[PennMUSH] Trying to specify automated response via puppet/monitor

[Sean Darby]

Hi,

I hope someone might be able to provide some input on this. I've created two
specific objects for someone at their request,  and would like for the two
objects to react to players as they arrive, yet I do not want the two
objects to react to each other.

To get into context, they are two grey hound dogs located around the
player's (character's) home. I originally set it up so the reaction of the
two pets would simply be in one "room". I've since tried to have them move
outside and return back to the room. They chase each other out and back, so
the complication in that so far is that when dog B returns after dog A, then
A reacts to B as an "^* has arrived.", hence beginning what appears to be an
infinite loop.

Here's a copy/paste of what I have so far, including messed up sections
copy/pasted below the 2 objects' info.

Diamond(#4248TVwnMp)
Type: THING Flags: VISUAL NO_WARN NO_COMMAND MONITOR PUPPET
An older, muscley, taupe colored grey hound.
Owner: Cloud(#4171PenA)  Zone: *NOTHING*  credits: 10
Parent: *NOTHING*
Powers:
Warnings checked:
Created: Sun Jul 06 19:06:22 2008
Last Modification: Mon Jul 07 00:39:55 2008
FOLLOWING [#1$icw]: #4171
VA [#61]: (ncond(0,^*,1,#4249) has arrived.):@wait 2={:jumps up, barks at
%N, and runs around them.};@wait 5={:sees Moxie and runs after
her.;e;e;d;e;w;u;w;w};@wait 10={:runs back to his original spot and sits
down.}
Home: The Hills(#2773Rnt)
Location: Front Yard(#4225Rnt)

Moxie(#4249TVwnMp)
Type: THING Flags: VISUAL NO_WARN NO_COMMAND MONITOR PUPPET
A young, brindle colored, sleek looking grey hound.
Owner: Cloud(#4171PenA)  Zone: *NOTHING*  credits: 10
Parent: *NOTHING*
Powers:
Warnings checked:
Created: Sun Jul 06 19:06:28 2008
Last Modification: Sun Jul 06 23:54:30 2008
FOLLOWING [#1$icw]: #4171
VA [#61]: ^*(not(#4248)) has arrived.:@wait 4={:jumps up at Diamond's
jumping up, barks at %N, and runs around them both.};@wait 7={:tries to play
with Diamond.;e;e;d;e;w;u;w;w};@wait 12={:runs back to her original spot and
sits down.}
Home: The Hills(#2773Rnt)
Location: Front Yard(#4225Rnt)

This one, in #4248's &VA is obviously wrong:
(ncond(0,^*,1,#4249) has arrived.)

This one, in #4249's &VA is also obviously wrong:
^*(not(#4248)) has arrived.

You can tell that I have yet to learn even basic programming. These 2
horrible efforts are only 2 examples of a plethora of arrangements of () {}
etc., experimenting with if, else, ifelse, and various boolean approaches
that I've tried.

I should note that I did go in (I have a wizard account) and set the config
for "tiny_boolean" to "yes" (enabled). If it's recommended or suggested that
I turn it back off, I'll do it. What I understood was it alters the effect
of negative numbers versus zero or positive numbers.

There may be a few weird logistical corrections needed in some easier steps,
like the dog doing the chasing is currently the first one to run out. I'll
just adjust the "wait" seconds. That's an easy one.

Another is, I'd like to set it so the dogs don't react to multiple things,
specifically: each other, their owner, and wizards... if at all possible.
This would be nice, so that the dogs would jump and run only when the
occasional player-types walk by.

Thanks to any and all in advance for any input, advice, pointers, etc.!

-Sean