Function UltraHal(ByVal InputString, ByVal UserName, ByVal ComputerName, ByVal LearningLevel, ByVal DatabaseFile, ByRef Hate, ByRef Swear, ByRef Insults, ByRef Compliment, ByRef PrevSent, ByRef LastResponseTime, ByRef PrevUserSent, ByRef CustomMem, ByRef GainControl, ByRef LastTopicList)
    
    'RESPOND: User pressed enter, but didn't say anything
    InputString = Trim(InputString)
    If Len(InputString) < 2 Then
        UltraHal = "Please say something."
        Exit Function
    End If
    
    'PROCESS: AUTO-IDLE
    'If AUTO-IDLE is enabled, it is called by the Ultra Hal Assistant host
    'application at a set interval. This allows for the possibility of Hal
    'being the first to say something if the user is idle.
'    If InputString = "AUTO-IDLE" Then
If InputString = "AUTO-IDLE" Or InputString = "AUTO IDLE" Or InputString = "AUTOIDLE" Then
        Rem PLUGIN: AUTO-IDLE
        'The preceding comment is actually a plug-in directive for
        'the Ultra Hal host application. It allows for code snippets
        'to be inserted here on-the-fly based on user configuration.
        
        UltraHal = UltraHal & HalBrain.StoreVars(HalCommands, Hate, Swear, Insults, Compliment, PrevSent, LastResponseTime, PrevUserSent, CustomMem, GainControl, LastTopicList)
        Exit Function
    End If
    
    'PROCESS: INITIALIZE VARIABLES
    'VBScript doesn't allow you to declare variables in advance as a
    'particular data type; everything is a Variant. We must assign
    'integers to the following variants so that data type errors don't
    'occur
    If LearningLevel = "" Then LearningLevel = 0
    If Hate = "" Then Hate = 0
    If Swear = "" Then Swear = 0
    If Insults = "" Then Insults = 0
    If Compliment = "" Then Compliment = 0
    If GainControl = "" Then GainControl = 25
    
    'PROCESS: IF NO LEARNING IS REQUESTED, PUT DATABASE IN READ-ONLY MODE
    'If read only mode is on, any requests to create a new table, add to
    'a table, or delete records from a table will be ignored.
    If LearningLevel = 0 Then HalBrain.ReadOnlyMode = True Else HalBrain.ReadOnlyMode = False

    'PROCESS: EMOTIONAL FACTOR CENTERING
    'We help Hal regain his emotional "center" gradually, even if the
    'user doesn't catch on to dealing With Hal's feelings. The following
    'code brings Hal's memory of hate, swearing, and insults gradually
    'and randomly back to zero.
'initialize Rnd before 1st use
Randomize
    SpinWheel = Int(Rnd * 100)
    If Hate > 0 And SpinWheel < 10 Then Hate = Hate - 1
'should all 3 attributes 'center' at the same rate? nah
SpinWheel = Int(Rnd * 100) 
    If Swear > 0 And SpinWheel < 10 Then Swear = Swear - 1
SpinWheel = Int(Rnd * 100) 
    If Insults > 0 And SpinWheel < 10 Then Insults = Insults - 1

    'PROCESS: EMOTIONAL VARIETY
    'The following code allows Hal some random emotional excursions:
    SpinWheel = Int(Rnd * 100)
    If Compliment = 4 And SpinWheel < 30 Then Compliment = 2
    If Compliment > 0 And Compliment < 4 And SpinWheel < 5 Then Compliment = 0
    If Compliment > 4 And SpinWheel < 5 Then Compliment = 0
    If Compliment < 0 And SpinWheel < 30 Then Compliment = 0
    If SpinWheel > 80 And SpinWheel < 90 Then Compliment = 2
    If SpinWheel > 90 And SpinWheel < 95 Then Compliment = 4
    
    Rem PLUGIN: PRE-PROCESS
    'The preceding comment is actually a plug-in directive for
    'the Ultra Hal host application. It allows for code snippets
    'to be inserted here on-the-fly based on user configuration.
    
