A chart of all the kinds<br><i>About kinds <ahref=inform:/doc30.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a>; New kinds of object <ahref=inform:/doc52.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a>; Other new kinds <ahref=inform:/doc56.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></i></p>
<p></p><tableborder="0"cellspacing="0"cellpadding="0"width=100%><trbgcolor="#888"><tdheight="1"colspan="5"cellpadding="0"></td></tr><trbgcolor="#e0e0e0"><tdstyle="white-space:nowrap;"align="left"valign="top"height="20"><fontsize=2><b>basic kinds</b> </font></td><tdstyle="white-space:nowrap;"align="left"valign="top"><fontsize=2><i>default value</i> <ahref="#"onClick="showBasic('default');"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/shelp.png></a> </font></td><tdstyle="white-space:nowrap;"align="left"valign="top"><fontsize=2><i>repeat</i> <ahref="#"onClick="showBasic('repeat');"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/shelp.png></a> </font></td><tdstyle="white-space:nowrap;"align="left"valign="top"><fontsize=2><i>props</i> <ahref="#"onClick="showBasic('props');"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/shelp.png></a> </font></td><tdstyle="white-space:nowrap;"align="left"valign="top"><fontsize=2><i>under</i> <ahref="#"onClick="showBasic('under');"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/shelp.png></a></font></td></tr><trbgcolor="#888"><tdheight="1"colspan="5"cellpadding="0"></td></tr><trstyle="display:none"id="default"><tdcolspan="5">The <b>default value</b> is used when we make something like a variable but don't tell Inform what its value is. For instance, if we write 'Zero hour is a time that varies', but don't tell Inform anything specific like 'Zero hour is 11:21 PM.', then Inform uses the value in the table above to decide what it will be. The same applies if we create a property (for instance, 'A person has a number called lucky number.'). Kinds of value not included in the table cannot be used in variables and properties.<hr></td></tr><trstyle="display:none"id="repeat"><tdcolspan="5">A tick for <b>repeat</b> means that it's possible to repeat through values of this kind. For instance, 'repeat with T running through times:' is allowed, but 'repeat with N running through numbers:' is not - there are too many numbers for this to make sense. A tick here also means it's possible to form lists such as 'list of rulebooks', or to count the 'number of scenes'.<hr></td></tr><trstyle="display:none"id="props"><tdcolspan="5">A tick for <b>props</b> means that values of this kind can have properties. For instance, 'A scene can be thrilling or dull.' makes an either/or property of a scene, but 'A number can be nice or nasty.' is not allowed because it would cost too much storage space. (Of course 'Definition:' can always be used to make adjectives applying to numbers; it's only properties which have storage worries.)<hr></td></tr><trstyle="display:none"id="under"><tdcolspan="5">A tick for <b>under</b> means that it's possible to understand values of this kind. For instance, 'Understand "award [number]" as awarding.' might be allowed, if awarding were an action applying to a number, but 'Understand "run [rule]" as rule-running.' is not allowed - there are so many rules with such long names that Inform doesn't add them to its vocabulary during play.<hr></td></tr><tr><tdstyle="white-space:nowrap;"align="left"valign="top"height="20"><fontsize=2>object [32] <ahref=#A8><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Below.png></a> </font></td><tdalign="left"valign="top"><fontsize=2>north </font></td><tdalign="center"valign="top"><fontsize=2><imgborder=0alt="tick"src=inform:/doc_images/tick.png> </font></td><tdalign="center"valign="top"><fontsize=2><imgborder=0alt="tick"src=inform:/doc_images/tick.png> </font></td><tdalign="center"valign="top"><fontsize=2><imgborder=0alt="cross"src=inform:/doc_images/cross.png></font></td></tr><trbgcolor="#f0f0ff"><tdstyle="white-space:nowrap;"align="left"valign="top"height="20"><fontsize=2><pclass="tightin2">room [5] <ahref=inform:/doc27.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a> <ahref=#K1_room><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Below.png></a> </font></td><tdalign="left"valign="top"><fontsize=2>Living Ro
the long slide. Through the long slide is the cellar.').<br><i>Always</i> fixed in place <i>not</i> portable.<br><i>Usually</i> closed <i>not</i> open, openable <i>not</i> unopenable, unlocked <i>not</i> locked.<br><i>Usually not</i> lockable.<br><i>Never</i> pushable between rooms.<br><i>Can have</i> other side (<i>object</i>).<br></p><pclass="tightin3"></p><pclass="halftightin3"><aname=K5_container></a><b>container</b> (<i>plural</i> containers)</p>
<pclass="tightin4">Represents a container large enough for
a person to enter, and which can then move between rooms at the driver's
instruction. (If a supporter is needed instead, try the extension
Rideable Vehicles by Graham Nelson.)<br><i>Always</i> enterable.<br><i>Usually</i> fixed in place <i>not</i> portable.<br></p><pclass="tightin4"></p><pclass="halftightin4"><aname=K15_player_s_holdall></a><b>player's holdall</b> (<i>plural</i> player's holdalls) <ahref=inform:/doc46.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></p>
