Using Custom Style.xml without Including them in the EQ2UI.XML file

Humudce · #1 04-10-2005, 12:20 PM

Ok All I have a general fear of adding any <Include>'s to the eq2ui.xml in any custom UI folder. Maybe it's a throw back to the old EQ Live days of Interface work, where SoE would change the Core UI file on a whim. The only time I would not have an issue with a cutsom EQ2UI.XML is if I totally re-skinned the entire UI (which I have yet to try). Many of my Mods are just upgraded or enhanced versions of the Default UI peices.

I applaud the authors that have broken up their complete UI's in to individual UI Peices for download so that those that do not want to use the entire UI mod but only a peice can download the components they want to use.

Why do I bring this up, well my guild mates asked me to create them a Side by Side, instead of an Up and Down Quest Journal window. I explained that I thought there were several Side by Side Mods here on EQ2Interface, and I would check out what was available before I started my own mod. I looked at the Fetish Journal (pre HTML version by Zonx), the Mook Journal (by Deathbane27), and Jaxel's Skinned Journal (by Jaxel). I ended up going with the Fetish Journal because it was the closest to the Default UI's journal window.

One thing I noticed with Fetish's Journal was he included style files and a custom EQ2UI.XML file so that the custom styles could be included correctly. As I said early on in this post I shy away from using a custom EQ2UI.XML file. So I started looking at how I could give my guild mates a Journal window with out including the EQ2UI.XML file. I looked at all of these mods in the UIBuilder. I noticed that Deathbane27 with the Mook Journal included the required Mook Styles within the eq2ui_journals_quest.xml. In the UI Builder it was in a folder called Mook that was contained in the eq2ui_journals_quest.xml file it self.

I took Deathbane27's method and applied it to the Fetish Journal window, by copying the Fetish Styles folder from the UI Builder directly into the eq2ui_journal_quest.xml file. I noticed that anytime Zonx called a style within the Fetish Journal it appeared similar to this example - "/Fetish.ScrollStyles.vscroll". In looking at Deathbane27's implementation of styles in the Mook Journal I noticed that his appeared something like this example - "Mook.ScrollStyles.vscroll". The difference I discovered was that with Deathbane27 including the Style within the eq2ui_journal_quest.xml he didn't require the forward slash (/) in front of the Style call out. I then applied Deathbane27's method to the Fetish Journal so that all the style call outs in the Fetish Journal looked similar to this example - "Fetish.ScrollStyles.vscroll". I then deleted the eq2ui.xml file and the Fetish Style files from my Custom Folder and tired it out. Voila everything worked on the Mod without the need to have a custom EQ2UI.XML file.

If any one wants to include a Custom Style file but doesn't want to have to use a custom EQ2UI.XML file also (that has includes for the custom styles) I would suggest using Deathbane27's method of including the Style within the Custom Mod and calling the style without the forward slash (/).

**Zonx** · #2 04-10-2005, 01:11 PM

FWIW, I agree its better to avoid altering higher level files... If you're only using 1 window that makes use of those styles, or a handfull of windows in the same UI branch with a relatively simple style set.

The overhead of including a large style set into several windows might cause a noticable performance hit. Someone with better diag tools than I would have to test this. Not sure if EQ2 would end up loading the same resources multiple times due to different window nestings. If Death chimes in on this one, I'd trust him. He's probably more of a programmer than me

Also haven't tested if its even possible to span UI branches with style refs. My latest Journal mod includes the HTML window, which isn't inside the Journal branch.

As far as not wanting to customize eq2ui.xml goes... in the 3 months I've been including eq2ui.xml, I think its been changed by SOE twice, to add SplitterStyles and IME. Its been the least of my troubles

Humudce · #3 04-10-2005, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zonx

FWIW, I agree its better to avoid altering higher level files... If you're only using 1 window that makes use of those styles, or a handfull of windows in the same UI branch with a relatively simple style set.

The overhead of including a large style set into several windows might cause a noticable performance hit. Someone with better diag tools than I would have to test this. Not sure if EQ2 would end up loading the same resources multiple times due to different window nestings. If Death chimes in on this one, I'd trust him. He's probably more of a programmer than me

Also haven't tested if its even possible to span UI branches with style refs. My latest Journal mod includes the HTML window, which isn't inside the Journal branch.

As far as not wanting to customize eq2ui.xml goes... in the 3 months I've been including eq2ui.xml, I think its been changed by SOE twice, to add SplitterStyles and IME. Its been the least of my troubles

Zonx,

I wasn't saying that the way you are doing it with the eq2ui.xml is wrong or anything like that, I was just offering an alternative to those that want to include special styles in their mod without having to use the Includes in their eq2ui.xml file. And by all means if multipe windows in our custom mods folder use these custom styles I by all means agree with using the custom styles file and calling it out in the eq2ui.xml file.

The only file in my guild mates Custom UI folder that uses custom styles is the modified version of your Quest Journal window (Pre-Html 3.3 version). Since this file is not a always open window, I would hope that the additional overhead by including the style within the file would not be that great. And yes adding the style to the journal.xml file increased the size from some 25 KB to around 109 KB. I have toyed with the idea of removing the unused style call outs in the Styles Section of the Journal window, but have yet to try that to see if I can make the file any smaller. And BTW I love your quest journal mod.

**Zonx** · #4 04-10-2005, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Humudce

I wasn't saying that the way you are doing it with the eq2ui.xml is wrong or anything like that...

Didn't think you were

I was just offering my unsolicited oppinions on when each apporach should be used.

I'm less concerned about the overhead of the styles themselves. Its the image slices created by those styles that could get massive if the styles are repeated in a buncha windows.

Like if the same 128k background image is sliced in by 10 individual window styles, does EQ know its the same image or treat it as a seperate instance because each style has a different path?