/doc/efun/present

SYNOPSIS

object present(mixed str)
object present(mixed str, object ob)

DESCRIPTION

If an object that identifies (*) to the name ``str'' is present in the inventory or environment of this_object (), then return it. If "str" has the form "<id> <n>" the <n>-th object matching <id> will be returned.

"str" can also be an object, in which case the test is much faster and easier.

A second optional argument ob is the enviroment where the search for str takes place. Normally this_player() is a good choice. Only the inventory of ob is searched, not its environment.

(*) id (str) { return str == <name>; } i.e. the parser applies id(str) to all objects in the vicinity until the matching one (if any) is found.

If you want an object to support the "<id> <n>" syntax in conjunction with self-defined verbs (like "open chest 3") you can do it like that

	init () { add_action ("open_chest", "open"); }

	open_chest (str) {
	  if (present (str) != this_object ())
	      return 0; /* Not this chest */
	  ...
	}

Btw: if the n-th object matching "str" is searched in this_object() and it's environment and the object is found in the environment then it will be the n-th occurence of ``str'' in the environment and not in both objects.

SEE ALSO

move_object

environment

this_object

init

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