static S sendToLocalBot(S bot, S text, O... args) {
  text = format3(text, args);
  
  temp DialogIO channel = findBot(bot);
  if (channel == null)
    fail(quote(bot) + " not found");
  try {
    channel.readLine();
    print(bot + "> " + shorten(text, 80));
    channel.sendLine(text);
    S s = channel.readLine();
    print(bot + "< " + shorten(s, 80));
    return s;
  } catch (Throwable e) {
    e.printStackTrace();
    return null;
  }
}

static S sendToLocalBot(int port, S text, O... args) {
  text = format3(text, args);
  temp DialogIO channel = talkTo(port);
  try {
    channel.readLine();
    print(port + "> " + shorten(text, 80));
    channel.sendLine(text);
    S s = channel.readLine();
    print(port + "< " + shorten(s, 80));
    return s;
  } catch (Throwable e) {
    e.printStackTrace();
    return null;
  }
}

Began life as a copy of #1001322