SCRIPT COMMANDS

Built-in script commands are commands that are not called the way normal player commds are called. The commands below are valid in all types of scripts:

A. Comment

---

* <text>

An '*' at the begining of a line is a comment. The rest of the line is ignored.

B. Global

---

global <variable>

Global changes a local variable into a global variable.

C. Eval

---

eval <variable> <value>

Eval evaluates the value and sets variable to result. See section 7 for details on how expression evaluation works.

Example:  eval foobar 15 - 5
  sets the varable foobar to the value 10

D. If/elseif/else/end

---

if (<expression>)
   ...
elseif (<expression>)
   ...
else
   ...
end

An 'if' must occur before the other three. If the expression evaluates to true (see section 7 for expression evaluation), the statments between the if statement and the next elseif, else, or end are executed. If it stopped at a elseif or else, it scans for the next end, and continues execution at that point. If the expression evaluated to false, it searches for the next elseif, else, or end. If it finds an elseif, it checks that expression. If it is true, it executes the statements between the elseif and the next elseif, else, or end, and then finds the end of the block. If it is false, it continues searching in the same pattern, until a true elseif is found, an else is found, or an end is found.

E. Halt

---

halt

Halt ends the script execution.

F. Return

---

return <value>

Return sets the return value of the script. Normally, a script will return 1, unless another return value is specified with the return command. Unlike most computer langauges, the return command does not end the script's execution. The value is returned after all the commands have been executed, or a wait or halt command is called.

G. Set

---

set <variable> <value>

Set sets the variable to value, without evaluating it.

Example:  set foobar 15 - 5
  sets the varable foobar to the string "15 - 5"

H. Unset

---

unset <variable>

Unset elimiates the specified variable if it exists.

I. Wait

---

wait <number of seconds>

A 'wait' command causes the script to pause for a certain length of time. A numerical argument causes the script to pause the given number of seconds.

wait <number of ticks>t

This causes the script to pause for 75 seconds per number of ticks. (This does not cause it to trigger exactly when a tick happens. This is a throwback to before ticks were eactly counted with the event system).

H. log

---

log <somestring>

Sends the string to syslog. The log saves to file, is logged under "syslog normal" at level AVATAR.

You can log values. I.e.

log The characters name is %actor.name%.

That will syslog "The characters name is John."

I. switch

---

switch <statement>
  case <instance>
    ...
    break
  case <instance>
  case <instance>
    ...
    break
  default
    ...
done

A switch/case block is a fairly well known method of programming.

TODO: more detailed explaination to be added.

J. while

---

while (%x% < 5)
  eval x (%x% + 1)
  if (%x% == 2)
    if (yet something else again)
      break
    end
  end
done

A while loop cannot exist in another while loop. It will just cause problems, and generally break the script.

SEE ALSO: MOBCMDS, OBJCMDS, ROOMCMDS, VARIABLES