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Advanced Click Bars

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lax

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Post Fri Mar 12, 2010 10:53 pm

Advanced Click Bars

Demonstrate how to configure and use an advanced, useful Click Bar. Make use of Click Bar Button Action to change the appearance of one or more buttons, and Click Bar State Action to toggle Click Bar visibility (e.g. by using a toggle Hotkey, or from another Click Bar)

Bounties for this guide request:
Video: 180 days Lavish Software subscription
Written (include screenshots): 180 days Lavish Software subscription - claimed by Sonic777
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sonic777

Posts: 26

Joined: Sat Nov 28, 2009 10:59 pm

Post Sun Aug 08, 2010 6:04 pm

Re: Advanced Click Bars

I have decided that I will take on this challenge since I have found some nice ways to represent each of the idea requested by Lax. This is going to be a 4 part tutorial and laid out in a way that helps to support a modular concept as much as possible.

Part 1 - Modifying the existing clickbars (Supporting concepts for handling additional buttons to our pre-existing clickbars)

Part 2 - NumKey On the Fly Reassignment - 5 States (This demo's multiple image changing and active keymap controlling)

Part 3 - Priest Buff Key's and State On/Off (This demo's multiple logic keys with a hide key)

Part 4 - Virtual G-Keys with On/Off with Color Feedback (This demo's toggle from another clickbar as well as activation of keymaps and support to secondary clickbar actions and self action color feedback)

Here is an example of all these concepts running from my laptop on the main toon's screen.
Advanced Click Bars.jpg
Advanced Click Bars.jpg (183.03 KiB) Viewed 18911 times


Description: To better have some understanding why I have chosen these 4 parts to represent the tutorial as a whole I have done some reading on the forums. Some of the things that most people are trying to do but ask for help on. Sometimes something as basic as why does my clickbar button not pass my clicks to the correct client can be a frustration that I hope to help with here. I want to point out that Lax has created some very informative documents on how all of this works.

Part 1 - Modifying the existing clickbar

To be honest, while these items listed below may seem to be a given, it's not. I am going to cover the basics.

  • When setting up a clickbar button this is a basic rule of thumb, the action that you are making is for use with a Target of "Window:Current" and all the other mechanics to point elsewhere is integrated into the actions being macro'ed. This is not a hard logical rule that I'm aware of, just a rule that I use in this tutorial.
    Advanced Click Bars-CurrentWindowRule.jpg
    Advanced Click Bars-CurrentWindowRule.jpg (56.48 KiB) Viewed 18911 times

  • You will have to provide any new icon's used for your clickbar buttons into the clickbar "Images (global)" based on your preferences: MiRae created this post with a link to image RAR http://isboxer.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=252. There are some other pre-existing packs that are linked on these forums that you should be able to easily find.


  • Once you have started creating a clickbar or are working on an existing clickbar buttons are all the same size for that bar. Don't worry though, you can make as many bars in as many sizes as required.

  • Clickbars can get very complicated, the best rule of thumb is "keep it simple solutions"(kiss), you will be much happier in the end, but don't cut corners or you will find yourself rebuilding to get a better result.

  • When changing the grid numbers, the first number is the row, the second number refers to the columns. A 1x6 would be one row six buttons wide. A 6x1 would be one column and six buttons tall.




Part 2 - NumKey On the Fly Reassignment - 5 States

Description: When faced with a limited number of keys on your keyboard we can re-purpose keys on the fly. Change how they react and what toons they react to, even while in combat.
This is very helpful in situations where you may have to change your healing strategy on the fly or targeting, no matter how you slice and dice the concept it can add up to 12 keys and 24 keystrokes(press/release) depending on how you play and setup your keys. In the tutorial below we do not use Num0(zero), Num+(plus), or Num-(minus) but they could easily be used on your setup. During this part of the tutorial I have decided to keep it simple and opted for five sets, the list below indicates the names and uses for each:

  • All Off (This disables the special mappings completely)
  • NumKeys-Heals (This is for my healer, the assigned set contains mapped keys specific for healing)
  • NumKeys-General-Self (This set is used for your "main" selected current:window and will not send to others)
  • NumKeys-General-All (This will send the same key to all the windows, think keyboard repeater for just numkeys)
  • NumKeys-General-Alts (This sends the key press to the alternate windows and not your main)

Section 1:
Lets get started, remember this is simply just an example of possible ways you could layout your NumKeys.

