SYNOPSIS object present(string str) object present(string str, int n) object present(string str, object env) object present(string str, int n, object env) object present(object ob) object present(object ob, object env) DESCRIPTION This efun checks if an object is present in a given environment. The object is identified by id or by an object . This latter form of the efun can be used as a fast way to test for the presence of a known object. When searching objects by id, the efun by default returns the first object found matching the id. In order to search for other than the first object, a number can be specified either directly as the argument , or implicetely inside the in the form " ". By default, the efun searches first in the inventory of this_object(), then in its environment. However, if is given, the efun searches just inside . When searching both inventory and environment of this_object(), the numbering is applied linear over both spaces (see example). The driver identifies objects by calling the lfun id() in each object. EXAMPLES present("chest"); --> returns the first 'chest' object in this object. present("chest 2") --> returns the second 'chest' object in this object. present("chest 2", 1) --> returns the first 'chest 2' object in this object. Assume there is one "chest" inside the current object, and two in its environment: present("chest", 1) -> returns the chest inside present("chest", 2) -> returns the first chest outside present("chest", 3) -> returns the second chest outside A typical 2.4.5-implementation of the "do " command style is: void init () { add_action ("open_chest", "open"); } int open_chest (string str) { if (present (str) != this_object ()) return 0; /* Not this chest */ ... } HISTORY LDMud 3.2.11/3.3.610 introduced the (str, n) argument form. LDMud 3.3.713 modified the search behaviour so that the numbering is applied over both inventory and environment together. Before, the numbering was individual in each space, leading to situations where low-numbered objects in the environment were hidden by those in the inventory. SEE ALSO move_object(E), environment(E), this_object(E), present_clone(E) id(A), init(A)