From: Glenn Hutchings Date: Fri, 1 Apr 2016 21:25:59 +0000 (+0100) Subject: Add chapter 2. X-Git-Url: https://jxself.org/git/?p=ibg.git;a=commitdiff_plain;h=bdd3190f4d30392848a445ad0c95cf3a5a2a8ce8 Add chapter 2. --- diff --git a/chapters/02.rst b/chapters/02.rst new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a7c0ef8 --- /dev/null +++ b/chapters/02.rst @@ -0,0 +1,750 @@ +======================= + 2: Tools of the trade +======================= + +.. epigraph:: + + | *C was a captain, all covered with lace;* + | *D was a drunkard, and had a red face.* + +Conventional -- static -- fiction can be written using nothing more than +pencil and paper, or typewriter, or word-processor; however, the +requirements for producing IF are a little more extensive, and the creative +process slightly more complex. + +* For static fiction, you first write the text, and then you check it by + reading what you've written. + +* For IF, you still have to write all of the text, but you also have to + establish what text gets displayed when. Once you have written the + necessary Inform instructions, you use a **compiler** program to convert + them into a playable format. The resulting information is played by an + **interpreter** program, which permits you to interact with your + developing world. + +With static fiction What You Write Is What You Read, but with IF the format +in which you initially write the game doesn't bear much resemblance to the +text which the interpreter ultimately displays. For example, the "William +Tell" game, in the form that we wrote it, starts like this: + +.. code-block:: inform + + !============================================================================ + Constant Story "William Tell"; + Constant Headline + "^A simple Inform example + ^by Roger Firth and Sonja Kesserich.^"; + + Include "Parser"; + Include "VerbLib"; + + !============================================================================ + ! Object classes + + Class Room + has light; + ... + +You will never need to look at it in the form produced by the compiler:: + + 050000012C6C2C2D1EF6010A0C4416900010303230313031004253FEA90C0000 + 0000000000000000000000000000168F000000000000010200000000362E3231 + ... + +but, as you'll notice from the full transcript in "William Tell" story on +page 219, the player will see the following:: + + The place: Altdorf, in the Swiss canton of Uri. The year is 1307, at + which time Switzerland is under rule by the Emperor Albert of + Habsburg. His local governor -- the vogt -- is the bullying Hermann + Gessler, who has placed his hat atop a wooden pole in the centre of + the town square; everybody who passes through the square must bow to + this hated symbol of imperial might... + +Clearly, there's more to writing IF than just laying down the words in the +right order. Fortunately, we can make one immediate simplification: the +translated form produced by the Inform compiler -- those cryptic numbers +and letters held in what's known as the **story file** -- is designed to be +read by the interpreter program. The story file is an example of a +"binary" file, containing data intended for use only by a computer program. +Forget all that unreadable gibberish. + +So that leaves just the first form -- the one starting "``Constant Story``" +-- which represents the tale written as a piece of IF. That's the **source +file** (so called because it contains the game in its original, source, +form) which you create on your computer. The source file is a "text" (or +"ASCII") file containing words and phrases which can be read -- admittedly +after a little tuition, which is what this guide is all about -- by humans. + +How do you create that source file? Using a third software program: an +**editor**. However, unlike the compiler and interpreter, this program +isn't dedicated to the Inform system -- or even to IF. An editor is an +entirely general tool for creating and modifying text files; you've +probably already got a basic one on your computer (an IBM PC running +Windows comes with NotePad, while an Apple Macintosh has SimpleText or +TextEdit), or you can download a better one from the Internet. An editor +is like a word-processing program such as MS Word, only much less complex; +no fancy formatting features, no bold or italics or font control, no +embedded graphics; it simply enables you to type lines of text, which is +exactly what's needed to create an IF game. + +If you look at the game source on the previous