NAME
	basic.c - basic function used by _all_ objects.


SETUP FUNCTIONS
	set_short
	set_long
	add_item
	remove_item
	add_property
	remove_property
	add_command
	remove_command
	add_item_cmd
	remove_item_cmd

QUERY FUNCTIONS
	short
	id
	query_long
	long
	query_item_map
	query_property

SPECIAL PROPERTIES
	__remote: see eval()
	simplemore: feed long() through simplemoer
	temp_*: Any property beginning with temp_ will be removed automatically
	        next reset.

OTHER FUNCTIONS
	eval
	reset

NOTA BENE
	Please do not redefine long(), redefine query_long() instead.

=======================================================================
NAME
	eval - process a value

SYNTAX
	mixed eval(mixed value,mixed optional_argument)

DESCRIPTION
	This is an internal function called from various query functions
	such as short() etc. It allows you to let short return the value
	of a function call instead of just a string.
	If the value is of the form:
          "@function_name(argument)"
	or
	  "@object_name->function_name(argument)"
	The given function will be called with these three arguments:
	  1) the string given as 'argument' above.
	  2) the optional argument to eval()
	  3) this_object()
	If the first form is given (no object_name) the function will be
	called in query_property("__remote") if set, and in this_object()
	otherwise. Note that expand_file_name is called on the object_name,
	which means that you can write filenames as
	'../armourdaemon' if you like.

EXAMPLE
	set_short("@/std/foo->get_short()");

=======================================================================
NAME
	set_short - set the short description

SYNTAX
	void set_short(string short_desc);

DESCRIPTION
	Set the value returned by short(). eval is called on this value.
=======================================================================
NAME
	set_long - set the long description

SYNTAX
	void set_long(string long_desc);

DESCRIPTION
	Set the value returned by query_long(), eval is called on this
	value. Note that that you should either linebreak this string
	yourself or completely leave out all newlines, in whioch case
	set_long will linebreak it to 78 chars/line for you.

	Also, if you set the property "simplemore" long desc will be
	fed through simplemore when you look at the object.
    
=======================================================================
NAME
	add_item - add/change an item

SYNTAX
	void add_item(mixed item, string description);
	or
	void add_item(mapping items);

DESCRIPTION
	This function adds an 'item' so you can look at it. If the item
	in question already exists it will be redefined. If the first
	argument is an array, an item will be added for each string in
	that array with the same description. The description is passed
	to eval, when someone looks at it, with the name of the item
	as optional_argument.

	The second syntax (giving a mapping as argument) removes all
	previous items and then sets the items to the new argument.

	Note that that you should either linebreak the description
	yourself or completely leave out all newlines, in whioch case
	add_item will linebreak it to 78 chars/line for you.

NOTE
	Note that no periods or newlines will be appended to the description.

	Items MUST be lower case, because the 'look at' forces all characters
	to lower case.

EXAMPLE	
	add_item("snow","It is white.\n");
	add_item(({"snowman","man"}),"He looks cold.\n");
=======================================================================
NAME
	remove_item - remove one or several items

SYNTAX
	void remove_item(mixed item);

DESCRIPTION
	This function removes an item (if it exists). Just as with
	add_item, the first argument can be an array, in which case
	all the items in that array will be removed.
=======================================================================
NAME
	add_property - add/change/set properties

SYNTAX
	void add_property(string property [, mixed value]);
	or
	void add_property(mapping properties);

DESCRIPTION
	The first syntax adds or changes one property to have the
	given value. (Default is 1) The property deamon will be asked
	to add linked properties.

	The second syntax first removes all properties and then sets
	the properties that are present in the mapping.

NOTA BENE
	Any property starting with temp_ will be removed next call to
	reset.

EXAMPLE
	add_property("metal");
	add_property((["metal":1]));
=======================================================================
NAME
	remove_property - remove one or several properties.

SYNTAX
	void remove_property(mixed property);

DESCRIPTION
	The argument is a property or an array of properties to be
	removed, any linked properties will also be removed.
=======================================================================
NAME
	add_command - add a command definition to this room

SYNTAX
	void add_command(mixed command, mixed action)

DESCRIPTION
	Command is one of the following:
		1) A string to match exactly eg. "climb tree"
		2) A verb + " %s" eg. "climb %s"
		3) An array containing strings of type 1 or 2

	Action is a value that will be passed to eval(), and the
	return value will be intepreted as follows:
	o If it is a string, it will be sent to /std/msg->msg() and the
	  command will be considered successful.
	o If it is an integer other than zero, nothing will be written
	  and the command will be considred successful.
	o If it is zero, the command will be considered unsuccessful.
	  (ie. zero will be returned)

EXAMPLES
	add_command( ({"climb tree","climb up"}),
	            "You can't climb the tree.\n");

	add_command("say %s","@say_cmd()");

NOTA BENE
	When using "@say_cmd(x)" or similar as action the eval() will be
	called with everything but the verb as second argument, that means
	that say_cmd will receive this as it's _second_ argument. The first
	argument will in this case be "x".

SEE ALSO
	add_item_cmd, remove_command

=======================================================================
NAME
	remove_command - the opposite of add_command

SYNTAX
	void remove_command(string command)

DESCRIPTION
	Removes a command previously added with add_command.
	Note that if you do add_command( ({"foo","bar"}), "action");
	and then remove_command("foo") the action 'bar' will still be.

SEE ALSO
	add_command

=======================================================================
NAME
	add_item_cmd - add a command bound to an item

SYNTAX
	void add_item_cmd(mixed verb, string item, string action)

DESCRIPTION
	This function works similarly to add_command, except it binds
	to a previously added item, with some smart defaults.
	Verb is string or an array of strings which will be used,
	item is a name of a previously added item, even if the item
	has several aliases, only one of them is needed. The argument
	'action' works exactly as the action argument for add_command.

	If this funcion is used in something that inherits stationary.c
	"item" can also be the name of the object in which case the name
	or any of the aliases of the object will match if used with the
	verb.

	Item can also be an array of items, in which case the action will
	be added for each item in the array.

EXAMPLES
	add_item(({"tree","oak tree","large oak"}),"Looks climbable.\n");
	add_item_cmd("climb","tree","@climb_tree()");

BUGS
	You can't have an add_item_cmd and an add_command on the same verb.

	This function uses the _description_ of the item as an identification
	that means that if you have several items with the same description
	in the room, add_item_cmd might not work as it should on those items.
	
SEE ALSO
	add_command, remove_item_cmd

=======================================================================
NAME
	remove_item_cmd - the opposite of add_item_cmd

SYNTAX
	void remove_item_cmd(mixed verb, string item)

DESCRIPTION
	Removes a previously added item command, the arguments
	have the same function as the first two arguments to add_item_cmd.

SEE ALSO
	add_item_cmd

=======================================================================
NAME
	query_property - ask if a property is set

SYNTAX
	mixed query_property(string prop, int truth)

DESCRIPTION
	If called with no arguments, the function returns an array with the
	names of all properties that are set in the object.
	
	If called with one argument, the function returns the value of the
	property after running that value through eval().

	If called with two arguments, the function returns the value of the
	property without running that through eval().

=======================================================================

Help topics available:

basic.doc

basic_lock.doc

basic_thing.doc

stationary.doc