TADS 3 Library Reference Manual

Welcome to the TADS 3 Library Reference!

This manual is a hyperlinked, cross-referenced index of the TADS 3 Adventure Library, known as adv3. It also covers the core T3 system library as well as the T3 VM's intrinsic functions and classes.

This documentation is derived directly from the library source files, so it contains the most up-to-date information available. The narrative descriptions of classes, functions, methods, and so on are simply transcribed from the comments in the library source code. As such, the information here is also available by browsing the library source directly. This manual is designed to be easier to navigate than the library source code, but in some cases the best way to get the full details on how something works is to go directly to its implementation.

Navigation

The layout you see here consists of four "frame" windows.

The Contents bar lets you select which list you want to see in the Index panel. Click a link to bring up a list of that type of item in the Index panel.

The File Index panel, along the left side just below the Contents bar, shows a list of all of the source and header files in the library. Click on a filename to go to the page for that file. The classes link next to each file brings up a list of the file's classes in the Index panel.

The Index panel, on the left side below the File Index, shows a list of classes, actions, grammar rules, objects, functions, macros, enums, or templates. You can change the index shown here by clicking on a link in the Contents bar at the top.

The main panel shows the detailed documentation for the currently selected item. Clicking on an item in the Index panel shows that item's detail page here.

Tips

The all symbols link in the Contents bar brings up a truly comprehensive index (divided alphabetically, to keep the page sizes manageable) that includes not only all the types of items listed in the Contents bar, but also all of the properties and methods defined throughout the library. This is an easy way to find out exactly which classes define a particular property.

Many of the items described in the documentation pages include two cross-reference links, of the form "FileName [line]". Clicking on the file name link displays the file documentation. Clicking on the line number will display a copy of the original source file, at the line where the item is defined.

This manual is generated mechanically from the library sources, but the generator program sometimes misses things. If an item says "no description available", try looking in the source file (click on the line number link) - there may be documentation there that the documentation generator didn't pick up.

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to Edward L. Stauff, who wrote the program that generates this manual from the library source files. Ed's system has been a huge help to everyone using TADS 3, and indispensable in creating the official doc set.

The generator program is now maintained by Michael Roberts; please contact Mike with any comments on this manual or the generator program. If you're interested in customizing the generator program, it's available for download from the tads.org site.

Copyright

Copyright ©2000, 2011 by Michael J. Roberts. This documentation may be used and redistributed without charge, subject to the condition that it not be altered, and that no copyright or authorship notices be removed or modified.