Hacking World of Warcraft

[Cladhaire]

Originally Posted by trav The books seems to spend too much time on using existing addons, writing /command macros and not enough time with the actual process of addon 'hacking.' I did read about some interesting addons, however the book simply needs more(?). For example, I feel that the book would have been much better if it had added an Appendix listing the entire API scripting commands available at the time.

This wasn't a book about writing World of Warcraft addons. This book is exactly what it intended to be. Hopefully we can get one written about writing addons.

Another sad thing is that they failed to mention that the editor, SciTE-WoWInterface is Windows only , the authors took great care to mention box compatibility when they discussed the other editors. I hope that a version for the Mac can be developed; the API reference would be very nice indeed. Currently I am forced to use BBEDit and Smultron. Over all the book is a nice effort and the above comments are meant to be constructive in nature. A book like this has been a long time in coming and I am grateful for it. It is a wonderful start, and I hope that a more complete, dare I say "geeky" revision is not long in showing up. Thank you gentlemen for authoring this book!

Thanks for your comments, we sincerely appreciate it.

[trav]

I have bought several of the Hacking books, and perhaps my perception of "hacking" is different. Heck look at the cover; "Make It Your Own:
Create custom addons"
I hope that you see where I am coming from, I simply saw it differently. Please understand that I bought this book online (I saw the listing sand ordered it instantly) and did not have a chance to thumb through it. I suppose that is why I was expecting more about writing addons ( I have been teaching myself LUA and XML for the past several months, and brother when you are 60 it can be slow going) Again I am not bashing the book or complaining. I think that it is wonderful that the gap has been recognized and someone has started to do something about it at last. I am hoping that it sells out and provides you with the income so that you can spend time on an addon authoring book. AND please, please let us see a Mac version of SciTE-WoWInterface, it would be so cool. Also, section II is a great start at learning, it really beats the heck out of the tutorial. Perhaps because I am so "old", I much prefer books to learn from rather than a screen. I really don't want to write notes on the edge of my monitor
Anyway, best wishes on having great success with the book.
trav

Originally Posted by Cladhaire This wasn't a book about writing World of Warcraft addons. This book is exactly what it intended to be. Hopefully we can get one written about writing addons. Thanks for your comments, we sincerely appreciate it.

"No one has done more to prevent conflict - no one has made a greater sacrifice for the cause for Peace - than you, America's proud missile submarine family. You stand tall among our heroes of the Cold War.”

-- General Colin Powell

[Cladhaire]

Originally Posted by trav I have bought several of the Hacking books, and perhaps my perception of "hacking" is different. Heck look at the cover, "Make It Your Own: Create custom addons" I hope that you see where I am coming from. Please understand that I bought this book online (I saw the listing sand ordered it instantly) and did not have a chance to thumb through it. I suppose that is why I was expecting more about writing addons ( I have been teaching myself LUA and XML for the past several months, and brother when you are 60 it can be slow going) Again I am not bashing the book or complaining. I think that it is wonderful that the gap has been recognized and someone has started to do something about it at last. I am hoping that it sells out and provides you with the income so that you can spend time on an addon authoring book. AND please, please let us see a Mac version of SciTE-WoWInterface, it would be so cool. Also, section II is a great start at learning, it really beats the heck out of the tutorial. Perhaps because I am so "old", I much prefer books to learn from rather than a screen. I really don't want to write notes on the edge of my monitor Anyway, best wishes on having great success with the book. trav

Thanks again for your comments. I understand completely where you're coming from. Hopefully we can get a book written that will give you exactly what you're looking for.

[Tekkub]

Originally Posted by trav please let us see a Mac version of SciTE-WoWInterface

Damn hippies. Scite does work fine on Linux, but for some reason there's not a mac port. No, there isn't a linux package of the wowi version, but it's easy enough to copy over the config files.

[trav]

Well, with OS X I am also trying to learn Unix. Right now, the file that I downloaded is 5zfcwiy0.exe which I can't get at. This stuff was much easer when I taught myself Basic back in ought and 76. Never had time to be a hippie, I was under the Artic at the time.

Originally Posted by Tekkub Damn hippies. Scite does work fine on Linux, but for some reason there's not a mac port. No, there isn't a linux package of the wowi version, but it's easy enough to copy over the config files.

[Tekkub]

There's a reason it was named "basic" :P

[trav]

Yep, logical, easy to use, flexible, and did a whole lot. And a heck of a lot better than fortran or cobal.