page, or in the "William +Tell" story on page 219, you'll notice ``Include "Parser";`` and ``Include +"VerbLib";`` a few lines down from the top of the file. These are +instructions to the Inform compiler to "include" -- that is, to merge in +the contents -- of files called ``Parser.h`` and ``VerbLib.h``. These are +not files which you have to create; they're standard **library files**, +part of the Inform system. All that you have to do is remember to Include +them in every game that you write. Until you've a fair understanding of +how Inform works, you've no need to worry about what they contain (though +you can look if you want to: they're readable text files, just like the +ones this guide will teach you to write). + +So, we've now introduced all of the bits and pieces which you need in order to +write an Inform adventure game: + +* a text **editor** program which can create and modify the **source file** + containing the descriptions and definitions of your game. Although it's + not recommended, you can even use a word-processing program to do this, + but you have to remember to save your game in Text File format; + +* some Inform **library files** which you Include in your own game source + file in order to provide the model world -- a basic game environment and + lots of useful standard definitions; + +* the Inform **compiler** program, which reads your source file (and the + library files) and translates your descriptions and definitions into + another format -- the **story file** -- intended only for... + +* an Inform **interpreter** program, which is what players of your game + use. A player doesn't require the source file, library files or compiler + program, just the interpreter and the game in compiled format (which, + because it's a binary file not meaningful to human eyes, neatly + discourages players from cheating). + +All of those, apart from the editor, can be downloaded for free from the IF +Archive. One approach is to fetch them individually, following the +guidance on Graham's page: visit http://www.inform-fiction.org/ and look +for the "Software" section. However, if you're using a PC or a Mac, you'll +find it easier to download a complete package containing everything that +you need to get started. + +Inform on an IBM PC (running Microsoft Windows) +=============================================== + +Although the Windows operating system is upgraded on a fairly regular +basis, its basic capabilities and ways of working have remained +more-or-less consistent for many years. The information here applies to +PCs running Windows 95 onwards. + +.. rubric:: Installing and testing Inform + +Follow these steps: + +1. Download http://www.firthworks.com/roger/downloads/inform_pc_env.zip to + a temporary location on your PC. + +2. Use a tool like WinZip to unzip the downloaded file, giving you a new + ``Inform`` folder. Move this folder (and its contents) to a suitable + location on your PC -- a good place would be ``C:\My Documents\Inform``, + but you could also use ``C:\Documents and Settings\yourname\My + Documents\Inform``, ``C:\Inform`` or ``C:\Program Files\Inform``. You + should now have this set of folders: + + .. image:: /images/inform_pc_env.* + :align: center + + In order to make the download small and fast, these folders include just + enough to get you started as an Inform designer -- the compiler and + interpreter programs, the library files, the ``Ruins.inf`` example file + from the *Inform Designer's Manual*, and a template for your own first + game. A few other folders are included as placeholders where you could + later download additional components, if you wanted them. As soon as + possible, you should download the *Inform Designer's Manual* into the + ``Inform\Doc`` folder -- it's an essential document to have, and has + been omitted from this download only because of its 3MB size. + +3. To verify that the downloaded files work properly, use Windows Explorer + to display the contents of the ``Inform\Games\MyGame1`` folder: you will + see the two files ``MyGame1.bat`` and ``MyGame1.inf``: + + .. image:: /images/filelist1.* + :align: center + + ``MyGame1.inf`` is a tiny skeleton game in Inform source format. By + convention, all Inform source files have an extension of .inf; Windows + has an inbuilt definition for ``.inf`` files, and so shows its Type as + "Setup Information", but this doesn't seem to matter. If you + double-click the file, it should open in NotePad so that you can see how + it's written, though it probably won't mean much -- yet. + +4. ``MyGame1.bat`` is an MS-DOS batch file (an old kind of text-only + computer program, from the days before point-and-click interfaces) which + runs the Inform compiler. Double-click it; a DOS window opens as the + game compiles, and you'll see this:: + + C:\My Documents\Inform\Games\MyGame1>..