AdvancedInputBindings

Overview

Master all action input binding patterns in Agent Script. Learn when to let the LLM fill slots, when to bind variables, when to use fixed values, and how to combine all patterns for sophisticated action calls.

Agent Flow

mermaid

%%{init: {'theme':'neutral'}}%%
graph TD
    A[Agent Starts] --> B[Initialize Variables:<br/>user_id, format, include_charts]
    B --> C[start_agent routes to report_generation]
    C --> D{Report Request Type?}
    D -->|Simple| E[Pattern 1: LLM Slot-Filling]
    E --> F[LLM Extracts:<br/>report_type=...<br/>start_date=...<br/>end_date=...]
    F --> G[Fixed Values Added:<br/>user_id, format, include_charts]
    G --> H[Call generate_report Action]
    D -->|Custom| I[Pattern 2: Variable Binding]
    I --> J[Use Stored Variables:<br/>All values from @variables]
    J --> H
    D -->|Mixed| K[Pattern 3: Mixed Binding]
    K --> L[Combine:<br/>LLM slots + Variables + Fixed]
    L --> H
    D -->|Advanced| M[Pattern 4: Object Construction]
    M --> N[Build options object<br/>with multiple sources]
    N --> H
    H --> O[Return report_url]
    O --> P[Display Report]
    P --> Q{Another Report?}
    Q -->|Yes| D
    Q -->|No| R[End]

Key Concepts

LLM slot-filling (...): Let AI extract values from conversation
Fixed values: Hardcoded inputs that never change
Variable binding: Pass existing variable values with @variables.name
Mixed binding: Combine LLM, fixed, and variable inputs
Pattern selection: Choose the right binding for each input

How It Works

Pattern 1: LLM Slot-Filling with `...`

Let the LLM extract values from the user's natural language:

agentscript

actions:
   create_simple_report: @actions.generate_report
      description: "Generate a new report where the user provides all details (type, dates, etc.) explicitly."
      with report_type=...
      with start_date=...
      with end_date=...
      with user_id=@variables.user_id
      with format="pdf"
      with include_charts=True
      with options=...

User: "Generate a sales report for January 2025" LLM extracts:

report_type: "sales"
start_date: "2025-01-01"
end_date: "2025-01-31"

Pattern 2: Variable Binding

Use stored variable values for all inputs:

agentscript

actions:
   create_custom_report: @actions.generate_report
      description: "Generate a report using ONLY the previously stored variable values for type, dates, and settings."
      available when @variables.report_type != ""
      with report_type=@variables.report_type
      with start_date=@variables.start_date
      with end_date=@variables.end_date
      with user_id=@variables.user_id
      with format=@variables.format
      with include_charts=@variables.include_charts
      with options=...

All inputs come from previously stored variables.

Pattern 3: Mixed Binding

Combine LLM extraction, variables, and fixed values:

agentscript

actions:
   create_mixed_report: @actions.generate_report
      description: "Generate a report with a NEW report type provided by the user, but reusing the START and END DATES from stored variables. Use this when user says 'with those dates'."
      available when @variables.start_date != ""
      with report_type=...                    # LLM extracts from conversation
      with start_date=@variables.start_date   # From stored variable
      with end_date=@variables.end_date       # From stored variable
      with user_id=@variables.user_id         # From stored variable
      with format="pdf"                       # Fixed value
      with include_charts=True                # Fixed value
      with options=...                        # LLM extracts

Key Code Snippets

Complete Topic with All Patterns

agentscript

topic report_generation:
   description: "Generates reports with various input binding patterns"

   actions:
      generate_report:
         description: "Generates a custom report"
         inputs:
            report_type: string
               description: "Type of report to generate (e.g., sales, analytics, performance, financial)"
            start_date: string
               description: "Report start date in ISO format (YYYY-MM-DD)"
            end_date: string
               description: "Report end date in ISO format (YYYY-MM-DD)"
            user_id: string
               description: "The unique identifier of the user generating the report"
            format: string
               description: "Output format for the report (pdf, csv, excel, or html)"
            include_charts: boolean
               description: "Whether to include visual charts and graphs"
            options: object
               description: "Additional report configuration options"
         outputs:
            report_url: string
               description: "URL where the generated report can be accessed"
            success: boolean
               description: "Indicates whether the report was generated successfully"
         target: "flow://GenerateReport"

   reasoning:
      instructions:->
         | Generate reports with custom parameters.

