Guide - Hating on the EQ UI chat windows! (1 Viewer)

After every EQ patch I edit the EQUI_ChatContainerWindow.xml file to get rid of the stupid Title Bar and Borders. I already have a Batch file that does a lot of housekeeping, so I added these 2 lines to automatically edit the XML for me without needing to open the XML in a text editor!

*** Keep in mind that this is predicated on MY own personal location for Everquest on my drive! I run this AFTER the patcher, but BEFORE I actually run the EQ Client! Once patched I never use the Patcher again until DBG forces me to by some change.

This is a neat little trick to modify text or XML files on the fly routinely. I found it on Stack Overflow so I'm not claiming any coding expertise to make this work! You would place these lines in a DOS batch or Windows CMD file and run it As Administrator.

powershell -Command "(gc c:\everquest\uifiles\default\EQUI_ChatContainerWindow.xml) -replace '<Style_Titlebar>true</Style_Titlebar>', '<Style_Titlebar>false</Style_Titlebar>' | Out-File -encoding ASCII c:\everquest\uifiles\default\EQUI_ChatContainerWindow.xml"
powershell -Command "(gc c:\everquest\uifiles\default\EQUI_ChatContainerWindow.xml) -replace '<Style_Border>true</Style_Border>', '<Style_Border>false</Style_Border>' | Out-File -encoding ASCII c:\everquest\uifiles\default\EQUI_ChatContainerWindow.xml"

EDITED to note, this post was more to document a "really cool trick" to modify text files "on-the-fly" rather than simply a discussion on UI modifications. A real coder could accomplish this using many programming tools like Lua, Perl, C#, even SED in Linux. I thought it was pretty cool to be able to do this with a utility that comes pre-installed on every Windows box and is already in your default path statement. This method could easily be used in a number of other cases where you routinely need to make the same modifications over and over again.

 

[q8reflex]

Thanks BD, any screenshot of how the window look like?

 

[B_I_G__D_A_D_D_Y]

Thanks BD, any screenshot of how the window look like?

It just gets rid of the extra line on top of every chat window. I looked for a screen shot but I'd have to edit too many things out.

 

[ChatWithThisName]

If you create a folder in the UI folder, name it anything you want. Copy the only EQUI_ChatContainerWindow.xml to the new folder, then make your adjustment.

You can load your custom window by /loadskin nameYouGaveTheFolder

then you won't have to do it every time the game patches. No batch file needed.

 

[B_I_G__D_A_D_D_Y]

If you create a folder in the UI folder, name it anything you want. Copy the only EQUI_ChatContainerWindow.xml to the new folder, then make your adjustment.

You can load your custom window by /loadskin nameYouGaveTheFolder

then you won't have to do it every time the game patches. No batch file needed.

I'm already using a custom UI that doesn't include this file. I'll try copying it into that folder and see what happens! Thanks~!

 

[ChatWithThisName]

Basically to create a "custom UI" you need only make a folder, and then place just the files you want to modify into the that folder. EQ only patches the "Default" folder, so anything not in that folder will not get patched when EQ Patches.
This means if your custom UI does not use the file, it will load the file from the "Default" folder.
So if you only want to change that one file, you can simply make a new folder and move it to that. If you're already using a custom UI that just happens not to use that file, then you can do what you mentioned, which is to copy the file over to your custom UI folder and make your desired modifications. Then when EQ Patches it won't touch any of your modifications.

As with any custom UI though that means it's up to you to keep up with the changes EQ makes to their own UI (Which should be getting an overhaul in april that will start using HTML5 iirc). So long as the way these windows work does not change, then your custom modification should continue to work without additional modifications when patches happen.

 

[q8reflex]

It looks nice and saves some space. Some side effect here, i can't grab and move any of the windows, any cure?

 

[Cannonballdex]

It looks nice and saves some space. Some side effect here, i can't grab and move any of the windows, any cure?

Try going back to default ui and move the windows where you want them.

Also, you should be able to hover just above the window to get a plus sign to move it.

 

[q8reflex]

Try going back to default ui and move the windows where you want them.

Had a separate folder like how CWTN suggested, i just removed the XML file. I did return the Border to TRUE but still same side effect.

 

[B_I_G__D_A_D_D_Y]

Had a separate folder like how CWTN suggested, i just removed the XML file. I did return the Border to TRUE but still same side effect.

This is the normal behavior once you remove the Title and Borders. My modification has the side effect of "locking" all your chat windows in place.

When I want to re-arrange I use the default XML file, then I get my chat windows organized like I want, then I log out and modify the XML file. After that the chat windows are no longer resizable or moveable. I consider this a benefit in addition to reclaiming the space.

 

[kaen01]

Utility - Custom Tabbed Chat window

Best custom tabbed chat window Get your wellmade awesome chat windows here with awesome tabs and good looks Standard textured look Tinted Black Tinted Black with 50% alpha 1 tab, name cleared to be a space. These should be droppable...

www.redguides.com

can always grab these, they are clean and works and are moveable and resizable.

 

[Rare Spawn]

I believe that disabling the borders is what is making your window unmovable. Enabling those will allow you resize your chat window, and thus inch-worm it to where you need to move it.