<pclass="tightin4">Represents a container which the
player can carry around as a sort of rucksack, into which spare items are
placed, such as a table.<br><i>Usually</i> fixed in place <i>not</i> portable.<br><i>Usually not</i> enterable.<br><i>Can have</i> carrying capacity (<i>number</i>).<br></p><pclass="tightin3"><fontcolor="#808080">carpet</font> <ahref="source:story.ni#line54"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Reveal.png></a>, <fontcolor="#808080">sofa</font> <ahref="source:story.ni#line54"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Reveal.png></a>, <fontcolor="#808080">entertainment unit</font> <ahref="source:story.ni#line54"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Reveal.png></a></p><pclass="halftightin3"><aname=K7_backdrop></a><b>backdrop</b> (<i>plural</i> backdrops) <ahref=inform:/doc34.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></p>
<pclass="tightin3">Represents an aspect of the landscape
or architecture which extends across more than one room: for instance,
a stream, the sky or a long carpet.<br><i>Always</i> fixed in place <i>not</i> portable.<br><i>Usually</i> scenery.<br><i>Never</i> pushable between rooms.<br></p><pclass="tightin3"></p><pclass="halftightin3"><aname=K8_person></a><b>person</b> (<i>plural</i> people) <ahref=inform:/doc42.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></p>
<pclass="tightin3">Despite the name, not necessarily
a human being, but anything animate enough to envisage having a
<pclass="tightin4">Represents a man or boy.<br><i>Always</i> male <i>not</i> female.<br><i>Never</i> neuter.<br></p><pclass="tightin4"></p><pclass="halftightin4"><aname=K11_woman></a><b>woman</b> (<i>plural</i> women)</p>
<pclass="tightin4">Represents an animal, or at any rate a
non-human living creature reasonably large and possible to interact with: a
giant Venus fly-trap might qualify, but not a patch of lichen.<br></p><pclass="tightin4"></p><pclass="halftightin3"><aname=K13_device></a><b>device</b> (<i>plural</i> devices) <ahref=inform:/doc39.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></p>
<pclass="tightin3">Represents a machine or contrivance of some
kind which can be switched on or off.<br><i>Usually</i> switched off <i>not</i> switched on.<br></p><pclass="tightin3"></p><pclass="halftightin2"><aname=K3_direction></a><b>direction</b> (<i>plural</i> directions) <ahref=inform:/doc51.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></p>
<pclass="tightin2">Represents a direction of movement, such
as northeast or down. They always occur in opposite, matched pairs: northeast
and southwest, for instance; down and up.<br><i>Usually</i> unmarked for listing <i>not</i> marked for listing.<br><i>Can have</i> opposite (<i>direction</i>).<br></p><pclass="tightin2"><ahref="#"onclick="showExtra('extra1', 'plus1'); return false;"><imgborder=0id="plus1"src=inform:/doc_images/extra.png></a> <fontcolor="#808080">12 directions</font></p><divid="extra1"style="display: none;"><pclass="in3"><tablewidth="100%"cellpadding="0"cellspacing="0"border="0"style="background-color: #e0e0e0"><tr><tdwidth="8"><imgsrc="inform:/bg_images/tl_corner_e0e0e0.gif"width="8"height="8"border="0"alt="..."/></td><td></td><tdwidth="8"><imgsrc="inform:/bg_images/tr_corner_e0e0e0.gif"width="8"height="8"border="0"alt="..."/></td></tr><tr><tdwidth="8"></td><td><fontsize=2><fontcolor="#808080">north</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">northeast</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">northwest</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">south</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">southeast</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">southwest</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">east</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">west</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">up</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">down</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">inside</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">outside</font></font></td><tdwidth="8"></td></tr><tr><tdwidth="8"><imgsrc="inform:/bg_images/bl_corner_e0e0e0.gif"width="8"height="8"border="0"alt="..."/></td><td></td><tdwidth="8"><imgsrc="inform:/bg_images/br_corner_e0e0e0.gif"width="8"height="8"border="0"alt="..."/></td></tr></table></div>
<pclass="tightin2">Represents a broader area than a single
room, and allows rules to apply to a whole geographical territory. Each
region can contain many rooms, and regions can even be inside each other,
though they cannot otherwise overlap. For instance, the room Place d'Italie
might be inside the region 13th Arrondissement, which in turn is inside
the region Paris. Regions are useful mainly when the world is a large one,
and are optional.<br></p><pclass="tightin2"></p><hr><pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A9></a><b>number</b> (<i>plural</i> numbers) <ahref=inform:/doc227.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, arithmetic value, sayable value<br>Whole number in the range -32768, -32767, ..., -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, ..., 32767: small numbers can be written textually as 'one', 'two', 'three', ..., 'ten', 'eleven', 'twelve'. (A much larger number range is allowed if we compile the source to Glulx rather than the Z-machine: see the Settings panel.)<br>
