```
ask <i>text1</i> [with <i>text2</i>]

ask password [clear] <i>text1</i> [with <i>text2</i>]
ask file <i>text1</i> [with <i>fileName</i>]
```

The<code> ask </code>command displays a <b>question</b> (<i><code>text1</i></code> ) in a dialog box along with a text box where the user can type a reply. The<code> ask </code>dialog automatically provides the OK and Cancel buttons.

You can supply a <b>default reply</b> using the<code> with <i>text2</i> </code>option. The default text appears highlighted in the text box.

<code>Ask</code> returns the text entered by the user, if any, in the local variable<code> it</code>. If the user clicks Cancel,<code> ask </code>places<code> empty </code>in<code> it</code>.

<code>Ask </code>also sets the HyperTalk function<code> the result </code>to<code> empty </code>if the user clicks OK or to<code> Cancel </code>if the user clicks Cancel.  (So you can use the value of<code> the result </code>to determine whether the user provides an empty string or clicks Cancel.)  You must check<code> the result </code>in the statement immediately after the<code> ask </code>command.

Note: `ask` automatically sizes the dialog box to fit the size of the text (up to thirteen lines). The total length of the text cannot exceed 254 characters for both the prompt and the default reply.

`Ask password` displays a bullet (&bull;) for each character the user types and encrypts the reply as a number. You can save this number in a field to compare with future passwords. (The `ask password clear` form does <i>not</i> encrypt the reply, but it <i>does</i>  display a bullet for each typed character.)

Note: `ask password` is different from setting the password of the stack with the Protect Stack dialog. With `ask password`, your handler must set and check any passwords.

`Ask file` displays a directory dialog box in which you type the name of a file. The `with <i>filename</i>` option provides a default name that appears in the text box.