-o% Inform in four minutes
+% Inform in four minutes
% Roger Firth <roger@firthworks.com>
A quick reference to the Inform programming language.
---------------- ----------------------------------------
*p == q* *p* is equal to *q*
*p ~= q* *p* isn't equal to *q*
- *p* > *q* *p* is greater than *q*
- *p < q* *p* is less than *q*
- *p >= q* *p* is greater than or equal to *q*
- *p <= q* *p* is less than or equal to *q*
+ *p* > *q* *p* is greater than *q*
+ *p < q* *p* is less than *q*
+ *p >= q* *p* is greater than or equal to *q*
+ *p <= q* *p* is less than or equal to *q*
*p ofclass q* object *p* is of class *q*
*p in q* object *p* is a child of object *q*
*p notin q* object *p* isn't a child of object *q*
Array array --> "string";
A **table array** is a set of global words accessed using
-*array-->1*, *array-->2*, ... *array-->N*, with
-*array-->0* initialized to *N*:
+*array-->1*, *array-->2*, ... *array-->N*, with
+*array-->0* initialized to *N*:
Array array table N ;
Array array table expr1 expr2 ... exprN
Array array table "string";
A **byte array** is a set of global bytes accessed using
-*array->0*, *array->1*, ... *array->(N-1)*:
+*array->0*, *array->1*, ... *array->(N-1)*:
Array array -> N;
Array array -> expr1 expr2 ... exprN;
Array array -> "string";
A **string array** is a set of global bytes accessed using
-*array->1*, *array->2*, ... *array->N*, with *array->0*
+*array->1*, *array->2*, ... *array->N*, with *array->0*
initialized to *N*:
Array array string N;
To define a dummy standalone routine with N local variables (unless it
already exists):
- Stub routine N;
\ No newline at end of file
+ Stub routine N;
+
+Flow control
+------------
+
+To execute statements if *expr* is true; optionally, to execute other
+statements if *expr* is false:
+
+ if (expr)
+ statement_block
+ if (expr)
+ statement_block
+ else
+ statement_block
+
+To execute statements depending on the value of *expr*:
+
+ switch (expr) {
+ value: statement; ... statement;
+ value: statement; ... statement;
+ ...
+ default: statement; ... statement;
+ }
+
+where each *value* can be given as:
+
+ constant
+ lo_constant to hi_constant
+ constant,constant, ... constant
+
+Loop control
+------------
+
+To execute statements while *expr* is true:
+
+ while (expr)
+ statement_block
+
+To execute statements until *expr* is true:
+
+ do
+ statement_block
+ until (expr)
+
+To execute statements while a variable changes:
+
+ for (set_var : loop_while_expr : update_var )
+ statement_block
+
+To execute statements for all defined objects:
+
+ objectloop (variable)
+ statement_block
+
+To execute statements for all objects selected by *expr*:
+
+ objectloop (expr_starting_with_variable)
+ statement_block
+
+To jump out of the current innermost loop or switch:
+
+ break;
+
+To immediately start the next iteration of the current loop:
+
+ continue;
+
+Displaying information
+----------------------
+
+To output a list of values:
+
+ print value,value, ... value;
+
+To output a list of values followed by a newline, then return `true`
+from the current routine:
+
+ print_ret value,value, ... value;
+
+If the first (or only) *value* is a string, "`print_ret`" can be
+omitted:
+
+ "string",value, ... value ;
+
+Each *value* can be an expression, a string or a rule.
+
+An **expression** is output as a signed decimal value.
+
+A **string** in quotes "..." is output as text.
+
+A **rule** is one of:
+
+ -------------------- ------------------------------------------------
+ `(number)` *expr* the *expr* in words
+ `(char)` *expr* the *expr* as a single character
+ `(string)` *addr* the string at the *addr*
+ `(address)` *addr* the dictionary word at the *addr*
+ `(name)` *object* the external (short) name of the object
+ `(a)` *object* the short name preceded by "a/an"
+ `(the)` *object* the short name preceded by "the"
+ `(The)` *object* the short name preceded by "The"
+ `(routine)` value the output when calling `routine(value)`
+ -------------------- ------------------------------------------------
+
+To output a newline character:
+
+ new_line;
+
+To output multiple spaces:
+
+ spaces expr;
+
+To output text in a display box:
+
+ box "string " "string " ... "string ";
+
+To change from regular to fixed-pitch font:
+
+ font off;
+ ...
+ font on;
+
+To change the font attributes:
+
+ style bold; ! use one or more of these
+ style underline ; !
+ style reverse ; !
+ ...
+ style roman;
+
+Uncommon and deprecated statements
+----------------------------------
+
+To jump to a labelled statement:
+
+ jump label;
+ ...
+ .label; statement;
+
+To terminate the program:
+
+ quit
+
+To save and restore the program state:
+
+ save label;
+ ...
+ restore label;
+
+To output the Inform compiler version number:
+
+inversion;
+
+To accept data from the current input stream:
+
+ read text_array parse_array routine;
+
+To assign to one of 32 'low string' variables:
+
+ string N "string";
+ Lowstring string_var "string";
+ string N string_var;
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projects / inform-resources.git / blobdiff