root/releases/1.8.1/4/CHANGES.181

This is the most current changes file for PennMUSH. Please look it
over; each version contains new things which might significantly affect
the function of your server.  Changes are reported in reverse
chronological order (most recent first)

[TAP] is T. Alexander Popiel, a PennMUSH developer (aka Talek)
[SW] is Shawn Wagner, a PennMUSH developer (aka Raevnos)
[EEH] is Ervin Hearn III, a PennMUSH developer (aka Noltar)
[3] refers to code by (or inspired by) TinyMUSH 3.0
[MUX] refers to code by (or inspired by) TinyMUX 2.x
[Rhost] refers to code by (or inspired by) RhostMUSH

==========================================================================

Version 1.8.1 patchlevel 4                      December 6, 2005

Major Changes:
  * Errors in matching switches to commands are ignored when the
    command is hook/ignored or hook/overriden, so you can override
    a built-in command and provide your own switches. Suggested by
    Trinsec@M*U*S*H.
Mail:
  * @mailfilter attribute causes incoming mail to be be automatically
    filed to a folder if it evaluates to a folder name/number.
    Patch by Sketch@M*U*S*H.
Commands:
  * @prompt/@nsprompt work like @pemit/list, but add a telnet GOAHEAD
    at the end of the message when emitting to players; players whose
    clients handle GOAHEAD (e.g. tf) will get the message displayed
    as a prompt in the input window. Suggested by Trinsec@M*U*S*H.
  * The PROMPT_NEWLINES socket command can be used to add a newline
    after the GOAHEAD in a prompt, for clients that mix up prompt
    lines with other output.
Functions:
  * namegrab() and namegraball(). Patch by Walker@M*U*S*H.
  * prompt() and nsprompt() (the function equivalents of @prompt/@nsprompt).
  * textentries(). Suggested by Trinsec@M*U*S*H.
  * cdesc(), cusers(), cmsgs(), cbuffer(), cstatus(), clflags() 
    functions. Suggested by d'Ark@M*U*S*H.
  * numversion() returns Penn version as an integer (1008001004) 
    for softcode use.
Minor changes:
  * @chan/list works better for people who increase CHAN_NAME_LEN.
    Suggested by Trinsec@M*U*S*H.
  * Help fixes by Trinsec@M*U*S*H, Chili@M*U*S*H.
  * Several powers (tport_anything, tport_anywhere, no_money, no_quota,
    debit, sql_ok) are now aliased to TinyMUSH/TinyMUX equivalents
    as well, for better code portability. [3,MUX]
Fixes:
  * center() behaves better when given a fourth argument but
    not a third one. Also fixes to cases where the right fill
    string is one longer than the left. Report by Ian@M*U*S*H
  * Fixes from 1.8.0p9.


Version 1.8.1 patchlevel 3                      September 15, 2005

Fixes
  * Bugfixes from 1.8.0p8 applied.


Version 1.8.1 patchlevel 2                      September 5, 2005

Commands:
  * @edit/check shows the results of an @edit without actually doing
    it, to avoid inadvertent overediting. Patch by Walker@M*U*S*H.
Functions:
  * sortkey() sorts a list by mapping each list element through a
    function and applying a standard sort type. Patch by Walker@M*U*S*H.
Minor changes:
  * "% " (percent-space) is now parsed to a literal percent-space,
    making it easier to type things like "I'm 50% happy". And
    % at end of line is parsed to a literal %.  Patch by Sketch@M*U*S*H.
  * @nameformat now receives the default-formatted name as %1
    so you can edit from that if you prefer. Suggested by Talvo@M*U*S*H.
  * Added netbsd hints. Suggested by Tyr@M*U*S*H.
  * hastype() can take a list of types to check for, not just one. [SW]
  * Add @function/preserve, which does the same thing as the localize
    restriction. [MUX] [SW]
  * Leaving out the <filler> argument to align() defaults it to a
    space. Suggested by Tyr@M*U*S*H, patch by Walker@M*U*S*H.
  * Improved error message for setq() with odd arguments.
    Report by Malix@8bit.
  * When variable exits fail due to invalid/not permitted destination,
    the enactor is told what the attempted destination was.
    Suggested by Nathan Baum.
  * Rooms may now @search/search() their owners. Suggested by Kali@M*U*S*H.
Fixes:
  * @function/restrict mentioned in help. [SW]
  * Clearer help on parallel setq. Suggested by Trinsec@M*U*S*H. [TAP]
  * lsearch() didn't refund pennies when it failed because of lack of 
    permissions or invalid search criteria. Reported by Nathan Baum. [SW]
  * lsearch() could return garbage objects. Report by Nathan Baum. [SW]
  * %+ now only records argument count from last ufun, not from other
    (builtin) functions. Report by Cheetah@M*U*S*H.
  * Some linting of float comparisons. Report by Cheetah@M*U*S*H.
  * page <player>= now pages the player with a blank line instead of
    repaging the last paged player with "<player>". Report by Cheetah@M*U*S*H.