\..\Lib\Base\Inform MyGame1 + +include_path=.\,..\..\Lib\Base,..\..\Lib\Contrib | more + + Inform 6.30 for Win32 (27th Feb 2004) + + C:\My Documents\Inform\Games\MyGame1>pause "at end of compilation" + Press any key to continue . . . + + Press the space bar, then close the DOS window. + + .. note:: + + On Windows NT, 2000 and XP, the DOS window closes of its own accord + when you press the space bar. + +5. A story file ``MyGame1.z5`` has appeared in the folder; this is the + compiled game, which you can play using an interpreter: + + .. image:: /images/filelist2.* + :align: center + + The extension of ``.z5`` signifies that the story file contains a + Z-machine game in Version 5 (today's standard) format. + +6. Use Windows Explorer to display the contents of the ``Inform\Bin\Frotz`` + folder, and double-click ``Frotz.exe``; the interpreter presents an + ``Open a Z-code Game`` dialog box. + +7. Browse to display the ``Inform\Games\MyGame1`` folder, and select + ``MyGame1.z5``. Click ``Open``. The game starts running in the Windows + Frotz 2002 window. + +8. When you tire of "playing" the game -- which won't take long -- you can + type the QUIT command, you can select ``File > Exit``, or you can simply + close the Frotz window. + +9. Using the same techniques, you can compile and play ``Ruins.inf``, which + is held in the ``Inform\Games\Download`` folder. RUINS is the game used + as an example throughout the *Inform Designer's Manual*. + +.. rubric:: Setting file associations + +The business of first starting the interpreter, and then locating the story +file that you want to play, is clumsy and inconvenient. Fortunately, when +you first run the Frotz interpreter, it automatically creates an +association with story files whose extension is ``.z5``. From now on, +you'll be able to play a game simply by double-clicking its story file. If +some any reason this doesn't work, you can set up the association yourself: + +1. Double-click ``MyGame1.z5``; Windows asks you to select the program + which is to open it: + + * type ``Z-code V5 Adventure`` as the "``Description for...``" + * click to select "``Always use this program...``" + * click ``Other...`` + +2. Browse to display the ``Inform\Bin\Frotz`` folder, and select + ``Frotz.exe``. Click ``Open``. + +.. rubric:: Changing the Windows icon + +If the Windows icon that's displayed alongside ``MyGame1.z5`` doesn't look +right, you can change it. + +1. In Windows Explorer, either select ``View > Options...`` and click + ``File Types``, or select ``Tools > Folder Options...`` and click ``File + Types``: + + * select the game file type in the list, which is in order either of + application (Frotz) or of extension (Z5) + * click ``Edit...`` + +2. In the ``Edit File Type`` dialog, click ``Change Icon``. + +3. In the ``Change Icon`` dialog, ensure that the file name is + ``Inform\Bin\Frotz\Frotz.exe``, and select one of the displayed icons. + Click ``OK`` to close all the dialogs. The files in the folder should + now look like this: + + .. image:: /images/filelist3.* + :align: center + +.. rubric:: Compiling using a batch file + +You can view -- and of course change -- the contents of ``MyGame1.bat``, +the batch file which you double-click to run the compiler, using any text +editor. You'll see two lines, something like this (the first chunk is all +on one long line, with a space between the ``MyGame1`` and the +``+include_path``):: + + ..\..\Lib\Base\Inform MyGame1 + +include_path=.\,..\..\Lib\Base,..\..\Lib\Contrib | more + pause "at end of compilation" + +These long strings of text are command lines -- a powerful interface method +predating the icons and menus that most computer users know. You won't +need to master the command line interface in order to start using Inform, +but this section will tell you what these particular command lines are +doing. There are four parts to the first line: + +1. ``Inform`` refers to the compiler program, and ``..\..