, it is also useful to use a delay between nodes. This can be done by selecting Dialog -> Delay from the menu bar and setting a delay period. In this way, you can visually follow the dialog flow in progress.
Debugging a Dialog
DebugTo debug a dialog graph, you can run the DialogOS debugger by selecting Dialog -> Debug from the menu bar. The debugger makes it possible to pass through the dialog stepwise, viewing current values in all variables along the way. The buttons Continue and Pause allow you to stop the debugger to examine a graph and then continue again where it left off. The additional buttons StepOver, StepInto and StepOut can be used to enter subgraphs and procedures or to skip over them entirely.
The tabs Variables, Callstack, Devices and Log are likewise available below the dialog graph. These tab views allow you to keep track of the status of running processes. For example, the Variables tab shows the variables and their current values on the active graph. The Callstack gives an overview of all procedures and subgraphs currently being processed. The Devices tab contains the latest input and output of all external devices. Finally, the Log tab reports any extra information received by any of the external devices currently connected.
Testing a Dialog
DialogOS contains an interface which supports Wizard-of-Oz experiments. This interface can be used to simulate real dialogs in experiments designed to interact with live test subjects. The wizard (a real person controling the dialog from another room, for example), can decide which path to take in the dialog based on the input from the user. This kind of testing is extremely useful for gaining real-world dialog examples with which to implement in a final model version.
In addition to supporting decision-making through the Wizard-Of-Oz interface, there is also the possibility of creating protocols with which to run analysis test on user interactions. These protocols can log variables and bound patterns, time-lines, inputs and outputs, transitions and node processes, and other information pertaining to user dialog interactions.
To begin the dialog in Wizard-of-Oz mode, you can click Wizard-Of-Oz from the tool bar or select Dialog -> Wizard Of Oz from the menu bar. All devices which will be controlled by the wizard (e.g. speech recognition), should be deactivated beforehand. DialogOS will then create a connection to the rest of the devices.
At this point, a pop-up window will open in which you can enter information such as the name and id of the test subject, as well as comments, into the log file. DialogOS also supports multiple channel records so that audio input from the test subject and the dialog system can be recorded for later analysis. Note that this requires the use of a soundcard with a driver that supports the ASIO standard. Click OK to confirm these settings or No Log if you do not wish to create a log file.
The wizard window will then appear on the screen and clicking Run will begin the experiment. The wizard must confirm the beginning of dialog before recording begins. This provides a useful period in which to give instructions to test subjects. Clicking OK will begin the actual recording.
As soon as the dialog comes to an Input node, all possible input patterns will be enumerated in the wizard window. The wizard can then click on a pattern or type the number corresponding to the position of the pattern in the list. This will open a pop-up box allowing the wizard to enter the value of the pattern variable, which will cause the dialogue to proceed based on the conditions of that value.
The wizard window also provides an overview of all currently active variables and their values. These values can likewise be manipulated by double-clicking on them and entering new values.
Once the experiment has ended, the protocol will continue to record the log file until the wizard confirms the end via the pop-up box. This allows the experimenter to record opinions or remarks during post-test discussions with the test subjects. The wizard can stop the dialog at any time by clicking the Stop button. In addition, clicking the Warning button will add a note to the log file and can be used to mark difficult position in the dialog flow for later analysis.
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