[MUD-Dev] (fwd) [DESIGN] Macro semi-language

[J C Lawrence]

From: Richard Woolcock <KaVir at dial.pipex.comNOSPAM>
Newsgroups: rec.games.mud.diku,rec.games.mud.admin,alt.mud.programming
Subject: [DESIGN] Macro semi-language
Date: Sat, 25 Apr 1998 04:22:00 -0700

Recently I was asked by a friend and fellow implementor if I could show
her how to code on the mud.  She had used pascal before, but never used
C, and didn't really seem to have any grasp of the language.  In order to
try and help her, on wednesday I threw together a set of macros to create
a sort of pseudo-language.  I added a few more features on thursday, and
today got the chance to show her how it worked.  Although she is still
having problems, she is finding this macro-based system far easier to use,
and I have started wondering if it might help a few other coder wannabe's.

Note that this system is designed for Merc, but could be easily adepted
to most other hard-coded systems.

The advantages and disadvantages as I see it are as follows:

* ADVANTAGES:  More verbose and robust than direct C coding, as well
  as requiring less actual code to be written.  Compiles down almost
  as efficiently as pure C, and can be mixed and matched.

* DISADVANTAGES:  Excessive macros resulting in poor type checking,
  severe limitations on what you can do, and doesn't really help 
  teach the user C.  The hope is that as the user requires more and
  more from the code, they will slowly begin to teach themselves,
  rather being dropped in at the deep end and not knowing how to do
  anything.


Any comments are welcome.  Two examples of code follow.

KaVir.

-----


DO_FUNCTION(KICK)

   /*********************************************************************
   ----------------------------------------------------------------------
   Function    : do_KICK
   Author      : KaVir
   Date        : 25th April 1998
   ----------------------------------------------------------------------
   Description : Takes in a person as the first parameter.  If no first
                 parameter is entered, then the player will attempt to
                 kick the person they are fighting, if any.
   ----------------------------------------------------------------------
   *********************************************************************/

VARIABLES

   NONE;

PARAMETERS

   VICTIM_IN_ROOM(FIRST_PARAMETER);

BEGIN

   IF EMPTY_PARAMETER(FIRST_PARAMETER)
   THEN
      IF PERSON_ME_FIGHTING IS FALSE
      THEN
         TEXT_TO_ME("Who do you want to kick?");
         EXIT;
      ELSE
         SET VICTIM TO PERSON_ME_FIGHTING;
      ENDIF
   ENDIF

   IF VICTIM_EXIST IS FALSE OR ME_SEE_VICTIM IS FALSE 
   THEN
      TEXT_TO_ME("They are not here.");
      EXIT;
   ELSIF IS_SAFE IS FALSE 
   THEN
      SET DAMAGE TO RANDOM_NUMBER(1,4) + ME_DAMROLL;
      ME_HIT_VICTIM(KICK);
      WAIT_STATE(ME,4);
   ENDIF

END FUNCTION

DO_FUNCTION(TRANSPORT)

   /*********************************************************************
   ----------------------------------------------------------------------
   Function    : do_TRANSPORT
   Author      : KaVir
   Date        : 25th April 1998
   ----------------------------------------------------------------------
   Description : Takes in an object as the first parameter and a person
                 as the second parameter.  The object is then transported
                 to the person.
   ----------------------------------------------------------------------
   *********************************************************************/

VARIABLES

   NONE;

PARAMETERS

   OBJECT_IN_ROOM(FIRST_PARAMETER);
   VICTIM_IN_WORLD(SECOND_PARAMETER);

BEGIN

   IF EMPTY_PARAMETER(FIRST_PARAMETER) OR EMPTY_PARAMETER(SECOND_PARAMETER)
   THEN
      TEXT_TO_ME("Transport what object to whom?");
      EXIT;
   ENDIF

   IF ME_SEE_OBJECT IS FALSE 
   THEN
      TEXT_TO_ME("You cannot see that object.");
      EXIT;
   ENDIF

   IF ME_CARRY_OBJECT IS FALSE 
   THEN
      ACT_TO_ME_OBJ("You are not carrying $p.");
      EXIT;
   ENDIF

   IF ME_SEE_VICTIM IS FALSE 
   THEN
      TEXT_TO_ME("You cannot see that person.");
      EXIT;
   ENDIF

   IF VICTIM_ROOM IS ME_ROOM 
   THEN
      TEXT_TO_ME("They are already here!");
      EXIT;
   ENDIF

   ACT_TO_ME_OBJ("$p vanishes from your hands in a swirl of smoke!");
   ACT_TO_ROOM_OBJ("$p vanishes from $n's hands in a swirl of smoke!");
   ACT_TO_VICTIM_OBJ("$p appears in your hands in a swirl of smoke!");
   FULL_ACT_TO_ROOM(VICTIM,OBJECT,NONE,"$p appears in $n's hands!");
   OBJECT_TO_VICTIM;

END FUNCTION

--
J C Lawrence                               Internet: claw at null.net
(Contractor)                               Internet: coder at ibm.net
---------(*)                     Internet: claw at under.engr.sgi.com
...Honourary Member of Clan McFud -- Teamer's Avenging Monolith...

--
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