Open Paperdoll, Backpack, and Atlas on startup

[Gildar]

I have fixed two mods, and added a new one to allow you to have your paperdoll, backpack, and atlas automatically open when you start the game.

Available here:
http://uo.modders-exchange.net/modpackaging

 

[canary]

This isn't working correctly for me, upon opening of SA I get a blank paperdoll now. I have to close the paperdoll then reopen.

 

[Gildar]

Grr...
*makes a note to test these things by actually closing the client and starting it back up, instead of just re-loading the client*

 

[EnigmaMaitreya]

I know the feeling ... as in your not alone

 

[Gildar]

Ok - seems to be working now.

 

[Old Man of UO]

What's the difference between a "Skin" and a "Mod"? I see this is posted as a Mod.

 

[lucitus]

What's the difference between a "Skin" and a "Mod"? I see this is posted as a Mod.

Skins are styles normally, another looking backpack for example, this are also mods but with style changes.

Mods are all this, Mods stand for modification and this includes all things which are different from the standard interface. Normally Mods are doing things in background, here open the paperdoll and backpack automatically.

 

[Old Man of UO]

Thanks Lucitus.

Now, my Atlas opens up just fine with this mod, but the paperdoll (which I prefer not to have anyway) and backpack don't open.

 

[Gildar]

There are three seperate mods.
One does the Atlas, one does the Paperdoll, and one does the Backpack (Inventory).

 

[MissEcho]

There are three seperate mods.
One does the Atlas, one does the Paperdoll, and one does the Backpack (Inventory).

Thanks for these Guildar, they are great and they are working well. Could I suggest for the dummies like me that when you post on here advising availability you put where they need to go. I "guessed" and put mine in folder 'custom settings' but it was a 'guess'. I wasn't sure if they went in the source folder or texture folder etc. (note these are all folder in my created folder called MYUI) not the default etc.

I so love it that you are putting things up as stand alone MODS rather than whole skins as sometimes I only want 'half' of what a skin offers and not the rest. I am waiting for a 'skin' that doesn't change anything else other than the 'appearance' so that I can select the mods I want rather than get a package deal.

Also perhaps one of you can do a 'Custom UI' Structure Guide, I am happy to put it on Spellweave if we could agree on 'format'. (Or if I have it kinda correct (as below) I am happy to post it, lol, I am just a bit wary of giving incorrect information)

Ie on my Custom UI Link for SAClientUserGuide it would be great if I was able to put say something like:

If you want to use a custom UI for the various 'mods' you prefer created by the modders, go to the following directory:

C://Program Files/Electronic Arts/Ultima Online Stygian Abyss/User Interface

# In the User Interface Folder create a Folder called: MY_CUSTOM_UI

# Inside this folder create an additional folders called: Source, Textures, Icons

Then for us 'dummies' when you guys post availability of the various mods/skins you could say something like:

* download the Icon Loader from here 'link' and the custom settings from here 'link' and put them in your folder called 'MY_CUSTOM_UI ' located in your User Interface folder (if this folder does not exist go to 'myspellweaveuipage' and create the directory structure as shown there before commencing.).

Then

* Mods to have your paperdoll, backpack, and atlas automatically open download here 'link' and put them in your Custom Settings folder.

Or for 'other' downloads the relevant 'folder' to put them in.

If downloading a whole SKIN Package you could post: download SACopper or BitterBlack_SA and place the unzipped folder into the 'User Interface' folder.

Perhaps it isn't as 'easy' as this, and maybe it can't be done this way, I am not sure, but I find each time I download a MOD atm I am a little intrepid as I am not sure what I am doing and sometimes take ages trying to figure out what folder stuff goes in especially when stuff is coming from different modders. I noticed you trying to get some broad 'consistency' when naming icons etc so hope that we can get some kinda of 'directory' structure that I can post up to make life easier as I know if I am having a fair bit of trouble, then others most likely are and a simple 'link' explaining the broad structure would be helpful. I am not sure how you would go with say a SKIN called eg "RED_SKIN" using just the 'selected' mods of your choice and how the 'structure' would have to be. Perhaps:

C://Program Files/Electronic Arts/Ultima Online Stygian Abyss/User Interface/RED_SKIN/

Source or Texture or Icons when telling what folder stuff went in etc.

I found it particularly difficult downloading icon mods off different 'modders' as it seems different Icon Loader thingos are used. I really would like to assist in 'streamlining' the directory structure/folder creation if everyone can agree to something.

And now I am even confusing myself with this lol but I think you will understand what I am getting at.? Suggestions? Is there a way to do this?

