hintManager object | hintsys.t[517]

The default hint system user interface implementation. All of the hint-related verbs operate by calling methods in the object stored in the global variable gHintSystem, which we'll by default initialize with a reference to this object. Games can replace this with their own implementations if desired.

`hintManager : PreinitObject`

Superclass Tree (in declaration order)

`hintManager`
`PreinitObject`
`ModuleExecObject`
`object`

Summary of Properties

`topHintMenuObj`

``

Inherited from `ModuleExecObject` :
`execAfterMe execBeforeMe hasInitialized_ isDoingExec_ isExecuted_`

Summary of Methods

`disableHints execute showHints showHintWarning`

``

Inherited from `ModuleExecObject` :
`_execute classExec`

Properties

`topHintMenuObj` | `hintsys.t[562]`

The top-level hint menu. This must be provided by the game, and should be set during initialization. If this is nil, hints won't be available.

We don't provide a default top-level hint menu because we want to give the game maximum flexibility in defining this object exactly as it wants. For convenience, an object of class TopHintMenu will automatically register itself during pre-initialization - but note that there should be only one such object in the entire game, since if there are more than one, only one will be arbitrarily chosen as the registered object.

Methods

`disableHints ( )` | `hintsys.t[535]`

Disable hints - this is invoked by the HINTS OFF action.

Some users don't like on-line hint systems because they find them to be too much of a temptation. To address this concern, we provide this HINTS OFF command. Players who want to ensure that their will-power won't crumble later on in the face of a difficult puzzle can type HINTS OFF early on, before the going gets rough; this will disable hints for the rest of the session. It's kind of like giving your credit card to a friend before going to the mall, making the friend promise that they won't let you spend more than such and such an amount, no matter how much you beg and plead.

`execute ( )`OVERRIDDEN | `hintsys.t[519]`

during pre-initialization, register as the global hint manager

`showHints ( )` | `hintsys.t[567]`

Show hints - invoke the hint system.

`showHintWarning ( )` | `hintsys.t[609]`

Show a warning before showing any hints. By default, we'll show this at most once per session or once per saved game. Returns true if we are to proceed to the hints, nil if not.

TADS 3 Library Manual
Generated on 5/16/2013 from TADS version 3.1.3