CLIPS Beginner: How to add Python dictionary data into CLIPS facts using clipspy

Question

I want to add facts using clipspy from dictionary in python (Dict to fact). But so far I am unable to do so. I am getting syntax errors as I am beginner to Clips rules and facts coding. Thank you in advance if anyone can help me resolve this problem. Following is my code:

import clips
template_string = """
(deftemplate person
 (slot name (type STRING))
 (slot surname (type STRING)))
"""
Dict = {'name': 'John', 'surname': 'Doe' }
env = clips.Environment()
env.build(template_string)
template = env.find_template('person')
parstr = """(name%(name))(surname%(surname))"""%Dict
fact = template.assert_fact(parstr)
assert_fact = fact
env.run()
for fact in env.facts():
 print(fact)

This is the error I am having:

 Traceback (most recent call last):
 File "/home/aqsa/Clips/example2.py", line 13, in <module>
 parstr = """(name%(name))(surname%(surname))"""%Dict
ValueError: unsupported format character ')' (0x29) at index 12

Answer 1

You are asserting a fact as a string but the Template assert_fact expects a list of keyword arguments as per the documentation and the examples.

template.assert_fact(name='John', surname='Doe')

or

template.assert_fact(**Dict) # kwargs expansion

You can also assert facts as strings but it's a bit slower due to the fact the engine has to interpret them.

env.assert_string('(person (name "John") (surname "Doe"))')