Trying to learn modding...

[cybersmurf]

but damn this is hard... Cudos to all you modders out there who make complete UIs

I have a couple of issues so bear with me.

Trying to get started I have read the documentation (loosely ) and the one from tony3l33t. My goal in round 1 is to add a button to the Player window which casts Animist's Transference on myself.
I tried for 5 hours last night to make one button but no... didn't get it to work.
I used the BuildUI and my base file was the one from SORi. I tried copying one of the buttons he had already made and change it to cast Animist's Transference instead but was as if the button wasn't there, all that happened was I selected myself. I also tried creating a button ala Himays Group Window (the click to follow-button). Still no dice...

So:

1) Could a kind soul add a simple button to the default Player-window that can cast a spell and post it here so I can examine the differences.

2) Do you use the BuildUI-program or just Notepad++ (or other xml-editing tool) to create mods? Which is easier to use?

3) I tried looking at the ProfitUI regarding using a Potion on a button (easy cure on the Player-window) but couldn't connect the dots between include docs and whatnot
Is it possible to use a potion on a button-click like you cast a spell or is it much more difficult to program?

Thanks in advance and thank you for your patience.
Kind regards
Flaxer Nox
70 Conjuror
Befallen

[gm9]

That code from ProfitUI is probably not the easiest to understand if you are starting out, since it is not all in one place and doing several things at once.

The actual code you need for a cure by potion button is only the following:

OnPress="use_itemvdl VDL#
target_previous"

You need to replace VDL# by the actual number representing the potion you want to use. Check the ProfitUI FAQ for how to get that number.

The target_previous is necessary since the player window is hardcoded to target yourself once you click it.

The code for your other button would therefore be

OnPress="useability "Animist's Transference"
target_previous"

(this refers to what you see in the XML file, not in UIbuilder)

[cybersmurf]

Thanks for the hint gm9.

One other thing... do I really have to start my eq2 everytime I need to test my changes or is there some kind of simulation-program somewhere to run tests on?
I don't have the fastest system so it takes forever to starte eq2 all the time

[gm9]

Personally when I am changing code for testing I am often just doing that via other scripts during runtime, but that's probably not what you want to do as a beginner.

The easy way to quickly reload a window is to type /loadui YOURUINAME (or just /loadui to get a window pop up that let's you re-select the UI). It causes some issues but for what you have in mind it will work fine.

[cybersmurf]

Wow! This is incredible... I am a pretty good programmer of both C++ and Delphi but this I just cannot wrap my head around

I tried taking a look at the standard Advancement button (the big green plus-sign) but I just cannot see how its all connected.

What kind of elements do I need to add to f.eks. Player-window if I just want to add a button with the icon of a spell and when I press that button the spell fires on me (hopefully I can proceed from there)?

I don't see how the element Button gets its icon. I guess the "useability Animist's Transference <enter>target_previous" go into the OnPress property.
In my world, that should be it... how hard can it be

Thank you for your patience and help gm9.

[Othesus]

Just another note, if you want to use the /loadui command you need to have a file called eq2ui_skininfo.xml in your custom UI folder. (You'll already have this if you use one of the major packaged UIs.)

After that you'll want to use /load_uisettings to get your window positions back. You'll see a couple funny things, like stack quantities will not be in the right place but it works otherwise.

[gm9]

You need to define a ButtonStyle and apply it to the Style of the button.

And you cannot input an "<Enter>" into the OnPress property from within UIbuilder, you need to manually edit the XML for that (there are other ways to code it from within UIbuilder but just doing newlines in the XML is the easiest to read afterwards).

[cybersmurf]

Can I use an image or icon as a button or do I have to link a button with an image and a style?

I don't see anything in the style-object I should change for it to work?

Regarding the <enter> I didn't know how else to represent it in my text, but I don't write it, just have it in my property.

