Zugg Software :: View topic - Automatic data capture for equipment databases

Newbie Joined: 03 Dec 2009 Posts: 2

I am currently trying to create an automated data capturing scheme for identified equipment on a mud.

I have a couple of issues that I haven't been able to figure out from the documentation included with Cmud:

1) Is it possible to treat variables to be sent to the database as a string of words in such a manner that you can append additional data to the string for several different flags in order to populate a field of the type "Option List"?
2) Can one trigger activate several times on one line of output? (See example, i.e. capture several distinct Item flags or anti flags...)
3) Is it possible to capture information across several lines of text? (I.e. could I possibly capture the entire identify report and include it as a "Memo" type field in the database.)
4) Is it possible to capture a "Text" field and then have the database automatically evaluate the field and extract several numbers and/or flags from it? (e.g. Is it possiblet to record all "AFFECTS: X by Y" without having to make a separate trigger for each specific stat, skill and characteristic in the game?)

I'll include some samples of identify output from the mud here below:

Object: 'Carilian Breast Plate'
Keywords 'breast plate carilian', Item type: ARMOR
Can be worn on :TAKE BODY
Item is: MAGIC BLESS DONATED
Anti flags: !MAGE !THIEF
Weight: 35, Value: 0
AC-apply is 15
Can affect you as :
Affects : SKILL_PARRY By 2
level limit: Earl

Object: 'Underwater Lantern'
Keywords 'underwater lantern', Item type: LIGHT
Can be worn on :TAKE HOLD
Item will give you following abilities: FREE-ACTION WATER-BREATH
Item is: MAGIC BLESS DONATED
Weight: 1, Value: 0
Can affect you as :
Affects : ARMOR By -2
level limit: 38

Object: 'The Eternal Flame'
Keywords 'eternal flame', Item type: LIGHT
Can be worn on :TAKE HOLD
Item is: MAGIC DONATED
Anti flags: !MAGE !CLERIC !THIEF
Weight: 1, Value: 5000
Can affect you as :
Affects : CON By 1
Affects : STR By 1
Affects : DAMROLL By 1
Affects : SKILL_SECOND_ATTACK By 1
level limit: 9

Object: 'Carved Oak Cuisses'
Keywords 'carved oak cuisses', Item type: ARMOR
Can be worn on :TAKE LEGS
Item is: DONATED
Item can be only worn by: evil warrior
Weight: 5, Value: 0
AC-apply is 12
Can affect you as :
Affects : SKILL_PUNCH By 2
Affects : HEALTH By 2
Affects : CON By 2
level limit: Baron

Object: 'Leather Backpack'
Keywords 'pack backpack leather', Item type: CONTAINER
Can be worn on :TAKE ABOUT HOLD
Item is: NOBITS
Weight: 5, Value: 5000
Can affect you as :
Affects : ARMOR By -3
level limit: Baron

Object: 'Dirt covered wormskin'
Keywords 'wormskin dirt dirty', Item type: WORN
Can be worn on :TAKE ABOUT
Item is: MAGIC
Weight: 2, Value: 550
Can affect you as :
Affects : ARMOR By -1
Affects : DEX By 1
Affects : WIS By 1
Affects : HIT By 5
Affects : MANA By 5
level limit: 12

Object: 'testament'
Keywords 'testament', Item type: SCROLL
Can be worn on :TAKE HOLD
Item is: NOBITS
Weight: 1, Value: 1000
Level 20 spells of:
strength
word of recall
sense life
level limit: 0

All help appreciated. Cheers!

GURU Joined: 23 Dec 2000 Posts: 4834 Location: USA

1)Probably via stringlist or a comma-delimited list (which is how you inputted them in the definition.) Not real sure, though.

2)yes. It's one of the check boxes on the Edit Trigger window

3)Yes. See Multi-state triggers, #CONDITION, and Trigger Options.

4)No. The database doesn't do any trigger/setting execution. See #3 (specifically for Affects you'll want to look at manual states and the #STATE command).

Wizard Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 2320

Additional comments:
1) You may also want to check the %concat() function. You could append text to the end of your string with that function.
4) You could either do it with triggers, or with the %match() or %regex() functions.

To expand on Matt's explanation for 3):
You could do this with multistate triggers, or a couple other methods. To do this, you need to have an identifiable line which will trigger the start of the capturing, and another identifiable line to turn off the capturing and initiate the processing of the captured stuff. To do this, you have a trigger for the start line, and a secondary state to that trigger with either a blank pattern that appends %line or a "(*) pattern that appends %1, to whatever is receiving the captured lines. This second state needs to be set to loop somehow, for example by setting it to type LoopLines, with a parameter of 99. Then you create a separate trigger for the endline which does a "#state triggername 0", where triggername is the name of the first trigger.

An alternative method is to create a class which defaults to disabled. Within this class, you create triggers and variables to capture all of the information, e.g. a trigger which captures the "Item will give you following abilities" value into a variable within that class. Inside the class you also have a trigger which catches the closing line that signals the end of the identify lines. This trigger inserts the values from the variables into your database, then disables the class. Finally, outside the class, you have a trigger for the line that signals the start of the identify lines, which enables the class.

Newbie Joined: 03 Dec 2009 Posts: 2

Thanks guys. That's a lot to take on board. I'll have a look into it tonight I think.

Cheers!