Battle.net broadcast feed.

suicidalkatt · 01-11-12, 10:54 PM

So I've been workin on a new addon for a little while that I haven't found a similar match to.

If you've ever logged into Starcraft II you have a nice broadcast list with client icons etc, and I'm simply trying to recreate the same idea but for wow.

My only issue is I'm a little unsure of how to set up a ticker style frame that can sort and so on. I've not really worked with xml much which I'm sure would be the best way of creating this addon.

Suggestions on how I should continue to build my addon would be appreciated, still somewhat of a novice when it comes to addons like this.

Here's my scripting so far:

lua Code:

local Addon = "BattleNetFeed"
local MessageList = {} -- Table of all friend messages and their timestamp listed by presenceID.
local function Meta(vaL)
    local text = GetAddOnMetadata(Addon, vaL)
    return text
end
BNFText = Meta("Title")..": "
local defaults = {
    locked = true,
}
local copytable
copytable = function(original)
    local duplicate = {}
    for key, value in pairs(original) do
        if type(value) == "table" then duplicate[key] = copytable(value)
        else duplicate[key] = value end
    end
    return duplicate
end
 
local function CreateFeed(frame)
    frame:SetWidth(220)
    frame:SetHeight(160)
    frame:SetPoint("TOPLEFT",FriendsFrame,"BOTTOMLEFT",0,-25)
    frame.background = frame:CreateTexture(nil, "BACKGROUND")
    frame.background:SetTexture(0,0,0,0.25)
    frame.background:SetAllPoints(frame)
end
 
BattleNetFeed = CreateFrame("Frame","BattleNetFeed");
BattleNetFeed:RegisterEvent("ADDON_LOADED");
BattleNetFeed:RegisterEvent("BN_CUSTOM_MESSAGE_CHANGED");
BattleNetFeed:RegisterEvent("BN_CUSTOM_MESSAGE_LOADED");
BattleNetFeed:RegisterEvent("BN_FRIEND_INFO_CHANGED");
BattleNetFeed:RegisterEvent("BN_FRIEND_LIST_SIZE_CHANGED");
function BattleNetFeed:Update()
    local numBNetTotal, numBNetOnline = BNGetNumFriends();
    local numBNetOffline = numBNetTotal - numBNetOnline;
    local numWoWTotal, numWoWOnline = GetNumFriends();
    local numWoWOffline = numWoWTotal - numWoWOnline;
    local friends = numBNetTotal + numWoWTotal    
    for i = 1, friends do
        local presenceID, givenName, surname, toonName, toonID, client, isOnline, lastOnline, isAFK, isDND, messageText, noteText, isRIDFriend, messageTime, canSoR = BNGetFriendInfo(i);
        if not MessageList[presenceID] then 
            MessageList[presenceID] = {}; 
            MessageList[presenceID].message = messageText;
            MessageList[presenceID].timestamp = messageTime;
        end
        if presenceID and MessageList[presenceID].message ~= messageText then -- If the message has changed, update.
            MessageList[presenceID].message = messageText;
            MessageList[presenceID].timestamp = messageTime;
            if messageText ~= "" then -- Test updates to messages
                if toonName then
                    print(givenName.." "..surname.." ("..toonName.."): "..messageText)
                else
                    print(givenName.." "..surname.." :"..messageText)
                end
            end
        end
    end
end
 
BattleNetFeed:SetScript("OnEvent", function(self,event,...)
    local arg1,arg2,arg3 = ...
    if event == "ADDON_LOADED" then
        if arg1 == Addon then
            CreateFeed(self)
            if not BNFDB then
                BNFDB = copytable(defaults)
            end
            self:UnregisterEvent("ADDON_LOADED")
        end
    elseif event == "BN_FRIEND_INFO_CHANGED" or event == "BN_FRIEND_LIST_SIZE_CHANGED" then
        self:Update()
    end
end)
 
FriendsFrame:HookScript("OnShow", function() BattleNetFeed:Show(); BattleNetFeed:Update(); end)
FriendsFrame:HookScript("OnHide", function() BattleNetFeed:Hide(); end)

Phanx · 01-12-12, 12:31 AM

XML is not the best way to make this addon, or any addon. The only reason you should ever use XML is if you need to create secure frame templates for other addons to inherit from.