\Lib\Base`` is the + name of the folder which contains it (addressed relative to *this* + folder, the one which holds the source file). Double-dots stand for "go + to the parent folder". + +2. ``MyGame1`` is the name of the Inform source file; you don't need to + mention its extension of ``.inf`` if you don't want to. + +3. ``+include_path=.\,..\..\Lib\Base,..\..\Lib\Contrib`` tells the compiler + where to look for files like ``Parser`` and ``VerbLib`` which you've + Included. Three locations are suggested: this folder, which holds the + source file (``.\``); the folder holding the standard library files + (``..\..\Lib\Base``); the folder holding useful bits and pieces + contributed by the Inform community (``..\..\Lib\Contrib``). The three + locations are searched in that order. + + .. note:: + + On the command line, you sometimes also see a compiler **switch** + such as ``-S``, used for controlling detailed aspects of how the + compiler operates. Rather than do that here, we find it more + convenient to place any necessary switches at the very top of the + source file, as we'll explain in the next chapter. + +4. ``| more`` causes the compiler to pause if it finds more mistakes than + it can tell you about on a single screen, rather than have them scroll + off the top of the MS-DOS window. Press the space bar to continue the + compilation. + +The second line -- ``pause "at end of compilation"`` -- just prevents the +window from closing before you can read its contents, as it otherwise would +on Windows NT, 2000 and XP. + +You'll need to have a new batch file like this to match each new source +file which you create. The only item which will differ in the new file is +the name of the Inform source file -- ``MyGame1`` in this example. You +must change this to match the name of the new source file; everything else +can stay the same in each ``.bat`` file that you create. + +.. rubric:: Getting a better editor + +Although NotePad is adequate when you're getting started, you'll find life +much easier if you obtain a more powerful editor program. We recommend +TextPad, available as shareware from http://www.textpad.com/; in addition, +there are some detailed instructions at +http://www.onyxring.com/informguide.aspx?article=14 on how to improve the +way that TextPad works with Inform. The biggest single improvement, the +one that will make game development dramatically simpler, is being able to +compile your source file *from within* the editor. No need to save the +file, switch to another window and double-click the batch file (and indeed, +no further need for the batch file itself): just press a key while editing +the file -- and it compiles there and then. You can also run the +interpreter with similar ease. The convenience of doing this far outweighs +the small amount of time needed to obtain and configure TextPad. + +Inform on an Apple Macintosh (running OS X) +=========================================== + +Whereas our instructions for using Inform on a PC apply to just about all +versions of Windows, on the Macintosh we need to be more precise. Our +guidance here is specifically for Mac OS X, rather than for its predecessor +OS 9, and it may be helpful if we first mention a few relevant differences. + +Mac OS X is a robust system constructed around -- or on top of -- BSD +[#bsd]_ UNIX. There are several kinds of applications that will run on +your Mac OS X: + +* Aqua: specifically designed for the Graphical User Interface of Mac OS X, + and taking advantage of its underlying technologies. Broadly, there + are two types of Aqua application: + + * Cocoa: built with programming tools designed for Mac OS X. + + * Carbon: built with the programming tools designed for Mac OS 9 and + earlier versions, but "translated" to take advantage of OS X. + +* Classic: designed to work on Mac OS 9 and earlier versions. They need to + run in the Classic environment of OS X; roughly speaking, Classic is an + emulation of the older Mac systems. + +* X11: based on a windowing system designed for the UNIX/Linux world. They + need an X-Windows server to run, and their appearance and functionality + may seem a lot different to what the Aqua user expects. + +* UNIX: most UNIX programs (including Linux) will run on your Mac OS X, but + they usually have to be accessed (or configured) from the UNIX core of + your Mac, through the Terminal utility. + +These differences may be significant, since some of the tools designed to +develop and run IF on a Mac system (for example, ones you'll find in the +Archive) have been built by programmers working in different environments +with varying technologies. We have