Drop in startmenu mod

[pooka]

Well, based on a suggestion from the wish list post I made, I've been tinkering with a startmenu mod that would allow authors to include a menuitem_#.xml file with their mod to add an entry.

It uses a Composite so all the menuitems will slide up to the top. Up to 18 can be accommodated. I figure that will likely be more than anybody will ever need. (Otherwise, another column can be added for an additional 18 without too much effort).

Is this something that others would be interested in? Would you as an author want to include a file in your .zip that would add it to the startmenu? If so, any suggestions on the best way to package this? Mods will need to be given specific entry numbers just like the eq2map plugin system. How is that administered?

Thanks in advance for the suggestions, I've attached a picture of the progress.

A couple sample drop ins below. All that needs to be changed is the Name, the OnPress, and the Icon.

This would open the Spires popup mod:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
    <Page Name="Spires" ScrollExtent="166,28" Size="166,28">
        <Button Location="28,0" Margin="10,0,0,0" Name="menuButton" OnPress="show_window Custom.Pooka_Spires ;togglestartmenu" PressSound=" " ScrollExtent="138,28" Size="138,28" Style="/ButtonStyles.start_menu">Spires</Button>
        <Page BackgroundColor="#FFFFFF" BackgroundOpacity="1.000" Name="IconFrame" Opacity="0.500" RStyleDefault="/FrameStyles.single_pixel" ScrollExtent="28,28" Size="28,28" />
        <Image Name="icon" ScrollExtent="28,28" Size="28,28" SourceRect="209,84,250,126" SourceResource="images/icons/icon_ss21.dds" />
    </Page>

This would cast whatever call you have:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
    <Page Name="CallHome" ScrollExtent="166,28" Size="166,28">
        <Button Location="28,0" Margin="10,0,0,0" Name="menuButton" OnPress="useability Call of the Overlord ; useability Call of Kelethin ;useability Call of Qeynos ;useability Call of Neriak ;useability Call of Gorowyn ;useability Call of Haven ;togglestartmenu" PressSound=" " ScrollExtent="138,28" Size="138,28" Style="/ButtonStyles.start_menu">Call Home</Button>
        <Page BackgroundColor="#FFFFFF" BackgroundOpacity="1.000" Name="IconFrame" Opacity="0.500" RStyleDefault="/FrameStyles.single_pixel" ScrollExtent="28,28" Size="28,28" />
        <Image Name="icon" ScrollExtent="28,28" Size="28,28" SourceRect="83,85,124,127" SourceResource="images/icons/icon_as11.dds" />
    </Page>

[dragowulf]

I for one think this is a very unique idea. I haven't looked at the code yet, but from what you've said it sounds like something I personally would use if I had custom windows like such.

I'll check it out and tell you what I think.

[dragowulf]

I like it. Very easy, anyone could use it.

I suggest looking at some of the EQ2Map plugin code to get more of a glimpse to see how some of it works.

[gm9]

Nice pooka, this is what I was suggesting. If it becomes necessary I think you could even add more than 18 includes for the same column and just assume that no user is really going to install more than 18 different start menu mods, which I think is a pretty safe assumption.

I will support this plugin format if I ever add a startmenu mod. Maybe call the plugin files eq2ui_custom_startmenu_plugin_#.xml?

Regarding administration, the eq2map plugins are self administered, ie mod authors checked which plugins are out there and used a free number. For the present system you could make a post attaching sample files and a section listing the plugin numbers and "registering" them to specific mods. I would not mind stickying that in UI Developer Discussion.

[Drumstix42]

Looks good. I'd suggest only formatting the text to not be so close to the icons (like default).

/perfectionist off

[pooka]

GM9: Great! I'll clean it up and submit it tonight. As far as more than 18 includes, that makes a lot of sense. I'll try it and see what happens if someone happens to run over.

Drumstix42: LOL I noticed that too. I have to thank Valdacil as his startmenu mod for infocenter is part of what got me thinking about this. I grabbed his code and there was a margin= line left out. It's fixed now.

[Valdacil]

I appreciate the shout out on the credit, however, I don't want to take credit where credit is due. "My" startmenu mod is really Milquetowst with a single word edited to make DrumsUI Infocenter come up instead of Milquetowst's. DBurgdorf is the original author of the code.

[pooka]

I'll just have to thank everyone, at length. Think thanking Blackguard is going too far?

...

On another note, should the release package be just the modded eq2ui_startmenu.xml file and each menu item be a seperate downloadable addon? I can easily include 3 or 4 sample drop-ins. Should they be included in the zip? I'm trying to figure out what will be best in general.

The startmenu file itself is tiny, so long as its format isn't changed overly much, it could actually be included in any mod that wanted to use the functionality. Overwriting the previous version won't matter because the individual drop-ins are seperate. Would that be better than making users find and download a seperate mod to have the functionality available?

Suggestions please.