Elton

I hate asking, but I can't seem to get to the bottom of my problems with some UI mods I made. Here are my files. I didn't make many mods so there's not much in there. I will try to be as specific as possible regarding the changes I made. If I leave anything off please let me know and I can try to provide better information. Thank you in advance for any help any of you are able to provide and for just taking the time to look at it for those that may not be able to help.

The files are:

EQUI_BreathWindow
- I made this window a little smaller and centered the guage. The default breath window has the guage off center to the left and it just annoyed me. I do not think there is a problem with this mod, but since it is among the files in this UI mod I am including it here. I made this mod myself. It's not something I downloaded off the internet.

EQUI_BuffWindow
- I'm not positive, but I think this is the buff window I got from Thott. All his mods are on his page here. I use his buff window on a UI that functions correctly now so I don't think there is a problem with it in my mods, but once again, I have it in my mod folder so I am including it here.

EQUI_CastingWindow
- I got this mod from Thott also. Here is another link to his page. I use this on a UI that functions correctly now so I don't think there is a problem with it in my mods, but once again, I have it in my mod folder so I am including it here.

EQUI_CastSpellWnd
- I think I know what the problem with this mod is. I wanted to make this window smaller to match the size of my Hot Button window. I think I have some overlapping spell gems causing them to fade out completely when I move the cursor over them. Oddly, I started trouble shooting the UI problems this morning by moving UI files one by one in to my TestUI folder and reloading it, and when I had this mod in there alone the skin loaded okay. I can still cast spells from it, but the fade out is annoying. This should be an easy fix when I get the chance. I am including it because it is among the files in this modified UI folder.

EQUI_ChatWindow
- I don't think there are any issues with this mod. I just removed some of the frilly border and the close box and minimize box buttons. Included because it is one of the files in my UI mod.

EQUI_GroupWindow
- Once again, I got this from Thott here. It works fine in another mod I use and I did not change it so I can only assume it is not the cause for my UI woes. Included in the zip because it's among the files in my UI mod.

EQUI_HotButtonWnd
- I downloaded the minihotkey_inv.zip file here on this site. I modified it by removing the current/max weight, the exp bars, the title bar, and resized it to fit with my other mods a bit better. I don't think there are any problems with it, but I'm not positive. I had problems with it when I made some changes to it at one time, but I downloaded the file and made the changes a second time and didn't have the same trouble. This file may or may not have issues. I need to test a bit more. I can post an update after I get home later.

EQUI_PlayerWindow and EQUI_TargetWindow
- I am listing these together because I moved something from one and added it to the other. I am using Thott's files again. Here is that link again. I like having the player HP bar in my player window. I moved it from the player window to the target window and adjusted the size of both windows. Thott reversed the target window and the player window. Thott's mod has the target window flash while you are attacking. The player window is what did this before so he just moved the guts of his old mods from one to the other and vice versa. I use his current mods in a UI that works fine, so I know his files are okay. When I add these two files to my mod folder and reload the skin I get the error message that my files are not compatible with EQ and some windows may not function correctly. I am pretty sure one of these files is causing the error.

windows_pieces02.tga
- I wanted to be able to see which slot was what on the hotbutton mod so I am using this .tga file to make them more clear. I am almost positive this is not the cause for any of the problems.

Like I said above the error I get is some compatibility issue with EQ and my mods. The goofy thing is that the UI will load and appear the way I want it. I haven't actually had problems with any window not functioning correctly (other than the spell gems fading out), but I also haven't tested it much. I'm betting it's some syntax or reference error. I tried to eliminate the error using Sidlwidl, Cooktop and comparing my mod to the default file, but no luck. The mod loads fine in Sidlwidl by the way. That's what I used to check the placement of the items I adjusted.

Any help is appreciated.

grottel

easiest way to identify them is to put each file in its own mod folder.

Load a mod, note any errors, then load the default.
repeat until you've checked each of the files (check all even you find an error in one).

if you set up all the folders, you only need to enter game once to identify the bad file(s).

I use testa, testb, testc etc... for the mod folder named when testing a problem like this.

Elton

Let me be a bit more specific. I use EQW when I test my UI files. That way I can make changes and reload the skins without having to log in and out of the game, of course that's just bewteen you and I I'm actually not a fan of EQW. It makes the game too laggy and it's not easy playing two characters using it. I have two PCs as it is and would go batty trying to play three characters. The modified UI folder can be loaded without having to re-enter the EQ window so it's much, much faster than having to log in and check, log out make changes, log back in, etc...

I was doing some testing on some other mods I made to the target and player windows I got from Thott and got errors when I had one file in the folder, but not both for some reason. It may been something else I did, but I'm not positive. It seemed to me that the files may be linked somehow and causing an error. That's why I thought it might be possible for a file to not cause an error when loaded with no other files, but will cause an error under certain circumstances when loaded with additional files. If that's not correct and each file is treated as a single unit and not affected by the text of another file it makes pinpointing the trouble files easier.