           Help user specify:
           - Report type
           - Date range
           - Output format

      actions:
         # Pattern 1: LLM slot-filling (...)
         # LLM extracts values from conversation
         create_simple_report: @actions.generate_report
            description: "Generate a new report where the user provides all details (type, dates, etc.) explicitly."
            with report_type=...
            with start_date=...
            with end_date=...
            # Fixed values
            with user_id=@variables.user_id
            with format="pdf"
            with include_charts=True
            with options=...

            # Capture values into variables for future use
            set @variables.report_type = @outputs.report_type
            set @variables.start_date = @outputs.start_date
            set @variables.end_date = @outputs.end_date
            set @variables.user_id = @outputs.user_id
            set @variables.format = @outputs.format
            set @variables.include_charts = @outputs.include_charts

         # Pattern 2: Variable binding
         # Use stored variable values
         create_custom_report: @actions.generate_report
            description: "Generate a report using ONLY the previously stored variable values for type, dates, and settings."
            available when @variables.report_type != ""
            with report_type=@variables.report_type
            with start_date=@variables.start_date
            with end_date=@variables.end_date
            with user_id=@variables.user_id
            with format=@variables.format
            with include_charts=@variables.include_charts
            with options=...

         # Pattern 3: Mixed binding
         # Combine fixed, variable, and LLM-filled
         create_mixed_report: @actions.generate_report
            description: "Generate a report with a NEW report type provided by the user, but reusing the START and END DATES from stored variables. Use this when user says 'with those dates'."
            available when @variables.start_date != ""
            with report_type=...
            with start_date=@variables.start_date
            with end_date=@variables.end_date
            with user_id=@variables.user_id
            with format="pdf"
            with include_charts=True
            with options=...

Variables Supporting the Patterns

agentscript

variables:
   report_type: mutable string = ""
      description: "Type of report to generate"

   start_date: mutable string = ""
      description: "Report start date"

   end_date: mutable string = ""
      description: "Report end date"

   user_id: mutable string = "USER123"
      description: "Current user ID (preset)"

   include_charts: mutable boolean = True
      description: "Whether to include charts"

   format: mutable string = "pdf"
      description: "Output format"

Try It Out

Example 1: LLM Slot-Filling

text

User: Generate a sales report for Q1 2025

[Agent uses create_simple_report action]
LLM extracts:
  - report_type: "sales"
  - start_date: "2025-01-01"
  - end_date: "2025-03-31"

Fixed values applied:
  - user_id: "USER123" (from @variables)
  - format: "pdf"
  - include_charts: True

Agent: Your Q1 2025 sales report has been generated as a PDF with charts.
       Download: [report_url]

Example 2: Variable Binding

text

[Variables already set from previous conversation]
- report_type = "analytics"
- start_date = "2025-01-01"
- end_date = "2025-01-31"
- format = "excel"
- include_charts = False

User: Generate my custom report with saved settings

[Agent uses create_custom_report action]
All values from @variables

Agent: Your analytics report for January 2025 has been generated as Excel.
       Download: [report_url]

Example 3: Mixed Binding

text

[Variables set: start_date="2025-01-01", end_date="2025-01-31"]

User: Create a performance report with those dates

[Agent uses create_mixed_report action]
- report_type: "performance" (LLM extracted)
- start_date: "2025-01-01" (from @variables)
- end_date: "2025-01-31" (from @variables)
- format: "pdf" (fixed)

Agent: Your performance report for January 2025 is ready.

