Verb binding

[S001GMU at nova.wright.edu]

Date: Mon, 28 Apr 1997 19:46:54 +0000 (PST8PDT)
From: clawrenc at cup.hp.com

>>[apple tree situation: we want to pick an apple from tree,
>> either with verb binding or a global 'pick' verb - how to do?]

>The reason I put it on the apple is that I'm definitely moving toward
>a full graphical system and I don't want to see a graphic of a tree
>full of apples telling me it has no more apples or pick your variation
>on that theme such as an almost empty tree with only a few apples
>left). 

I'd think that if you were going to a graphical system, the graphic of the
tree would be built from a base tree image (sans apples) and then add some
apple images IFF there are apples present.   especially if you are going to
logically represent the apple tree as a bunch of apple items stored in a 
tree item.

>        It also allows easy handling of the "apple is out of reach"
>scenario and variations.

that would depend on how much knowledge of its location the apple has.  If you
bind the 'pick' verb to the tree, presumably part of that routine would check to
see if what you are attempting to pick is within reach.  If the tree knows the
location of all it's contents, then it should be able to determine that pretty
easily.  All the apple would need to know is that it's within the tree. 
Granted, I can see that opening a completely different can of worms.  Pardon
the pun.

-Greg