npm package: @neonfish/cass
Description: A ChatGPT-powered virtual assistant in the console
Author: Ed Johnson, Neon Fish Software
Latest version: 0.5.1


# Cass

A ChatGPT-powered assistant in the console (**C**onsole **Ass**istant).

![npm (scoped)](https://img.shields.io/npm/v/@neonfish/cass)

Includes:
- Chat history
- Image generation
- Rudimentary web search (using DuckDuckGo)
- Retrieval of website text (similar to a "reader mode")
- Optionally specify user's name and location for personalised interaction

# Quickstart

```sh
$ npm i -g @neonfish/cass
```

Set your OpenAI API key: (Alternatively, add the environment variable `OPENAI_API_KEY`)

```sh
$ cass --api-key=<your-openai-api-key>
```

The API key is saved in the Cass config directory (run `cass --cass-dir` to open).

Then simply enter the prompt in the console:

```sh
$ cass give me the first 10 fibonacci numbers
```

and the response is generated after a few seconds:

```sh
$ cass give me the first 10 fibonacci numbers

> give me the first 10 fibonacci numbers

> No problem! The first 10 Fibonacci numbers are 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, and 34. Is there anything else I can 
help you with?
```

# Usage

Run `cass --help` for more instructions and options.

Prompts may or may not be wrapped in quotation marks. If the prompt contains special characters, quotation marks must be used to avoid the terminal interpreting them as instructions.

## History

The chat history is saved locally in the Cass config directory (run `cass --cass-dir` to open). Each request includes as many recent messages as will fit in the request, taking into account the size of the current propmpt, the maximum number of tokens available for the response, and the size of the recent messages.

This enables back-and-forth while maintaining the chat context. Example:

```
$ cass write me a haiku about designing circuit boards

> write me a haiku about designing circuit boards

> Silver lines and curves,
Circuit boards come to life with
Electricity.

$ cass and one about debugging code

> and one about debugging code

> Lines of code so neat,
Errors lurk in every byte,
Debugging complete.
```

The history can be cleared by running either `cass --clear` or `cass --cls`. The file storing the history is kept but renamed for archival purposes, and the messages will not be sent with the next request.

## Images

Images can be generated by setting the `--image` or `-i` flag. Optionally specify the number of images to generate with the `--count` or `-n` flag.

Example:

```
$ cass -i realistic photograph of a rubber duck winking and grinning cheekily, background out of focus

> realistic photograph of a rubber duck winking and grinning cheekily, background out of focus

> Saved 1 new image to Cass directory (`cass --dir`)
```

Images can also be generated using the normal chat prompt and the `IMAGE` response tool.

Simply request an image, and Cass will return a prompt for the image generator.

## Clipboard

Text can be inserted from the clipboard. This is useful for including long multiline text, code, etc.

Use one of the following placeholders (they are equivalent): `<clipboard>`, `[clipboard]`, or `{clipboard}`

An example is shown below, including the original prompt, the expanded confirmation of the input prompt including the clipboard contents, and the response (additional line breaks added for readability):

```
    $ cass "what's wrong with this function: <clipboard>"

    > What's wrong with this typescript function: /** Convert a time of day in 
    milliseconds to a 24-hour string */
    export function millisTo24Hour(millis: number): string {
        let secs = millis / 1000;
        let mins = secs / 60;
        let hrs = mins / 60;
        return `${hrs}:${mins}`;
    }

    > The `millisTo24Hour` function in TypeScript has a mistake in the calculation 
    of the hours and minutes. Here's the corrected code:

    ```typescript
    /** Convert a time of day in milliseconds to a 24-hour string */
    export function millisTo24Hour(millis: number): string {
        let secs = millis / 1000;
        let mins = Math.floor(secs / 60);
        let hrs = Math.floor(mins / 60);
        mins = mins % 60;
        return `${hrs.toString().padStart(2, '0')}:${mins.toString().padStart(2, '0')}`;
    }
    ```

    The issue with the original code is that it calculates the hours and minutes
    as ratios of seconds and minutes, respectively, instead of taking the remainder
    after dividing by 60. This leads to incorrect values for hours and minutes.

    The corrected code uses the `Math.floor()` function to extract the whole number
    of hours and minutes, and the modulus operator `%` to get the remainder. It also
    uses the `padStart()` method to ensure that the hours and minutes are always two
    digits, with a leading zero if necessary.       

    With these changes, the `millisTo24Hour` function should now correctly convert
    a time of day in milliseconds to a 24-hour string.
```

## Tools

### Web Search

If information more recent than the September 2021 cut-off is required, Cass can make simple web searches automatically. This capability is not always used, and sometimes does not yield the required information depending on the generated search query.

### Website Content

Cass can read the request the text content of websites. Javascript is not executed, so some sites are inaccessable. The website text content is "read" by Cass without any formatting, so some hierarchy and context of the content may be lost.

Example:

```
$ cass "summarise https://neon.fish for me"
```

### Image Generation

Cass can return a prompt for the image generator which is then called directly. Additional adjectives may be added to make the result more intersting or appealing.

Example:

```
$ cass give me a picture of something really unsettling

> give me a picture of something really unsettling

> IMAGE A dark, abandoned room with broken furniture, creepy dolls scattered on the floor, and eerie shadows cast by flickering candlelight

> Saved 1 new image to Cass directory (`cass --dir`)
```

## Flags:

- `--tokens` or `-t`: specify the number of tokens to alocate for the response
- `--update`: install the latest version of the NPM package
- `--verbose` or `-v`: enable verbose output
- `--dry` or `--dry-run`: disable sending an actrual API request
- `--cls` or `--clear` or `-c`: archive the recent message history
- `--cass-dir`: open the config directory in file explorer
- `--api-key`: set the OpenAI API key to use
- `--gpt3` or `--3`: force the use of GPT 3.5 Turbo (note two dashes for alias)
- `--gpt4` or `--4`: force the use of GPT 4 (note two dashes for alias)
- `--image` or `--img` or `-i`: use the prompt to generate an image instead of chat
- `--count` or `-n`: specify the number of images to generate
- `--user-name` or `--name`: store the name of the user (empty string to remove)
- `--user-location` or `--location`: store the approximate location of the user ("auto" to find by IP address, empty string to remove)

# Development

1. Clone the repo
2. Link with `npm link`
3. Watch source files and rebuild with `npm run dev`
4. Run the updated CLI with `cass <prompt>`

Or without linking:

1. Clone the repo
2. Watch source files and rebuild with `npm run dev`
3. Run the updated CLI with `npm start -- <prompt>` (note the spaces)
    - Example: `npm start -- tell me a joke -v`

# TODO

- reflect instruction
- planning
- simple web queries
- ~~streaming responses~~
  - multi-stage interactions would be janky while streaming responses
- cancelling requests