UI Adjustments.

[mor2]

i decided to see what does it take to make UI Adjustments, i think it will be more productive if i know what we work with.

i have found and extracted  0pics.pk3 file, few questions:
1. hud vs althud?  and besides those two and UI is there any other relevant folders?
3. if i want to try new textures all i have to do is replace the originals? is there some kind of mod mechanic that i can place my file with different textures that will be loaded instead. (easier than working with 170MB file)
3. scripts? where they are located? C++? do i need to compile the game if i change them? if so anyway to compile only that section because compiling the whole game will send my laptop to early retirement  

EDIT:
4. is there any documentation?

[H-Hour]

For new graphics, simply slot new image files over the existing image files you find in /base/pics.

Hud or Alt Hud depends on which configuration you want to deal with. The Hud is only the battlescape UI.

Documentation of the menu system is in the wiki.

[mor2]

Create the images for this menu (in base/pics)
Create the script files for this menu (in base/ufos/ui)

so if i understand to overwrite an existing menu i need to place it in base/pic
which is where the game will look for it by default otherwise it will load the 0pics.pk3

and i assume the 0ufos.pk3 hides the current ui?

[mor2]

i would also like to know the answers to the below questions:

I have a couple questions for Bayo to start:

1) We can do horizontal bars for health/etc, but is it possible to do vertical bars as well?

2) Is it possible to insert a button onto the edge of a container, as the attached image shows, and would this break with the existing UI style too much?

3) Is it possible to have a box that collapses when not in use? I'm thinking of the left-hand weapon. If there is no weapon, can you change the size of the box or is this not changable based on such parameters?

1. i dont think so unless there is some hidden property for vertical or there is bar2 class? ( but i assume its really easy to add)

Code: [Select]

pos "130 21"
size "298 6"
2. why not, you can place the button where ever you want or is it limited by the floor object initial pos,size ?
3. you should be able to disable the whole left panel or at least all of its individual elements?
after checking the appropriate var, where is the question... i assume in the hudinv? or something through ahud? (didnt watched further than the hud class)


another few:
a. is there a more technical documentation of the properties, for exmaple excluderect? ghost? mousefx? etc
b. can i do:

Code: [Select]

onMouseClick( *floor.bt1@disabled = false
             *floor.bt2@disabled = true
EDIT: and last, i tired and going to sleep but a quick thought, all of the controls defined by position size, which makes a squre but we have none square controls, so the capture are determined by the image? so no invisible buttons? 

[DarkRain]

1. i dont think so unless there is some hidden property for vertical or there is bar2 class? ( but i assume its really easy to add)

Code: [Select]

            pos    "130 21"
            size    "298 6"

Bar has a direction property:

Code: [Select]

direction      V_UI_ALIGN      Orientation of the bar. Default value "cr". Other available values are "uc", "lc", "cr", "cl"

I understand that ALING_UC (up-center) and ALING_LC (low-center) will give horizontal bars (from bottom to top, and from top to bottom)
And of course you'd need to give it a sensible size (taller than wide)

a. is there a more technical documentation of the properties, for exmaple excluderect? ghost? mousefx? etc

UI node behaviours

EDIT: and last, i tired and going to sleep but a quick thought, all of the controls defined by position size, which makes a squre but we have none square controls, so the capture are determined by the image? so no invisible buttons? 

Node has an invis property. Maybe this could help?

Code: [Select]

invis      V_BOOL      If true, the node is not displayed nor or activatable.

[mor2]

its called nodes not classes  i assumed it was c++ with "widget" like classes used to make it easier for none programmers like me(thus the little wired sintax at places) but i guess its not, what language is it? its look very much alike.

and so can you access a node from another node callback event, i didnt see any variable declaration but i assume that any node can call any other node? or its something todo with confunc?

so can i do this:
onMouseClick( *nodename.invis = true

[Kildor]

there is something-like C syntax, but it is not C. It is just declarative language. Also, confuncs look like mix of xpath and some other language.

[bayo]

...and so can you access a node from another node callback event, i didnt see any variable declaration but i assume that any node can call any other node? or its something todo with confunc?

so can i do this:
onMouseClick( *nodename.invis = true

I dont read before this message cause i am tired (but i will do it), anyway:
* We can access any nodes
* There is no variable declaration, but i am working on
* confunc or anyother work the same.

onMouseClick( *node:pathofthenode@invis = true

Please check http://ufoai.ninex.info/wiki/index.php/UFO-Scripts/ui/*.ufo and if the doc is not helpful, feed back or fix is welcome. The first entry of http://ufoai.ninex.info/wiki/index.php/How_to_script_UI show an example of node edition from another node.

[mor2]

what about my initial question, will placing a picture or script in base/folder/script.ufo
will make the game load it instead if the script.ufo  in base/0folder.pk3   ?

[bayo]

file from "homedir /base" overwrite file from "gamedir /base" which overwrite file from "gamedir .pk3".

[bayo]

/contrib/scripts/ui/examples/unittest_bar.ufo contain example of bar

[mor2]

and since its better to mess around with game dir, where is homedir?

p.s.

* We can access any nodes
*node:pathofthenode@invis = true

what i meant is that it looked like if i go high enough, i'll find that every node constructor creates a global variable with the same name holding a pointer to it, which is why i can basically access everything...

[bayo]

For dir, run the game and check the logs below "---- filesystem initialization -----".

what i meant is that it looked like if i go high enough, i'll find that every node constructor creates a global variable with the same name holding a pointer to it, which is why i can basically access everything...

I am not sure i understand the image. Each nodes have an unique identifier called "path" (constructed with names of all parents), and we can use this path to access to the node.

[mor2]

ok, then speaking of node path, how does call function works? for example here when called from hud?

Code: [Select]

    onClick {
if (*path??:hudinv@visiblewhen) {
call *node:root.showinventory
} else {
call *path??:hudinv.hideinventory
}
}
what is the path?

[geever]

what is the path?

UI path: *node:windowname.nodename or *node:windowname.panelname.nodename, you can use root and parent tokens as reference like *node:parent.nodename.

You should really check our current UI scripts. they're very informative and easy to understand IMHO.

Basedefence UI is a good example IMHO, it's quite new so uses the newest features


-geever