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§27.17. Handling phrase options

The Standard Rules use the Inform list-writer with the following definition, which shows how a much more complicated I6 routine can be given a natural-language expression.

To list the contents of (O - an object),
    with newlines,
    indented,
    giving inventory information,
    as a sentence,
    including contents,
    including all contents,
    tersely,
    giving brief inventory information,
    using the definite article,
    listing marked items only,
    prefacing with is/are,
    not listing concealed items,
    suppressing all articles
    and/or with extra indentation:
    (- I7WriteListFrom(child({O}), {phrase options}); -).

This can be used by, say:

list the contents of O, as a sentence, using the definite article

"{phrase options}" is a special substitution: it is a bitmap which assigns the given options one bit each, starting with the least significant bit for the first-mentioned option ("with newlines" above) and going up to the most significant bit for the last ("with extra indentation").

	Start of Chapter 27: Extensions
	Back to §27.16. Phrases to decide in Inform 6
	Onward to §27.18. Making and testing use options

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