1 % InfoLib At Your Fingertips
2 % Roger Firth <roger@firthworks.com>
4 A quick reference to the Inform Library.
6 Copyright © 2002 Roger Firth <roger@firthworks.com>. Copying and
7 distribution, with or without modification, are permitted in any
8 medium without royalty provided the copyright notice and this notice
11 <http://www.firthworks.com/roger/>
13 Version 1.5 (March 2002)
15 The road to brevity is via solecism and imprecision.
20 `compass` - A `container` object holding the twelve direction objects
21 `d_obj` `e_obj` `in_obj` `n_obj` `ne_obj` `nw_obj` `out_obj` `s_obj`
22 `se_obj` `sw_obj` `u_obj` `w_obj`.
24 `LibraryMessages` - If defined (between Includes of `Parser` and
25 `VerbLib`), changes standard library messages:
27 Object LibraryMessages
31 action : switch (lm_n) {
33 value : "string ",(a) lm_o,".";
39 `selfobj` - The default player object. Avoid: use instead the `player`
40 variable, which usually refers to `selfobj`.
42 `thedark` - A pseudo-room which becomes the `location` when there is
43 no light (although the player object is not moved there).
48 In addition to the standard constants `true` (1), `false` (0) and
49 `nothing` (0), the Library defines `NULL` (-1) for an action, property
50 or pronoun whose current value is undefined.
52 User-defined constants
53 ----------------------
55 Some constants control features rather than represent values.
57 AMUSING_PROVIDED - Activates the `Amusing` entry_point.
59 DEATH_MENTION_UNDO - Offers "UNDO the last move" when the game is
62 DEBUG - Activates the debug commands.
64 Headline = "*string*" - **Mandatory**: the game style, copyright
67 MANUAL_PRONOUNS - Pronouns reflect only objects mentioned by the
70 MAX_CARRIED = *expr* - Maximum number of direct possessions that the
71 player can carry (default 100).
73 MAX_SCORE = *expr* - Maximum game score (default 0).
75 MAX_TIMERS = *expr* - Maximum number of active timers/daemons
78 NO_PLACES - The "`OBJECTS`" and "`PLACES`" verbs are not allowed.
80 NUMBER_TASKS = *expr* - Number of `scored` tasks to be performed
83 OBJECT_SCORE = *expr* - For taking a `scored` object for the first
86 ROOM_SCORE = *expr* - For visiting a `scored` room for the first time
89 SACK_OBJECT = *object* - A `container` object where the game places
92 Story = "*string*" - **Mandatory**: the name of the story.
94 TASKS_PROVIDED - Activates the task scoring system.
96 USE_MODULES - Activates linking with pre-compiled library modules.
98 WITHOUT_DIRECTIONS - De-activates standard compass directions (bar
99 "IN" and "OUT"). Place alternative directions in the compass.
104 action - The current *action*.
106 actor - The target of an instruction: the player, or an NPC.
108 deadflag - Normally 0: 1 indicates a regular death, 2 indicates that
109 the player has won, 3 or more denotes a user-defined end.
111 inventory_stage - Used by `invent` and `list_together` properties.
113 keep_silent - Normally false; true makes most group 2 actions silent.
115 location - The player's current room; unless that's dark, when it
116 contains `thedark`, `real_location` contains the room.
118 notify_mode - Normally `true`: `false` remains silent when score
121 noun - The primary focus object for the current action.
123 player - The object acting on behalf of the human player.
125 real_location -The player's current room when in the dark.
127 score - The current score.
129 second - The secondary focus object for the current action.
131 self - The object which received a message. (Note: a run-time
132 variable, not a compile-time constant.)
134 sender - The object which sent a message (or `nothing`).
136 task_scores - A byte array holding scores for the task scoring
139 the_time - The game's clock, in minutes 0..1439 since midnight.
141 turns - The game's turn counter.
143 wn - The input stream word number, counting from 1.
148 Achieved(*expr*) - A scored task has been achieved.
150 AfterRoutines() - In a group 2 action, controls output of 'after'
153 AllowPushDir() - An object can be pushed from one location to another.
155 Banner() - Prints the game banner.
157 ChangePlayer(*object*,*flag*) - Player assumes the persona of the
158 *object*. If the optional *flag* is *true*, room descriptions include
161 CommonAncestor(*object1*,*object2*) - Returns the nearest object which
162 a parental relationship to both *objects*, or `nothing`.
164 DictionaryLookup(*byte_array*,*length*) - Returns address of word in
165 dictionary, or 0 if not found.
