Version 3.1 of UI Timer released, plus new user-submitted skins
 

NOTE: The information in this thread is outdated. Please visit the new thread for information on the latest release.

Version 3.1 of UI Timer is released! This version features the following enhancements:

• Full/Compact Versions - Due to popular demand, I've created a "compact" version of the timer. This version is designed for players using low-resolution displays, or for those who want to save screen space. The compact version removes the buttons, and places the timers closer together.
• Additional Timers - You can now choose up to 12 timers (instead of 8).
• Additional Row/Column Configurations - There are now many different ways to arrange your timers (for example: 2x2, 3x4, 5x2, etc.)
• New Windows - Many new windows have been added since v3.0, including the bug window, feedback window, gems window, notes window, and friends window. There are now a total of 12 different windows to choose from.
• Other Options - You can now specify how the timer bars should be animated (fill up or empty out), and the text color for your timers. As with v3.0, you can specify a custom label, duration, and color for each timer.

Visit the UI Timer site to create your own custom timer configuration:
http://www.horizonsoutpost.com/eq/timer.asp

Also, a new section has been added to the timer site. This section contains a listing of user-submitted skins for the timer. Here, players can view and download new "looks" for their timers, to match the rest of their UI better. To start off the new section, Tipop has submitted some very nice graphics for the timer. To create and submit your own timer graphics, follow the instructions on the page. Check this section often for new submissions.

Finally, I want to say thanks to everyone for their tremendous support. Over 16400 configurations of the timer have been generated over the last 3 weeks, since the release of v3.0. I really appreciate all the positive feedback and valuable suggestions that I've received, without which the timer would not have been possible.

Edit (10/29/02) - Version 3.2 is now available, and it includes a fix as well as some enhancements. Changes in 3.2:

• The slider will no longer be able to move past its boundaries. This bug is reproducible in the 3.1 (and earlier) slider timer by moving the slider to either end, then clicking around on the bar. Not a serious problem, but you can download version 3.2 for a fix.
• It is now easier to move the timer window. You can now click and hold on any of the four edges, as well as any space between the timers, to get the move cursor.
• In addition to dragging the slider, there are now two other options for moving the slider. You can click on the bar to either side of the slider to move it in large increments, or you can use the buttons (full version only) to move it in small increments.
• The slider timer's duration can now be specified in one-second increments. Useful for those who want to time special events that don't necessarily happen in ticks, like CH rotations.
• The maximum duration of the slider timer has been increased to 4 hours (actually, 3:59:59). This will allow extra long buffs/abilities to be timed.

Edit (12/5/2002) - Version 3.3 has been released to fix a compatibility issue with the 12/5 patch. This issue only affects those using the bug report window for the timer.

Edit (1/9/2003) - Version 3.4 has been released to fix a compatibility issue with the 1/9 patch. This issue only affects those using the pet info window for the timer.

Edit (1/20/2003) - Version 3.5 has been released to fix a compatibility issue with the 1/9 patch. This issue only affects those using the bug report window for the timer. The problem doesn't cause an error when initially loading the timer in the bug report window, but can potentially cause a crash later on when using /loadskin or when logging out. Please generate a new XML file using version 3.5 if you are using the bug report window.

Old Forum Threads
Here are the links to my other timer threads. Some of the information in these threads may be outdated, because they are old and many improvements have been made to the timer since then. However, they might be useful for troubleshooting installations, or for anyone who is interested in reading more about how the timer has evolved.

UI Timer v3.0 - Slider Timer
Slider Timer Prototype
Original Dial/Digital Timer

Very nice, Arista. I like how you update to feed our needs ^.^ One question: Any chance you could put the analog tick dial clock on the Actions window? As a seperate tab on the actions window? This is the one mod i've been wanting for a long time:P I know you probably can't have the markers on it, but could you please try? Or *someone* try it? I'd be eternally grateful, or at least for a few hours :D good luck, and keep up the great work...or else!:eek:

Actually, a few weeks ago I updated the tick dial marker so that it is button-based (instead of tab-based). What I mean is, instead of clicking on a row of tabs at the top, you can now click on the number directly:



So yes, the dial/digital timer can now exist completely in another tab, since it no longer uses tabs. I'll create a combo mod with the dial/digital timer on an additional tab in the Actions window. Thanks for the suggestion!

