# output proc

Source: https://ref.dm-lang.org/proc/output

### Format
> `output(msg, control)`

### Args
- `msg`: Text, an atom, a file, or null
- `control`: The ID of a control in the player's skin, or null for the default


This is used in conjunction with the \<\< output operator to send output to a particular control in the player's skin. If null is sent, the control will be cleared.

```dm /output/
usr << output("Your score is [score].", "scorepane.output")
```

As with `winset()`, the control name may be in the form `":[type]"` which sends to the default control of that type, e.g. `":output"`.

The control ID can be followed by a colon and extra info such as a name or a grid cell, which can send the output to the control in a different way. In a grid, this can output directly to a specific grid cell, like so:

```dm /output/
usr << output("Column 3, Row 2", "examplegrid:3,2")
```

For a browser control, the extra info is a JavaScript function. The format for sending a script to the browser control is `output("[params]","[control]:[scriptname]")` where "[params]" is a URL-encoded list of string arguments to the javascript function, as formatted by [list2params()](https://ref.dm-lang.org/proc/list2params.md).

```dm /output/
mob/Login()
    . = ..()
    usr << output(\
{"
<script type="text/javascript">
function replace(v) {
  document.getElementById('foo').innerHTML =
    v.replace(/&/g, '&amp;').replace(/</g, '<');
}
</script>
<div id="foo">This text can change.</div>
<p>And this can't.</p>
"},
    ":browser");

#define LP(str) list2params(list(str))
mob/verb/newtext(T as text)
    usr << output(LP(T), ":browser:replace")
```

This allows for the creation of more dynamic interfaces, since javascript provides access to many client-side operations and flicker-free updates.

### See also
- [\<\< output operator](https://ref.dm-lang.org/operator/lessless/output.md)
- [winclone proc](https://ref.dm-lang.org/proc/winclone.md)
- [winset proc](https://ref.dm-lang.org/proc/winset.md)