C H A P T E R 1 8
Intelligent Assistant
18-4
About the Assistant
To allow the user to repeat recent actions easily, the bottom portion of the Please
picker displays the eight strings most recently passed to the Assistant. Thus, the
string
picker displays the eight strings most recently passed to the Assistant. Thus, the
string
"ring Maurice"
appears here, even though the action of placing a phone
call is represented only by the verb
"call"
in the top portion of the picker.
After making corrections to the input string, the user can tap the Do button in the
Assist slip to pass the corrected string to the Assistant once again.
Assist slip to pass the corrected string to the Assistant once again.
Ambiguous or Missing Information
18
If the input string specifies an action, the Assistant does not display the Assist slip
containing the Please picker, but may still need to obtain additional information in
order to complete the task.
containing the Please picker, but may still need to obtain additional information in
order to complete the task.
When an action is specified but required information is still missing, the Assistant
tries to supply as much of the required information as possible. For example, if the
input string is
tries to supply as much of the required information as possible. For example, if the
input string is
"fax bob"
, the Assistant can query the Names soup for information
such as Bob's name and fax number. However, the user may still need to correct
the input if the Assistant chooses the wrong Bob from the Names soup, cannot find
Bob in the Names soup, or cannot find Bob's fax number in this soup.
the input if the Assistant chooses the wrong Bob from the Names soup, cannot find
Bob in the Names soup, or cannot find Bob's fax number in this soup.
The user can resolve ambiguities or provide additional information from within a
task slip that the Assistant displays for this purpose.
task slip that the Assistant displays for this purpose.
The Task Slip
18
The task slip provides the user with a final opportunity to correct input to the
Assistant and confirm or dismiss execution of the task before the Assistant actually
takes action. Although it's recommended that you always provide this opportunity
to confirm, modify, or cancel the task before taking action, it's especially important
to do so when execution of the task will open other applications or otherwise
inconvenience the user.
Assistant and confirm or dismiss execution of the task before the Assistant actually
takes action. Although it's recommended that you always provide this opportunity
to confirm, modify, or cancel the task before taking action, it's especially important
to do so when execution of the task will open other applications or otherwise
inconvenience the user.
Figure 18-3
Calling task slip