Builder Commands

The twenty-odd commands you will actually use.

Builders have well over a hundred commands. Most are for admins, one-off investigations, or long-retired systems. This tome lists the ones that matter for building an area. For anything else, every command has in-game help: help <command>.

The edit loop

Nearly all building is this loop: edit a file, reload it, check for errors, go look at it.

cd /realms/yourname/area/room
ed r1.c                 edit (or use the web IDE)
update r1.c             reload it; runs its test file if one exists
elog                    no luck? read your error log
goto r1                 walk into it and look around

Your working directory (cd, pwd) and where you are standing (goto, home) are separate. update and ed use the first; scan here and reset use the second.

Files

Command	Does
`pwd` / `cd [dir]`	Show or change your working directory. Bare `cd` goes to your home directory.
`ls [-l] [path]`	List files and which are loaded. `-l` adds sizes and dates.
`more <file>`	Page through a file.
`ed <file>`	Edit a file in the line editor. The web IDE is easier.
`cp`, `mv` `<from> <to>`	Copy or move a file.
`rm <file>`	Delete a file. There is no undo.
`mkdir <dir>`	Make a directory.
`grep <pattern> <files>`	Search files. Quote patterns with spaces: `grep 'goblin king' *.c`.
`diff <a> <b>`	Show the differences between two files.

Loading and testing

Command	Does
`update [-b] <file>`	Destroy the loaded copy and recompile. Runs the file’s test if it has one; `-b` for brief output.
`elog`	Show the end of your personal error log. Your first stop when `update` fails.
`clone <file>`	Make a copy of an object. Items go to your inventory; anything you cannot carry goes in the room.
`dest <object>`	Destroy an object. `dest all` empties your inventory.
`reset [object]`	Reset an object, or the room you are in.
`test <file>`	Run a file’s tests. `test all` runs the whole suite.

Checking your area

Command	Does
`auditarea [-r] [dir]`	Report every room in a directory (`-r` for subdirectories too) with a short `set_long` or too few `set_items`. Run it before submitting.
`scan here` / `scan me`	Dump an object’s details: the room you are in, yourself, or any named object.
`stat <living>`	Show a player’s or monster’s vital information.

Getting around

Command	Does
`goto <living or file>`	Go to a player or monster, or into a room by file name.
`home [name]`	Go to your workroom, or someone else’s.
`trans <living>`	Bring a player or monster to you.
`people`	Who is online, with each person’s location and idle time.

Poking at running code

Command	Does
`call <object>;<function>;<args>`	Call a function on a loaded object, e.g. `call here;query_exits`.
`eval <LPC>`	Run a line of LPC and print the result, e.g. `eval return sizeof(users())`.