Edit: Speaking of the new button-based dial marker, I've been thinking of using a similar mechanism for the bar timer. Instead of the slider, there will be a row of small, close-together buttons, which you can click to mark the bar. I'm planning to call it the "Click Timer". This will be the next major enhancement to the bar timer.

Awesome! Have a banana:D

:nana: If you get lonely, you can pretend he's dancing just for you. Ok, i'll go away now.:eek:

Just curious, how do you restart the timer? I wanted to use one to time the new mod rod use. It has a 5 minute reset time, and I d/l a timer for 5 min for it and 1 for general use at the max time. Do I have to /loadskin when I get a mod rod, in order to get it to restart the time? I thought that was the function of the slider, but I seem to be mistaken.

When you use the mod rod, just move the slider so that it points to the current position of the bar (in your 5-minute timer). The bar will keep moving, starting over when it reaches the end. It will take the bar exactly 5 minutes to reach the slider's position again. So when the bar reaches the slider again, you know you can use the mod rod again. You never have to reset the timer, because you can use the slider to mark the time when you want to start timing.

thank you so much i made the text black and used the condensed version with the bones pic and love it :)

Ok I love the condensed version but I've found a problem. If you do the horizontal lineup without the buttons instead of the vertical, the sliders can move out of range of the bar animation and you cannot move them back at all. I can't really explain how to do it other than to move a slider all the way to the left or right and then click around that area a few times, the slider will inch its way beyond the timer. Very annoying but doesn't seem to happen if using vertical.

Just a quick question about the timer code. (Probably a dumb question :p ) Can it be placed into another window, say the pet info window of the vert crystal meth 2.2 I'm currently using the friends window timer (just a general 30 minute timer), but when I zone the window goes away. Not a real big problem, but I was thinking of placing it under the pet's health bar (I don't use the buttons so I was going to remove them). Is this idea possible? Thanks for any help.

:nana:

Help please.
 

Arista previously with the round dial you were able to have it in the Pet Window and still retain the pet controls.

Is this still possible as I have searched the site and can't find the option.

I prefer the dial for some mezzing and the slider for buffs so the ability to have the dial and the pet buttons would rock.

Alternatively would the Pet Window including this still work with the last patch that modified the pet Window?:nana:

Marcin - Thanks. I will take a look at that this weekend.

Forry - The Vert 2.2 mod uses the pet window to display two tabs of information, I believe. While the slider timer cannot be placed in one of those tabs (it currently uses tabs itself, and they cannot be nested), it is possible to place the timer below the tab view (you would have to enlarge the window though).

Wolja - The mod that combines the dial with the pet buttons is still available for download, just go to "Other Downloads" in the "Customize" section of the site. Note that the combo mods listed there still use version 2.2 of the timer, as I haven't migrated them to version 3.0 yet. Should work with the patch, since the change to the pet window was minor and doesn't affect the timer.

How's my requested action window timer coming, ari? I can't wait till it's done O.o

Due to my full-time job and commute, I have limited time on weekdays to work on timer stuff. I'll do it this weekend - have a banana while you wait. :nana:

Problems
 

I do not know what it is, but I cannot seem to download the timer bar =( keeps saying file not fround for the animations...if anyone could pls email me the base ani bar i would appreciate it

[email protected]

Re: Problems
 

If you have a download manager such as Download Accelerator, you may have to press ALT as you click the download button. As an alternative, try downloading the timer skin from the "User-submitted skins" section (link at top of "Customize" section), which uses direct links to the file. I'll also email you the file just in case.

Arista
One more question given my non XML knowledge.

I have created a slider timer in the friends window. How do I move it as the border is gone. It comes up immobile in the middle of the screen.

Thanks in advance
Wolj:) :nana:

First, make sure your window is not locked (via right-click context menu). Then, click and hold on the bottom edge of the window, just below the bottom-most timer. When you click and hold, the move cursor should appear - if it doesn't, click around until it appears. Once you see it, you can then drag the window to wherever you want.

The left edge (just to the left of the timers) or the right edge (just to the right of the timers) will also work, but the bottom edge works the best. Note that there is no place to click on the top edge that will allow you to move the window, due to a transparent overlapping element there.

