Chat Bots using References (Popup Windows) in 15.5

[Lucien]

Hey everyone

The chat references system is changing significantly with the 15.5 update so I thought I should write something for you on how it has changed.

The main changes are in how the references are formed and sent. They are no longer sent as an extra part to the chat but they are actually included in the text. Ie:

Click <a href="charref://50000/4104/Text to go inside the reference">here</a> to open a window.

Some of you may recognize this as being similar to HTML In truth it is but there are subtle differences. This "HTML" style will not work in the references themselves, only in the chat text.

For creating links inside a reference you must now use &amp;quot; instead of ". For example:
Click <a href="charref://50000/4104/Click #L &amp;quot;here to send&amp;quot; &amp;quot;/tell mybot help&amp;quot; a tell to mybot">here</a> to open a window.


Other references that also exist:

& &  
&lt; <  
&gt; >  
&amp;quot; "  
&nbsp; Non breaking space

Colors in the chat have also changed to a HTML format, ie:
<font color="#0000FF">This text is blue</font>

Words (ie blue instead of #0000FF) may work, but for a color reference chart have a look at: http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/...e/color_codes/

Feel free to post any helpful information on modifying commonly used bots (ie helpbot, IGN etC) in this thread. I'm sure some people will appreciate it!

Modifications will need to be done before 15.5 goes live, otherwise your bots will not work. The new chat changes are on testlive so you are welcome to try them out there.

[Lucien]

Bym has also written some stuff on references in 15.5:
http://forums.anarchy-online.com/sho...hreadid=260005

Thanks Bym!

[Lucien]

According to my information the new color format was disabled in 15.0.10

When it is re-enabled it will work like this though (to my knowledge)

[Notumsurrrge]

Amona is going to have a lot of work to do if this is the case >.<

I don't actually code bots with references, but almost every guild has a bot, if not two and it's going to be a pain to recode everything.

Is this related to the new chat window Lucien?

[Darkbane]

Amona (and a number of other bot authors) have been rather busy the last few days... still, the next few days may be slightly chaotic as everyone gets used to the new chat, and bots get updated.

[___________Catalyste]

Ha! I was already and always super confused, so I have managed yet again to be unaffected by all of this!

*Super Blonde moment!*

I am even unaffected by intelligence boosts!

...hm wait a minute, that didn't sound quite right...sigh

*presses the <DELETE> key AFTER pressing [Submit Reply]*

rats..

[BlueGravity]

Woh, yeah this sure is going to make it difficult on some of us. But hopefully there will be a bot update of some sort ^_^

[____________Toluenea]

So, will the changes in how the colors work affect multi-colored pet names as well?

[shadowgod]

Originally posted by Toluenea
So, will the changes in how the colors work affect multi-colored pet names as well?

last i heard this doesnt effect pet names... yet. strictly just chat stuff.

though, cant remember who said it (was on a 13 page thread elsewhere).. maybe someone on test could verify?

[Kithraks]

Last I checked, in-game wise, the colored pet names still work. But the color characters looking like a minature square shows up in the chat window along with the pet name.

[Lucien]

The colors just affect the new chat, they don't even affect the references.

I'm assuming the pet colors etc still work, but don't quote me on that

[Lucien]

I've updated it now, the text wasn't showing properly for &amp;quot;

[jessys]

my poor little bot

[azance]

In theory this should work if I write it directly in my AO client rite?

 

<font color="#FF0000">Testing red</font>

but it doesn't. it just shows the html. how are bots diffrent? or is it parsed when it's recived, and not when it's local?

[Lucien]

As I mentioned it seems to be disabled atm. Hopefully it'll be sorted out in the next patch

[___________Catalyste]

Regarding IGN and new chat-socket format.

IGN is ready and converted to the new chatsocket format. This goes for charref and itemblobs incoming and outgoing
from/to bot. Its sizelimit has also been raised on its multitell autosplitting, so it will now autosplit blobs larger than 28.000 characters instead of 5.500 characters.

The color-chatline output has been disabled intentionally by FC, so it is not a bug. It will be enabled again soon, word was after Easter, but you should estimate 2-3 weeks for that
as there are still issues left to resolve with the chatline output and formatting.

If you have somehow missed the upgrade notification you can do the following:

/tell yourbot upgrade

If your bot-admin is not present and your bot still runs the old code, you should join #IGN on irc.funcom.com
immediately for assistance, and someone, if not me, will be there 24/7 and will help you to upgrade alternatively.


If your bot is not connected to IGN central it will get no upgrade notification, and by that you should instead do the
following:

/tell yourbot upgrade www.monkerud.com

If you for some reason are behind a firewall and/or not able to upgrade automatically from ingame, you should do the following:

1: download http://www.monkerud.com/upgrade.zip

2: unzip that overwriting the files in your old botdir

3: shut down the bot and start it again by clicking on
bot.bat.

For any information, or assistance, all the IGN administrators are gathered in #IGN on irc.funcom.com and will be able to help you. If you by some chance can not get on IRC, you can reach the #IGN channel from ingame by typing on any
of the dimensions:

/tell gridhelp support

or by clicking "Get support" in the helpmenu on your own guildbot.

Sincerely, Amona
IGN Networks.

[Dumble]

On the subject of colors, I know they are disabled or something in the chat - but is the old system of colors completely gone or will the color blocks in front of colored or multicolored nameds eventually go away? Or will I be able to use the new color thing with, say, renaming my bot?

[Polmara]

In the words of Henry Thoreu "Life is complex enough, simplify, simplify."

The new chat is nice in its own way but needlessly complex reminding many in a negative way of windows, as well as making a number of unfavorable comparisons to other games. It has advantages yes, but disadvantages as well as troubles marking the set up have made more of a negative impression on players then positive causing a few to even leave the game. What players seek is quick, simple, easy to use and maintain, not complex. Better to make it possible for players to go back older chat. The older GUIs suddenly have become much more popular..... for simplicities sake.

[____________Nadrazmi]

i just wondered how this would work in the old gui, if it will work like normal, like the perks menu or not at all?

[Amosco]

I just read the entire thread, and I'm still confused. I'll just come right out and ask a direct question:

Once FC finishes tweaking the chat system will it return to the OLD default color system for the chat messages, particularly the various bits of battle spam that have now all been made to output as RED?

If not, does this mean we will have no other choice but to manipulate the colors of the battle spam ourselves? I'm REALLY not looking forward to doing that myself!