I haven't ever played SC2, so I'm not really sure what the UI you're trying to recreate looks like. Also, if it's simply a feed of recent Battle.net broadcasts, what needs to be sortable? Is the user sorting it manually, or is the addon sorting it based on some criteria/events?

suicidalkatt · 01-12-12, 01:21 AM

Originally Posted by Phanx

XML is not the best way to make this addon, or any addon. The only reason you should ever use XML is if you need to create secure frame templates for other addons to inherit from.

I haven't ever played SC2, so I'm not really sure what the UI you're trying to recreate looks like. Also, if it's simply a feed of recent Battle.net broadcasts, what needs to be sortable? Is the user sorting it manually, or is the addon sorting it based on some criteria/events?

Not really going for looks, just the general premise. Sortable based on how recent.

Screeny:

I have the frame already created (see the "CreateFeed" function), just creating buttons (to click whisper) or a scrollframe that's sortable is kinda what I need.

Nibelheim · 01-12-12, 01:34 AM

Ahh, I built a similar module several months ago (that never got completed due to me quitting WoW). I modified TabletLib to do the GUI for it. A very versatile little library, but unfortunately out of date at this point and does need some repair

Ah-hah! I found it. I did a different project using a similar library (though nowhere near as powerful, it's much easier to use) called lib-ScrollingTable. It's quite a versatile library and allows sorting of columns, scroll-bars, highlighting rows, etc.

(Picture from it's WoWAce page)

suicidalkatt · 01-12-12, 01:51 AM

Originally Posted by Nibelheim

Ahh, I built a similar module several months ago (that never got completed due to me quitting WoW). I modified TabletLib to do the GUI for it. A very versatile little library, but unfortunately out of date at this point and does need some repair

I hope I can keep your nibSpac updated

. I'm sad you've left WoW but it's always feeling like it's reaching its last breath with every patch.

I was actually thinking of taking ideas from the guild news tab, but it seemed pretty impractical to implement when just a few buttons with parented sorting would be enough.

Nibelheim · 01-12-12, 01:54 AM

Originally Posted by suicidalkatt

but it seemed pretty impractical to implement when just a few buttons with parented sorting would be enough.

True enough. If the project is going to remain fairly simple, it may be wise to start from scratch in Lua. Start with making a box, then borders, then a Scrolling Table, then frames for pictures etc. With your skills it shouldn't take too long at all to get it up and running

suicidalkatt · 01-12-12, 11:14 PM

Ok so, I've never used the sort() function and I'm not exactly sure where to go.

Basically what I'd like to do is have 2 separate tables with one that's simply the presenceID of bnet friends listed in order of the most recent timestamp.

I think I need a third table to accomplish this since I'm trying to sort information that's already a tabled value.

lua Code:

MessageList = {
    [412] = {
        message = "Broadcast X",
        timestamp = 1524321,
    },
    [523] = {
        message = "Broadcast Y",
        timestamp = 1624321,
    },
}
 
-- End Product
 
FeedInfo = {523,412} -- Sorted table of presenceID based on timestamp a>b not pressenceID a>b

What I've basically gotten to:

lua Code:

for c,v in pairs(MessageList) do
    if MessageList[c].timestamp and MessageList[c].timestamp > 0 then
        --Create table with a timestamp index and presenceID value 
    end
end
--sort new table and insert to FeedInfo table?

Vlad · 01-12-12, 11:37 PM

Keep in mind that even if you sort a table, the "for k,v in pairs() do end" part won't go trough it sorted.

Meanwhile if you use sort() then "for i = 1, #tbl do ... = tbl[i] end" to iterate, that will work.

