Please test the configurable chat window

[Bereror]

People with clients built from sources can test the configurable chat window with modified sources from here: Chat window sources.

Please let me know if you find something that still doesn't work before I commit changes to the CVS repository.

[Verrliit]

Oooohh, you have invented a cure for the terrible blindness?

Verrliit pounce-huggles Bereror, purring loudly...

You are just wonderful...

Thank you.


(Now would someone host torrents for compiled versions, pretty please?)


~Verrliit~

[Lanarel]

I did a quick test (few weeks old CVS). I tested mainly chat, npc chat, system messages from greeting, fighting, advising. No tells/guild/group. In general it seems to work as I imagine the idea is. Text appears in the main and original tab for the selected choices. Tabs flash only when selected to do so. The only thing I noticed that is not correct is the following:
If you target an NPC and type text in the main tab, the NPC does not hear you (as I would expect). Typing in the NPC type makes the NPC hear you. However, if you direct NPC text to the main tab, this tab is activated when the NPC answers you. If you then want to talk back, you have to first select the NPC tab again. I do not think this is intended behaviour.

I understand this is an 'easy' client side fix, so people can direct everything to one tab, and stop the flashing. I think it would be even nicer if the flashing was a bit smarter though. I would like a tab to flash if it shows me there is new information there, that I did not see yet in the active tab, and only flash in one of the tabs. I cannot do that yet with the new flash options. For example, if I redirect system messages to main, and I am in main, I do not want to see system tab flashing when someone greets. However, when I am in the tell tab, and someone greets, I would want the system tab to flash (but not the main also as in the current official client). Just an extra wish to be ignored Good job on getting the tabs somewhat configurable anyway 

[Karyuu]

If I may make a suggestion for flashing:

Changing the color of a tab or tab text instead of blinking would be a big relief. Blinking can be very distracting when you are engaged in something, while a simple color change (from white to red for example) would be easier on the eyes.

[Bereror]

If you target an NPC and type text in the main tab, the NPC does not hear you (as I would expect). Typing in the NPC type makes the NPC hear you. However, if you direct NPC text to the main tab, this tab is activated when the NPC answers you. If you then want to talk back, you have to first select the NPC tab again. I do not think this is intended behaviour.

To talk to the NPC on the main tab, you need to prefix it with the /tellnpc command like you would be with tells, guild and group chat. If you are on the NPC tab, then the system adds the /tellnpc command automatically like it also does on guild and group tabs, so it is an intended behavior.

I understand this is an 'easy' client side fix, so people can direct everything to one tab, and stop the flashing. I think it would be even nicer if the flashing was a bit smarter though. I would like a tab to flash if it shows me there is new information there, that I did not see yet in the active tab, and only flash in one of the tabs. I cannot do that yet with the new flash options. For example, if I redirect system messages to main, and I am in main, I do not want to see system tab flashing when someone greets. However, when I am in the tell tab, and someone greets, I would want the system tab to flash (but not the main also as in the current official client). Just an extra wish to be ignored Good job on getting the tabs somewhat configurable anyway 

Flashing should be actually working the way how you are describing here. If you redirect tells to the main tab, then they will be shown both on the main tab and on the tells tab. If you are already on one of these tabs, no tabs should be flashing. If you are on any other tabs, only the main tab should be flashing. Main tab and not the tells tab, because by redirecting tells to the main tab you probably wanted to read them there.

Changing the color of a tab or tab text instead of blinking would be a big relief. Blinking can be very distracting when you are engaged in something, while a simple color change (from white to red for example) would be easier on the eyes.

Should be possible. I will make a test and see, how well does it work.

[Croconil]

If I may make a suggestion for flashing:

Changing the color of a tab or tab text instead of blinking would be a big relief. Blinking can be very distracting when you are engaged in something, while a simple color change (from white to red for example) would be easier on the eyes.

Nice suggestion Kary. That would be alot better than the constant blinking.

* Croconil bows and shouts "All hail Bereror! The bringer of the custom chat window!"

[Hassadria]

Changing the color of a tab or tab text instead of blinking would be a big relief. Blinking can be very distracting when you are engaged in something, while a simple color change (from white to red for example) would be easier on the eyes.

Should be possible. I will make a test and see, how well does it work.

