Hi all!

Quest newbie so please don't judge me too harshly
I've created a cabinet with a "keypad" for unlocking. I was wondering if anyone could take a look at what I've done and let me know if this is the best way? Ideally I'd like a way to reference to cabinet object linked from the keypad so I don't have to hardcode the object names (I have four cabinets so far and will probably need more - it would be much easier not having to correct references in the code for every one!).

I'm wondering if it might actually be better to create a seperate function to handle the mechanics but I've never done this before in Quest so I'm not really sure how to do that.

<object name="b2b4">
    <inherit name="editor_room" />
    <alias>ward bay</alias>
    <description type="script">
      OutputTextNoBr ("Next to an empty {object:b2b4_bed} stands a small {object:b2b4_cabinet} which you assume is for storing patient belongings and medication. ")
    </description>
    <usedefaultprefix />
    
    <object name="b2b4_cabinet">
      <inherit name="editor_object" />
      <inherit name="container_open" />
      <inherit name="container_lockable" />
      <alias>cabinet</alias>
      <attr name="feature_usegive" type="boolean">false</attr>
      <feature_container />
      <isopen type="boolean">false</isopen>
      <hidechildren type="boolean">false</hidechildren>
      <open />
      <autounlock type="boolean">false</autounlock>
      <look type="script">
        OutputTextNoBr ("A {object:b2b4_cabinet_keypad} is mounted on the cabinet. ")
        if (this.locked = True) {
          msg ("The cabinet is locked.")
        }
        else if (this.isopen = False) {
          msg ("The cabinet is closed.")
        }
        else {
          msg ("The cabinet is open.")
        }
      </look>
      <displayverbs type="stringlist">
        <value>Look at</value>
        <value>Open</value>
        <value>Close</value>
      </displayverbs>
      <listchildren />
      
      <object name="mobile_phone">
        <inherit name="editor_object" />
        <alias>mobile phone</alias>
        <alt type="stringlist">
          <value>phone</value>
        </alt>
        <take />
      </object>
      
    </object>
    
    
    <object name="b2b4_cabinet_keypad">
      <inherit name="editor_object" />
      <alias>keypad</alias>
      <feature_usegive />
      <look>The keypad can be used to enter a number sequence to unlock the cabinet.</look>
      <scenery />
      <displayverbs type="stringlist">
        <value>Look at</value>
        <value>Use</value>
      </displayverbs>
      <use type="script">
        msg ("What code should you enter?")
        get input {
          if (result="1234") {
            set (b2b4_cabinet, "locked", false)
            msg ("You enter the code and turn the handle. With a click the cabinet opens.")
            HelperOpenObject (b2b4_cabinet)
            ListObjectContents (b2b4_cabinet)
          }
          else {
            msg ("Nothing happens.")
          }
        }
      </use>
    </object>
  </object>

Thanks!
~Shiv

P.S. My code works, I'm just not sure it's the best approach.

if you know some coding already, then definately look into using Functions (able to use Parameters and returning Values), Object Types (Classes), and~or Delegates to reduce code redundancy.

http://docs.textadventures.co.uk/quest/
http://docs.textadventures.co.uk/quest/guides/

http://docs.textadventures.co.uk/quest/elements/ (the OBJECTS of quest's Object-Oriented Programming, not to be confused with one of those OBJECTS~Elements: the 'Object' Element~OBJECT, within quest. OBJECTS: Elements: Objects, Exits, Functions, Commands, Verbs, Turnscripts, Timers, Object Types, etc)
http://docs.textadventures.co.uk/quest/types/ (Attributes)

http://docs.textadventures.co.uk/quest/ ... ction.html
http://docs.textadventures.co.uk/quest/ ... /type.html (Object Types)
http://docs.textadventures.co.uk/quest/ ... gates.html

Functions and Objects Types are very simple to use (I'm still trying to learn Delegates ~ being a noob to coding), examples:

<function name="xxx" parameters="x1x,x2x,xetcx" type="xxx">
  // in the above tag code line, the 'parameters' and 'type' are optional.
  // scripting~scripts
</function>

<type name="xxx">
  // attributes tag lines
</type>

<!-- example below -->

<object name="player">
  <inherit name="character_object_type" />
  <alias>knight</alias>
  <attr name="luck_integer_attribute" type="int">75</attr>
  <attr name="current_life_integer_attribute" type="int">999</attr>
  <attr name="maximum_life_integer_attribute" type="int">999</attr>
</object>

<object name="orc">
  <inherit name="character_object_type" />
  <inherit name="non_playable_character_object_type" />
  <attr name="luck_integer_attribute" type="int">50</attr>
</object>

<verb>
  <property>fight</property>
  <pattern>fight</pattern>
  <defaultexpression>"You can't fight that."</defaultexpression>
</verb>

<type name="character_object_type">
  <attr name="strength_integer_attribute" type="int">25</attr>
  <attr name="endurance_integer_attribute" type="int">25</attr>
  <attr name="dexterity_integer_attribute" type="int">25</attr>
  <attr name="agility_integer_attribute" type="int">25</attr>
  <attr name="speed_integer_attribute" type="int">25</attr>
  <attr name="luck_integer_attribute" type="int">25</attr>
  <attr name="current_life_integer_attribute" type="int">500</attr>
  <attr name="maximum_life_integer_attribute" type="int">500</attr>
  <attr name="condition_string_attribute" type="string">normal</attr>
</type>

<type name="non_playable_character_object_type">
  <fight type="script"><![CDATA[
    if (not this.condition_string_attribute = "dead" and not player.condition_string_attribute = "dead") {
      this.current_life_integer_attribute = this.current_life_integer_attribute - (player.strength_integer_attribute * critical_hit_function (player))
      if (this.current_life_integer_attribute <= 0) {
        this.condition_string_attribute = "dead"
        msg ("You killed the orc.")
      } else {
        player.current_life_integer_attribute = player.current_life_integer_attribute - (this.strength_integer_attribute * critical_hit_function (this))
        if (player.current_life_integer_attribute <= 0) {
          player.condition_string_attribute = "dead"
          msg (player.alias + " has been killed.")
        }
      }
    } else {
      msg ("The orc, player, and~or both orc and player, are dead.")
    }
  ]]></fight>
</type>

<function name="critical_hit_function" type="int" parameters="object_parameter">
  boolean_variable = RandomChance(character_parameter.luck_integer_attribute))
  if (boolean_variable) {
    value = 2
  } else {
    value = 1
  }
  return (value)
</function>

-------

I'm still a code noob, so others can help with what is the best method to do what you want.

What you could do is set an object attribute on the keypad that points to the cabinet it is on, and a string attribute that holds the keycode. Your use script could gen look like this:

CodeKeypad(this)

And this would be the function:

<function name="CodeKeypad" parameters="keypad">
        msg ("What code should you enter?")
        get input {
          if (result=keypad.code) {
            set (keypad.cabinet, "locked", false)
            msg ("You enter the code and turn the handle. With a click the cabinet opens.")
            HelperOpenObject (keypad.cabinet)
            ListObjectContents (keypad.cabinet)
          }
          else {
            msg ("Nothing happens.")
          }
        }
</function>

However, it is probably just as easy to do it the way you already have, just copy-and-paste the code you already have to make three more cabinets (but ensure each object has a unique name; Quest will complain otherwise).