tried to select tools that will make +your life easy as a beginner, but in time you may want to investigate +alternative approaches. + +.. rubric:: Installing and testing Inform + +Follow these steps: + +1. Download http://www.firthworks.com/roger/downloads/inform_macosx_env.sit + to a temporary location on your Mac. + +2. Use a tool like StuffIt Expander to unpack the downloaded file (if your + system configuration is standard, a mere double-click will make it + self-extract at the current location, if it hasn't already expanded all + by itself). You'll now have a new ``Inform`` folder. Move this folder + (and its contents) to a suitable location in your Mac. + + .. note:: + + It is a good idea for now to place it in your home directory; + otherwise, a few pre-configured items may not work as explained. + Once you learn the basics of the configuration, you may move the + Inform folder to a different location and hack all the defaults like + the professionals do. + + You should now have this set of folders: + + .. image:: /images/inform_mac_env.* + :align: center + + In order to make the download small and fast, these folders include just + enough to get you started as an Inform designer -- the compiler and + interpreter programs, the library files, the ``Ruins.inf`` example from + the *Inform Designer's Manual*, and a template for your own first game, + which you may copy and rename each time you begin a new Inform project. + A few other folders are included as placeholders where you could later + download additional components, if you wanted them. As soon as + possible, you should download the *Inform Designer's Manual* into the + ``Inform/Doc`` folder -- it's an essential document to have, and has + been omitted from this download only because of its 3MB size. + +3. To verify that the downloaded files work properly, use the Finder to + display the contents of the ``Inform/Games/MyGame1`` folder: you will see + the files ``MyGame1.command`` and ``MyGame1.inf``: + + .. image:: /images/mac_filelist1.* + :align: center + + ``MyGame1.inf`` is a tiny skeleton game in Inform source format. By + convention, all Inform source files have an extension of ``.inf``. + However, Mac OS X may show its Kind as "FUJI BAS IMG document", and try + to open it with GraphicConverter. If you're not a regular user of FUJI + BAS IMG documents, you'll probably want to change this. Either: + + * right-click on the file (or Ctrl-click) + + * select ``Open with`` and choose ``Other...`` + + * in the ``Open with`` dialog, go to the ``Applications`` folder and + select TextEdit. + + * click to select "``Always open with``" + + * click ``Open``. + + or: + + * right-click on the file (or Ctrl-click) + + * press Option, select ``Always open with`` and choose ``Other...`` + + * in the ``Open with`` dialog, go to the ``Applications`` folder and + select TextEdit. + + * click ``Open``. + + Now, if you double-click the file, it should open in TextEdit so that + you can see how it's written, though it probably won't mean much -- yet. + + The above process may affect only this specific file. To change the + program that opens by default all ``.inf`` files, try this: + + * right-click on the file (or Ctrl-click) + + * select ``Get Info`` + + * in the ``Open with`` tab, select TextEdit as the application + + * click the ``Change All...`` button, and confirm the change when asked. + +4. ``MyGame1.command`` is a Terminal Shell Script (a UNIX executable + command-line file, a kind of text-only computer program from the days + before point-and-click interfaces) which runs the Inform compiler. + Double-click it; a UNIX window opens as the game compiles, and you'll + see something like this (the working path will reflect your folder + hierarchy):: + + Last login: Sat Jul 3 03:07:51 on ttyp1 + Welcome to Darwin! + /Users/Dave/Inform/Games/MyGame1/MyGame1.command; [Hal:~] Dave% + /Users/Dave/Inform/Games/MyGame1/MyGame1.command; exit + Inform 6.30 (27th Feb 2004) + logout + [Process completed] + + .. todo:: + + Verify this output. It's what's in the PDF, but the command prompt + looks like it's in the wrong place. + +5. A story file ``MyGame1.z5`` has appeared in the folder; this is the + compiled game, which you can play using an interpreter: + + .. image:: /images/mac_filelist2.