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From: chidder@fred.aurora.edu
Subject: Re: [Inform] "describe" for things that are on supporters
Message-ID: <32AC6C51.21AE@fred.aurora.edu>
Date: Mon, 09 Dec 1996 14:45:21 -0500
References: <57ra5a$nd0@dfw-ixnews11.ix.netcom.com> <57umvu$hek@saturn.brighton.ac.uk> <32A73B36.623@fred.aurora.edu> <erkyrathE202JC.DM5@netcom.com>
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Andrew was kind enough to reply to my query with > 
chidder@fred.aurora.edu wrote:
> > Yeah, I have a similar problem , with a bulletin board.  I have
> > a routine that will print out whats on the board. I put this routine
> > in the description property and it works fine; expect it prints out
> > whats on the board _every time the rooms described_. I dont want it to
> > do that! I just
> > want it to print out whats on the board when the board is examined-
> > or if it _must_ print out whats on the board every time the rooms is
> > described that it only do so after the board has vbeen examined once.
> >  I tried moving the routine to the before section, and trapping Examine,
> > but that was a dismal failure.. =(.
> 
> Without your code, I can only say that You Did Something Wrong. :-) The
> "description" property should only be called during an Examine action.
> (The library's ExamineSub runs the "description" property after checking
> for darkness.)
> 
> When the room is described (as from "look"), it's the "describe" property
> that gets run. Make sure you didn't actually put something in a
> "describe" propery somewhere.
> 
> --Z
> 
  Hmmm..ok.. well first off, heres the code in question:
> 
> Object board "a small bulletin board" Dorm_Room
>  has static supporter
>  with initial "A cheap Wills Mart bulletin board hangs on the wall.",
>       name "bulletin" "board" "bulletin board",
>       description "This is a cheap bulletin board you tack important stuff \
>                    to.";
>       before 
>         [; Search, Examine: stuff;stuff=children(board);
>           print "This is a cheap bulletin board you tack important stuff to.";
>           if (stuff==0) print "The board is empty.";
>           print "On the board there ";
>           if (children(board)==1) print "is ";
>                                   else print "are";
>           WriteListFrom(child(stuff),CONCEAL_BIT+ENGLISH_BIT);
> 
> 
>         ];
  You seem to be saying that I should take out the with description "This...
",  clause..Okie dokie, Ill try that and get back to you.  I just find it odd that
the routine works perfectly when put in the description [;  but generates
a great many errors when done up above..including, IIRC, 
No such Directive:Search
No such Directive:Examine

Chidder