1. We are not going to create a Key Map for "All Off" since that is a state change action only, we will get to that in a few steps.

2. First you want to start off by creating the first of four new Key Maps named above. So start with "NumKeys-General-Self" for an easy setup.

3. Now that you have your first "Key Map" create 9 new mapped Keys using the "Many New Mapped Keys" selection now available by right clicking on Mapped Keys in the bottom left window. Set your target for "Window:Current" then click in the "-Press a key combination here -" and press your numkeys starting from 1 and going up to 9. Now hit "OK".

4. Now, lets create the "Key Map" for "NumKeys-General-All". You will use the "Many New Mapped Keys" technique as you did above to map these new 9 keys, this time the target is set to "Window: All w/ Current".

5. Next, lets create the "Key Map" for "NumKeys-General-Alts". You will use the "Many New Mapped Keys" technique as you did above to map these new 9 keys, this time the target is set to "Window: All w/o Current".

6. Then, lets create the "Key Map" for "NumKeys-Heals". You will use the "Many New Mapped Keys" technique as you did above to map these new 9 keys, this time the setup should include healing macro's you have setup for your healer, if it's a priest or shaman, druid or paladin, I would hope you have at lease a few spells you could assign here. For each of these macro's your target will be set to "Character: <insert name of healer>".

7. For each of your newly created Key Maps you will want to drag your "Character Sets" into the lower left window to have each set apply to your team(s), then the new Key Map sets are ready to go.

All your Key Maps are now created and ready to be used. If you decided to venture from this limited set of instructions thats fine, but please be sure that you have good working macro's for the selected Key Maps.

If you followed section 1 correctly you should have something that looks like this:
Advanced Click Bars-CreateKeyMaps.jpg
Advanced Click Bars-CreateKeyMaps.jpg (18.05 KiB) Viewed 18911 times



Section 2:

We will create the Click Bar button that will provide our changer and image feedback on the click bar button.

1. You have a choice here, either you create a new Click Bar or you can add a button to your "Broadcast" Click Bar. I will cover how to add a button to your "Broadcast" Click Bar.

2. Select Click Bars > Broadcast in the upper pane, then select button in the lower left pane. In the middle pain you want to increase the number of buttons so update the second "Grid" number by increasing it up one.

3. Click into the new button and in the lower right pane change the following:
    Name = NumKeys
    Text = NC
    Check Text Style, set to: Arial, Color: Red 255, Size 12,
    Check Image: insert a starting image of your choice(I used keyring from wow images)

You will come back and assign our action after we have created it. For now include all your "Character Sets" that will use this system if you created your own custom Click Bar.


Section 3:
Now we need to create a control Mapped Key that will provide our mechanics.

1. Please go to Key Maps > Control and create a new Mapped Key named "Activate Num Maps"

2. Create 5 steps to this Mapped Key
    a. Step one will contain the following "Actions":
      Create 4 "Key Map Actions">"New Key Map State Action"
        1. NumKeys-Heals set On (Target: Window:All w/ Current)
        2. NumKeys-General-Self set Off(Target: Window:All w/ Current)
        3. NumKeys-General-All set Off(Target: Window:All w/ Current)
        4. NumKeys-General-Alts set Off(Target: Window:All w/ Current)
      Create "New Popup Text Action" (Target: Window:Current, Text: NumKeys Healing)
      Create "Click Bar Actions">"Click Bar Button Action" with the following settings:
        Target: Window:All w/ Current
        Click Bar: Broadcast
        Button: NumKeys
        Check Image: set to a healing image you like (I used spell Holy Fanaticism)
        Check Text: Heals
    b. Step two through five will contain the all the same settings so you can copy all actions from step one and past into the remaining steps but with the following modifications:
      Step 2 Changes:
        1. NumKeys-Heals set Off
        2. NumKeys-General-Self set On
        3. NumKeys-General-All set Off
        4. NumKeys-General-Alts set Off
        5. Change "Popup Text" (Text: NumKeys Self Only)
        6. Change "NumKeys in Broadcast Click Bar -> all" settings:
          Check Image: set to an image you like (I used spell Shadow Twisted Faith)
          Check Text: Self
      Step 3 Changes:
        1. NumKeys-Heals set Off
        2. NumKeys-General-Self set Off
        3. NumKeys-General-All set On
        4. NumKeys-General-Alts set Off
        5. Change "Popup Text" (Text: NumKeys All Repeating)
        6. Change "NumKeys in Broadcast Click Bar -> all" settings:
          Check Image: set to an image you like (I used spell Holy Prayer of Spirit)
          Check Text: All
      Step 4 Changes:
        1. NumKeys-Heals set Off
        2. NumKeys-General-Self set Off
        3. NumKeys-General-All set Off
        4. NumKeys-General-Alts set On
        5. Change "Popup Text" (Text: NumKeys Alts Only)
        6. Change "NumKeys in Broadcast Click Bar -> all" settings:
          Check Image: set to an image you like (I used achievement PVP g 08)
          Check Text: ALTS
      Step 5 Changes:
        1. NumKeys-Heals set Off
        2. NumKeys-General-Self set Off
        3. NumKeys-General-All set Off
        4. NumKeys-General-Alts set Off
        5. Change "Popup Text" (Text: NumKeys Maps OFF)
        6. Change "NumKeys in Broadcast Click Bar -> all" settings:
          Check Image: set to an image you like (I used Keyring image, the same one used to initialize the button)
          Check Text: OFF