* + :align: center + + The extension of ``.z5`` signifies that the story file contains a + Z-machine game in Version 5 (today's standard) format. + +6. Use the Finder to display the contents of the ``Inform/Bin/Zoom`` + folder, and double-click ``Zoom``; the interpreter presents an ``Open`` + dialog box. + +7. Browse to display the ``Inform/Games/MyGame1`` folder, and select + ``MyGame1.z5``. Click ``Open``. The game starts running in the Zoom + window. + +8. When you tire of "playing" the game -- which won't take long -- you can + type the QUIT command, you can select ``Zoom > Quit Zoom``, or you can + simply close the Zoom window. + +.. rubric:: Setting file associations + +The business of first starting the interpreter, and then locating the story +file that you want to play, is clumsy and inconvenient. Fortunately, when +the system first "sees" the Zoom interpreter (which is a nice Aqua +application) it automatically creates an association with story files whose +extension is ``.z5`` (and with other Infocom formats). From now on, you'll +be able to play a game simply by double-clicking its story file. + +The files in the folder should now look like this: + +.. image:: /images/mac_filelist3.* + :align: center + +.. rubric:: Compiling using a command-line file + +If you have followed these instructions to configure your system, every +time that you need to compile your source code you just have to +double-click on the file ``MyGame1.command``. However, this file is good +only for this folder and for ``MyGame1.inf``. + +If you want to start coding another game, you may copy the folder +``MyGame1`` with all its contents and rename it as you please (for example, +``MyGame2`` or something more appropriate). Inside the folder, you'll also +want to rename the relevant files: + + ``MyGame1.inf`` might become ``MyGame2.inf``, or ``MobyDick.inf``, + or... + + ``MyGame1.command`` would change to match: ``MyGame2.command``, or + ``MobyDick.command``. + +You can view -- and of course change -- the contents of +``MyGame2.command``, the command file which you double-click to run the +compiler, using any text editor. You'll see two lines, something like this +(the second chunk is all on one long line, with a space between the +``MyGame1`` and the ``+include_path``):: + + cd ~/Inform/Games/MyGame1/ + ../../Lib/Base/inform630_macosx MyGame1 + +include_path=./,../../Lib/Base,../../Lib/Contrib + +These long strings of text are command lines -- a powerful interface method +predating the icons and menus that most computer users know. You won't +need to master the command line interface in order to start using Inform, +but this section will introduce you to a few basic concepts to get your +bearings. The first line changes the working directory to +``~/Inform/Games/MyGame1/``. The command ``cd`` (also known as ``chdir``, +short for "Change Directory to") lets you travel to the desired folder, +specified by the path, in this case: ``~/Inform/Games/MyGame1/``. The +``~`` symbol stands for your home directory. That is, if your user name +were Dave, the above path is equal to:: + + /Users/Dave/Inform/Games/MyGame1/ + +You want to change that line so that it reads: ``cd +~/Inform/Games/MyGame2/`` + +There are three parts to the second line: + +1. ``inform630_macosx`` refers to the compiler program, and + ``../../Lib/Base`` is the name of the folder which contains it + (addressed relative to *this* folder, the one which holds the source + file). Double-dots stand for "go to the parent folder". + +2. ``MyGame1`` is the name of the Inform source file; you don't need to + mention its extension of ``.inf`` if you don't want to. You'll want to + change this to match the name of your new file: ``MyGame2``. + +3. ``+include_path=./,../../Lib/Base,../../Lib/Contrib`` tells the compiler + where to look for files like ``Parser`` and ``VerbLib`` which you've + Included in the source file (this may sound confusing now, but it will + make a lot of sense after you've delved a bit deeper into this Guide). + Three locations are suggested, separated by commas: this folder, which + holds the source file (``./``); the folder holding the standard library + files (``../../Lib/Base``); the folder holding useful bits and pieces + contributed by the Inform community (``../../Lib/Contrib``). The three + locations are searched in that order. + + .. note:: + + On the command line, you sometimes also see a compiler switch such as + ``-S``, used for controlling detailed aspects of how the compiler + operates. Rather than do that here, we find it more convenient to + place any necessary switches at the very top of the source file, as + we'll explain