CustomUI - A Toolkit to Build Your Own UI

**Slyde** · 05/30/2008 20:58:03

Introducing CustomUI, a new tool for those who like to fine-tune their user interface.

Ever wish you could try out some of the other UIs (Drox, Core, myUI) with just a few mouse clicks ? Or, have you wished that your UI had some of the features found in other UIs ? Well, now you can have it all with CustomUI !

CustomUI is not a new user interface. It is a database program (MS Access) that creates new Index.xml and SkinInfo.xml files based on the components you select. Since you select only what you plan to use, your CustomUI can be fine-tuned for better performance.

The database in this BETA version contains all of the latest versions of Drox, Core, myUI, VG Default, and InfoMap. It also includes a mod of the Core UI named 'CorePlus' which was built using CustomUI.

Note: This is a BETA release, and I am looking for a few people who would be interested in testing it and providing feedback.

The program does require MS Access Runtime (a free download, see user guide for link), or MS Access 2007.
If you are currently using Access 2002-2003 the Runtime module may affect your ability to use some features in those versions. If you are running those older versions of Access, and want to try out CustomUI, let me know and I will try to get you the program in another format.

User Guide & Installation Instructions

VGInterface Download

Alternate Download Site

Patch #2 (Includes Patch #1) Download, unzip, and read the CustomUI Patch Read Me.txt file for instructions.

Known Issues:

Textures - Each UI uses its own set of texture files, often using a common set of texture names. When you select a base UI in the CustomUI program, this determines which set of textures will be used. This means that if you select Core as your base UI, and add an object from myUI that uses a special texture, you will see the Core texture instead. The only way I can see to solve this problem, is for each texture and texture file to have a unique name, so they can all be loaded without any conflicts. It would be great if the UI authors could support this change.

Macros Lost - Switching between UIs may cause a loss of macros and hotkey settings. If you keep your current UI as your base UI in CustomUI, you should not lose macros or hotkeys. But switching to another UI may cause you to lose these settings. This happens when you replace the User.ini file with the one from your new base UI, and will most certainly happen if you switch from the Default to another UI. Solution (tip from Keli): Do all of your UI testing on the Test Server. That way your live server settings aren't affected until you are ready to switch to your new UI. I haven't tried this myself yet, so I'm not sure what steps neeed to be taken to set this up. Status: Some (not all) causes for this problem fixed in Patch #1

Conflicting Components - When UI authors create a replacement for a component in the Default UI, they often use the same name as the original component. For example, almost all UIs have a window named 'Main Menu', which is a modified version of the Default 'Main Menu'. This is not a problem when you install their UI as a full replacement for the Default. However, since CustomUI allows you to mix & match components from multiple UIs, you can have conflicts, and get unpredictable results if you happen to pick two objects with the same name. Normally you would not want to do this, but hey, when you give someone a set of building blocks and say "have fun", you're bound to see some crazy results !

Hotbar Conflicts - The Core and myUI Game Settings (Control Panel) files include code for the main hotbars. If you include these in your UI and try to use the Drox or Default hotbars you will have problems. Thanks to Shaeloth for tracking down this conflict. Status: Fixed in Patch #1

Missing User.ini files - It seems I forgot to copy the Drox and Core User.ini files into their Windows folders. Thanks to Shaeloth for catching this. Status: Fixed in Patch #1

myUI Missing Objects - Several objects were missing from the myUI interface (minimap, player status, primary hotbar). Status: Fixed in Patch #1

**rikoorakoo**

Dannnnggg man, you did some WORK. Awesome.

I'll try it out!

I'll also talk about what happens on the show...good or bad...cool? SMILEY

Beau

**Badem**

Hey this is exactly what i have been looking for, some aspects of various UI I love but never found them all together, have to check this out if possible SMILEY

**Slyde**

Thanks Beau.

Since this is a BETA version, how about holding off (the show) until I get some feedback and fix anything that needs it.

Thanks.

**Rokenn**

Careful! You may get banned for exploiting. As I was informed in Seradon regional chat the other night using any UI except the default UI is considered an exploit!

**Slyde**

Rokenn@Seradon wrote:

Careful! You may get banned for exploiting. As I was informed in Seradon regional chat the other night using any UI except the default UI is considered an exploit!

LOL, and then there are those who brand you a heretic if you don't use Drox !

Tumnayar

Cool Slyde, will definitely try this out soon SMILEY

**Teshuat**

Will this work with any other ui's? I really want to use Drox's "total xp" info on Cmod. There's only two ui's that I've found that have total xp other than x/2000 which is lame.

Owke

Wow! That would be awsome!

**Vendolyn**

Glad to hear your work is out for folks to try! Maybe I'll find what I'm looking for here ;p

**Slyde** · 05/20/2008 14:05:44

Teshuat@Xeth wrote:

Will this work with any other ui's? I really want to use Drox's "total xp" info on Cmod. There's only two ui's that I've found that have total xp other than x/2000 which is lame.

I'm not sure if I will be adding CMOD, since it is no longer updated, but the Drox "total xp" component can be used with any UI, if you know how to add the right file to the Index.xml. Using CustomUI you can add it to a UI based on Drox, Core, myUI, or the Default. Those are the only UIs supported in this BETA version.

I will be adding other UIs soon (Darker, Manic, Mothers, etc...). To add a UI, I need to add all of its files to the database, and test some of the major components. Sometimes I have to make modifications in order to get things to work in a mixed environment. For example, in Core the main game menu is in the same xml file as the settings menu. I had to split those into separate files so that those who choose Drox (for example) as their base UI would have the Drox main menu, but still be able to access the Core Settings menu (if they added Core components).

I have been 'scouring' VGInterface looking for UIs and UI components to include in the program. There are quite a few that are no longer supported, but I am checking them out anyway because they may have some interesting features that people might want to add to their CustomUI.

**Jemand**

This sounds really cool Slyde. I can't wait to try it out.

**Toldeo**

I'm going to try it out. I love a few things from certain UI's hope I can combine everything I want under almost the default UI.

Do you have a work in progress list or are you just looking how far it will go.

I'd like some shrinking to be implemented as well if possible SMILEY

I know too early for the requests to be honoured, but it's just something when you have time you could have a look at.

**Slyde** · 05/20/2008 15:45:07

Toldeo wrote:

I'm going to try it out. I love a few things from certain UI's hope I can combine everything I want under almost the default UI.

Do you have a work in progress list or are you just looking how far it will go.

I'd like some shrinking to be implemented as well if possible " /> I know too early for the requests to be honoured, but it's just something when you have time you could have a look at.

I don't really have a "work in progress" list at this point because, for me everything is working fine. All I really have in the way of future plans is to add more UIs and stand-alone components.

I have been using the program for several weeks now, and tested all of the supported UIs. Obviously, I can't test every possible combination of components, so there are bound to be some issues that I haven't seen yet. That's why I'm making it available for others to BETA test.

As for shrinking, I agree, I like things smaller too. One of the things I made smaller is the horizontal icon buff bar from the Default UI. I hope to make a whole set of components that are about 80% of normal size. For now I just have a hotkey ( "=" ) on an unused hotbar bank with the /uiwinscale .8 command in a macro. When I login, I just hover my mouse over each window and spam the "=" key. Takes me about 3 seconds to resize the whole UI.

**Thardren**

Thanks for investing your time in this, Slyde. I haven't even looked at it, but I'm very impressed that you would spend your free time making something to make the game more enjoyable for others.

I'll be giving it a whirl as soon as the workday ends (if it ever ends).