All your settings are complete, you could map a key to the main key here and be done or you can finish it out as it's meant to be used and create the link to the clickbar so when you click the button it changes for you.

Section 4:

1. Lets go back to your new button you created, if it's in Click Bar > Broadcast then goto the Buttons and click on the button you created. Click on it a second time with a "Left Click" to create an action in your lower right pane.

2. Now click on the small [<] arrow button to setup the key and use the following settings:
    Target: Window: Current
    Key Map: Control
    Mapped Key: Activate Num Maps

That's it, you can now use the new keymap actions and see when they change. Note, when you first load your games you need to set the Button to either OFF or Self.
Last edited by sonic777 on Sun Aug 08, 2010 9:02 pm, edited 4 times in total.
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sonic777

Posts: 26

Joined: Sat Nov 28, 2009 10:59 pm

Post Sun Aug 08, 2010 6:04 pm

Re: Advanced Click Bars

Priest Buffs Section - Completed.

Part 3 - Priest Buff Key's and State On/Off

Description: I really like this Click Bar setup, it saves me time, and clicks. It also gives me a way to buff on the fly or in a fight. This will work for any type of buffs but there are a few things that I have found out while setting this up. First, if it requires a regent it will require you to drag the spell to a bar and associate a key combo to that action. You can hide the action or whatever as long as it still works using that key combo you have setup in the game. I don't know if this is 100% true for all classes but for a priest I have tested this situation and can confirm it. This tutorial takes a lot of liberties in expecting you to be an intermediate to advanced user of ISBoxer, this is not for beginners as you are required to use examples to build from and complete this section without a completely written step-by-step guide. Also, as I have said before, this is just a sample solution, there are many ways you can put this to use, beyond what I'm about to show you I have actually setup my button to change my buffs for me to three states; shadow, holy, and Off. But for simplicity sake I will show you how to create a simple toggle solution that works just fine.

1. Lets get started by creating a new Key Map called Buffs. I have added macro'ed spells in this section where I can and used action key strokes where it's required with the regents my priest may use. Here are the following spells I have created under Buffs:
    Prayer of Fortitude
    Power Word: Fortitude
    Shadow Protection
    Prayer of Shadow Protection
    Prayer of Spirit
    Inner Fire
    Shadowform
    Vampiric Embrace

2. Single Target buffs also include an action of "FTL Assist" to allow me to target from my main screen and buff things like Prayer of Spirit. I am including examples of the two types of Mapped Keys used for these spells. In order for my setup to work and for you to be able to replicate this layout you need to setup a class specific ATG: An "Action Target Group" named "Class-Priest" with you priest(s) in the ATG.

3. Example one is for single target buffs: Create Mapped Key Power Word: Fortitude with "Hold any Keystroke Action" Off, "Execute a Step when the Hotkey is": pressed or released, and create two steps.
    a. Step one includes the following:
      Key Map Actions > New Do Mapped Key Action(Target=Window:Current / Key Map=General / Mapped Key= FTL Assist Me)
      Key Stroke Actions > New World of Warcraft Macro Actions(Target= Group (all of):Class-Priest / Key combination=Ctrl+Right Shift+B)
        Macro Generator = /cast [nomodifier][help] [target=targettarget, help, exists] Power Word: Fortitude
      New Popup Text Action (Target=Window:Current / Text:Sent Buff Key - Power Word: Fortitude
    b. Step two will be completed later in this tutorial.