</p>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A10></a><b>real number</b> (<i>plural</i> real numbers) <ahref=inform:/doc227.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, arithmetic value, real arithmetic value, sayable value<br>A real, or 'floating-point' number: the difference between this and ordinary "number" is that real numbers can hold values like 3.141, which aren't whole numbers, and can also hold very large or very small quantities in an approximate way. (Use of real numbers is only allowed if we compile the source to Glulx rather than the Z-machine: see the Settings panel.)<br>
</p>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A40></a><b>time</b> (<i>plural</i> times) <ahref=inform:/doc140.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, arithmetic value, sayable value<br>A time of day, written in the form '2:34 AM' or '12:51 PM', or a length of time such as '10 minutes' or '3 hours 31 minutes', which must be between 0 minutes and 23 hours 59 minutes inclusive.<br>
</p>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A11></a><b>truth state</b> (<i>plural</i> truth states) <ahref=inform:/doc163.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, sayable value<br>The state of whether something is 'true' or 'false'. (In other computing languages, this might be called 'boolean', after the 19th-century logician George Boole, who first realised this was a kind of value.)<br>
</p>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A12></a><b>text</b> (<i>plural</i> texts)</p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, sayable value<br>Some text in double quotation marks, perhaps with substitutions written in square brackets.<br>
</p>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A13></a><b>unicode character</b> (<i>plural</i> unicode characters)</p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, sayable value<br>A single character - a letter or item of punctuation.<br>
</p>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A17></a><b>snippet</b> (<i>plural</i> snippets) <ahref=inform:/doc319.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, sayable value<br>A fragment of the player's most recent typed command, taking in a run of consecutive words.<br>
</p>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A38></a><b>action</b> (<i>plural</i> actions) <ahref=inform:/doc196.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, sayable value<br>A stored action, which can later be tried.<br>
</p>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A41></a><b>scene</b> (<i>plural</i> scenes) <ahref=inform:/doc150.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, enumerated value, sayable value<br>Like a scene in a play: a period of time which is usually tied to events in the plot. Scenes are created by sentences like 'Midnight Arrival is a scene.'<br>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A61></a><b>command parser error</b> (<i>plural</i> command parser errors)</p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, enumerated value, sayable value<br></p><pclass="tightin1"><ahref="#"onclick="showExtra('extra2', 'plus2'); return false;"><imgborder=0id="plus2"src=inform:/doc_images/extra.png></a> <fontcolor="#808080">25 command parser errors</font></p><divid="extra2"style="display: none;"><pclass="in2"><tablewidth="100%"cellpadding="0"cellspacing="0"border="0"style="background-color: #e0e0e0"><tr><tdwidth="8"><imgsrc="inform:/bg_images/tl_corner_e0e0e0.gif"width="8"height="8"border="0"alt="..."/></td><td></td><tdwidth="8"><imgsrc="inform:/bg_images/tr_corner_e0e0e0.gif"width="8"height="8"border="0"alt="..."/></td></tr><tr><tdwidth="8"></td><td><fontsize=2><fontcolor="#808080">didn't understand error</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">only understood as far as error</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">didn't understand that number error</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">can only do that to something animate error</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">can't see any such thing error</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">said too little error</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">aren't holding that error</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">can't use multiple objects error</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">can only use multiple objects error</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">not sure what it refers to error</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">excepted something not included error</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">not a verb I recognise error</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">not something you need to refer to error</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">can't see it at the moment error</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">didn't understand the way that finished error</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">not enough of those available error</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">nothing to do error</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">noun did not make sense in that context error</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">referred to a determination of scope error</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">I beg your pardon error</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">can't again the addressee error</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">comma can't begin error</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">can't see whom to talk to error</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">can't talk to inanimate things error</font>, <fontcolor="#808080">didn't understand addressee's last name error</font></font></td><tdwidth="8"></td></tr><tr><tdwidth="8"><imgsrc="inform:/bg_images/bl_corner_e0e0e0.gif"width="8"height="8"border="0"alt="..."