Template for Creating Templates (template.gbai)

A General Bots meta-template that serves as a starting point for creating new bot templates.

Overview

The Template template (yes, it’s a template for templates!) provides the essential structure and best practices for creating new General Bots templates. Use this as your foundation when building custom templates for specific use cases.

Features

Standard Structure - Pre-configured folder hierarchy
Best Practices - Follows General Bots conventions
Documentation Ready - Includes README template
Quick Start - Minimal setup required

Package Structure

template.gbai/
├── README.md                    # Template documentation
├── template.gbdialog/           # Dialog scripts
│   └── send.bas                 # Example script (placeholder)
├── template.gbdrive/            # File storage
│   └── (your files here)
├── template.gbkb/               # Knowledge base (optional)
│   └── docs/
└── template.gbot/               # Bot configuration
    └── config.csv

Creating a New Template

Step 1: Copy the Template

cp -r templates/template.gbai templates/your-template.gbai

Step 2: Rename Internal Folders

Rename all internal folders to match your template name:

cd templates/your-template.gbai
mv template.gbdialog your-template.gbdialog
mv template.gbdrive your-template.gbdrive
mv template.gbot your-template.gbot

Step 3: Configure Your Bot

Edit your-template.gbot/config.csv:

name,value
Bot Name,Your Bot Name
Theme Color,blue
Answer Mode,default
LLM Provider,openai

Step 4: Create Dialog Scripts

Add your BASIC scripts to your-template.gbdialog/:

' start.bas - Main entry point
ADD TOOL "your-tool"

USE KB "your-template.gbkb"

CLEAR SUGGESTIONS

ADD SUGGESTION "option1" AS "First Option"
ADD SUGGESTION "option2" AS "Second Option"
ADD SUGGESTION "help" AS "Get Help"

BEGIN TALK
**Your Bot Name**

Welcome! I can help you with:
• Feature 1
• Feature 2
• Feature 3

What would you like to do?
END TALK

BEGIN SYSTEM PROMPT
You are a helpful assistant for [your use case].

Guidelines:
- Be helpful and concise
- Use the available tools when appropriate
- Ask clarifying questions when needed
END SYSTEM PROMPT

Step 5: Add Tools

Create tool scripts with proper parameters:

' your-tool.bas
PARAM input AS STRING LIKE "example" DESCRIPTION "Description of this parameter"
PARAM optional_param AS STRING DESCRIPTION "Optional parameter" OPTIONAL

DESCRIPTION "What this tool does - this helps the LLM decide when to use it"

' Your implementation here
result = DO_SOMETHING(input)

IF result THEN
    RETURN result
ELSE
    RETURN {"error": "Something went wrong"}
END IF

Step 6: Add Knowledge Base (Optional)

If your template needs reference documentation:

your-template.gbkb/
└── docs/
    ├── feature1.md
    ├── feature2.md
    └── faq.md

Step 7: Update README

Replace the README with documentation for your template following the standard format.

Template Checklist

Before publishing your template, ensure:

All folders renamed to match template name
config.csv configured with appropriate defaults
start.bas provides clear entry point
All tools have PARAM and DESCRIPTION
System prompt guides LLM behavior
README documents all features
No hardcoded credentials or secrets
Error handling implemented
Example conversations documented

Naming Conventions

Item	Convention	Example
Template folder	`kebab-case.gbai`	`my-crm.gbai`
Dialog scripts	`kebab-case.bas`	`add-contact.bas`
Tools	`kebab-case`	`search-products`
Config keys	`Title Case`	`Theme Color`
Table names	`PascalCase`	`CustomerOrders`

File Templates

config.csv Template

name,value
Bot Name,Your Bot Name
Theme Color,blue
Answer Mode,default
LLM Provider,openai
Admin Email,admin@company.com

start.bas Template

' Register tools
ADD TOOL "tool-name"

' Load knowledge base
USE KB "your-template.gbkb"

' Configure suggestions
CLEAR SUGGESTIONS
ADD SUGGESTION "action" AS "Do Something"

' Welcome message
BEGIN TALK
**Bot Name**

Welcome message here.
END TALK

' System prompt
BEGIN SYSTEM PROMPT
You are a helpful assistant.
Define behavior and guidelines here.
END SYSTEM PROMPT

Tool Template

PARAM required_param AS STRING LIKE "example" DESCRIPTION "What this is"
PARAM optional_param AS STRING DESCRIPTION "Optional input" OPTIONAL

DESCRIPTION "What this tool does"

' Implementation
result = YOUR_LOGIC_HERE

IF result THEN
    RETURN result
ELSE
    RETURN {"error": "Error message"}
END IF

Best Practices

Dialog Scripts

Clear entry point - start.bas should be the main entry
Register tools - Use ADD TOOL for LLM-callable functions
Set context - Use SET CONTEXT and BEGIN SYSTEM PROMPT
Add suggestions - Guide users with quick actions
Welcome message - Use BEGIN TALK for introduction

Tools

Descriptive names - Tool names should indicate function
Parameter examples - Use LIKE to show expected format
Clear descriptions - Help LLM understand when to use
Return values - Always return meaningful results
Error handling - Handle edge cases gracefully

Configuration

Sensible defaults - Work out of the box
Document options - Explain each setting
No secrets - Use environment variables for credentials
Flexible - Allow customization without code changes

Documentation

Clear overview - Explain what the template does
Feature list - Highlight capabilities
Usage examples - Show common scenarios
Configuration guide - Document all settings
Troubleshooting - Address common issues

Publishing Your Template

Test thoroughly - Verify all features work
Document completely - Users should be self-sufficient
Follow conventions - Consistent with other templates
Update main README - Add to templates list
Submit PR - Include template and documentation

Sample Conversation

User: How do I create a new template?

Bot:  To create a new template:

      1. Copy the template.gbai folder
      2. Rename it to your-template.gbai
      3. Rename internal folders to match
      4. Edit config.csv with your settings
      5. Create your dialog scripts in .gbdialog
      6. Add tools as separate .bas files
      7. Update the README
      
      Would you like help with any specific step?

User: How do I add a tool?

Bot:  To add a tool, create a .bas file in your .gbdialog folder:

      ' my-tool.bas
      PARAM input AS STRING LIKE "example" DESCRIPTION "Input parameter"
      
      DESCRIPTION "What this tool does"
      
      ' Your logic here
      result = PROCESS(input)
      RETURN result
      
      Then register it in start.bas:
      
      ADD TOOL "my-tool"
      
      The LLM will automatically call your tool when appropriate
      based on the DESCRIPTION you provided.

Troubleshooting

Issue	Cause	Solution
Tool not found	Not registered	Add `ADD TOOL "name"` in start.bas
Tool not called	Poor description	Improve DESCRIPTION text
Wrong folder structure	Names don’t match	Ensure all folders use same prefix
Config not loading	Wrong format	Check CSV syntax
KB not found	Wrong path	Verify USE KB path matches folder

Templates Reference - Full template list
Template Samples - Example conversations
gbdialog Reference - BASIC scripting guide
Bot Configuration - Configuration options

Use Cases for Custom Templates

Industry-Specific - Healthcare, legal, finance bots
Department-Specific - HR, IT, sales assistants
Process Automation - Workflow-specific bots
Integration Templates - Connect to specific APIs/systems
Vertical Solutions - Complete solutions for business needs

General Bots Documentation