A single action in detail.<br><i>About the action rulebooks <ahref=inform:/doc178.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></i></p>
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<hr><b>Standard actions which change the state of things</b><br>Locking it with <ahref=16_A.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Beneath.png></a>, Unlocking it with <ahref=17_A.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Beneath.png></a>, Switching on <ahref=18_A.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Beneath.png></a>, Switching off <ahref=19_A.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Beneath.png></a>, <b>Opening</b> <ahref=20_A.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Beneath.png></a>, Closing <ahref=21_A.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Beneath.png></a>, Wearing <ahref=22_A.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Beneath.png></a>, Taking off <ahref=23_A.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Beneath.png></a><p><hr><p><b>Opening <fontcolor="#000080">something</font></b><aname=Open></a> (<i>past tense</i> opened)<br>
<p>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.<br><br>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.<br><br>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.'<br><br>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.<p><hr><p><b>Typed commands leading to this action</b><p>
<pclass="hangingin2">"open/unwrap/uncover [something]"</p><p><b>Rules controlling this action</b></p><p>
<pclass="hangingin2">instead of <i>doing something to the cables</i> <ahref="source:story.ni#line56"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Reveal.png></a></p>
<br><pclass="hangingin2">check <i>an actor opening</i> <fontcolor="#800000">can't open unless openable rule</font> <ahref="javascript:pasteCode('can[=0x0027=]t open unless openable rule')"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/paste.png></a> <i>name</i><ahref="javascript:pasteCode('The can[=0x0027=]t open unless openable rule is not listed in the check opening rulebook.[=0x000A=]')"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/paste.png></a> <i>unlist</i> <ahref="#"onclick="showResp('extra1000185', 'plus1000185'); return false;"><imgborder=0id="plus1000185"src=inform:/doc_images/responses.png></a> 1</p>
<divid="extra1000185"style="display: none;"><pclass="in2"> <spanstyle="color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; background-color: #8080ff;"> A </span><spanstyle="color: #000066;">"[regarding the noun][They] [aren't] something [we] [can] open."</span> <ahref="javascript:pasteCode('can[=0x0027=]t open unless openable rule response (A)')"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/paste.png></a> <i>name</i> <ahref="javascript:pasteCode('can[=0x0027=]t open unless openable rule response (A) is [=0x0022=]New text.[=0x0022=].')"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/paste.png></a> <i>set</i></div>
<pclass="hangingin2">check <i>an actor opening</i> <fontcolor="#800000">can't open what's locked rule</font> <ahref="javascript:pasteCode('can[=0x0027=]t open what[=0x0027=]s locked rule')"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/paste.png></a> <i>name</i><ahref="javascript:pasteCode('The can[=0x0027=]t open what[=0x0027=]s locked rule is not listed in the check opening rulebook.[=0x000A=]')"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/paste.png></a> <i>unlist</i> <ahref="#"onclick="showResp('extra1000186', 'plus1000186'); return false;"><imgborder=0id="plus1000186"src=inform:/doc_images/responses.png></a> 1</p>
<divid="extra1000186"style="display: none;"><pclass="in2"> <spanstyle="color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; background-color: #8080ff;"> A </span><spanstyle="color: #000066;">"[regarding the noun][They] [seem] to be locked."</span> <ahref="javascript:pasteCode('can[=0x0027=]t open what[=0x0027=]s locked rule response (A)')"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/paste.png></a> <i>name</i> <ahref="javascript:pasteCode('can[=0x0027=]t open what[=0x0027=]s locked rule response (A) is [=0x0022=]New text.[=0x0022=].')"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/paste.png></a> <i>set</i></div>
<pclass="hangingin2">check <i>an actor opening</i> <fontcolor="#800000">can't open what's already open rule</font> <ahref="javascript:pasteCode('can[=0x0027=]t open what[=0x0027=]s already open rule')"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/paste.png></a> <i>name</i><ahref="javascript:pasteCode('The can[=0x0027=]t open what[=0x0027=]s already open rule is not listed in the check opening rulebook.[=0x000A=]')"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/paste.png></a> <i>unlist</i> <ahref="#"onclick="showResp('extra1000187', 'plus1000187'); return false;"><imgborder=0id="plus1000187"src=inform:/doc_images/responses.png></a> 1</p>
<divid="extra1000187"style="display: none;"><pclass="in2"> <spanstyle="color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; background-color: #8080ff;"> A </span><spanstyle="color: #000066;">"[regarding the noun][They're] already open."</span> <ahref="javascript:pasteCode('can[=0x0027=]t open what[=0x0027=]s already open rule response (A)')"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/paste.png></a> <i>name</i> <ahref="javascript:pasteCode('can[=0x0027=]t open what[=0x0027=]s already open rule response (A) is [=0x0022=]New text.[=0x0022=].')"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/paste.png></a> <i>set</i></div>
<br><pclass="hangingin2">carry out <i>an actor opening</i> <fontcolor="#800000">standard opening rule</font> <ahref="javascript:pasteCode('standard opening rule')"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/paste.png></a> <i>name</i><ahref="javascript:pasteCode('The standard opening rule is not listed in the carry out opening rulebook.[=0x000A=]')"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/paste.png></a> <i>unlist</i></p>
<br><pclass="hangingin2">report <i>an actor opening</i> <fontcolor="#800000">reveal any newly visible interior rule</font> <ahref="javascript:pasteCode('reveal any newly visible interior rule')"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/paste.png></a> <i>name</i><ahref="javascript:pasteCode('The reveal any newly visible interior rule is not listed in the report opening rulebook.[=0x000A=]')"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/paste.png></a> <i>unlist</i> <ahref="#"onclick="showResp('extra1000189', 'plus1000189'); return false;"><imgborder=0id="plus1000189"src=inform:/doc_images/responses.png></a> 1</p>
<pclass="hangingin2">report <i>an actor opening</i> <fontcolor="#800000">standard report opening rule</font> <ahref="javascript:pasteCode('standard report opening rule')"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/paste.png></a> <i>name</i><ahref="javascript:pasteCode('The standard report opening rule is not listed in the report opening rulebook.[=0x000A=]')"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/paste.png></a> <i>unlist</i> <ahref="#"onclick="showResp('extra1000190', 'plus1000190'); return false;"><imgborder=0id="plus1000190"src=inform:/doc_images/responses.png></a> 3</p>
<br>Click on the speech-bubble icons to see the responses, or here to see all of them: <ahref="#"onclick="showAllResp(); return false;"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/responses.png></a> 7</p>