in the next chapter. + +Once you've finished editing those lines, ``Save`` the file (not +``SaveAs``), overwriting the original, and make sure that your text editor +doesn't append an extension like ``.txt`` (TextEdit, the default editor +that comes with OS X, is polite enough to ask you about this). + +You'll need to have a new command file like this to match each new source +file which you create. The only item which will differ in the new file is +the name of the Inform source file -- ``MyGameN``. You must change this to +match the name of the new source file; everything else can stay the same in +each ``.command`` file that you create. + +.. rubric:: Making your own command-line file + +There are two peculiarities by which your system understands that +``MyGame1.command`` is a Terminal Shell Script. One is the extension +``.command``, and the other is an attribute of the file which marks it as +"executable" (the "executable bits"). If it doesn't meet both conditions, +``MyGame1.command`` won't run as it should. You have to be careful when +editing this file: if you were, for instance, to open it in a text editor +and save it to a different location with a different name, the executable +bits might get lost, and when you double-click it, you would see: + +.. image:: /images/mac_exec_error.* + :align: center + +To make a command file from scratch (also, to fix this problem) you can +follow these steps: + +1. Open any text editor and write (using your own path):: + + cd ~/Inform/Games/MyGameN/ + ../../Lib/Base/inform630_macosx MyGameN + +include_path=./,../../Lib/Base,../../Lib/Contrib + + where ``MyGameN`` stands for the name you have chosen for your Inform + project. + +2. Save the file in the folder ``MyGameN`` and call it ``MyGameN.command``. + Make sure that the text editor doesn't append a ``.txt`` extension; if + it does, rename the file manually. + +3. Go to ``Applications > Utilities`` and double-click on ``Terminal``. + This opens the utility which provides you with a set of windows to + access the UNIX command line. Supposing the computer is named Hal, and + the user Dave, you should see something like this:: + + Last login: Wed Jun 30 18:05:55 on ttyp1 + Welcome to Darwin! + [Hal:~] Dave% + +4. Every time that you open a Terminal window, you're at your home + directory (as noted by the tilde after the computer's name). You can + travel to your working folder by typing:: + + cd Inform/Games/MyGameN + + You'll see how the path changes:: + + [Hal:~/Inform/Games/MyGameN] Dave% + + Now you can make the command file executable with:: + + chmod 777 MyGameN.command + +5. Alternatively, you can omit the cd command if you give the full path to + ``chmod``:: + + chmod 777 ~/Inform/Games/MyGameN/MyGameN.command + + This sets the executable bits for the file ``MyGameN.command``. + +6. Close the Terminal window. + +Now, every time you need to compile your game, you can just double-click on +``MyGameN.command`` from the Finder. + +.. rubric:: Getting a better editor + +Although TextEdit is adequate when you're getting started, you'll find life +much easier if you obtain a more powerful editor program. We'd really like +to recommend one -- there's an exciting list of possibilities at +http://osx.hyperjeff.net/Apps/apps.php?sub=5 -- but at the time of writing +none of them seems outstandingly suited to IF authorship. If you find one +that works really well, please let us know. + +.. rubric:: More about the editor + +As well as the ones that we recommend, other good text editors are listed +at http://www.firthworks.com/roger/editors/. One feature that's well worth +looking out for is "hotkey compilation" -- being able to run the compiler +from *within* the editor. Another is "syntax colouring", where the editor +understands enough of Inform's syntax rules to colour-code your source +file; for example: red for brackets, braces and parentheses ``[ ]`` ``{ }`` +and ``( )``, blue for reserved words like ``Object`` and ``print``, green +for items in quotes like '...' and "...", and so on. Syntax colouring is +of great assistance in getting your source file correct and thus avoiding +silly compilation errors. + +.. rubric:: More about the compiler + +The Inform compiler is a powerful but undramatic software tool; it does an +awful lot of work, but it does it all at once, without stopping to ask you +any questions. Its input is a readable text source file; the output is a +story file, also sometimes known as a **Z-code