^ 1 | Details — A single action in detail. About the action rulebooks

Standard actions which change the state of things
Locking it with , Unlocking it with , Switching on , Switching off , Opening , Closing , Wearing , Taking off

Locking something with something (past tense locked it with)

Locking is the act of using an object such as a key to ensure that something such as a door or container cannot be opened unless first unlocked. (Only closed things can be locked.)
Locking can be performed on any kind of thing which provides the either/or properties lockable, locked, openable and open. The 'can't lock without a lock rule' tests to see if the noun both provides the lockable property, and if it is in fact lockable: it is then assumed that the other properties can safely be checked. In the Standard Rules, the container and door kinds both satisfy these requirements.
We can create a new kind on which opening, closing, locking and unlocking will work thus: 'A briefcase is a kind of thing. A briefcase can be openable. A briefcase can be open. A briefcase can be lockable. A briefcase can be locked. A briefcase is usually openable, lockable, open and unlocked.'
Inform checks whether the key fits using the 'can't lock without the correct key rule'. To satisfy this, the actor must be directly holding the second noun, and it must be the current value of the 'matching key' property for the noun. (This property is seldom referred to directly because it is automatically set by assertions like 'The silver key unlocks the wicket gate.')
The Standard Rules provide locking and unlocking actions at a fairly basic level: they can be much enhanced using the extension Locksmith by Emily Short, which is included with all distributions of Inform.

Typed commands leading to this action

"lock [something] with [something]"

"lock [an unlocked lockable thing] with [something]"

"lock [a lockable thing] with [something]"

Rules controlling this action

before someone trying locking an open thing (called the door ajar) with something intelligently closing doors rule
name
unlist

before locking an open thing (called the door ajar) with something closing doors before locking rule
name
unlist 1

A "(first closing [the door ajar])[command clarification break]"
name
set

check an actor locking something with can't lock without a lock rule
name
unlist 1

A "[regarding the noun][Those] [don't] seem to be something [we] [can] lock."
name
set

check an actor locking something with can't lock what's already locked rule
name
unlist 1

A "[regarding the noun][They're] locked at the [if story tense is present tense]moment[otherwise]time[end if]."
name
set

check an actor locking something with can't lock what's open rule
name
unlist 1

A "First [we] [would have] to close [the noun]."
name
set

check right second rule
name
unlist 1

A "[The second noun] [do not fit] [the noun]."
name
set

check

NB: the right second rule is listed instead of the can't lock without the correct key rule in the check locking it with rulebook

carry out locking something with a passkey standard passkey locking rule
name
unlist

carry out an actor locking something with standard locking rule
name
unlist

report someone trying locking something with a passkey observe someone locking rule
name
unlist

report an actor locking something with standard report locking rule
name
unlist 2

A "[We] [lock] [the noun]."
name
set
B "[The actor] [lock] [the noun]."
name
set

Click on the speech-bubble icons to see the responses, or here to see all of them: 7