How to create a resizable chatwindow

[joshuha]

I worked at creating this as an extension but due to the way the default chat is a panel and this is a pure windowclass it isn't working. Video will take a second to load.

You will be needing to modify 2 XML files and 1 LUA file.

File 1: desktop_panels.xml

Step 1: Comment out the current chat panel so that it looks like this:

<!--<panel name="chat" modes="host,client">
	<class>chat</class>
	<bounds>15,90,390,-118</bounds>
</panel>-->

Step 2: Change the anchors on the identity list not to use the chat panel. Note that you may need to play around with the coordinates here to place the identity list (the NPCs the GM speaks as) somewhere else you like it.

Comment out the parent node for the top anchor and left anchor and add a left offset to the identitylist control like so:

<top>
	<!--<parent>chat</parent>-->
	<anchor>bottom</anchor>
	<offset>-50</offset>
</top>
<left>
	<!--<parent>chat</parent>-->
	<anchor>left</anchor>
	<offset>100</offset>
</left>

File 2: desktop_classes.xml

Step 1: Add a width to the sizelimits maximum node of the chat windowclass. This will allow maximum stretchability.

<maximum>
	<height>10000</height>
	<width>10000</width>
</maximum>

Step 2: Modify the left anchor to use the right side of the chat panel in the "mode" genericcontrol under the "chat" windowclass..

<left>
	<anchor>right</anchor>
	<offset>-55</offset>
</left>

Step 3: Add functions to autoshare the window with client. If GM accidentally closed it pressing ALT will bring it back with no loss of info. Put these in the "chat" windowclass. I put mine right below the <placement> node.

<softclose />
<sharable />
<script>
	function onInit()
		User.onLogin = reshare
		Input.onAlt = reopen
                self.onMove = onMove
	end
	function reshare()
		share()
	end
	function reopen()
		Interface.openWindow("chat","")
		share()
	end
        function onMove()
	        self.setSize(self.getSize())
	end
</script>

Note if you want the default chat not to open in the middle you can add a set of position tags to the chat windowclass. This is optional though.

Also, if your ruleset does not have the current chat windowclass as dynamic you should add the following under the sizelimits node:

<dynamic>
	<resize>both</resize>
</dynamic>

File 3: Scripts\desktop.lua

Step 1: Basically here we are adding in a call to the desktop initialization to open our modified chat windowclass for the GM. Modify the onInit function and add an Interface.openWindow right under the first if User.isHost() statement.

function onInit()
	if not User.isLocal() then
		if User.isHost() then
                    Interface.openWindow("chat","")

[Zeus]

This is Cool. Two questions:

1) Am I right in understanding that you remove the underlying chat panel and simply call for the chatwindow to render as a standard window?
a) if so do dice rolls still fire OK when the chatwindow is sized larger than the original default?
2) do you not also need to add the <dynamic /> tag to the chat windowclass to allow for dynamic resizing of the chatwindow?

[joshuha]

This is Cool. Two questions:

1) Am I right in understanding that you remove the underlying chat panel and simply call for the chatwindow to render as a standard window?
a) if so do dice rolls still fire OK when the chatwindow is sized larger than the original default?
2) do you not also need to add the <dynamic /> tag to the chat windowclass to allow for dynamic resizing of the chatwindow?

1) Yes
a) Yes they come across fine, I tested with several players. Whats neat is if the players window is bigger then your it seems to overlap the vector of where it fires but still lands in your smaller window and the results are still the same.

2) Yes but its already like that in the base 4E ruleset in 2.8 even though its tied to a panel and therefor not really dynamic. Will add a note though.

[Oberoten]

It works beautifully. Just added this to the ArsMagica ruleset.

- Obe

[Oberoten]

Ouch. Noticed the first bug with this aproach... in it's current form the window can be accidentially closed by the clients.

- Obe

[joshuha]

Updated post so user's cannot close chat down. GM could still though and can get window back by pressing ALT. Might be a more elegant way to prevent GM from doing it or auto-reopen but can't think of it right this second.

[psicodelix]

Nice mod joshuha!

I've just added it to my ruleset and noticed a minor issue. When you move the chat window the subjacent area that receives the thrown dice is not updated to the new position until the chat window is resized.

[joshuha]

Hmm didn't notice that but will test it and see if I can figure out why its doing that.

[Dakadin]

Great job joshuha!

I was able to add it to a ruleset also. I did add the <placement> tag so I could set a default position and size which replicated the original placement before I made changes.

I am able to replicate psicodelix's issue. I did notice that it will still register the roll if you drop it in the old location before you moved it.

[Sorcerer]

a work around to the issue isto force a resize every time you move the window.

add an on move event handler to the chat window onInit and then set the onMove function to resize to the current window size and it should work

function onInit()
		User.onLogin = reshare
		Input.onAlt = reopen
		 self.onMove = onMove
	end
	function reshare()
		share()
	end
	function reopen()
		Interface.openWindow("chat","")
		share()
	end
	
	function onMove(source)
	source.setSize(source.getSize())
	end