file** (because it contains +the game translated into code for the Z-machine, which we describe in the +next section). + +If you're lucky, the compiler will translate your source file into Z-code; +perhaps surprisingly, it doesn't display any form of "success" message when +it succeeds. Often, however, it fails, because of mistakes which you've +made when writing the game. Inform defines a set of rules -- a capital +letter here, a comma there, these words only in a certain order, those +words spelled just so -- about which the compiler is extremely fussy. If +you accidentally break the rules, the compiler complains: it refuses to +write a Z-code file. *Do not worry about this*: the rules are easy to +learn, but just as easy to break, and all Inform designers inadvertently do +so on a regular basis. There's some additional information about dealing +with these mistakes, and about controlling how the compiler behaves, in +"Compiling your game" on page 189. + +.. rubric:: More about the interpreter + +One of the big advantages of the way Inform works is that a compiled game +-- the Z-code story file -- is portable between different computers. +That's not just from one PC to another: exactly the same story file will +run on a PC, a Mac, an Amiga, UNIX workstations, IBM mainframes, PalmOS +hand-helds, and on dozens of other past, present and future computers. The +magic that makes this happen is the interpreter program, a software tool +which pretends to be a simple computer called a **Z-machine**. The +Z-machine is an imaginary (or "virtual") computer, but its design has been +very carefully specified, so that an expert programmer can quite easily +build one. And that's exactly what has happened: a Macintosh guru has +built an Inform interpreter which runs on Apple Macs, a UNIX wizard has +built one for UNIX workstations, and so on. Sometimes, you even get a +choice; for popular machines like the PC and the Mac there are several +interpreters available. And the wonderful thing is: each of those +interpreters, on each of those computers, is able to play every Inform game +that's ever been written *and*, as a surprise bonus, all of the classic +1980s Infocom games like "Zork" and "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" +as well! + +(Actually, that last sentence is a slight exaggeration; a few games are +very large, or have pictures included within them, and not all interpreters +can handle this. However, with that small pinch of salt, it's pretty +accurate.) + +That's enough waffling: let's get started! It's time to begin designing +our first game. + +.. rubric:: Footnotes + +.. [#bsd] + "BSD" stands for Berkeley Software Distribution, the name of the UNIX + derivative distributed in the 1970s from the University of California, + Berkeley, and used collectively for the modern descendants of those + distributions. diff --git a/images/filelist1.png b/images/filelist1.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8a4afba Binary files /dev/null and b/images/filelist1.png differ diff --git a/images/filelist2.png b/images/filelist2.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8b0cf12 Binary files /dev/null and b/images/filelist2.png differ diff --git a/images/filelist3.png b/images/filelist3.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e1e537b Binary files /dev/null and b/images/filelist3.png differ diff --git a/images/inform_mac_env.png b/images/inform_mac_env.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4313452 Binary files /dev/null and b/images/inform_mac_env.png differ diff --git a/images/inform_pc_env.png b/images/inform_pc_env.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6fc620f Binary files /dev/null and b/images/inform_pc_env.png differ diff --git a/images/mac_exec_error.png b/images/mac_exec_error.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..774b183 Binary files /dev/null and b/images/mac_exec_error.png differ diff --git a/images/mac_filelist1.png b/images/mac_filelist1.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c33fe6e Binary files /dev/null and b/images/mac_filelist1.png differ diff --git a/images/mac_filelist2.png b/images/mac_filelist2.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a6c86b0 Binary files /dev/null and b/images/mac_filelist2.png differ diff --git a/images/mac_filelist3.png b/images/mac_filelist3.png new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6ce536c Binary files /dev/null and b/images/mac_filelist3.png differ