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Date: Mon, 09 Jul 2001 10:16:36 -0400
From: John Colagioia <JColagioia@csi.com>
Organization: No Conspiracy Here...
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Subject: Re: [Inform] An empty trenchcoat
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Francesco Cordella wrote:
[...]

> I dontlike "(which is empty)" for the trench.
> Why when_open doesnt work when objects are on supporter or in containers?
> How to remove "(which is empty)"? To avoid problems, I think that the trench
> *must* be a container, also if I, using add_to_scope, added pockets to it.

[...]

The describe property looks like it probably does what you want, assuming I
understand your goal.  In the IDM4, page 126, there is the following passage:

"...when_on and when_off properties, like initial, only apply until an object
has been held by the player, after which it is normally given only a perfunctory
mention in room descriptions. ``You can also see a sodium lamp here.'' As the
describe property has priority over the whole business of how objects are
described in room descriptions, the above ensures that the full message always
appears even if the object has become old and familiar."

I suspect that the same applies to when_open and when_closed.  Section 26 (p194)
is listed as a further reference.


