Halvitur

It's quite easy to remove the Store-button. Take a look into the SkinDefinition.xml and search for the minibuttons-section (should be near the top). Every button that would appear in the letterbox and the three different conditions for each button are listed in this section. All you have to do is to add the code for Store-button and link it with the blank tga-file (like I have done it with the other buttons). The problem: You need to know ID of the button. I don't know the ArtAssetID, but some users in this forum will. Just ask around or look for a skin that removes the button and take the ID from there.

The final result should look like this:

<Mapping ArtAssetID="ID for the Store-button normal" FileName="blank.tga"></Mapping>
<Mapping ArtAssetID="ID for the Store-button rollover" FileName="blank.tga"></Mapping>
<Mapping ArtAssetID="ID for the Store-button pressed" FileName="blank.tga"></Mapping>

This method has obvious downside: The buttons aren't removed, they are only transparent. The benefit is, that this method is very simple, won't bother you with complex code and won't cause any trouble with the window mode.

daimon

Thayilis

Ah, Okay. I remember you posting about this before. lol I understand not adding it but if you wouldn't mind adding the info in the next release, that would be great. Just curious though, how does it break the skin? Only if it's an easy explanation. lol Thanks again,

~~Thay

EDIT: P.S. Thanks for the PM Halvitur, I am really bad about checking my PM's on this site. lol

daimon

Thayilis

From all the various skins and plugins that I have been using, I have yet to see a plugin that has NOT been affected by the skins. So yes, as far as I can tell the skins work just fine with the plugins. Um.....did I just repeat myself? lol

~~Thay


EDIT: GAH! lotro store button!! lol It's sitting over there all by itself all alone! lol In other words, how would I remove the store button entirely and either remove the left hand mini buttons or make them invisible? Other than that, love the mini version! Thanks again!

~~Thay

daimon

Halvitur

Great

The small letterbox is already done. You can download it here and incorporate it into your work if you like (you don't have to mention me if you do since it is such a small modification).



For those who want to use the small letterbox a little installation guide:

1. Create a backup of the SkinDefiniton.xml you want to change.

2. Copy the content of the zip-file to folder of the skin you want to modify.

3. The original SkinDefintion.xml should now be replaced with the SkinDefinition.xml from the zip-File. Furthermore there should be a blank.tga in the root folder of the theme and two no letterbox.images (letterbox_small and letterbox_levelcap) in the panel-folder.

4. The new SkinDefintion.xml should load a small letterbox without any buttons. If you want to use the levelcap-version for your characters that have reached the levelcap, simply open the SkinDefintion.xml, look for the following line near the top

<Mapping ArtAssetID="letterbox_bottom" FileName="panel\lm_main_panel_letterbox_small.tga"></Mapping>

and change it to

<Mapping ArtAssetID="letterbox_bottom" FileName="panel\lm_main_panel_letterbox_levelcap.tga"></Mapping>


Keep in mind that this is not a functional change (a functional change would cause tons of complex code I don't want to bother with right now). The "experience/level progress indicator" will still exceed the letterbox, so don't use the levelcap-version on characters that are still deep in the leveling process.


@Daimon
Can you please remove the tabulators from the code (located between the ArtAssetID and the Filenames)? The modifications I like too offer contain many "search for line x and replace with line y"-instructions, and it'll be much easier to explain these instructions (or to find the lines that have to be changed) without these tabulators.

And there are two buttons (start-menu and online-help), that are located in the letterbox, but the corresponding code isn't located in the letterbox/minibuttons section in the xml-file. Can you change that to? Should help to avoid irritations among those users who aren't used to xml-code (but like to apply some modifications).

P.S.: Final question to the American players: How does LUA interfere with the themes? Do the plugins use the images of the currently active theme (e.g. panels, borders, titles etc.)?

daimon

Halvitur

It's the same for every skin that changes sizes and positions of certain panels: You have to relog (or even restart the game) to get the skin and its code working properly.

unclecid

love the redo thanks alot!!!

one small issue i have encountered...

it involves the extended crafting window in yours....

the extended crafting window does not revert back to default if i switch to another skin that does not use this.

the crafting window stays large with the new skin tiled over it.

Halvitur

Thayilis, have you received my PM?

Thayilis

Woot! Then I hope you get the Okay!

Thanks a lot!

~~Thay

Halvitur

Sure, that's what I had in mind when I was talking about a small mainbar.

Thayilis

Hello,
If this is a bit much to ask then by all means don't but if you are given the okay to make the changes you stated before, would it possible for you to throw a mini toolbar version in as well? I've recently been trying to get a couple of skin's toolbars to resemble Daimon's mini version with the actual toolbar similar in size and the changeable buttons on the bottom, as he/she has it. It has been quite a chore to be honest because I'm not that good with these files and images. lol But if that were to happen, I could use it as another reference in trying to alter my own.

Thanks a lot!
~~Thay

Halvitur

Would you mind if I create some minor changes and offer them as addons for your skins?

1. I'd like to remove some background images. For my taste there's going on to much in some panels, and there're some images that doesn't fit into the theme (some standard images).
2. A small mainbar without additional buttons (and a mainbar without experience-bar for characters who have reached the levelcap).
3. A small mailbox (standard-size).
4. I'd like to remove or replace some dividers.

I'd like to offer these changes in a single download and allow the user to choose which addon/change they want to apply. I'd credit your work and the work of LM of course. There won't be no doubt that I'm only some optional changes for your work.