infoton *acquire_for_identifier(const octopus_request_id &id);
// locates an item for the specific "id". this will generally be a
// response to a previous request. if no object can be found that matches
- // the "id", then NIL is returned.
+ // the "id", then NULL_POINTER is returned.
infoton *acquire_for_entity(const octopus_entity &requester,
octopus_request_id &id);
// this function repeatedly to ensure that all available items have
// been provided. the "original_id" is a copy of the "item_id" that was
// originally passed to evaluate_request(). the returned object must
- // eventually be destroyed if non-NIL.
+ // eventually be destroyed if non-null.
int acquire_for_entity(const octopus_entity &requester,
infoton_list &items, int maximum_size);
infoton *acquire_for_any(octopus_request_id &id);
// acquires an infoton for any random entity. if no items are ready at
- // all, then NIL is returned.
+ // all, then NULL_POINTER is returned.
basis::astring text_form() const;
// returns a textual list of what's held here.