Originally Posted by Tekkub There's a reason it was named "basic" :P

[trav]

That sounds about right. English is always evolving and the letter 'h' seems to be one that is being greatly impacted. I think that a strong h will be "a" and a soft h an ....errrr.... "an"

Originally Posted by Keppler "an" is used in front of "vowel sounds" not exclusively vowels. It is also used in front of voiced "h" syallables where such syllables are secondary or lesser stress. However, you are correct in this case, it should be "a HUD" Best of luck with the book, and may the grammar police find you innocent!

[lanacan]

I picked up a copy the day it was available for order on Amazon. It's a good book easy to read and understand. Great for the beginner to wow and using addons (My wife likes it as it has explained to her addons better than I could ).

Like trav though I was a little disappointed in that it wasn't what I thought it would be. Seeing the title made me think it would of been more in depth on actually creating addons.

Great Job Though Guys!

[Seerah]

Well, addons are essentially "hacks" though allowed ones.

[trav]

Granted. I think that we expected more about authoring. However, as I have read in the forewards of many books, it is likely that the publisher, not the author, decided on the final title. Also, in any situation, hacks are supposed to be legal. For some reason, the definitions of hacks and hackers have gotten mixed up, confused or twisted for cracks and crackers (not crackers in the Southern sense of course )

Originally Posted by Seerah Well, addons are essentially "hacks" though allowed ones.

[Trueheart]

I bought this book from Amazon and loved it, I had always shied away from the add-on’s because I was not sure if they were ok to add. Now I'm so mad for missing out all this time

I did have a problem with following the directions for writing my own add-on’s on page 317 part of the code is not there and it left a bit of a gap when trying to duplicate the add on.

So is there a site that I can go to so that I can get the complete samples of the two add-on’s from the book??

[Cladhaire]

Hrm, I'll have to wait until I get home and have a copy of the book in front of me, which chapter is page 317 in? Right now I'm talking with the publisher-- the material should be available online but I'm not sure of the details.

[trav]

Page 317 is in Chapter 15, Hacking an Advanced Addon, and contains Table 15-3, Unit Power Typse from UnitPowerType(), UNIT_HEALTH; UNIT_MANA, UNIT_RAGE, UNIT_FOCUS, and, UNIT_ENERGY; All under the Event Handling Section. I hope this helps
I have been working on Macros to help me get the feel of things, and have not gotten this far in the book ....YET!....
trav

Originally Posted by Cladhaire Hrm, I'll have to wait until I get home and have a copy of the book in front of me, which chapter is page 317 in? Right now I'm talking with the publisher-- the material should be available online but I'm not sure of the details.

[Cladhaire]

I wrote that chapter in its entirety and can make the code available if necessary. Does anyone have any idea what code is "missing?"

[trav]

I, don't know, and don't see the "entire listing" for the section, which would help in revision II. However, sometimes it is not a case of missing as much as it is getting lost in text. One sometimes has to be reading very carefully to catch an extra instruction or an instruction to add a line of code here or there. Also, I have not been back to the publisher's site yet, but I was somewhat surprised to not see code listings.
Perhaps rather than writing a new book dedicated to intense hacking, revision II could have a CD/DVD that contains a lot of extra hacking goodies and details?

Well, I guess that it is time to get back into the book eh? Perhaps the error checkers will help find the problem?

Originally Posted by Cladhaire I wrote that chapter in its entirety and can make the code available if necessary. Does anyone have any idea what code is "missing?"

[robthedude]

Just recieved my copy today and I'm super pleased with it!

I've been looking everywhere online for a good tutorial of wow's lua and xml, and found nothing as helpful as what is in this book.

The publishers website says there was a sort-of error on page 245, it says ChatFrameBackground when it should say UI-Tooltip-Background (apparently either would work), I checked the book and it does indeed say ChatFrameBackground...
So I checked my code to ammend it, my code said UI-Tooltip-Background! Weird...

Anyways, thankyou to Razark and Cladhaire for finally giving me my opening into the world of addon authoring, now all I have to do is come up with an idea!

[Razark]

Awesome! I'm really glad you're finding it useful!

Please add an Amazon review if you feel like it.

[Dreadlorde]

The borders in the mall near me doesn't seem to have this book yet or it didn't two weeks ago..I'll ahve to call in and check. If they don't I guess i'll drive out to the next *closet* mall and see if they have it.

[Cladhaire]

Check the game section, not the tech book section. It should actually be near the WoW strategy guides and such. It looks like Borders has been keeping 1-2 copies on hand at all times, I doubt yours is any different (unless you asked an associate, or checked the kiosk)

Alternatively, Amazon.com.