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Old 02-27-2011, 07:51 PM   #1
GreenDragon
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Default New UI Editor Concept (Feedback & Features wanted)

I am developing a new UI editor concept that I believe could have a broad reaching impact on the whole UI modification scene. Basically games that use an XML based UI format all have very similar layouts and ideas. For example a basic button is nearly the same in all XML based UIs. It has a normal image, pressed image, disabled image, size, location, and text. Of course how each separate game stores this in the XML is slightly different, be it either sub elements <size><x>10</x><y>20</y></size> or with attributes <size x=10 y=20 />. No matter how each widget/element/piece is describe in the XML it is still the same data.

What I am proposing is to create an all purpose UI editor that uses scripting based loading/saving for each type. Internally these widgets/elements/pieces are stored in a common format that the program can draw, but with the specialized elements (such as the EQ chat window element) you can call the script to describe how to draw that element. The script will read through the XML file and create a common internal element based on the XML data. Once editing is finished the same script just performs a reverse operation to put the common internal element's data back into the XML and saves it.

By using a common internal format things could be copied and pasted between UIs of different games to create a uniform look and feel. The future goal for a 2.0 would also be script based Live Mode to allow visual testing of the UI.

What I am looking for is some skilled scripters (familiar with angelscript would be helpful) or skilled C++ programmers. I am writing it tailored to Windows right now, but I am using interfaces that will allow cross-platform programing as well. Keep you eyes on this thread for an updates also please leave feedback and feature requests.
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Old 02-28-2011, 12:56 AM   #2
GreenDragon
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Progress.

I am implemented the editing window commands right now. These types of command allow the script to set up and modify the window itself (add menus, add function handlers to different items, set the window title, and open the OpenFileDialog). I need to know in what other ways should the script be able to change the editing window. I am planning a Toolbox feature and context menus for right-clicking.

Other working aspects include an ElementManager which stores a mapping of each element with adding/removing of elements. Elements themselves can have their properties set, though they do nothing right now. Elements also can have children elements added and their parent element set.

The XML loader is fully done with the scripting so you can navigate the full file with common sense functions.

Also check the post at WOWInterface as well http://www.wowinterface.com/forums/...ead.php?t=39110 .
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Old 03-02-2011, 07:56 PM   #3
Sinsu
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Default Thats awesome.

Hey thats the most AWESOME IDEA ...EVER! Im really hoping you can get some thing like this working. Im not a big time xml scripter. But id be willing to do any testing if needed on various platforms/games. Most games miss out on the importance of a good ui. They just want flashy ui..not functionable ui. EQ is prime example. Im my 30 years gaming...if there is a bug,it will find me wether i like it or not. So let me know if ya need some testing. Thanks.
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Old 05-05-2011, 05:21 PM   #4
Fremder
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Default Good Idea

I was actually going to post asking about something like this. I would like to be able to edit XML and be able to preview the changes without being logged in and reloading the UI constantly. I know nothing about programming and just wanted to say I'd love to see this program come out. It would make editing so much easier for those of us who don't know a whole lot about any languages and who like to see where the button or item moved to when we changed the location number to 43 instead of 33. Thanks for the interest and I'm glad it's not all about WoW. I downloaded that PXE (pete's xml editor) and it's a great editor, it just lacks what I really want, a preview window. Good luck with this project, I hope it's still in development and/or close to release.
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Old 11-09-2011, 08:27 PM   #5
goldbishop
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I am a solutions developer during the day....its not that its hard to design but so many facets to consider that make it almost cumbersome to develop.

I wouldnt mind grouping with a couple other serious developers to get this designed.

I personally am an IT developer, in short means i use VB to develop interfaces and light code-behind for various short-term solutions.

If some CSharp developer(s) could get in touch with me ill get a VS2008/2010 project started and shared out for collaboration.
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