167 DrawStatusLine() - Refreshes the status line.
169 GetGNAOfObject(*object*) - Returns gender-number-animation 0..11 of
172 HasLightSource(*object*) - Returns `true` if the *object* has light.
174 IndirectlyContains(*parent_object*,*object*) - Returns true if object
175 is currently a child or grand-child or great-grand-child... of the
178 IsSeeThrough(*object*) - Returns `true` if light can pass through the
181 Locale(*object*,"*string1*","*string2*") - Describes the contents of
182 object, and returns their number. After objects with own paragraphs,
183 the rest are listed preceded by *string1* or *string2*.
185 LoopOverScope(*routine*,*actor*) - Calls *routine*(*object*) for each
186 *object* in scope. If the optional *actor* is supplied, that defines
189 MoveFloatingObjects() - Adjusts positions of game's `found_in`
192 NextWord() - Returns the next dictionary word in the input stream,
193 incrementing *wn* by one. Returns `false` if the word is not in the
194 dictionary, or if the input stream is exhausted.
196 NextWordStopped() - Returns the next dictionary word in the input
197 stream, incrementing `wn` by one. Returns `false` if the word is not
198 in the dictionary, -1 if the input stream is exhausted.
200 NounDomain(*object1*,*object2*,*type*) - Performs object parsing; see
203 ObjectIsUntouchable(*object*,*flag*) - Tests if there is a barrier - a
204 container object which is not open - between player and object. Unless
205 the optional flag is true, outputs "You can't because ... is in the
206 way". Returns true is a barrier is found, otherwise false.
208 OffersLight(*object*) - Returns `true` if the object offers light.
210 ParseToken(*type*,*value*) - Performs general parsing; see also
213 PlaceInScope(*object*) - Used in an `add_to_scope` property or
214 `scope=` token to put the *object* into scope for the parser.
216 PlayerTo(*object*,*flag*) - Moves the player to *object*. Prints its
217 description unless optional *flag* is 1 (no description) or 2 (as if
220 PrintOrRun(object,property,flag) - If *object.property* is a string,
221 output it (followed by a newline unless optional flag is true), and
222 return *true*. If it's a routine, run it and return what the routine
225 PronounNotice(*object*) - Associates an appropriate pronoun with the
228 PronounValue('*pronoun*') - Returns the object to which '`it`' (or
229 '`him`', '`her`', '`them`') currently refers, or `nothing`.
231 ScopeWithin(*object*) - Used in an `add_to_scope` property or `scope=`
232 token to put the contents of the object in scope for the parser.
234 SetPronoun('*pronoun*',*object) - Defines the *object* to which a
235 given *pronoun* refers.
237 SetTime(*expr1*,*expr2*) - Sets `the_time` to *expr1* (in mins 0..1439
238 since midnight), running at *expr2* (positive: expr2 minutes pass each
239 turn; negative: expr2 turns take one minute; zero: time stands still).
241 StartDaemon(*object*) - Starts the *object*'s daemon.
243 StartTimer(*object*,*expr*) - Starts the *object*'s timer,
244 initialising its `time_left` to *expr. The object's `time_out`
245 property will be called after that number of turns have elapsed.
247 StopDaemon(*object*) - Stops the *object*'s daemon.
249 StopTimer(object) - Stops the *object*'s timer.
251 TestScope(*object*,*actor*) - Returns `true` if the object is in
252 scope, otherwise `false`. If the optional *actor* is supplied, that
255 TryNumber(*expr*) - Parses word *expr* in the input stream as a
256 number, recognising decimals, also English words one..twenty. Returns
257 the number 1..10000, or -1000 if the parse fails.
259 UnsignedCompare(*expr1*,*expr2*) - Returns -1 if *expr1* is less than
260 *expr2*, 0 if *expr1* equals *expr2*, and 1 if *expr1* is greater than
261 *expr2*. Both expressions are unsigned, in the range 0..65535.
263 WordAddress(*expr*) - Returns a byte array contains the raw text of
264 word *expr* in the input stream.
266 WordInProperty(word,object,property) - Returns `true` if the
267 dictionary *word* is listed in the *property* values for the *object*.
269 WordLength(*expr*) - Returns the length of word *expr* in the input
272 WriteListFrom(*object*,*expr*) - Outputs a list of *object* and its
273 siblings, in the given style, an *expr* formed by adding any of:
274 `ALWAYS_BIT`, `CONCEAL_BIT`, `DEFART_BIT`, `ENGLISH_BIT`,
275 `FULLINV_BIT`, `INDENT_BIT`, `ISARE_BIT`, `NEWLINE_BIT`,
276 `PARTINV_BIT`, `RECURSE_BIT`, `TERSE_BIT`, `WORKFLAG_BIT`.
278 YesOrNo() - Returns `true` if the player types "YES", false for "NO".
280 ZRegion(*arg*) - Returns the type of its *arg*: 3 for a string
281 address, 2 for a routine address, 1 for an object number, or 0