[LIVE] 11.30.05 (LU 17) - Interface Changes

***Dolby*** · #1 11-30-2005, 03:05 PM

*** Commands, Controls, and User Interface ***

You can now change the size of the icons in your hotkey bars. Right-click on the hotkey bank, select "Set Icon Size," and use the slider to select the icon size you prefer.
The /emote command should now correctly display your character's name.
Charms, expendable items, and some pieces of equipment with clickable effects will now show reuse timers and distance tinting like spells do. This can be toggled on or off in the Options menu under User Interface --> Inventory --> Show recast timer for items.
Characters created with SOGA models switched on can now correctly change their appearance. Appearance changes had been saved but were not being displayed, so after the update your SOGA character will appear with whatever changes you most recently made.
The Factions tab on the Persona window now displays the current faction value and shows progress within the current degree of faction.
There is a new command called /showhelm that will allow you to toggle showing a helmet or mask when lowering a robe hood via the /showhood command. This command is temporary until we integrate the two commands together into a single option.
You can now close windows via the right-click context menu. This is especially useful if you have window frames disabled.
The /who command will now search using tradeskill level if you specify the artisan class name. For example, typing "/who all alchemist 50 60" will no longer return the names of level 50 to 60 adventurers who are also a lower-level alchemist.
Double-clicking a house item in your inventory will now attempt to place it.
Clicking the item link in your chat window after harvesting a collection item will attempt to add the item to a collection in your quest journal.
The number of house items you have placed in your house is now listed on the main house window.
The Collect an Item window now shows icons, tooltips, and status reduction, and will indicate if items are located on the floor, ceiling, or wall.
Item links that contain colons will now work correctly.
The compass and clock windows now work with clickthrough enabled.
The onscreen message window now defaults to using clickthrough.
The login window will now allow use of the keypad for numeric entry.
The location listed for house items should now give the correct position (wall, floor, or ceiling).
"Rent Reduction" is now listed as "Status Reduction."
Partial stacks of equipped items in the Charm slot can now be moved correctly.

*** UI Modders ***

There is now better tracking for window versions in the user interface.
/window_version <Module> <Name> will return the current version of the specified UI window.
There is also now a new interface property that give detailed version information on UI windows: version="<major>.<minor>.<revision>"
If the major number does not match, the window will not be displayed (e.g. if the window version in-game is 2.0.0, but your mod's version is 1.0.0, it will not display).
If the minor version number does not match, some functionality may not work correctly, but the window will still be displayed.
If the revision version number does not match, there was a cosmetic change to the window.
There is a new interface properly for modder attribution and commentary that is displayed in /window_version: version_note="<text>"

Kharzon · #2 11-30-2005, 05:21 PM

here's an example.

LU17 is out. They added resizable icons for yer hotbars. The didn't make the hotbar changer, the up and down arrows, do the same thing. So no matter what size you make yer icons, the window size is the same. I used my mini-hotbar window that I downloaded off of here. It still works, without any version numbers at all. Only thing I can't do, is resize it. So. I mean, how many windows were actually changed this patch? Not many, less then 10, I believe. Using Fetish, all my windows still worked and the only window I really got an error on is my persona window. With that, I'm not missing anything really

A program could be written to take into account individual window pieces and an 'edit' all button so if they only work with a few windows to add/remove something, you can do those few pieces.

I honestly feel that adding these version lines makes it harder on modders. First you have to find out what pieces were changed. Changing the look of a window, ie, keeping the same things the window actually does, and not changing as in adding/removing items from the piece, really doesn't do anything to a window mod. Same info is still passed along, just set up differently by the modification. When you remove/add something to that window, there's where the difference comes in. So, they change the look of a window. Now modders have to find out the version, paste/type that version into the modded window piece. 1 file is nothing to do that to, it seems, but how many UI pieces are there? Hundreds?

I mean, I think its just an unneccessary addition. The time spent on doing that, could have been spent on rectifying more important issues like the horrible pathing in undergroung/tunneled areas, ie, keep them mobs outta the roof, floor, and walls so we don't wipe on one green that we can't hit

Laffs · #3 11-30-2005, 05:45 PM

/Agree with Kharzon,

Personaly not inc my alt windows there would be approx 400 ish files I will have to set version numbers for across 3 UI's in total

Imo a total waste of my resources.. Meaning that for somthing silly like this I may have to stop updating some of the UI's due to limited time etc... All very sad, Turning somthing that was fun into more of a chore..

Also I notcied that some version numbers are like "1.1.1" and others is "1.1" meaning even if you did / could parse all the files and edit them in one fell swoop would the extra ".0" or whatever break the window ? maybe maybe not..

Dont get me wrong I am all for progress but only progress in the right direction so to speak.....

Also why the hell does SoE need version numbers???? they only have 1 default UI and they just overwrite old windows anyways... Is this surposed to be to benefit us? the UI modders? .... Maybe it's fine for the guy that has just a few mods and variations of but full UI's no way is this a benefit ....
If you could set the version of the full UI in the skin info page and that would cover all windows contained in your folder then yeh kool .. even if it would tell you that 1 was borked and decline to load the custom UI then that would be kool also as you would have to fix the bleeding window anyways lol......

I just dunno.......

Will typing any of this make any difference at all anyways? ... Somhow I doubt it /shrug

**Drumstix42** · #4 11-30-2005, 07:19 PM

They put it in for us, not for them...

