Inform 7 question: problem with two identical objects

Authoring Inform 7
1

Hello. I’m using Inform 7 and would like to create two identical objects. This code seems to have done the trick:

A dollar bill is a kind of thing. One dollar bill is in the envelope. One dollar bill is on the plate.

Later I perform a test to see if the player is carrying either dollar bill:

if player carries dollar bill: move donut to player;

which works as well.

What doesn’t work is when I try to move one dollar bill from the player to somewhere else:

if player carries dollar bill: move donut to player; move dollar bill to baker;

It seems like I’m missing something very simple, like making sure the dollar bill to move refers to one carried by the player.

Thanks for any help!
Caleb

2

“a kind of thing” is not an object. It’s a whole class of objects. So you can’t write “if player carries dollar bill.” The player never carries a class of objects.

I’ll leave it to more experienced Inform users to tell you what syntax to use – my Inform is very rusty.

3

I think that is my exact problem: after creating a “kind of thing” I’m not sure how how to refer to a specific object of that class. (Particularly the one being carried by the player, or, if both are, then either one, I suppose…)

4

If the objects of the kind are all identical, you can use “a random kindname” (possibly with some restrictions, such as “a random dollar bill carried by the player”) which is a little counterintuitive if you happen to know that there’s only one, but you can be assured that in that case you know exactly which one the random choice picks. :slight_smile:

5

I think Inform accepts that syntax, bit if it doesn’t you could test “the number of dollar bills carried by the player”.

Try this:

Let the cash be a random dollar bill carried by the player; move the cash to the diner.
6

Try it and let us know.

7

“a random dollar bill carried by the player”

This was just the ticket. Thanks very much, everyone!

8

This might also work:

If the player carries a dollar bill (called George): move George to the baker.