Boolean adjective naming problem

Authoring Inform 7
1

This is more of an idiomatic question than anything else.

Consider a scanning action where you have an ID card and a scanner. This can be set up like this:

Scanning is an action applying to one carried thing.
Scanning it with is an action applying to one carried thing and one visible thing.

Then, I want to define boolean adjectives for both the card and the scanner so that my Check rules are easy to define. I got the ID card boolean adjective name right away:

A thing can be scannable. A thing is usually not scannable.

But the scanner? What adjective describes the scanner as “something that can scan things”? Do we even have a way to make an adjective in English for this? Am I missing something obvious?

2

I just come up with some silly awkward phrasing which will be easier to remember (because it’s silly).

A thing can be scan-generative.

A thing can be scannifying.
1 Like
3

An alternative is to focus on the function of an id-card instead of the scanning action. Something like

a thing can be credential-providing.
an id card is a kind of thing. an id card is usually credential-providing.

a thing can be credential-checking.
a scanner is a kind of thing. a scanner is usually credential-checking.
1 Like
4

I like the kind of thing idea

but barring that, it is also my style to use something like scannifying

2 Likes
5

After I ended up writing out a sample Check response as:

The toaster is not capable of scanning anything.

I settled on scan-capable. It’s GUD ENUF.

And I like the kind of thing idea as well. Elegant.

2 Likes
6

I would just use a noun like “scanner”. This can be an Inform noun (kind of thing, like “person”) or an Inform adjective (property, like “scenery”); Inform doesn’t actually care, syntax-wise. You can still say “the barcode reader is a scanner in the Warehouse” or “if the second noun is not a scanner” either way.