I am sure the target and player window files are at least part of the problem. I can load the skin with them included and it appears to function, but I get the error message upon loading. Visually, it seems to be okay, but I must have made a mistake changing the code somewhere. It's just beyond my knowledge of XML to root out and solve the problem. I'll keep working on it, but I was hoping someone here with a bit more information might have the answer or could tell me what they did when they had a similar problem.

Elton

I was able to do a bit more testing. I can load all but the player window and target window without trouble. It's those two that are giving me the errors. The skin still loads, but I get the message that some of my files are not compatible with EQ.

Elton

According to this thread I need the "Pet_HP" tag in the player window somewhere. If it's not there the Pet Window will not function properly. I know I removed that when I chaged the windows. I tried putting it back in but got an error when I loaded and the game loaded the default skin. Do I need one of the references to be "CopyOf"? How can I include it in the code, but not have it display graphically or screw with anything else? Should I place it outside the box or set the size to 0x0? Any thoughts?

Elton

I moved the unwanted "Pet" items to location 0, 0 and changed the zize to 0, 0 and no luck. I reverted back to an old player window and target window using the original windows for each one and it seems to work fine.

I still can't keep my spell gems from fading completely out when I pass the cursor over them. I'm not sure why this is happening. I even tried using the default spell casting window and it does the same thing.

Elton

It seems that the "windows_pieces02.tga" file was the problem with the spell gems fading all the way out. I can load the skin w/o that file and it works fine.

If anyone has sugestions besides my own ramblings feel free to join the discussion I am having with myself. I keep updating this thread hoping someone else will have a better answer for me. If not, maybe I can save someone else the trouble if they are experiencing similar trouble. I'll eventually figure it out

Cairenn

Did you also remember to add the Pieces line at the bottom of the file for the item you put back in (namely the Pet_HP)?

__________________
"My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us
be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world."

Co-Founder & Admin: MMOUI
FaceBook Profile, Page, Group
Avatar Image by RafM

Elton

I'm almost positive I did. I can try again to double check. I was making so many changes to the file and reloading it that it's possible I could have left it out. I know I moved it originally when I made the initial changes. I have scrapped the mods and started from scratch a few times, too. I was afraid I may have been creating new errors by not starting from scratch so I reloaded a skin I knew functioned and modified it from there. Once I knew what to look for it was much easier.

I knew nothing about XML when I started making changes. I know next to nothing now, but I'm able to feel my way through. I am not creating new mods. I am taking existing mods and rearranging the content of the window. Most of it has been removing unwanted items. All those seem to function fine. It's this target and player window mod that is giving me fits.

Cairenn

Just make sure that you don't actually *remove* any pieces from the target and player windows.

Instead, either place them at a position outside the window (x 50000 y 50000 or some such), or my preferred way of doing it is to set them at 0,0 and SIZE them 1,1.

They don't show then, but are still there for EQ to find, so it won't have a hissy fit.

Elton

I'll try that. I had been removing the pieces from the modified player window (target window) when I moved the information to the target window (player window).

Thanks for the help also It's very much appreciated.

edit - If I want the player HP guage in the player window (target window) and I do not remove it from the target window (player window) do I need to refer to it in one of the locations as "Copyof"? I downloaded a hotbuttin mod that did that.

Cairenn

You can either "Copy of" or (again, my preference) is to make the NEW one in the other window refer to that window. I know, that doesn't make sense, but I don't know how to properly say it, so I'm going to give you an example.

For example, if you want to put the Player HP guage in the Target Window, this is what you would do:

The original Player HP guage in the Player Window stays the same name, you've just made it invisible (method already discussed).

The NEW Player HP guage in the Target Window, you would re-name to be TW_Player HP Guage. TW_ stands for Target Window.

Another example:

If you were adding a casting bar to the Player Window, you would name it PW_Casting Guage. PW_ for Player Window.

See what I mean?

That also allows you to have the same item in as many windows as you want, all with distinct names so EQ doesn't choke on the "duplicate items" ... without the last one being named:

CopyofCopyofCopyofCopyofCopyofPlayer HP Gauge.

Make sense?

Elton

that seemed to do the trick. I renamed the duplicate items (I did use "Copyof" though) and resized and rearranged unwanted items and I can load the skin. I getthat pesky "incompatible" message, but I think that's unrelated to what I did. I can't thank you enough for the help Cairenn. It is very very much appreciated.

Cairenn

Check your UIError.txt file in your main EQ directory. You will (likely) see all kinds of lines like this:

[Fri Oct 18 23:52:53 2002] Warning: file SIDL.xml not found in directory UIFiles\cairenn\. Attempting to use file from Default skin.

Ignore those. Scroll through until you find the one(s) that say:

[Fri Oct 18 23:52:53 2002] Error: blah blah blah

That will tell you what and where your problem is. If you can't figure it out from there, post it here and someone will likely be able to help you out.