Also, what happens if we don't have the version parameter in our custom windows? Does it affect anything? To me reading it only affected it is if you had an old version number in there, not if there wasn't a version number at all...

/shrug So do we need to put them in? Didn't come across that way to me.

*edit* And why would it affect windows that aren't part of the default UI? Why would it be checking version numbers on your 300 extra windows? That doesn't make any sense to me.

*edit2*

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kharzon

It still works, without any version numbers at all

Just as I thought. So why Laffs are you complaining so bad on something that doesn't even have to affect you?

Not trying to be mean, it just seems like they tried to add something useful, and all I see are bad things.

Daeanor · #5 12-01-2005, 08:36 AM

Considering how many times a big patch has not only broken custom UI's, but made the game unplayable for those using them, I call this a good thing, and I think every custom UI should incorporate the version numbers. Yes, I understand it's more work, but if it means and unexpected change won't load a window that willl crash the game, it's worth it.

nomad980 · #6 12-01-2005, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drumstix42

They put it in for us, not for them...

Also, what happens if we don't have the version parameter in our custom windows? Does it affect anything? To me reading it only affected it is if you had an old version number in there, not if there wasn't a version number at all...

/shrug So do we need to put them in? Didn't come across that way to me.

*edit* And why would it affect windows that aren't part of the default UI? Why would it be checking version numbers on your 300 extra windows? That doesn't make any sense to me.

*edit2*
Just as I thought. So why Laffs are you complaining so bad on something that doesn't even have to affect you?

Not trying to be mean, it just seems like they tried to add something useful, and all I see are bad things.

They work in a sense. All I have noticed is that the client complains about it. I recently got this problem only with the persona window and the hotbar. The persona window had a wrong version number, while the hotbar didnt have the version parameter at all. After adding it the hotbar worked just fine, and I was even able to change the size on it without any problems at all. I believe that's all I can think of saying at the current time, if I come up with anything else hopefully I will remember to post.

Laffs · #7 12-01-2005, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Just as I thought. So why Laffs are you complaining so bad on something that doesn't even have to affect you? [img]../images/smilies/confused.gif[/img] Not trying to be mean, it just seems like they tried to add something useful, and all I see are bad things.

Even if it dont break anything then still going to get spammed to death by peeps asking "why do I get this error, why does it say this etc etc", So they will have to be put in at some stage anyway...

Thats just the way I see it..... Im not realy complaining that badly, To me I am more so voiceing my oppinion and asking as to why at the same time sort of thing....... Exactly the same as what your doing by quoteing me on it m8

lol

**Drumstix42** · #8 12-01-2005, 01:42 PM

So people will get some errors, and hope that the author updates them in time. The worst case senario, you filter it to a tab you never check!

**Landiin** · #9 12-01-2005, 03:56 PM

I realy like the idea just not the process. If they would have one file with all the ver numbers in it, kind of like the eq2ui_skininfo.xml page it would be a lot better. About not having a version propertie at all, I'll bet you my next pay check that will be changed. They are letting things slide for now so every UI will not be broke and letting authors play catch up but in the next couple of LU Im sure it'll change.

Agathorn · #10 12-01-2005, 04:11 PM

So how much is your next paycheck?

I doubt that will change, as all it does now if theres no value is default to I think 1.0.0 or something like that. Bobble said it in another thread. Theres no reason for them to require an entry there as ALL properties have a default if its omitted.

**Drumstix42** · #11 12-01-2005, 05:36 PM

Ok, someone create a program that searches for all XML files under a directory (sub folders included), or just default XMLs, and have it update their versions to what you want. Also, let it "ask you" before each file change

Then, all should be super again!

**Landiin** · #12 12-01-2005, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agathorn

So how much is your next paycheck?

I doubt that will change, as all it does now if theres no value is default to I think 1.0.0 or something like that. Bobble said it in another thread. Theres no reason for them to require an entry there as ALL properties have a default if its omitted.

Thats the just about the same thing as I said. If version isn't included in the modded window it'll default to 1.0.0 and if the current default window is 2.0.0 the modded on will not work.

**Landiin** · #13 12-01-2005, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drumstix42

Ok, someone create a program that searches for all XML files under a directory (sub folders included), or just default XMLs, and have it update their versions to what you want. Also, let it "ask you" before each file change

Then, all should be super again!

Already there

Just maken it check modded windows vs the default windows now and list the files where the version number will not let it work.

Agathorn · #14 12-01-2005, 06:01 PM

Sorry I misread your statement to be "They'll force the use of a version number". Yeah eventually the major version will be higher than the default so at that time if you don't include a version number it won't work

**Wulfgyr** · #15 12-03-2005, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Ok, someone create a program that searches for all XML files under a directory (sub folders included), or just default XMLs, and have it update their versions to what you want. Also, let it "ask you" before each file change Then, all should be super again!

oXygen/ , an XML editor. Will do the job, until Landiin gets a specific version for EQ2 up and running. And it can do whole directories at a time.

Wulfy

Agathorn · #16 12-03-2005, 11:07 AM

I really don't see how a program will really make things all that much easier. Different windows may have different current versions..if its a major version change the window will most likely need to be fixed anyway as well.

I dunno.. seems to me the best bet is just to not have the warnings on minro versions and for us to tell our users if its a minor version ewarning (IE if they get a warning but the window still loads) then just ignore it. I think theres actually an option in the options window to supress minor warnings.