/></td><td></td><tdwidth="8"><imgsrc="inform:/bg_images/br_corner_e0e0e0.gif"width="8"height="8"border="0"alt="..."/></td></tr></table></div>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A66></a><b>verbosity <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Emily%20Short/Basic%20Help%20Menu.html'title="Basic Help Menu by Emily Short"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a></b> (<i>plural</i> verbosities)</p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, enumerated value, sayable value<br></p><pclass="tightin1"><fontcolor="#808080">brief</font> <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Emily%20Short/Basic%20Help%20Menu.html'title="Basic Help Menu by Emily Short"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a>, <fontcolor="#808080">verbose</font> <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Emily%20Short/Basic%20Help%20Menu.html'title="Basic Help Menu by Emily Short"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a>, <fontcolor="#808080">superbrief</font> <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Emily%20Short/Basic%20Help%20Menu.html'title="Basic Help Menu by Emily Short"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a></p></p>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A14></a><b>use option</b> (<i>plural</i> use options)</p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, sayable value<br>One of the optional ways to configure Inform, such as the 'authorial modesty option'.<br>
</p>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A15></a><b>response</b> (<i>plural</i> responses)</p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, sayable value<br>One of the standard responses issued by the Standard Rules or other extensions.<br>
</p>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A16></a><b>verb</b> (<i>plural</i> verbs) <ahref=inform:/doc222.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, sayable value<br>One of the verbs which Inform knows how to conjugate.<br>
</p>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A18></a><b>table name</b> (<i>plural</i> table names) <ahref=inform:/doc260.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, sayable value<br>Like tables of information in a book or newspaper, tables in Inform hold values which have been organised into rows and columns. A table name is just a single value, identifying which table is meant - say, 'Table of US Presidents' might be a table name value.<br>
</p>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A19></a><b>equation name</b> (<i>plural</i> equation names)</p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value<br>Like formulae in a textbook or a scientific paper, equations in Inform are written out in displayed form and given names.<br>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A39></a><b>action name</b> (<i>plural</i> action names) <ahref=inform:/doc98.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, sayable value<br>An action is what happens when one of the people in the simulated world decides to do something. A full action would be something like 'dropping the box', but an action name is just the choice of which sort of thing is being done: here, it's 'the dropping action'. (Action names are always written with the word 'action' at the end, to make sure they aren't mistaken for full actions.)<br>
</p>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A42></a><b>figure name</b> (<i>plural</i> figure names) <ahref=inform:/doc376.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, enumerated value, sayable value<br>When made with the Glulx setting, an Inform project can include images as well as words, and these are called figures. A figure name is just the name of one of the figures in the current project.<br>
</p><pclass="tightin1"><fontcolor="#808080">Figure of cover</font></p></p>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A43></a><b>sound name</b> (<i>plural</i> sound names) <ahref=inform:/doc379.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, enumerated value, sayable value<br>When made with the Glulx setting, an Inform project can include sound effects or pieces of music. A sound name is just the name of one of these sounds in the current project.<br>
