Common Terminology

Database Items

Database Item: Term for all of the pieces that make up the muck, e.g., players, things, exits, rooms, and programs are all referred to as being database items. Many will use the (confusing) term "object", but we are attempting to drop the term entirely since it is easily confused with a "thing" (see below). The use of the confusing term for both things and database items is pretty common so be aware of the possible confusion. Every database item will have a dbref# (database reference number).
Players: An database item identified by a flag P immediately after the database item's number. Players can move from location to location, carry database items, and are usually controlled by a human.
Rooms: An database item that contain other database items (Primarily things and players). A room database item is identified by a flag R immediately after the database item's number. Rooms are often the source point of exits and/or actions.
Exit/Actions: An database item identified by an E immediately after the database item's number. An exit can have a player, room, or database item as its source, a room or program as its destination. Commonly used to add commands to the database/muck either by providing ways to move from room to room, or by providing a way for a player to use a program.
MUF Program: An database item identified by an F (for file) immediately after the database item's number. See MUF Programming for more information.
Things: Any database item that isn't marked by one of the flags above. Typically used for puppets, things for players to pick up, etc.

Identifying Database Items

Name: Quite simply, the name of the database item, can be changed with @name.
Dbref: Short for DataBase Reference, this is the number assigned to every database item in the database. It is usually preceded by a pound sign (#): #234.
Registered Name: A name assigned to an database item through the @register utility. This name can later be used to refer to the database item in most places that will take a Dbref. The name must be preceded by dollar sign ($): .