Why does Inform 6 only allow for 64 abbreviations?

Technical Development Development Systems
1

The Z-machine version 3+ can handle 96 abbreviations. Why does Inform 6 only allow for creating 64 abbreviations?

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2

Inform source code:

    for (i=0; i<no_abbreviations; i++)            /* Write any abbreviations */
    {   j=abbrev_values[i];                            /* into banks 2 and 3 */
        p[abbrevs_at+64+2*i]=j/256;               /* (bank 1 is reserved for */
        p[abbrevs_at+65+2*i]=j%256;                   /* "variable strings") */
    }
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3

Ok, thanks. How and why do you use variable strings?

4

Ah, found it in §1.11 of DM4. One can include @00 - @31 in strings, and these strings can be assigned different values as the game progresses.

Would be nice to be able to disable this and instead get 32 more normal abbreviations.

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