</p><pclass="tightin1"></p></p>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A44></a><b>external file</b> (<i>plural</i> external files) <ahref=inform:/doc384.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, enumerated value, sayable value<br>When made with the Glulx setting, an Inform project can make limited use of files stored on the computer which is operating the story at run-time. An external-file is just the name of one of these files (not the filename in the usual sense, but a name given to it in the Inform source text).<br>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A62></a><b>grammatical tense <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Graham%20Nelson/English%20Language.html'title="English Language by Graham Nelson"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a></b> (<i>plural</i> grammatical tenses)</p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, enumerated value, sayable value<br></p><pclass="tightin1"><fontcolor="#808080">present tense</font> <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Graham%20Nelson/English%20Language.html'title="English Language by Graham Nelson"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a>, <fontcolor="#808080">past tense</font> <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Graham%20Nelson/English%20Language.html'title="English Language by Graham Nelson"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a>, <fontcolor="#808080">perfect tense</font> <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Graham%20Nelson/English%20Language.html'title="English Language by Graham Nelson"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a>, <fontcolor="#808080">past perfect tense</font> <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Graham%20Nelson/English%20Language.html'title="English Language by Graham Nelson"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a>, <fontcolor="#808080">future tense</font> <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Graham%20Nelson/English%20Language.html'title="English Language by Graham Nelson"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a></p></p>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A63></a><b>narrative viewpoint <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Graham%20Nelson/English%20Language.html'title="English Language by Graham Nelson"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a></b> (<i>plural</i> narrative viewpoints)</p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, enumerated value, sayable value<br></p><pclass="tightin1"><fontcolor="#808080">first person singular</font> <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Graham%20Nelson/English%20Language.html'title="English Language by Graham Nelson"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a>, <fontcolor="#808080">second person singular</font> <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Graham%20Nelson/English%20Language.html'title="English Language by Graham Nelson"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a>, <fontcolor="#808080">third person singular</font> <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Graham%20Nelson/English%20Language.html'title="English Language by Graham Nelson"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a>, <fontcolor="#808080">first person plural</font> <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Graham%20Nelson/English%20Language.html'title="English Language by Graham Nelson"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a>, <fontcolor="#808080">second person plural</font> <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Graham%20Nelson/English%20Language.html'title="English Language by Graham Nelson"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a>, <fontcolor="#808080">third person plural</font> <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Graham%20Nelson/English%20Language.html'title="English Language by Graham Nelson"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a></p></p>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A64></a><b>grammatical case <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Graham%20Nelson/English%20Language.html'title="English Language by Graham Nelson"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a></b> (<i>plural</i> grammatical cases)</p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, enumerated value, sayable value<br></p><pclass="tightin1"><fontcolor="#808080">nominative</font> <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Graham%20Nelson/English%20Language.html'title="English Language by Graham Nelson"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a>, <fontcolor="#808080">accusative</font> <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Graham%20Nelson/English%20Language.html'title="English Language by Graham Nelson"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a></p></p>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A65></a><b>grammatical gender <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Graham%20Nelson/English%20Language.html'title="English Language by Graham Nelson"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a></b> (<i>plural</i> grammatical genders)</p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, enumerated value, sayable value<br></p><pclass="tightin1"><fontcolor="#808080">neuter gender</font> <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Graham%20Nelson/English%20Language.html'title="English Language by Graham Nelson"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a>, <fontcolor="#808080">masculine gender</font> <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Graham%20Nelson/English%20Language.html'title="English Language by Graham Nelson"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a>, <fontcolor="#808080">feminine gender</font> <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Graham%20Nelson/English%20Language.html'title="English Language by Graham Nelson"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a></p></p>