Oh, no problem, ari...I know how Real Life can get in the way often...I'm still in high school >.< Sorry to seem like I was rushing you. Take it easy. And thanks for the banana! :D :nana:

Does this run post POP? I installed POP then tried to slap in a custom timer and had no luck :(

Wanted to hear that it worked for someone before messing with it more ;)

I have just confirmed that the timer still works after the 10/25 patch. What expansions you've installed shouldn't affect whether or not a UI mod works, as everyone gets the same UI files (just some features aren't enabled based on your expansions). However, since I don't have POP yet, if someone with a timer installed can confirm that, please post here.

That being said, your problem is most likely due to a mod installation issue. Here are some troubleshooting tips, for common problems that people have:

1) Make sure you've waited for the full XML file to download, by scrolling down to the bottom and making sure that the last line is </XML>. If you grab the source before it is fully downloaded, you can end up with a partial file.

2) Make sure you've created a directory directly under EverQuest\uifiles and that the directory name is one word only (no spaces).

3) Make sure you have saved the XML file using the correct file name. The name you should use is specified near the top of the XML file. This is the most common error that peple make, and causes the timer to not show up at all. The correct file name always begins with "EQUI_" and corresponds to the window that you generated the XML for.

4) Make sure your graphics file is also named appropriately. Again, the correct file name for the graphics file is also specified near the top of the XML file.

Once you log in, and type /loadskin FOLDER 1, what happens? Look in your UIErrors.txt file (in the EverQuest directory) and see if there is a line with "Error" in it (lines with "Warning" are normal and expected). If there is an error, post it here and I'll take a look.

change colors
 

This timer is awesome!!

Is there a way to change the tick-down bars color to be a different color then the ones you have listed?

I wanted a dark purple clock, thx :)

The bars colors are set in the graphic file. If you want to twiddle with that, just load it into a paint program and go to town. (Just be sure to preserve the alpha channel.) That's how alternate skins are made for the timers, after all.

I installed PoP and haven't noticed any problems with my timer that i had before I got PoP, everything works just fine for me.

Shasriel

dont spose the pointers *have* to be pink yellow blue, etc? could they be variants of say... natural colors like brown and green? Or would that confuse people.

Yes, the "look" of the timer is definitely customizable any way you'd like. To modify the timer graphics (colors, textures, etc.), start with the default graphics file, which can be downloaded from the following URL:

Download default graphics file

The file looks like this:

(The image shown here is JPG for browser display only, you should download the TGA version for editing.)

Once you've downloaded the default file, you can open it up in a graphics program and make modifications to it. As long as the graphical elements stay in the same locations, the timer XML will load up your graphics correctly.

Modifying the timer graphics is definitely encouraged! If you create a timer skin that you'd like to share (see Tipop's skins for excellent examples), send it to me and I'll post it on the user-submitted skins section of the timer site.

Thanks, Shasriel, for confirming. :) I'm most likely not going to be PoP-enabled for some time, seeing as I spend less of my free time playing the game these days than working on the timer. :eek:

This mod is done, and is now available from the "Other Downloads" section of the timer site. The rest of the original default actions window has been preserved as-is; the only change is the addition of a new tab with the dial/digital timer on it.

Thank you!! *hugs*

It looks great! I can't thank you enough. You can have this banana though, for whatever reason you might want it O.o :nana:

Version 3.2 Released
 

Casanunda - you're welcome. Thanks for the banana. :)

I've investigated the slider problem that Marcin mentioned, and have released version 3.2 to fix it. This new release includes the following changes to the slider timer:

1. The slider will no longer be able to move past its boundaries. This bug is reproducible in the 3.1 (and earlier) slider timer by moving the slider to either end, then clicking around on the bar. Not a serious problem, but you can download version 3.2 for a fix.

2. It is now easier to move the timer window. You can now click and hold on any of the four edges, as well as any space between the timers, to get the move cursor.

3. In addition to dragging the slider, there are now two other options for moving the slider. You can click on the bar to either side of the slider to move it in large increments, or you can use the buttons (full version only) to move it in small increments.

Very, very nice. Wasn't a serious problem but it was very annoying, thanks Arista.