[factoid] Ambiguity with $arg setting/replying

[Siggi]

22:46 <&Siggi> tibid: banana $arg is <reply>$who: Yay banana $1
22:46 < tibid> Siggi: One learns a new thing every day
22:46 <&Siggi> tibid: banana $arg is also <reply>$who: Boo banana $1
22:46 < tibid> Siggi: Yay banana $arg is also <reply>Siggi: Boo banana $1

The third line should set a new response, instead the bot responds using the already defined response.

[Stefano Rivera (stefanor)]

I can't see an easy solution to this.

[Max Rabkin (max-rabkin)]

It seems to me the solution is to make factoid-setting have higher priority (i.e. lower PRIORITY) than factoid-getting, but that may have unintended consequences.

[Stefano Rivera (stefanor)]

> but that may have unintended consequences.

It does. We've oscillated on that a few times. (But before the days when
we filed bugs before picking our noses)

In general, I think it makes more sense for factoid setting to happen
after getting. We don't want to set factoids when people ask quesitons
that the bot can't answer.

[Max Rabkin (max-rabkin)]

One way out is to allow (require?) an explicit command for factoid setting:

set factoid foo is arg

Requiring this has the nice side-effect of eliminating accidental factoids, but is a big change.

[Max Rabkin (max-rabkin)]

Or we can give higher priority to =verbs=.

[Das Auge (0815jo)]

Or we say, arguments can not begin with "$".

That would result in:

test $arg is foo $1.
ibid: I'll remember that
test is also bar
ibid: test is test is foo is also bar
test $arg is also bar
ibid: I'll remember that
test /bar/
ibid: test is bar

[Das Auge (0815jo)]

Sorry, I sent the comment before finishing my explanation:

I think the vantages of this solution are:
- You can set more than one factoids with argument
- No unwanted setting of factoids
- No rule you have to learn
- Intuitive

Disadvantage: The following example does not work anymore:
pay $arg is <action> Pays to $who the amount of$1.
ibid: I'll remember that
pay $10.-
Possible resolution: do not check for $, but for $arg. So the rules for factoids with argument would be:
1. If the argument begins with $arg, its a setting
2. If not, its a getting.