<hr><pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A25></a><b>phrase K -> L</b> (<i>plural</i> phrases K -> L)</p><pclass="tightin1"><i>contravariant in K, covariant in L <ahref=#contra><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/shelp.png></a></i></p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, sayable value<br></p>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A28></a><b><fontcolor="#808080"></font>relation<fontcolor="#808080"> of K</font></b> (<i>plural</i><fontcolor="#808080"></font>relations<fontcolor="#808080"> of K</font>)</p><pclass="tightin1"><i>covariant <ahref=#contra><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/shelp.png></a></i></p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, sayable value<br></p>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A29></a><b><fontcolor="#808080">K based</font> rule<fontcolor="#808080"> producing L</font></b> (<i>plural</i><fontcolor="#808080">K based</font> rules<fontcolor="#808080"> producing L</font>) <ahref=inform:/doc327.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></p><pclass="tightin1"><i>contravariant in K, covariant in L <ahref=#contra><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/shelp.png></a></i></p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, sayable value<br>One of many, many rules which determine what happens during play. Rules can be triggered by scenes beginning or ending, by certain actions, at certain times, or in the course of carrying out certain activities.<br>
</p>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A30></a><b><fontcolor="#808080">K based</font> rulebook<fontcolor="#808080"> producing L</font></b> (<i>plural</i><fontcolor="#808080">K based</font> rulebooks<fontcolor="#808080"> producing L</font>) <ahref=inform:/doc327.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></p><pclass="tightin1"><i>contravariant in K, covariant in L <ahref=#contra><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/shelp.png></a></i></p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value, sayable value<br>A list of rules to follow, in sequence, to get something done. A rulebook is like a ring-binder, with the individual rules as sheets of paper. Inform normally sorts these into their 'natural' order, with the most specific rules first, but it's easy to shuffle the pages if you need to. When some task is carried out during play, Inform is normally working through a rulebook, turning the pages one by one.<br>
</p>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A31></a><b><fontcolor="#808080"></font>activity<fontcolor="#808080"> on K</font></b> (<i>plural</i><fontcolor="#808080"></font>activities<fontcolor="#808080"> on K</font>) <ahref=inform:/doc287.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></p><pclass="tightin1"><i>contravariant <ahref=#contra><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/shelp.png></a></i></p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value<br>An activity is something which Inform does as part of the mechanics of play - for instance, printing the name of an object, which Inform often has to do. An activity can happen by itself ('printing the banner text', for instance) or can be applied to an object ('printing the name of something', say).<br>
</p>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A32></a><b>list of K</b> (<i>plural</i> lists of K) <ahref=inform:/doc352.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></p><pclass="tightin1"><i>covariant <ahref=#contra><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/shelp.png></a></i></p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value<br>A flexible-length list of values, where all of the items have to have the same kind of value as each other - for instance, a list of rooms, or a list of lists of numbers. The empty list, with no items yet, is written { }, and a list with items in is written with commas dividing them - say {2, 5, 9}.<br>
</p>
<pclass="halftightin1"><aname=A33></a><b>description of K</b> (<i>plural</i> descriptions of K) <ahref=inform:/doc364.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></p><pclass="tightin1"><i>covariant <ahref=#contra><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/shelp.png></a></i></p><pclass="tightin1"><i>Matches:</i> value<br>A description of a set of values, where all of the items have to have the same kind of value as each other - for instance, 'even numbers' or 'open doors which are in lighted rooms'.<br>
<p><aname=contra><small><b>Covariance</b> means that if K is a kind of L, then something you make from K can be used as the same thing made from L. For example, a list of doors can be used as a list of things, because 'list of K' is covariant. <b>Contravariance</b> means it works the other way round. For example, an activity on things can be used as an activity on doors, but not vice versa, because 'activity of K' is contravariant.</small></p></div>
