[alicebot-general] Program E bug

[Dr. Rich Wallace]

I found a bug in Program E and I'm wondering if anyone else has
discovered a workaround.

Suppose you create a simple default category:


<category>
<pattern>*</pattern>
<template>Keywords: <star/></template>
</category>

Assuming  there is no other AIML, this category will just echo
whatever you type:

Client: Hello there
Bot: Keywords: Hello there
Client: testing one  two three
Bot: Keywords: testing one two three

Now add a second AIML category,


<category>
<pattern>_ TEST ME *</pattern>
<template><srai>TEST ME</srai></template>
</category>

We get the expected result:

Client: xxx test me xxx
Bot: Keywords: TEST ME

Ok, finally, add one more category:


<category>
<pattern>TEST * ME</pattern>
<template><srai>TEST ME</srai></template>
</category>

Now it is messed up:

Client: test xxx me
Bot: ME

What happened to the "TEST"?
and even the one that worked before is broken:

Client: xxx test me xxx
Bot: ME

If we copy the same AIML test file over to Pandorabots:

Client: test xxx me
Bot: TEST ME
Client: xxx test me xxx
Bot: TEST ME

Does anyone with Program E experience have a workaround for this problem?