From 7cedbafac68898c0bfd2a7000e2b3ffd741cbd6c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Ari Johnson <ari@cobramush.org>
Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 17:18:08 +0000
Subject: [PATCH] Clarified ancestors in help

---
 game/txt/hlp/cobra_cmd.hlp |  3 +++
 game/txt/hlp/cobratop.hlp  | 16 ++++++++++++----
 2 files changed, 15 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/game/txt/hlp/cobra_cmd.hlp b/game/txt/hlp/cobra_cmd.hlp
index 2df0a00..1b7c2d0 100644
--- a/game/txt/hlp/cobra_cmd.hlp
+++ b/game/txt/hlp/cobra_cmd.hlp
@@ -2842,6 +2842,9 @@ See also: @switch, switch()
   You can also do this with &<attribute> <object>=<value>
     Ex: @set Test Object=random:This is a random attribute.
         &random Test Object=This is a random attribute.
+  An important difference between these two forms is that @set will
+  evaluate the <value> before setting it on <object>, while the
+  &<attribute> form will not (and is usually what you want).
   
   The fourth form sets (or unsets) an attribute flag on the specified
   attribute. See 'help attribute flags'.
diff --git a/game/txt/hlp/cobratop.hlp b/game/txt/hlp/cobratop.hlp
index bf1d50a..1719792 100644
--- a/game/txt/hlp/cobratop.hlp
+++ b/game/txt/hlp/cobratop.hlp
@@ -177,6 +177,9 @@ Type "help <topic name>" for help.
 
   Note that the choice of which ancestor to look up is based on the 
   type of the *child* object, as is the check of the ORPHAN flag.
+  Also note that ancestors are *not* checked for $-commands or
+  ^-commands; you should use the master room for global commands,
+  instead.
 
   See also: PARENTS, ORPHAN
 & ANONYMOUS ATTRIBUTES
@@ -965,8 +968,12 @@ Standard Attributes: (see @list/attribs for the complete list)
   parent of #101, which is the parent of #102, object #102 checks itself,
   #101, and #100 for attributes. Attributes are checked on the object
   itself first, followed by its parent, followed by that parent's parent,
-  and so forth. There is a (configurable) maximum number of ancestors
-  an object may have; the default is 10.
+  and so forth. There is a (configurable) maximum length of the parent
+  chain for an object; the default is 10.
+
+  After the parent chain is exhausted, the type-specific ancestor is
+  also checked in similar fashion.  See 'help ANCESTORS' for more about
+  ancestors.
    
 (continued in help parents2) 
 & PARENTS2
@@ -1028,7 +1035,8 @@ Standard Attributes: (see @list/attribs for the complete list)
  
   Parent-object $-command checking is at its most efficient when there
   are few or no attributes on the child. Also, each additional level
-  of parents further reduces efficiency.
+  of parents further reduces efficiency.  Finally, note that ancestors
+  are *not* checked for $-commands.
  
   If you are "mass-marketing" your objects, you can create blank copies, 
   and @parent those copies to a template object. You can then customize 
@@ -1037,7 +1045,7 @@ Standard Attributes: (see @list/attribs for the complete list)
   that you want to make impossible to read, it's safe to allow the
   purchasers of your object to @chown their copy.
 
-  See also: @parent, $-COMMANDS, ATTRIBUTES
+  See also: @parent, $-COMMANDS, ATTRIBUTES, ANCESTORS
 
 & PUPPETS
   A thing is turned into a puppet by setting the PUPPET flag on it.
-- 
2.30.2