Which values can be added up, multiplied and so on<br><i>About arithmetic <ahref=inform:/doc245.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></i></p>
</td>
</tr></table>
<p><hr><p><aname=calculator><tableborder="0"cellspacing="0"cellpadding="0"><tr><tdalign="left"valign="top"><fontsize=2><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/calc2.png> Kinds of value marked with the <b>calculator symbol</b> are numerical - these are values we can add, multiply and so on. The range of these numbers depends on the Format setting for the project (Glulx format supports much higher numbers than Z-code).</font></td></tr></table><p><tableborder="0"cellspacing="0"cellpadding="0"><tr><tdalign="left"valign="top"><fontsize=2><b>kind of value</b> </font></td><tdalign="left"valign="top"><fontsize=2><b>minimum</b> </font></td><tdalign="left"valign="top"><fontsize=2><b>maximum</b> </font></td><tdalign="left"valign="top"><fontsize=2><b>dimensions</b></font></td></tr><tr><tdalign="left"valign="top"><fontsize=2>number </font></td><tdalign="left"valign="top"><fontsize=2>1 </font></td><tdalign="left"valign="top"><fontsize=2>2147483647 </font></td><tdalign="left"valign="top"><fontsize=2><i>dimensionless</i></font></td></tr><tr><tdalign="left"valign="top"><fontsize=2>real number </font></td><tdalign="left"valign="top"><fontsize=2>-- </font></td><tdalign="left"valign="top"><fontsize=2>-- </font></td><tdalign="left"valign="top"><fontsize=2><i>dimensionless</i></font></td></tr><tr><tdalign="left"valign="top"><fontsize=2>time </font></td><tdalign="left"valign="top"><fontsize=2>1 minute </font></td><tdalign="left"valign="top"><fontsize=2>23 hours 59 minutes </font></td><tdalign="left"valign="top"><fontsize=2>(time)</font></td></tr></table><p></div>
Values which vary during play, and equations.<br><i>About variables <ahref=inform:/doc63.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a></i></p>
person asked <ahref=inform:/doc179.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a> - <i>object</i><br>
reason the action failed <ahref=inform:/doc181.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a> - <i>rule</i><br>
item described - <i>object</i><br>
<p><b>Used when ruling on accessibility</b><br>person reaching <ahref=inform:/doc194.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a> - <i>object</i><br>
<p><b>Grammatical definitions</b><br>story tense <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Graham%20Nelson/English%20Language.html'title="English Language by Graham Nelson"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a> - <i>grammatical tense</i><br>
story viewpoint <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Graham%20Nelson/English%20Language.html'title="English Language by Graham Nelson"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a> - <i>narrative viewpoint</i><br>
<p><b>Customizing the status line</b><br>Status bar table <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Emily%20Short/Basic%20Screen%20Effects.html'title="Basic Screen Effects by Emily Short"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a> - <i>table name</i><br>
Right alignment depth <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Emily%20Short/Basic%20Screen%20Effects.html'title="Basic Screen Effects by Emily Short"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a> - <i>number</i><br>
<p>Menu depth <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Emily%20Short/Menus.html'title="Menus by Emily Short"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a> - <i>number</i><br>
endnode flag <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Emily%20Short/Menus.html'title="Menus by Emily Short"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a> - <i>number</i><br>
current menu title <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Emily%20Short/Menus.html'title="Menus by Emily Short"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a> - <i>text</i><br>
Current menu <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Emily%20Short/Menus.html'title="Menus by Emily Short"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a> - <i>table name</i><br>
Current menu selection <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Emily%20Short/Menus.html'title="Menus by Emily Short"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a> - <i>number</i><br>
<p><b>List of disambiguables</b><br>list of disambiguables <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Aaron%20Reed/Numbered%20Disambiguation%20Choices.html'title="Numbered Disambiguation Choices by Aaron Reed"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a> - <i>list of objects</i><br>
<p><b>disambiguation-busy</b><br>disambiguation-busy <ahref='inform://Extensions/Extensions/Aaron%20Reed/Numbered%20Disambiguation%20Choices.html'title="Numbered Disambiguation Choices by Aaron Reed"STYLE="text-decoration: none"><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/Revealext.png></a> - <i>truth state</i><br>
<p><b>List of Named or Numbered Equations</b> (<i>About equations</i> <ahref=inform:/doc243.html><imgborder=0src=inform:/doc_images/help.png></a>)<p>