But thanks to you its starting to look like something... can't wait to get home from work at fire up EQ2 and see if it works or if I'll be needing a new keyboard

Thanks a lot... I will probably post a lot more questions if/when I get this to work

[gm9]

You need to use a button, but you can also just display an image and overlay a transparent button for the same effect. If you know ProfitUI you will know that it is filled with invisible buttons.

And I understood what you meant by <Enter>, I was just pointing out that you cannot use UIbuilder for that.

[cybersmurf]

well, finally got it to work.. it turns out Animist's Transference was the wrong spell to start with I had to use the ability number for the spell instead of the name as you can with almost everything else because of the '-character

So far so good... now I'm getting picky

I tried looking in gamedata.xml but couldn't seem to find anything.

1) Is there a way to have the image display the recast animation you normally have on your toolbar? So I can see when I can cast the spell again.

2) Is it possible to mouse over the image/button and get a tooltip displaying recast time left? ie: Usable in: xx.x seconds.

3) Is there a homepage or other where all the .dds files are displayed so I don't have to open them all up everytime I need to find an image?

Thanks a lot

Flaxer

[Othesus]

1. I don't think so.
2. Recast time isn't available in the Dynamicdata.
3. I use the NVIDIA thumbnail tool to just see all the DDS files as thumbnails if I need to.
http://developer.nvidia.com/object/d...il_viewer.html
I use the DirectX Texture Tool as a quick way to look at DDS files. It comes with the Microsoft DirectX SDK but you might be able to install it by itself.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/archive/de.../dxtextool.asp

[gm9]

IrfanView also loads .dds files (and a trillion other formats) and lets you see thumbnails as well if you want. Using it for all my graphics viewing needs.

[cybersmurf]

I'm trying to make some modding to the default Group-window, but everything looks invisible. Even if I put new object on the window they "disappear"
So I'm modding in the blind which is pretty hard as a beginner

[Othesus]

Are you using the UIBuilder?

Do you click the eyeball button? That makes things visible and not visible.

If something is not visible all its children objects are also not visible.

[gm9]

also you need to load eq2ui.xml even if you want to mod the group window, otherwise the window will be invisible as well.

[cybersmurf]

Much easier... didn't think about the eye-button... why keep the window invisible?

But now its easier to see what I'm doing thanks...

btw I thougth the only way to mod anything was to load the eq2ui.xml ?

An one final thing... that new LoN window is in the middle of it all and I can't move it... whats the secret?

[Landiin]

Originally Posted by cybersmurf

btw I thougth the only way to mod anything was to load the eq2ui.xml ?

You can load any of the individual files in the UI builder and edit them. BUT you will only see the outlines of the window if you have that option turned on. You will not see any of the graphics, unless they are defined with in that file.

Originally Posted by cybersmurf

An one final thing... that new LoN window is in the middle of it all and I can't move it... whats the secret?

Yes Inquiring minds want to know.. I haven't messes with it so don't know. I just like that phrase :P

[Othesus]

Originally Posted by cybersmurf

btw I thougth the only way to mod anything was to load the eq2ui.xml ?

It's not really obvious when you're just starting though. I finally read that in tonyis3l33t's guide. (You just need to copy the eq2ui.xml file, not everything else as he describes.) The UIBuilder manual tells you this in Chapter 4!

An one final thing... that new LoN window is in the middle of it all and I can't move it... whats the secret?

Just click on what ever object you're working on in the left window in the tree structure. Then click on the up triangle to put it on top of everything. Or you could just hide the LoN window. If you just want to move it change UserMovable="false" to UserMovable="true".

[Talyns]

Originally Posted by gm9

...
And I understood what you meant by <Enter>, I was just pointing out that you cannot use UIbuilder for that.

You can edit multi-line scripts in UIBuilder...

First type the first line in the OnPress EditBox and press enter
Then double click OnPress.. A window will popup with titled edit property..

If there is already one or more lines defined for the script you just need to dbl click the OnPress to open that window

This works for all the On..... Properties...

And Dbl Clicking on properties like Style will bring locate the style definition for you.
Lot's of the elements have behavior associated with them within UIBuilder