$-commands

User-defined commands can be created by setting $-commands on players, things, and rooms. Exits are not checked for $-commands. To set a $-command:

&`<attribute>` `<object>`=$`<command pattern>`:`<action list>`

Whenever someone in the same room as the object types the command name, the action list is carried out by the object, as long as:

the person typing the command is not set GAGGED, passes the object’s @lock/use and @lock/command
the object is not set NO_COMMAND or HALT

$-commands can be run by players, things, and exits.

Such attributes can also be @triggered as if the $<command name>: did not exist.

It is recommended that <command pattern> not begin with ”@”, as many of SharpMUSH’s built-in commands start with ”@”. Conventionally, global $-commands are often named with the ”+” prefix, and local $-commands commonly have a ”+” or ”.” prefix.

Patterns and registers

Any number of wildcards, * and ?, may be in present in <command pattern>. A * matches any number of characters (including none), and ? matches exactly one character. When the action list is executed, the values on the stack in %0-%9 and v(10)-v(29) are the portions of what the user types that match the first 30 *‘s or ?‘s. You can also match a regular expression rather than wildcards by setting the REGEXP attribute flag on <attribute>; see regexp for details. When using named regexp captures, the named arguments can be accessed via r(<name>, args).

For example, to make a ‘wave’ command, you could do the following:

    > &DO_WAVE me=$wave *: pose waves to %0.
  You could then type:
    > wave Guest
    Rhyanna waves to Guest.

If a command would match, but the enactor can’t pass the lock, the object may define generic failure behavior by setting the COMMAND_LOCK`FAILURE, COMMAND_LOCK`OFAILURE, and/or COMMAND_LOCK`AFAILURE attributes. These are triggered on all objects with matching commands and failing locks, but only if no command successfully matched, and take the place of the usual “Huh?” message.

BE SURE TO @LOCK/USE ME==ME IF YOU SET $-COMMANDS ON YOURSELF!

::: seealso