Advice For Someone Looking to Learn

[wiire]

Hello, I am currently downloading UIBuilder-

My first question.. it seems really really old, without any updates. Is it still the best/only thing to use?

Now.. I have never edited anything like UI pieces.. I know nothing about coding (I took a computer science class and dropped it- I HATED all the coding)

I am into graphic design and manipulation.. but am also obsessed with having the perfect UI. I would like to try to edit some existing ones to make them 'perfect for me.'

Do you guys have any advice for a noob?

Ok, I just opened UIBuilder and opened an existing UI piece.. I have no idea where to begin- I will try to read the super long word document.. but since this is pretty old, I would like to still post here and ask for up to date/new advice.

Again... I have no idea what I'm doing and just want some tips of what you guys did when you started out. Especially anyone who was not into coding before they started with UIs. Ty.

[Othesus]

Hi Auroz!

Did you unzip the UIBuilder in your EQ2 folder? That's the most recent one, dated 11/18/2005 and the doc is dated 3/4/2005.

The best beginner guide is this one from tonyis3l33t:
http://www.eq2interface.com/forums/showthread.php?t=858

A few other points I would add:
1. Copy the file eq2ui.xml from the Default folder to your custom folder if you don't already have one. (You don't need to copy everything like the guide says.)
2. Make a copy of your custom UI folder and only work on the copy with the UIBuilder. I just CTRL drag the folder down until a plus symbol appears.
3. Zonx actually recommends making one more copy of your custom UI folder. The reason is that when you save in the UIBuilder it saves a huge number of files, many more than you want to. It also doesn't save some of the files properly like the EQ2MAP files and the Infocenter files. So, you'll have your normal custom UI folder that is stable, the second custom UI folder that you're working on new UI pieces, and the third custom UI folder that is for opening and saving from the UIBuilder. After you save in the UIBuilder and it saves a ton of new files, just copy the xml file you want from folder 3 to folder 2. If you want to test out the changes in the game, point your eq2.ini at folder 2 and try them out.
4. Start out with a very simple change and work your way from there.
5. Download other custom UI pieces and look at how other people have changed the default UI.
6. If you can't figure something out search the forums or just ask here.

If you want to edit the xml files directly with a text editor I recommend Notepad++ with the xml plugin. I only use the UIBuilder to visualize things and test some scripting but I do any actual editing in Notepad++ to avoid mess the UIBuilder makes when it saves.

Let us know if you have any other questions!