Something to consider for the modders

Why is every modder working with the original EQUI_Animations.xml? This way it is harder to 'mix' different mods and you have to 'fix' it every time VI patches the original xml file.



The animations do not have to be declared in EQUI_Animations.xml, they can stand in any xml file you want.



So modders should create a new xml file. Call it like the mod it is for.. for example mybuff_animation.xml. Add one line to your EQUI.xml file before any file that uses the new animations:



<Include>mybuff_animation.xml</Include>



In this file, define everything you need for your mod (textures usw), give them new names if you want to change existing definitions. Instead of A_DividerVertical call it A_NewDividerVertical (or whatever you want). Then in every file where you want to use that new definition, change that reference to the new name.



So if VI patches anything, all the user have to look for is the EQUI.xml file... and if that changes, only small corrections are neccessary, as every skin still uses the original EQUI_Animations.xml and should be less vulnerable to patches



So i hope every modder out there will rethink their mods and redo them to be more user friendly.


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I tried to do this with a mod I made and use. I was able to add another file to define the textures for my custom target window. Then in the EQUI_TargetWindow.xml I pointed to those defined textures and it worked great. The problem however, came when I tried to change the definitions for the background textures in the buff box. I added the word "Custom" before the names to designate those textures and then added them to yet another definition file. But unfortunately it seems as though VI has left some of these variables hardcoded, as it completely ignored my new definitions. After spending quite a bit of time trying to make sure I was doing everything right, I just gave up and started modifying the original animations file.


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Indeed, they've not loeft us much room to play with other files/windows.



My mod doesn't edit the Animations.xml for precisely this reason... having to re-build a zip for the Mod every patch is going to suck enough without having to splice files together to make it work. <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/wink.gif ALT=";)">


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[saoshen]

Why even bother creating a new <Include>mybuff_animation.xml</Include> ?? If you do, then you are still changing a global verant file.



Just put all that xml in the one appropriately named file for the window you want it in.



Quick, simple, and (almost) foolproof.






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