notify_fail - set the default error message to a specified string

int notify_fail( string | function str );

This efun is only available if NO_ADD_ACTION is not compiled in.

Store `str' as the error message to be returned instead of the default message
`What?'.  The message will be displayed if a 0 is returned from all actions
setup via add_action().  This is the preferred way to display error messages
since it allows other objects a chance to respond to the same verb (command).
Do not use write() to display the error message since this will require you
to return a 1 (unless you want to see the result of the write() in addition to
the 'What?' message).  However, if you do return a 1, then no other objects
will get a chance to respond to the user command.

Note: Getting this right in the presence of multiple failures is tricky,
to say the least.  One can use a function pointer instead, and have the
routine resolve the collisions.

If a function is passed instead of a string, the function is called
instead of printing a message.  If the function returns a string, that
string is used as the failure message.  Also, this_player() is set
correctly, so write() can be used.

If "notify_fail()" is called more than once, only the last call will have
an effect.

The idea behind this function is to allow better error messages than
`What?'.

As a side note, notify_fail() always returns zero, so return notify_fail(...)
works as expected.

 add_action

 Tim Hollebeek  Beek@ZorkMUD, Lima Bean, IdeaExchange, and elsewhere