When to Use Each Pattern

Use LLM Slot-Filling (`...`) when:

Value comes from user's natural language
Value is unknown until user provides it
Examples: dates, names, descriptions, search queries

Use Fixed Values when:

Value never changes
System-level constants
Default settings
Examples: version numbers, default formats, system IDs

Use Variable Binding when:

Value already captured in previous turn
Data from earlier actions
User preferences stored earlier
Examples: customer_id, user_id, session data

Use Mixed Binding when:

Action needs combination of all three
Some inputs from user, some from state, some fixed
Complex actions with many parameters

Best Practices

Clear Input Strategy

✅ Good:

agentscript

create_report: @actions.generate_report
   with report_type=...                   # User provides
   with user_id=@variables.user_id        # From state
   with format="pdf"                      # Fixed default

❌ Poor:

agentscript

create_report: @actions.generate_report
   with report_type=...
   with user_id=...        # Should be from variable!

Don't Use `...` for Known Values

❌ Problem:

agentscript

update_order: @actions.update_order
   with order_id=...  # LLM shouldn't guess this!

✅ Solution:

agentscript

update_order: @actions.update_order
   with order_id=@variables.order_id

Don't Hardcode User Input

❌ Problem:

agentscript

create_ticket: @actions.create_ticket
   with title="Support Request"  # Should be from user!

✅ Solution:

agentscript

create_ticket: @actions.create_ticket
   with title=...

What's Next

ActionDefinitions: Define actions that use these patterns
ActionCallbacks: Chain actions with run keyword
ComplexStateManagement: Work with complex variable types
VariableManagement: Store data for binding

Testing

Test all binding patterns:

Test LLM Slot-Filling

Provide values in natural language
Verify LLM extracts correctly
Test with missing values

Test Fixed Values

Verify constants never change
Check default values applied correctly

Test Variable Binding

Set variables in previous turns
Verify bound correctly in actions
Test with empty/unset variables

Test Mixed Binding

Combine all three patterns
Verify each type works correctly
Test pattern selection by LLM

AdvancedInputBindings ​

Overview ​

Agent Flow ​

Key Concepts ​

How It Works ​

Pattern 1: LLM Slot-Filling with ... ​

Pattern 2: Variable Binding ​

Pattern 3: Mixed Binding ​

Key Code Snippets ​

Complete Topic with All Patterns ​

Variables Supporting the Patterns ​

Try It Out ​

Example 1: LLM Slot-Filling ​

Example 2: Variable Binding ​

Example 3: Mixed Binding ​

When to Use Each Pattern ​

Use LLM Slot-Filling (...) when: ​

Use Fixed Values when: ​

Use Variable Binding when: ​

Use Mixed Binding when: ​

Best Practices ​

Clear Input Strategy ​

Don't Use ... for Known Values ​

Don't Hardcode User Input ​

What's Next ​

Testing ​

Test LLM Slot-Filling ​

Test Fixed Values ​

Test Variable Binding ​

Test Mixed Binding ​

AdvancedInputBindings

Overview

Agent Flow

Key Concepts

How It Works

Pattern 1: LLM Slot-Filling with `...`

Pattern 2: Variable Binding

Pattern 3: Mixed Binding

Key Code Snippets

Complete Topic with All Patterns

Variables Supporting the Patterns

Try It Out

Example 1: LLM Slot-Filling

Example 2: Variable Binding

Example 3: Mixed Binding

When to Use Each Pattern

Use LLM Slot-Filling (`...`) when:

Use Fixed Values when:

Use Variable Binding when:

Use Mixed Binding when:

Best Practices

Clear Input Strategy

Don't Use `...` for Known Values

Don't Hardcode User Input

What's Next

Testing

Test LLM Slot-Filling

Test Fixed Values

Test Variable Binding

Test Mixed Binding