    'PROCESS: SPLIT USER'S INPUT STRING INTO SEPERATE SENTENCES
    'Encode abbreviations such as Mr. Mrs. and Ms.
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "MR.", "Mr<PERIOD>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "MRS.", "Mrs<PERIOD>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "MS.", "Ms<PERIOD>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "DR.", "Dr<PERIOD>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "MS.", "Ms<PERIOD>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "ST.", "St<PERIOD>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "PROF.", "Prof<PERIOD>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "GEN.", "Gen<PERIOD>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "REP.", "Rep<PERIOD>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "SEN.", "Sen<PERIOD>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    'Remove unnecessary punctuation
    Do
        RepeatLoop = False
        If InStr(InputString, "..") Then InputString = Replace(InputString, "..", "."): RepeatLoop = True
        If InStr(InputString, "??") Then InputString = Replace(InputString, "??", "?"): RepeatLoop = True
        If InStr(InputString, "!!") Then InputString = Replace(InputString, "!!", "!"): RepeatLoop = True
        If InStr(InputString, "!?") Then InputString = Replace(InputString, "!?", "?"): RepeatLoop = True
        If InStr(InputString, "?!") Then InputString = Replace(InputString, "?!", "?"): RepeatLoop = True
        If InStr(InputString, ",,") Then InputString = Replace(InputString, ",,", ","): RepeatLoop = True
    Loop While RepeatLoop = True
    'Detect and encode acronyms such as U.S.A.
    InputString = Trim(InputString)
    WordList = Split(InputString, " ")
    For i = 0 To UBound(WordList)
        If Len(WordList(i)) > 3 Then
            If Right(WordList(i), 1) = "." And Mid(WordList(i), Len(WordList(i)) - 2, 1) = "." Then
                InputString = Replace(InputString, WordList(i), Left(WordList(i), Len(WordList(i)) - 1) & "<PERIOD>")
            End If
        End If
    Next
    'Place split markers in string
    InputString = Replace(InputString, ". ", ". <NEWSENT>")
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "? ", "? <NEWSENT>")
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "! ", "! <NEWSENT>")
    'Decode acronyms and abbreviations
    InputString = Replace(InputString, "<PERIOD>", ".", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    'Split string into sentences
    Sentences = Split(InputString, "<NEWSENT>")
    
    'PROCESS: RECORD DEBUG INFO
    HalBrain.AddDebug "Debug", "Ultra Hal Start"
   
    'RESPOND: PREDEFINED RESPONSES
    'If the previous exchange had tags to set the response of this exchange
    'then follow the command.
    NextResponse = HalBrain.ExtractVar(CustomMem, "NextResponse")
    If NextResponse <> "" Then
        CustomMem = Replace(CustomMem, "NextResponse-eq-", "LastResponse-eq-")
        UltraHal = NextResponse
        GoodSentence = True
        NextResponse = ""
    End If
    YesResponse = HalBrain.ExtractVar(CustomMem, "YesRes")
    NoResponse = HalBrain.ExtractVar(CustomMem, "NoRes")
    If YesResponse <> "" Or NoResponse <> "" Then
        CustomMem = Replace(CustomMem, "YesRes-eq-", "LastYesRes-eq-")
        CustomMem = Replace(CustomMem, "NoRes-eq-", "LastNoRes-eq-")
        InputString2 = Replace(InputString, ".", " ")
'cag
'the result of each Replace() is destroyed by next call; using InputString2 as 1st
'parm in Replace() preserves any changes
'
'        InputString2 = Replace(InputString, "?", " ")
'        InputString2 = Replace(InputString, "!", " ")
'        InputString2 = " " & Replace(InputString, ",", " ") & " "
        InputString2 = Replace(InputString2, "?", " ")
        InputString2 = Replace(InputString2, "!", " ")
        InputString2 = " " & Replace(InputString2, ",", " ") & " "
'/cag
        YesNoDetect = HalBrain.TopicSearch(InputString2, "yesNoDetect")
        If YesNoDetect = "Yes" And YesResponse <> "" Then
            UltraHal = YesResponse
            GoodSentence = True
        ElseIf YesNoDetect = "No" And NoResponse <> "" Then
            UltraHal = NoResponse
            GoodSentence = True
        End If
    End If
    