I already did something like this, but my solution disables flashing completely. It replaces it by a new background for the buttons.
If interested, have a look here:
Edit: Link removed

Inside is a patch for the source of 0.3.016 cvs (latest history.txt entry 2006-09-17) in diff-format and some files I changed or added to the elven skin.
Also a small screenshot is included.

[Lanarel]

...
I would like a tab to flash if it shows me there is new information there, that I did not see yet in the active tab, and only flash in one of the tabs.
...

Flashing should be actually working the way how you are describing here. If you redirect tells to the main tab, then they will be shown both on the main tab and on the tells tab. If you are already on one of these tabs, no tabs should be flashing. If you are on any other tabs, only the main tab should be flashing. Main tab and not the tells tab, because by redirecting tells to the main tab you probably wanted to read them there.

I just checked again, and you are right, it works!  I should not do half tests in the middle of the night

If you target an NPC and type text in the main tab, the NPC does not hear you (as I would expect). Typing in the NPC type makes the NPC hear you. However, if you direct NPC text to the main tab, this tab is activated when the NPC answers you. If you then want to talk back, you have to first select the NPC tab again. I do not think this is intended behaviour.

To talk to the NPC on the main tab, you need to prefix it with the /tellnpc command like you would be with tells, guild and group chat. If you are on the NPC tab, then the system adds the /tellnpc command automatically like it also does on guild and group tabs, so it is an intended behavior.

I know about /tellnpc, and it is not what I meant. Or maybe it is: I do not like to type that everytime, that is why I have conversations with NPCs in the NPC tab. However, when I redirect NPC chat to the main tab, everytime an NPC answers me, the main tab is activated again. I now found out this also works with tell. For example, I am in any tab but main (for example tell) and I do '/tell lanarel hello' and it will activate the main tab (if tells are redirected). I cannot imagine that this is what you intended.  It would mean that if I want to see tells in main, but have conversations in the tell tab as well, I cannot do that. I hope I was clear this time

[Bereror]

I know about /tellnpc, and it is not what I meant. Or maybe it is: I do not like to type that everytime, that is why I have conversations with NPCs in the NPC tab. However, when I redirect NPC chat to the main tab, everytime an NPC answers me, the main tab is activated again. I now found out this also works with tell. For example, I am in any tab but main (for example tell) and I do '/tell lanarel hello' and it will activate the main tab (if tells are redirected). I cannot imagine that this is what you intended.  It would mean that if I want to see tells in main, but have conversations in the tell tab as well, I cannot do that. I hope I was clear this time

If you look at the Options -> Interface -> Chat page, you will find "Select fitting Tab" and "Select Main Tab" options. They can be used to change, which tabs are selected.

For example, if you have tells redirected to the Main tab, then the expected behavior is the following:

A) You are already on the Main tab or on the Tells tab -- nothing will change and you stay on the tab were you are.

B) You are on any other tabs:
* With the "Select Main Tab" option enabled, the Main tab is selected;
* With the "Select fitting Tab" option, the Tells tab is selected.

[Lanarel]

If you look at the Options -> Interface -> Chat page, you will find "Select fitting Tab" and "Select Main Tab" options. They can be used to change, which tabs are selected.

For example, if you have tells redirected to the Main tab, then the expected behavior is the following:

A) You are already on the Main tab or on the Tells tab -- nothing will change and you stay on the tab were you are.

B) You are on any other tabs:
* With the "Select Main Tab" option enabled, the Main tab is selected;
* With the "Select fitting Tab" option, the Tells tab is selected.

Never saw those settings They are quite handy to switch off the wrong behaviour. Also, after testing until I almost got muted for spamming myself, I found that I was wrong about tell not working as you described. It works exactly like that. 

The NPC tab  however does not. In a similar situation to A, when I am in the NPC tab and an NPC talks to me, focus switches to the main tab when "select Main Tab" is enabled, as if the situation were B. It does not recognise the NPC tab as a correct tab for NPC talk.

[Bereror]

The NPC tab  however does not. In a similar situation to A, when I am in the NPC tab and an NPC talks to me, focus switches to the main tab when "select Main Tab" is enabled, as if the situation were B. It does not recognise the NPC tab as a correct tab for NPC talk.

Thanks for testing and finding that bug The NPC chat widget is called "NpcText", but I tried to find a widget called "NPCText". Sometimes it makes a big difference

[Uyaem]

Tried it out too, seemed to work nicely except for the smaller issues already mentioned. Very nice, thanks!