set | HyperTalk Reference | The HyperCard Center

set [the] property to expression

set [the] property of object ¬

to expression

set [the] property of window ¬

to expression

set [the] property of [menuItem of] ¬

menu to expression

set [the] property of chunk ¬

of field to expression

The set command changes the state of a specified property. If the object or element to which the property belongs is not specified, the property must be a global property or painting property.

Examples

set the userLevel to 5

set the style of bkgnd button 1 to rectangle

set the wideMargins of card field id 34 to true

set the cantModify of this stack to true

set the top of Message box to (bottom of this card + 12)

set the scroll of card window to 0,0

set the enabled of menu 2 to false

set the cmdChar of first menuItem of second menu to "0"

set the textSize of field "Index" to (the textSize of field "Index" + 4)

set the textStyle of the clickChunk to bold

set the visible of menuBar to false

Demo Script

on madScroller

put the rect of card window into theRect

set the rect of card window to left of cd window,top of cd window,¬

left of cd window + 172, top of cd window + 64

repeat 10 times

set the scroll of card window to ¬

random(width of this card),random(height of this card)

wait 30

end repeat

set the rect of card window to theRect

end madScroller

Related Topics

Placeholders

property

A literal string that names a characteristic of an object (for example, a field or button property) or of HyperCard itself (called a global property).

the location

the rectangle

the name

the textArrows

the userLevel

A characteristic of an object that has a single value and is identified by a label.

expression

Any HyperTalk expression. All expressions evaluate to text, a number, or a constant.

true

sin(90)

"this is" && it

(3+2) = 5

the heapspace div 1024

Note: Formally, HyperCard distinguishes between factors (simple values) and expressions. The difference between factors and expressions matters only if you like to drop parentheses. Most functions take factors as their parameters, which is why length of 3 + 5 returns 6 and length of (3 + 5) returns 1. In short, always use parentheses to group things the way you want them to evaluate, and you won’t have to worry about the difference between factors and expressions.

object

The object HyperCard, or any expression that identifies an object by name, number, or id.

HyperCard

me

[the] target

button 1

background part 6

card field id 3894

this card

next background

stack "My Stack"

An identifiable part of an application, or a thing within an application that can respond to commands.

window

One of HyperCard’s built-in windows, the window containing the current stack (called the card window), or any other window containing a stack, as follows:

card window

tool window

window "tools"

pattern window

window "Patterns"

scroll window

window "scroll"

[the] message [window]

[the] message [box]

[the] msg [window]

[the] msg [box]

window "message"

message watcher

window "message watcher"

variable watcher

window "variable watcher"

window "Home"

window "Readymade Buttons"

-- if longWindowTitles is true:

window "My HD:Home"

window 6

window ID 21403082

Note: If a window containing a stack is inactive, you can set only its location and visible properties.

Important: External windows can’t be substituted for the window placeholder (see the externalWindow placeHolder).

menuItem

menuItem text

menuItem posInteger

ordinal menuItem

menuItem "New"

menuItem 2

second menuItem

menu text

menu posInteger

ordinal menu

menu "File"

menu 2

second menu

chunk

ordinal character

character posInteger [to posInteger]

ordinal word

word posInteger [to posInteger]

ordinal item

item posInteger [to posInteger]

ordinal line

line posInteger [to posInteger]

first character

second item

middle line

character 1

char 1 to 10

word 3

item 5 to (the number of items of me)

line 1 to 10

char 1 to 10 of word 2 to 4 of ¬

line 3 to 6

A chunk combined with of and a container is called a chunk expression. For example: line 1 of card field "index"

Important: You can’t combine a stack name with a chunk expression—you can only refer to a chunk in the current stack.

field

An expression that identifies a field by name, number, or id using one of the following forms (in AppleScript, use “background” in place of “bkgnd”):

card field id posInteger [[of] card]

card field text [of card] -- name

card field posInteger [of card]

ordinal card field [of card]

[bkgnd] field id posInteger [of card]

[bkgnd] field text [of card] -- name

[bkgnd] field posInteger [of card]

ordinal [bkgnd] field [of card]

For example:

When used inside a field script in HyperTalk: `me`

When a field receives a message: `[the] target`

A field can also be referred to as a part when you’re talking about its position among all buttons and fields within the same card or background.