    'RESPOND: GETRESPONSE
    'Get a response from Hal's brain for each sentence individually.
    'If a response from a sentence indicates a special flag, then Hal
    'will give only the response to that sentence, and not process
    'any other sentences. Otherwise Hal will respond to each sentence.
    'Hal will respond to a max of 3 sentences at once.
    SentenceCount = UBound(Sentences)
    If SentenceCount > 2 Then SentenceCount = 2
    LowQualityResponse = ""
'RM: is the next line intended to bypass the for loop?
    If GoodSentence = True Then SentenceCount = -1
    For i = 0 To SentenceCount
        TempParent = HalBrain.AddDebug("Debug", "Begin Processing Sentence " & CStr(i + 1), vbCyan)
        HalBrain.AddDebug TempParent, "Sentence: " & Sentences(i)
        HalBrain.DebugWatch "", "NewSent"
        Sentences(i) = Trim(Sentences(i))
        If Len(Sentences(i)) > 1 Then
            GoodSentence = True
            CurResponse = GetResponse(Sentences(i), UserName, ComputerName, LearningLevel, HalCommands, Hate, Swear, Insults, Compliment, PrevSent, LastResponseTime, PrevUserSent, CustomMem, GainControl, LastTopicList) & vbCrLf
            If InStr(1, CurResponse, "<LOWQUALITY>", vbTextCompare) Then
                'If Hal's response to the current sentence is of a low-quality nature, then we hold out
                'for a better response with a different sentence, but if there is no better response
                'then we will use only the first low-quality response we came across.
                If LowQualityResponse = "" Then LowQualityResponse = CurResponse
            ElseIf InStr(1, CurResponse, "<TOPIC>", vbTextCompare) Or InStr(1, CurResponse, "<YESRES>", vbTextCompare) Or InStr(1, CurResponse, "<EXCLUSIVE>", vbTextCompare) Then
'RM: why isn't <NORES> included; are positive responses given more weight than negative ones?
                'If Hal's response indicates an exclusivity tag, then we erase any response Hal may have
                'already had, respond with the exclusive response, and cease processing more sentences
                UltraHal = CurResponse & vbCrLf
                Exit For
            Else
                'Since there are no special tags, we just append the new response to the previous one
                'if the response was not already given
                If InStr(1, UltraHal, CurResponse, vbTextCompare) = 0 Then UltraHal = UltraHal & " . " & CurResponse & vbCrLf
            End If
            'If we received a tag to stop processing more sentences, we leave the loop
            If InStr(1, CurResponse, "<NOMORE>", vbTextCompare) Then Exit For
        End If
    Next
    'If we have no normal quality responses, we will use out low quality response
    UltraHal = Trim(UltraHal)
    If UltraHal = "" Then UltraHal = Trim(LowQualityResponse)
    
    'RESPOND: USER DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING
    'If GoodSentence has not been set to true, then that means the user didn't
    'type anything of use, so we ask the user to say something.
    If GoodSentence = False Then
        UltraHal = "Please say something."
'couldn't you do a "Exit Function" as with the previous "Please say something." (near start of UltraHal())
    End If
    