Version 1.8.1 patchlevel 1                      June 27, 2005

Fixes:
  * Players could set the 'internal' attribute flag, which causes
    confusion. Report by Cooee@PDX.
  * Setting attribute flags by character alias did not work 
    properly.


Version 1.8.1 patchlevel 0                      June 25, 2005

Major Changes:
  * Players may have multiple aliases, by specifying a semicolon-separated
    list to @alias. Players may list their usual @name as one of their
    aliases, and the @name command may be used to switch to any alias.
    The maximum number of aliases per non-Wizard player may be limited by the 
    max_aliases config directive. Suggested by Nymeria@M*U*S*H. [3]
  * 'home' is now a standard command, with no special precedence.
    It can be @command/disabled and/or @hook'd. Suggested by
    several people. If 'home' is disabled, 'goto home' will no longer
    work (but @tel to home is still allowed).
Flags:
  * A player with the TRACK_MONEY flag set gets a message any time
    their objects spend or lose money. Patch by Walker@M*U*S*H.
  * New Pueblo_Send power allows use of xch_cmd and send tags.
Mail:
  * The @MAILFORWARDLIST attribute can be set to a list of dbrefs or
    objids to which any @mail received should be forwarded. Your own
    dbref may be listed if you wish to retain a copy
    of the message as well. You must pass the @lock/mailforward of
    any player listed in your @MAILFORWARDLIST. Suggested by T'orA@M*U*S*H.
Functions:
  * setq()/setr() can set multiple registers in parallel. Suggested by
    Nathan Baum. [SW]
  * center() can now take multi-character fills, and can have different
    left and right fills. Suggested by Boris@M*U*S*H.
  * attrib_set() is a version of set() for setting attributes that
    has a more comfortable syntax and that can clear attributes
    without wiping whole attribute trees like wipe(). Suggested by
    Kevin@M*U*S*H. [TAP]
  * extract()'s second and third arguments are now optional, and default
    to 1. Suggested by Philip Mak.
  * lsearch() can now take more than one class/restriction pair, and
    will require them all to be met. New "mindb" and "maxdb" classes
    specify low and high dbrefs, and replace the old <low>,<high>
    parameters, which are now deprecated. Suggested by qa'toq@bDv.
  * alias() and fullalias() functions. [EEH]
  * New function restriction "localize" causes q-registers to be
    saved and restored around the function as if localize() or
    ulocal() were used; handy for @functions. Patch by grapenut.
  * flip() and reverse() no longer require escaping of commas.
    Suggested by Yar Kramer.
Channels:
  * Channels, by default, now ignore interaction rules defined in
    local.c, so they can be used as "OOC" communication between
    players who wouldn't be able to interact "IC"ly. A new per-channel
    permission, "interact", changes this behavior back to enforcing
    interaction rules on the channel. @lock/interact always applies,
    however. Suggested by Shamash.
  * New channel_flags config directive sets default permissions
    for newly-created channels.
Minor changes:
  * The %+ substitution returns the number of arguments passed to
    a function and is useful in ufuns and @functions.
    Suggested by Nathan Baum.
  * The rules for valid command and functions names (e.g. for @command/add)
    have been relaxed to allow @foo, +blah, and others with punctuation.
    Suggested by Mike Griffiths.
  * @hook/list <command> lists hooks on a command. Suggested by Nathan Baum.
  * @INVFORMAT works like @CONFORMAT for the inventory command.
  * Help for mail and chat functions moves to pennmail.hlp and
    pennchat.hlp, respectively. Suggested by Kevin@M*U*S*H.
  * Settings and resetting multiple attribute flags at once is now
    supported more flexibly. Suggested by Sholevi@M*U*S*H.
  * The restart script handles mush.cnf files with Windows-style 
    line endings more gracefully. Reported by CBeilby@M*U*S*H.
  * @attribute/access now understands the privilege 'none' to mean
    'no associated attribute flags'. Report by Tyson Cochrane.
  * @flag/alias flag=!alias removes a flag alias. Suggested by
    Relay@MatrixMUSH.
  * @search now refers to things as things instead of objects.
    Suggested by Zebranky@M*U*S*H.
  * Suggested restrictions to disable hardcoded chat and mail
    are in restrictcnf.dst for those who want to do that. 
    Patch by Kevin@M*U*S*H.
  * TZ attribute is now visual by default, since time() gets it anyway.
    Suggested by Mike Griffiths.
Fixes:
  * Fixes include from versions up to 1.8.0p6.