Customising Viabl.ai Base Classes

In a Knowledge Base, Viabl.ai objects are typically 'descended' from a Base Class. These Base Classes can be displayed in the Object Catalog if the Catalog Show base classes setting is checked.

Base classes define the overall structure that Objects (including Questions and Decision Trees) inherit. Each Viabla.ai knowledge base has it's own set of default set of Base Classes and can the user can add any number of custom Bases Classes.

A Base Class can be of type List, Numeric, Text, Date or Boolean with each type having a set of of type-specific properties as well as other properties common to all the Base Classes.

System Base Classes that are marked with a red dot next to their name in the Object Catalog, are "Read-only" and cannot be modified (unless the read-only status is removed).

The Base Class Editor

The Base Class editor has the following tabs:

• The Properties tab
• List Values tab (List & Boolean types only)
• List Properties tab (List & Boolean types only)
• The Events tab

The Boolean base class has 2 preset values (defaults to 'Yes' and 'No') and no further values can be added (although they can be renamed)

The Properties tab applies to all the data type, although certain properties are only available to certain data types e.g. 'Decimal places' only appears for Numeric Base Classes.

The Events tab also applies to all the data types, and is where Script code can be attached to particular events; OnCapture, OnLeave and OnUpdate. The Script is entered using the Script editor in either the XpertScript or JavaScript. The events are triggered at defined points in the inference process of the object; OnCapture is fired when an object is about to be 'captured', OnLeave is fired after an object has been 'captured' and OnUpdate is fired when the an object value changes whilst being captured such as on a Dialog.