    'PROCESS: PROCESS IN-SENTENCE TAGS
    'the <TOPIC>*</TOPIC> tag sets what Hal's next response will be, no matter what the user says
    NextResponse = HalBrain.SearchPattern(UltraHal, "*<TOPIC>*</TOPIC>*", 2)
    If NextResponse <> "" Then
        UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, NextResponse, "", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
        UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "<TOPIC>", "", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
        UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "</TOPIC>", "", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
        NextResponse = Trim(Replace(NextResponse, "<TOPIC>", "", 1, -1, vbTextCompare))
        CustomMem = CustomMem & HalBrain.EncodeVar(NextResponse, "NextResponse")
    End If
    'The <YES>*</YES> and <NO>*</NO> tag sets what Hal's response will be if the user says yes or no
    UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "<YESRE>", "<YESRES>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "</YESRE>", "</YESRES>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "<YES>", "<YESRES>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "</YES>", "</YESRES>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "<NO>", "<NORES>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "</NO>", "</NORES>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    YesRes = HalBrain.SearchPattern(UltraHal, "*<YESRES>*</YESRES>*", 2)
    If YesRes <> "" Then
        UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, YesRes, "", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
        UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "<YESRES>", "", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
        UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "</YESRES>", "", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
        YesRes = Trim(Replace(YesRes, "<YESRES>", "", 1, -1, vbTextCompare))
        CustomMem = CustomMem & HalBrain.EncodeVar(YesRes, "YesRes")
    End If
    NoRes = HalBrain.SearchPattern(UltraHal, "*<NORES>*</NORES>*", 2)
    If NoRes <> "" Then
        UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, NoRes, "", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
        UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "<NORES>", "", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
        UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "</NORES>", "", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
'cag
'oops! code pasting error: 1st parm to Replace() not changed
'
'        NoRes = Trim(Replace(YesRes, "<NORES>", "", 1, -1, vbTextCompare))
        NoRes = Trim(Replace(NoRes, "<NORES>", "", 1, -1, vbTextCompare))
'/cag
        CustomMem = CustomMem & HalBrain.EncodeVar(NoRes, "NoRes")
    End If
    'The <RUN>*</RUN> tags are converted into a HalCommand to run a program
    UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "<RUNIT>", "<RUN>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "</RUNIT>", "</RUN>", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    RunProgram = HalBrain.SearchPattern(UltraHal, "*<RUN>*</RUN>*", 2)
    If RunProgram <> "" Then
        UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, RunProgram, "", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
        UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "<RUN>", "", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
        UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "</RUN>", "", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
'cag
'oops again! same as previous
'
'        RunProgram = Trim(Replace(YesRes, "<RUN>", "", 1, -1, vbTextCompare))
        RunProgram = Trim(Replace(RunProgram, "<RUN>", "", 1, -1, vbTextCompare))
'/cag
        HalCommands = HalCommands & "<RUNPROG>" & RunProgram & "</RUNPROG>"
    End If
    UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "<WEBADDRESS>", "www.ultrahal.com", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "<HALNAME>", ComputerName, 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "<HALSNAME>", ComputerName, 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "<COMPUTERNAME>", ComputerName, 1, -1, vbTextCompare)

'cag
'this line accomplishes nothing, replacing a string with itself
'I took a guess at what was meant to go there
'
'    UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, " " & ComputerName & " ", " " & ComputerName & " ", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, <USERNAME>, UserName, 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
'/cag

    UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "<TIME>", Time(), 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "<DATE>", Date(), 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "<QUOTE>", """", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "&quot;", """", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "&quot", """", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "<AT>", "@", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "<NOMORE>", "", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "<LOWQUALITY>", "", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    UltraHal = Replace(UltraHal, "<EXCLUSIVE>", "", 1, -1, vbTextCompare)
    
    'PROCESS: INTELLIGENT CAPITILIZATION FIX
    UltraHal = HalBrain.FixCaps(HalBrain.HalFormat(UltraHal))

    Rem PLUGIN: POST-PROCESS
    'The preceding comment is actually a plug-in directive for
    'the Ultra Hal host application. It allows for code snippets
    'to be inserted here on-the-fly based on user configuration.
  
    'POST PROCESS: PRESERVE ALL VARIABLES, CLOSE DATABASE, EXIT
    'Remember all the variables through encoding them into one function string using
    'the DLL, since for some reason ByRef assignments don't work when a Visual Basic
    'executable is calling a function in a VBScript program. The HalCommands variable
    'that is returned is not used by this script, but can be used by script programmers
    'to send certain commands back to the host Hal program. See documentation of the
    'host Hal program to see what this can be used for.
    'Close database and exit function
    PrevSent = UltraHal
    UltraHal = UltraHal & HalBrain.StoreVars(HalCommands, Hate, Swear, Insults, Compliment, PrevSent, LastResponseTime, PrevUserSent, CustomMem, GainControl, LastTopicList)

End Function