VN Boards Archive

[VN Boards Archive]

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Topic: basic decal/plugin dev questions

fitzbean Posts: ???? Registered: ???? Extended Info (if available) Real Post Cnt: 0 User ID: 0	Subject: basic decal/plugin dev questions
	Hey all, getting into the plugin development foray. I had a couple of questions though. 1. I remember once in a screenshot of someone's decal dev setup I saw a server emulator of sorts, for testing plugins without having to log into the game every time. Does this sort of thing still exist? And if so, where can I find it? 2. I never used it, but I see some dead links around for a program called Visual Decal, which from it's description, I assume just eased the task of creating plugin GUIs and spit the format that decal likes to see for it's view schemes. Does anyone still have a copy of this around? My idea for a first plugin would be something similar to The Deep, but would work for any item in which you can hand in. Select NPC, select object, Go. Like Triangles, Swamp Stones, Snow Lillies etc. Eventually i would also like to make an automatic pea seller, so you don't have to constantly juggle selling peas with the space you have in your main pack and the amount of pyreals you will get for the sale. Any help, links, info, etc is much appreciated! Thanks! -----signature-----
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Virindi-Inquisitor Posts: 6,908 Registered: Nov 18, '01 Extended Info (if available) Real Post Cnt: 6,646 User ID: 511,923	Subject: basic decal/plugin dev questions
	>> I remember once in a screenshot of someone's decal dev setup I saw a server emulator of sorts, for testing plugins without having to log into the game every time. Does this sort of thing still exist? Turbine shut it down. >> I never used it, but I see some dead links around for a program called Visual Decal, which from it's description, I assume just eased the task of creating plugin GUIs and spit the format that decal likes to see for it's view schemes. Does anyone still have a copy of this around? Visual Decal still works. http://web.archive.org/web/20040420012959/http://home.pmt.org/~psy/vdecal.html >> Select NPC, select object, Go. Like Triangles, Swamp Stones, Snow Lillies etc. Fortune Hunter will do this, but you have to edit XMLs to add stuff. >> Eventually i would also like to make an automatic pea seller, so you don't have to constantly juggle selling peas with the space you have in your main pack and the amount of pyreals you will get for the sale. LTX does this, but very poorly. Good luck! -----signature----- Virindi --- **Virindi Plugins FAQ** http://www.virindi.net/wiki/index.php/Virindi_Plugins_FAQ http://www.virindi.net - Virindi Tank, Follower, Integrator, Reporter, VCS5, XPHelper, Item Tool, HUDs, etc... Decal Core Dev - http://www.decaldev.com
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fitzbean Posts: ???? Registered: ???? Extended Info (if available) Real Post Cnt: 0 User ID: 0	Subject: basic decal/plugin dev questions
	>> Turbine shut it down. thanks for the quick reply! How exactly did they shut it down? In any case, so the development procedure is basically make some changes, compile, activate in decal, log into AC, hope for the best? >> Visual Decal still works. Great! Thanks, this will help a lot! >> Fortune Hunter will do this, but you have to edit XMLs to add stuff. Thanks will check that out! >> LTX does this, but very poorly. Really? Just Ltx, not ltxi I assume because I've never seen that functionality. Another question: Anyone know of open source plugins for VB I could use to learn from? Thanks again! -----signature-----
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Virindi-Inquisitor Posts: 6,908 Registered: Nov 18, '01 Extended Info (if available) Real Post Cnt: 6,646 User ID: 511,923	Subject: basic decal/plugin dev questions
	>> In any case, so the development procedure is basically make some changes, compile, activate in decal, log into AC, hope for the best? Yep, pretty much. >> Another question: Anyone know of open source plugins for VB I could use to learn from? http://decal.acasylum.com/ Check out Digero's plugins; most of them are open source. Not sure what VB you are talking about, but VB6 is probably not the best way to go nowadays. If you're planning to use VB.NET, converting from C# shouldn't be difficult since it is done the same way. When you have problems with specific functions or features, 99% of the time a search on the development boards will get you an answer: http://forums.acdev.org/phpBB2/ -----signature----- Virindi --- **Virindi Plugins FAQ** http://www.virindi.net/wiki/index.php/Virindi_Plugins_FAQ http://www.virindi.net - Virindi Tank, Follower, Integrator, Reporter, VCS5, XPHelper, Item Tool, HUDs, etc... Decal Core Dev - http://www.decaldev.com
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Xeon_Xarid Title: Magister of Fun Posts: 4,036 Registered: Jul 30, '04 Extended Info (if available) Real Post Cnt: 3,994 User ID: 950,573	Subject: basic decal/plugin dev questions
	Also, the full source of LifeTankX is here: http://www.reality.net/svn/lifetank/LifeTankX-source/ -----signature----- fun, Fun, FUN! LifeTankX Developer -- http://www.reality.net/ac/xx
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Lord_Anton Title: Wu Fez 4 Life! Posts: 12,530 Registered: Aug 27, '04 Extended Info (if available) Real Post Cnt: 12,191 User ID: 960,835	Subject: basic decal/plugin dev questions
	theres that decalcontainer thing that y ou can install when you install decal. but I dont think you can really test it, just see if everything appears right and all -----signature----- They can't deport us all http://www.btnhboard.com/ Where's Waldorian?
