Eating action precedence when using 'it is very likely'

Authoring Inform 7
1

Oh no! Two questions in a week. Apologies!!!

But this is an annoying one. I’m using the Does the Player Mean…it is very likely construct for similar objects and it’s fine apart from an eating action.

Here’s a small bit of code:

Garden is a room. 

The apple green jumper is worn by the player.

The apple tree is in the Garden.

Does the player mean doing something with the apple tree: it is very likely.

And here’s the output :

Garden
You can see an apple tree here.

>drink apple
(the apple tree)
There's nothing suitable to drink here.

>examine apple
(the apple tree)
You see nothing special about the apple tree.

>eat apple
(the apple green jumper)
That's plainly inedible.

>push apple
(the apple tree)
Nothing obvious happens.

>

Is this a thing? Is there a way around it? Even when I add the line : Does the player mean eating the apple tree: it is very likely. The Jumper still takes precedence with the eating action. I can’t get any action other than eating to do this…

Ade.

2

I think it’s because eating is defined in the standard rules as referring to ‘something preferably held’, and this beats Does The Player Mean. Push and Drink don’t favour something held.

-Wade

3 Likes
3

The eating grammar line is written as

Understand "eat [something preferably held]" as eating.

This kicks in before the “does the player mean” stage. You can get around it by replacing the Understand line.

2 Likes
4

Perfect! Thank you!!

5

What would be the practical downsides of doing away with “preferably held” facility entirely? Could it be replaced by “does the player mean”, or is there a hidden catch there somewhere?

6

“Preferably held” also does an implicit take if necessary. I7 has other ways of doing implicit take; you’d have to rig up one of those.