date_string ()

Returns a the localtime string in the form of MM-DD-YYYY.

returns:

(string) the localtime string in MM-DD-YYYY format

evaluateVBFC ( tokens )

Evalutes a tuple of tokens. Each token is either a string, or a callable object that returns a string (such as a VBFC). If it's a string, it's appended to the message being generated. If it's callable, the object is called and its return value is appended to the message being generated. After all tokens are evaluated, the message is returned.

arguments:

tokens

(list of VBFCs and strings)

returns:

(string)

format_human_time ( secs )

Takes in a bunch of seconds and formats it into a string of days/hours/minutes/seconds.

This is horribly written and I don't even know if it should go here either.... but it works!

arguments:

secs

(int) the interval in seconds

returns:

(string) a human-readable form of that interval

parse_filename ( path )

Parses a filename from a given filepath.

Parses a filename (actually, it just removes from the last / to the beginning).

ex: /world/data/blah -> blah

arguments:

path

(string) the path that includes a filename

returns:

(string)

parse_first_semicolon ( text )

This method takens in text and parses it into two pieces. The first piece is everything up to the first ; and that is not \; The second piece is everything else.

arguments:

text

(string) the text to parse the first semicolon from

returns:

if a semicolon is found that's unescaped, it returns the text up to the first semicolon and then the rest in a list.

otherwise it returns the text.

parse_out_flags ( list )

Takes a command line thingy and separates flags from non-flags. This could probably be done better.... :)

FIXME - get rid of this function and use the getopts methods instead.

arguments:

list

(list of strings) -- the arguments

returns:

two lists--the first is a lsit of flags and the second is a list of non-flags

parse_path (
        home_dir,
        cur_dir,
        path,
        )

Parses relative path and returns an explicit path.

Takes in a home_dir, a current_dir and a path and parses the path string into an actual path relative to the root of the mud directory tree.

Handles ., .., ~, /, and some funky instances like if they have too many .. or they have // next to each other or misplaced ~.

arguments:

home_dir

(string) the home directory for the coder

cur_dir

(string) the current directory the coder is in

path

(string) the path to parse relative to either the current dir (cur_dir) or the home dir (home_dir)

returns:

(string) the explicit dir based on the mud root directory