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fitzbean Posts: ???? Registered: ???? Extended Info (if available) Real Post Cnt: 0 User ID: 0	Subject: basic decal/plugin dev questions
	>> Check out Digero's plugins; most of them are open source. Not sure what VB you are talking about, but VB6 is probably not the best way to go nowadays. If you're planning to use VB.NET, converting from C# shouldn't be difficult since it is done the same way. Hmp, really. I figured VB6 would be fine for Decal dev. I personally have never even worked with VB to be honest, and always considered it inferior to most other languages honestly. But, one of my plugin ideas will be directly bases off the source of another one that is written in VB, so I figured it would be a good way to go. Why would you say VB.NET over VB6? Thanks again fitz -----signature-----
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fitzbean Posts: ???? Registered: ???? Extended Info (if available) Real Post Cnt: 0 User ID: 0	Subject: basic decal/plugin dev questions
	>>theres that decalcontainer thing that y ou can install when you install decal. but I dont think you can really test it, just see if everything appears right and all. Care to elaborate on that? Not sure what you mean. -----signature-----
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Virindi-Inquisitor Posts: 6,908 Registered: Nov 18, '01 Extended Info (if available) Real Post Cnt: 6,646 User ID: 511,923	Subject: basic decal/plugin dev questions
	>> Why would you say VB.NET over VB6? For one, .NET runs significantly faster than VB6. Personally I use C#, since it is a much more powerful language. -----signature----- Virindi --- **Virindi Plugins FAQ** http://www.virindi.net/wiki/index.php/Virindi_Plugins_FAQ http://www.virindi.net - Virindi Tank, Follower, Integrator, Reporter, VCS5, XPHelper, Item Tool, HUDs, etc... Decal Core Dev - http://www.decaldev.com
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fitzbean Posts: ???? Registered: ???? Extended Info (if available) Real Post Cnt: 0 User ID: 0	Subject: basic decal/plugin dev questions
	>>For one, .NET runs significantly faster than VB6. Personally I use C#, since it is a much more powerful language. Resulting applications or the IDE itself? Or both? -----signature-----
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Digero Posts: 7,435 Registered: Oct 21, '02 Extended Info (if available) Real Post Cnt: 7,359 User ID: 729,875	Subject: basic decal/plugin dev questions
	fitzbean posted: >> Check out Digero's plugins; most of them are open source. Not sure what VB you are talking about, but VB6 is probably not the best way to go nowadays. If you're planning to use VB.NET, converting from C# shouldn't be difficult since it is done the same way. Hmp, really. I figured VB6 would be fine for Decal dev. I personally have never even worked with VB to be honest, and always considered it inferior to most other languages honestly. But, one of my plugin ideas will be directly bases off the source of another one that is written in VB, so I figured it would be a good way to go. Why would you say VB.NET over VB6? Thanks again fitz In short: if you're experienced with any other programming language, VB6 will make you cringe. In pretty much all respects, making .NET plugins is easier than making COM (VB6, C++) plugins. I started out making plugins in VB6, but it was a breath of fresh air when Decal added the .NET Adapter and I could use C#. If you use VB.NET or C#, you'll get the benefit of the .NET framework, the .NET-friendly Decal.Adapter, and a nice IDE (Visual Studio 2008 [Express]). You also won't have to deal with all of the oddities and shortcomings of VB6. If you're just using that VB6 plugin to learn how to make plugins, I'd suggest getting the source to a .NET plugin instead. Most of my plugins are open source, and are written in C# (except target info and quest timer, which are written in VB6). fitzbean posted: >>theres that decalcontainer thing that y ou can install when you install decal. but I dont think you can really test it, just see if everything appears right and all. Care to elaborate on that? Not sure what you mean. Decal container is a small app that lets you see your plugin's view layout and test any HUD drawing code, without having to log into the game. It's not too useful unless you're developing a plugin with a HUD. It's in the Decal install folder if you want to try it out. -----signature----- [LotRO] Digero (Guardian), Digrim (Burglar), Dignite (LM), Azrea (Hunter) - Landroval [AC] Digero, Lyera, Draxxe - Leafcull (Retired) [CoH] Devil's Zealot, Scinta, Izzard - Guardian (Retired) Digero's AC Decal Plugins: http://decal.acasylum.com
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fitzbean Posts: ???? Registered: ???? Extended Info (if available) Real Post Cnt: 0 User ID: 0	Subject: basic decal/plugin dev questions
	Wow, cool, thanks for info, I will definitely go the net route then. thanks for the support Digero! -----signature-----
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-lino- Posts: ???? Registered: ???? Extended Info (if available) Real Post Cnt: 0 User ID: 0	Subject: basic decal/plugin dev questions
	My plugins are open source too, can find the sourcecode at http://svn.ranta.info/repos/decaldev/ (works both in browser and a subversion client). I guess I am not even half as good as Digero or the other "famous" decal/plugin devs though (and some of that code has been hacked together in a rush), so take everything with a grain of salt. -----signature-----
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