I need a push
 

Hey, I need a push in the right direction. I don't think I'll have much of an issue editing anything, once I figure it out. However... I seem to be missing something. For example, I want to edit an exp bar. I downloaded 1 off the site to see how its all put together. I have it in it's own folder. (eq2ui_mainhud_experience.xml) - when I open this in the UIBuilder, I see all the red rectangles and stuff. But how do I see the graphic related to it. It runs off of the default graphic, cuz I can see it working in game. I just can't see the graphic associated with this xml in the UIBuilder

As a matter of fact, I can't see any of the artwork on xml specific files if they are by themselves.

There HAS to be an intuitive way to create the artwork, and add in the data boxs in relation to the graphic I just made.

Whats the secret here?

Thanks

You can only open eq2ui.xml with UIBuilder. If you want to edit it, just copy that file from the default folder to where you have what you want to edit, and then open that with UIbuilder and things should work ok.

You need to copy over the file eq2ui.xml from the default directory.

What that files does is hold the includes(sub files) that make up the UI. Without this file it cannot reference the other parts of the UI.

Basically the UI is one big XML file broke down into many mini XML files. Glued together via the <include> nodes within each module. Module files are files name like eq2ui_<some name>_<window name>.xml. Like the module that holds all the main windows you see commonly in the game is the MainHud module and its file name is eq2ui_mainhud.xml. So the file eq2ui.xml is the document root of the UI xml and it descends from there by the include nodes witch tells it to murge eq2ui_mainhud.xml contents to it and all the other ones.

That the big pitcher of the UI anyway... Probably more then you wanted. Hope it helps you out.

When you open the EQ2UI file in the UIBuilder there will be tabs above "view" window.. You'll need to click on the one that says MainHUD to see the experience window..

ok cool.. i see now.. kinda

my next question is... how do i save out just the section i edited?

I placed the eq2ui.xml into a separate folder, This same folder held an exp bar mod. When i opened the eq2ui.xml file, it seen the mod. I then made all changes I wanted. Now I saved this file out as eq2ui_mainhud_experience.xml but it just filled my directory with all the eq xml files (189 files). Is this normal? Do I go back and delete all the files except the eq2ui_mainhud_experience.xml? Is that how this works?

I would think that there is an easier way to edit/make changes to these files. I had to edit the exp file above all other windows.. not in a window by it's self... saving it out creates a ton of duplicate files... it just seems counter productive kinda.

Now you know why we all hate it lol.. It has its own directory where I save to then I pick the file I want out and move it to its read home. The UIBuilder is one of the can't live with out and can't live with it type things.. Once you learn all the Objects properties you find using a text editor is better because of the thing you stated above and others I am sure you will find if you keep modding..

The UIBuilder is an old, ornery program from 2005. It's the only program I have that can easily blue-screen crash my computer (usually when setting an image SourceRect for a DDS file.) It's pretty obvious that SOE is using something else now. I never, ever save anything from the UIBuilder and I keep all my custom xml files write protected just in case I accidentally do.

I only use it to lay out things visually and do some script testing. All my actual editing is done and saved with Notepad++. It takes a bit longer but at least I can keep the UIBuilder from making a mess of everything.

Yeah, I use it to visualize things -- most of my actual editing is done not using it. It tends to do bad things like convert quotes and such.