You can use sort like this:
sort(tbl sortFunc)
Then you got:
local function sortFunc(a, b)
return a > b
end
If a and b are tables, not integers or strings then you can:
return a[1] > b[1]
Or for example:
return a.test > b.test
The options are endless.

The only important thing is to be able to iterate without the using "pairs", try maybe "ipairs" would fix this issue. One of the pro LUA coders will probably reply what ipairs does and clarify this once and for all! :P

suicidalkatt · 01-12-12, 11:43 PM

Eh typo, didn't mean for the sort to occur for every pair. The table sorting would have been done outside of that first table creation. (edits post)

SDPhantom · 01-13-12, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by Vladinator

One of the pro LUA coders will probably reply what ipairs does and clarify this once and for all! :P

ipairs(table) does exactly the same process as for i=1,#table do when iterating through the table. Both ipairs() and #table follow the same rule in which they only count sequential indices starting at 1.

Originally Posted by suicidalkatt

Basically what I'd like to do is have 2 separate tables with one that's simply the presenceID of bnet friends listed in order of the most recent timestamp.

I think I need a third table to accomplish this since I'm trying to sort information that's already a tabled value.

Here's what you can do.

lua Code:

local MessageList={
    [412]={
        message="Broadcast X",
        timestamp=1524321,
    },
    [523]={
        message="Broadcast Y",
        timestamp=1624321,
    },
}
local FeedInfo={};
 
-- Put this function somewhere in the base of your addon, it's better to have a constant pointer to this than to recreate it every time you run the sort.
local function FeedCompare(v1,v2)
--  Ensures the most recent message is listed first
    return MessageList[v1].timestamp>MessageList[v2].timestamp;
end
 
local function SortMessages()
--  Clear FeedInfo and repopulate it
    table.wipe(FeedInfo);
    for c,v in pairs(MessageList) do
        if MessageList[c].timestamp and MessageList[c].timestamp > 0 then
            FeedInfo[]=c;
        end
    end
 
--  Sort it
    table.sort(FeedInfo,FeedCompare);
end

For table.sort() to work with a custom compare function, sortcomp(v1,v2) and sortcomp(v2,v1) cannot evaluate to true. If both values are equal, the function must return false. If sortcomp(v1,v2) returns true, values are preserved, otherwise if false, values are swapped in the order that v1 comes before v2 in the table.

suicidalkatt · 01-13-12, 04:37 PM

Originally Posted by SDPhantom

For table.sort() to work with a custom compare function, sortcomp(v1,v2) and sortcomp(v2,v1) cannot evaluate to true. If both values are equal, the function must return false. If sortcomp(v1,v2) returns true, values are preserved, otherwise if false, values are swapped in the order that v1 comes before v2 in the table.

Is 'FeedInfo[]=c;' on line 24 there missing something?

SDPhantom · 01-13-12, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by suicidalkatt

Is 'FeedInfo[]=c;' on line 24 there missing something?

Using a blank key '[]' tells Lua to push the value at the end of the table. It's practically the same as calling table.insert(FeedInfo,c).

suicidalkatt · 01-14-12, 06:46 PM

Originally Posted by SDPhantom

Using a blank key '[]' tells Lua to push the value at the end of the table. It's practically the same as calling table.insert(FeedInfo,c).

It was returning an error thanks for the clarification.

SDPhantom · 01-15-12, 12:18 AM

Strange... I guess I was thinking of another language, I thought it worked in Lua too.... go ahead and change that line to the following.

Code:

FeedInfo[#FeedInfo+1]=c

... or the table.insert() method I posted earlier.

suicidalkatt · 01-15-12, 01:34 AM

Originally Posted by SDPhantom

Strange... I guess I was thinking of another language, I thought it worked in Lua too.... go ahead and change that line to the following.

Code:

FeedInfo[#FeedInfo+1]=c

... or the table.insert() method I posted earlier.

Yea I ended up just using tinsert(FeedInfo,c).

Thanks everyone for your help! AddOn is functional just polishing now