 

[Gildar]

Well, I'm hoping to get good guides added to the Modders Exchange on how to add various mods (if you want to help, that would be awesome - hopefully what I've written below will be enough to explain it to you, but you can write up what you think is correct [feel free to give false restrictions to make it easier to follow] and then send it to me to check for accuracy).


For these particular ones, you can put them anywhere within the skin you're using (once XML file loading for Mods is actually fixed, that will be true for all mods).

If you're using SACopper, for example, and want to add the OpenAtlasOnStartup mod (picking this one since it only has one file and one folder - replace the single file with everything in the one folder for any other mod)...

You could put it in...
SACopper/OpenAtlasOnStartup.mod
SACopper/OpenAtlasOnStartup /OpenAtlasOnStartup.mod
SACopper/Source/OpenAtlasOnStartup.mod
SACopper/Icons/RacialAbilities/OpenAtlasOnStartup/OpenAtlasOnStartup.mod
Or anywhere else you want it, as long as it is under the SACopper directory.


For any mod that needs to be in a specific location (like the Icon Packs), there is a readme file in the zip that says where it needs to go.

As for using any of the mods without a skin to go with it, the Source, Textures, and Icons folders are not necessary unless a mod says it needs to go in those folders.

As for posts saying what is available... I'm slacking a bit on details partly because it's still beta (lousy excuse since KR is dead, I know), and partly because I'm so busy trying to just get all the framework stuff back in that we lost from KR when I have time to do UO mod work.

 

[Old Man of UO]

Thanks Gildar... I was wondering the same thing.

 

[Radix]

mm, then, Gildar, if i understand, mod files, at least xml files, can be in any place while into a custom UI directory? Then you overwrite all matching files if this mod contain some of this?
Best way is to copy you prefered ui skin to another directory, like sa_copper_modded, isn't it?

Any posibilty of next mod will be Increased Backpack Items Icons? something more like the size and form the items have when you drag it, not so huge of course, not so tiny as it's when dropped. Something like the ridiculous tiny size of 'small' weapons like ornate axes, by example, or the big size "change" when you drag a (b.e) gargish banner.

(What were devs thinking when they did the backup icons?)

Thank you!!

 

[Gildar]

mm, then, Gildar, if i understand, mod files, at least xml files, can be in any place while into a custom UI directory? Then you overwrite all matching files if this mod contain some of this?
Best way is to copy you prefered ui skin to another directory, like sa_copper_modded, isn't it?

There are two basic types of add-ons for the Enhanced Client.
1. Mods - Independent add-ons that the client knows to add because of ".mod" files.
2. Skins/Partial Skins - Overrides of things that are part of the default skin.

For mods, you want to make sure all the files for the mod are in the same relative location to each other as the author made them. Other than that, they can be placed anywhere within the directory of the skin you are using (but you will want to make sure you are not overwriting any files in the process).

So if you're given a zip with the following contents...

/SomeMod.mod
/SomeMod.lua
/SomeModSpecialSauce/
/SomeModSpecialSauce/SpecialSauce.lua

And you've got a skin that looks like...

/BobsSkin/interface.xml
/BobsSkin/SomeMod.lua

You don't want to put SomeMod directly into the BobsSkin directory. You'll instead want to make a subdirectory (probably called "SomeMod") and add it there instead. Or you might want to keep things organized a little because you plan on adding lots of mods, and add it like this:

/BobsSkin/interface.xml
/BobsSkin/SomeMod.lua
/BobsSkin/Mods/SomeMod/SomeMod.mod
/BobsSkin/Mods/SomeMod/SomeMod.lua
/BobsSkin/Mods/SomeMod/SomeModSpecialSauce/
/BobsSkin/Mods/SomeMod/SomeModSpecialSauce/SpecialSauce.lua

However, since the name of files usually coincides with the contents of the file... if you have two lua files with the same name, you might have problems anyway (but as long as skin and mod authors appropriately name their files and lua constructs, it should be rare to encounter problems).



For skins/partial skins, combining can be difficult. You will often need to overwrite some files, and doing so might cause one of the skins you are combining to break.

Yes, you do need to be careful about overwriting same-named files (though if the names are appropriate, this should rarely be a problem).

Any posibilty of next mod will be Increased Backpack Items Icons?

I don't plan on working on that any time soon, but other modders might.

 

[Radix]

yep, sorry for asking prior to trying, i've copied the mods (3) dirs into a copy of my current skin dir and it works great, well, i will prefer the radar map than atlas but it's ok, very nice to login with paperdoll and backup ready =)
nice job!
wish we have a lot of mods soon, hehe, something like KR mod xD

thank you very much for your time and your answers!

 

[Beastmaster]

Gildar,

Thanks alot for the paperdoll and backpack mods. From a hardcore 2der these were must haves for me.