^ 1 | Details — A single action in detail. About the action rulebooks

Standard actions which change the state of things
Locking it with , Unlocking it with , Switching on , Switching off , Opening , Closing , Wearing , Taking off

Opening something (past tense opened)

Opening makes something no longer a physical barrier. The action can be performed on any kind of thing which provides the either/or properties openable and open. The 'can't open unless openable rule' tests to see if the noun both can be and actually is openable. (It is assumed that anything which can be openable can also be open.) In the Standard Rules, the container and door kinds both satisfy these requirements.
In the event that the thing to be opened is also lockable, we are forbidden to open it when it is locked. Both containers and doors can be lockable, but the opening and closing actions would also work fine with kinds which cannot be.
We can create a new kind on which opening and closing will work thus: 'A case file is a kind of thing. A case file can be openable. A case file can be open. A case file is usually openable and closed.'
The meaning of open and closed is different for different kinds of thing. When a container is closed, that means people outside cannot reach in, and vice versa; when a door is closed, people cannot use the 'going' action to pass through it. If we were to create a new kind such as 'case file', we would also need to write rules to make the open and closed properties interesting for this kind.

Typed commands leading to this action

"open/unwrap/uncover [something]"

Rules controlling this action

instead of doing something to the cables

check an actor opening can't open unless openable rule name unlist 1

A "[regarding the noun][They] [aren't] something [we] [can] open." name set

check an actor opening can't open what's locked rule name unlist 1

A "[regarding the noun][They] [seem] to be locked." name set

check an actor opening can't open what's already open rule name unlist 1

A "[regarding the noun][They're] already open." name set

carry out an actor opening standard opening rule name unlist

report an actor opening reveal any newly visible interior rule name unlist 1

A "[We] [open] [the noun], revealing " name set

report an actor opening standard report opening rule name unlist 3

A "[We] [open] [the noun]." name set
B "[The actor] [open] [the noun]." name set
C "[The noun] [open]." name set

Click on the speech-bubble icons to see the responses, or here to see all of them: 7