IF_NOT_Powers Tag

[RPMiller]

Mr. Simon,

Is there a IF_NOT_POWERS tag? I know you created a whole slew of boolean type tags, but I don't recall one that could be used as the opposite of IFPOWERS.

I'm currently displaying Martial Arts under powers, but if there are no powers I don't get the power's "heading" (COST, NAME, END).
What I would like is to display a "heading" using the following logic:

IF Powers exist then
display heading
IF No Powers AND Martial Arts exist
display heading
IF No Powers and No Martial Arts exist
don't display heading

Does that make sense? Thank you for your time.

[Simon]

Errr....wouldn't the following give you the same result:

If Martial Arts exist: display heading

If Martial Arts do not exist: do not display heading

Basically, just leave Powers out of it all together. If you want to have a heading for martial arts, include it in the IFMARTIAL_ARTS container.

If I'm misunderstanding, let me know....

[RPMiller]

Originally posted by dsimon
Errr....wouldn't the following give you the same result:

If Martial Arts exist: display heading

If Martial Arts do not exist: do not display heading

Basically, just leave Powers out of it all together. If you want to have a heading for martial arts, include it in the IFMARTIAL_ARTS container.

If I'm misunderstanding, let me know.... The problem is the positioning. I want to make sure that everything falls where it should which the current template does perfectly. If I put the powers heading into the martial arts, the martial arts would have to come first, and even then we still have the problem of if there is not any martial arts then the heading wouldn't display either.

To go further, both powers and martial arts have their respective headings, with the powers heading needing to be there if there are martial arts. (I'll send Steve an email to clarify that that is the case just to make sure)

Did I clarify, or did I muddy the waters more? The WG says that Martial Arts have to be listed under Powers since they are a type of attack power. So that's where this is coming from.

[Talon]

I'd like this too, my export templates still mess up if you have martial arts and no powers.

[Simon]

I'm really missing something here...

If you have the following:

IFPOWERS
[powers header stuff here]
POWERS
/POWERS
[powers footer stuff here]
/IFPOWERS
IFMARTIAL_ARTS
[martial arts header stuff here]
MARTIAL_ARTS
/MARTIAL_ARTS
[martial arts footer stuff here]
/IFMARTIAL_ARTS

What's missing? You're able to put the martial arts after the powers (if powers exist), you're able to include a header at the top of the martial arts section, assuming that there are martial arts....

What am I not understanding about what you need to do?

[Talon]

I know this is complex, so let me know if I get it wrong or miss something.

The WG format is as follows:
1) Cost/Power/END header
2) Martial Arts
3) Powers

The trick is that #1 appears if you have martial arts, powers, or both: instead of a "powers header", there's a "powers and/or martial arts header". So the format you describe will work if the character has powers, but will fail (not show the right header, which in my case means not include the start table code) if the character has martial arts but no powers.

[Simon]

Actually, I think the WG format is:

1) Cost/Power/END header
2) Powers
3) Martial Arts

Which is why I suggested it the way I did.

Are you saying that you want to include a Powers header even if there are no Powers (only Martial Arts)?

[Talon]

[read read read]

The WG doesn't say specifically (that I can find, anyway), but on page 29 under "The Abilities Block" it says that generally speaking, offensive capabilities should come first. For that reason, I put Martial Arts first (the alternative, putting them last, seems a direct contravention of this principle).

[Simon]

Well...again, the issue is whether you want the Powers header to be inserted whether or not there are Powers to list.

If so, then you'd need a new tag/container

If you only want the Powers header if there are powers to list, then you're good to go with the existing tags.

[Talon]

According to the WG, Martial Arts are listed under the Powers section, so if they exist, the character technically has powers, and so the Powers header should (IMO) display.

So, I guess the answer is Yes, and I need a new tag. Don't know what Durnin needs it for.

[RPMiller]

I just confirmed this with Steve.

You have to have the Powers heading if you have Martial Arts even if you don't have any powers, but you don't need a Powers heading if you don't have either one.

I'll post the reply email if you need to see.

I'm in agreement with all of Geoff's comments above. I'm in exactly the same boat. I'm not using tables though, I'm controlling everything via the RTF coding which interestingly enough I'm learning very easily, it's pretty simple once you get used to it. In fact it's similar to HTML, and I would hazard a guess that it is part of the SGML specifications. (Just an FYI)

[Simon]

OK...I've got the following added in for the next update:

IF_NO_COMBAT_LEVELS
IF_NO_MANEUVERS
IF_NO_NONMANEUVERS
IF_NO_MARTIAL_ARTS
IF_NO_SKILLS
IF_NO_PERKS
IF_NO_TALENTS
IF_NO_POWERS
IF_NO_EQUIPMENT
IF_NO_DISADS

I think that should just about cover it ;)

[RPMiller]

Originally posted by dsimon
OK...I've got the following added in for the next update:
--snip--
I think that should just about cover it ;) HOLY PROGRAMMING DANMAN!!! ;)

I ask for an inch you give me a mile! Thanks! I'm going to have to put these to use just because you made them...