4. Example two is for regent using buffs: Go into your game and Map your spell onto one of your buttons (I will be using Prayer of Fortitude). Then map that button to a key sequence (I used Ctrl+F2), save if required and exit the game. Now goto ISBoxer and under your Buffs create your Mapped Key with two steps and setup with the same settings except the name, for me it's "Prayer of Fortitude" and the two steps are as follows:
    a. Step one includes the following:
      Key Stroke Actions > New Key Stroke Action(Target= Character:<name of some priest> / Key combination=Ctrl+F2)
      New Popup Text Action (Target=Window:Current / Text:Sent Buff Key - Prayer of Fortitude
    b. Step two will be completed later in this tutorial.

5. Now using the two examples above you need to complete your list of Mapped Keys to use with this tutorial. Also, keep in mind that you will want to get JPG's images of your spells to use with your Click Bar. One other think is you want to create a 32x32 pixel of a green box, this doesn't need to be anything other than a green single color image by those dimensions. Once your complete you should have a list like the one pictured below:
Advanced Click Bars-CreateBuffs.jpg
Advanced Click Bars-CreateBuffs.jpg (50.71 KiB) Viewed 18906 times


6. Now you want to create a Click Bar > Buffs and go to the Buttons in the lower left pane.
    Concept: I have reduced my icons "used" by doubling up on particular spells. Left clicks are target spells of the equivalent group spells set to Right clicks. So, for the "Fort" Buff I'm using the Prayer of Fortitude image but when I target someone and click on the PoF image they get a simple single person buff and if I right click this image I get a Group Fortitude.

7. In the middle pane for priests you can make this a 2x3 grid. The cells and your images should be 32x32 to easily blend better with buttons and viewing them on your screen.

8. Lets setup the buttons, here is how I have mine setup.
    - Top Row (left to right)
      a. Fortitude -using the image from game image pack spell_holy_prayeroffortitude.jpg
        i. Name = Fortitude
        ii. Left Click = Do Power Word: Fortitude in Buffs Key Map -> self
        iii. Right Click = Do Prayer of Fortitude in Buffs Key Map -> self
      b. Spirit -using the image from game image pack spell_holy_prayerofspirit.jpg
        i. Name = Spirit
        ii. Left Click = Do Divine Spirit in Buffs Key Map -> self
        iii. Right Click = Do Prayer of Spirit in Buffs Key Map -> self
      c. Shadow Protection -using the image from game image pack spell_holy_prayerofshadowprotection.jpg
        i. Name = ShadowProt
        ii. Left Click = Do Shadow Protection in Buffs Key Map -> self
        iii. Right Click = Do Prayer of Shadow Protection in Buffs Key Map -> self

    - Bottom Row (left to right)
      a. Shadow Form -using the image from game image pack spell_shadow_shadowform.jpg
        i. Name = ShadowForm
        ii. Left Click = Do Shadowform in Buffs Key Map -> self
        iii. Right Click = Do Shadowform in Buffs Key Map -> self
      b. Inner Fire -using the image from game image pack spell_holy_innerfire.jpg
        i. Name = InnerFire
        ii. Left Click = Do Inner Fire in Buffs Key Map -> self
        iii. Right Click = Do Inner Fire in Buffs Key Map -> self
      c. Vampiric Embrace -using the image from game image pack spell_shadow_VampiricEmbrace.jpg
        i. Name = VampiricEmbrace
        ii. Left Click =Do Vampiric Embrace in Buffs Key Map -> self
        iii. Right Click = Do Vampiric Embrace in Buffs Key Map -> self

Note: The bottom row has both right and left click using same Key Map, you could make it more useful if you wanted and change the right click to something else.

Here is an image of how it looks when finished in isboxer:
Advanced Click Bars-BuffButtons.jpg
Advanced Click Bars-BuffButtons.jpg (71.13 KiB) Viewed 18876 times


9. We have some unfinished work in the Buff Key Maps so lets head back to Key Maps > Buffs and start with your first spell (I'm working on my Fortitude) in the first step and add the following action:
    Click Bar Action > New Click Bar Button Action
      - Target = Window:Current
      - Click Bar = Buffs
      - Button = Fortitude
      - Check Box Image (I have an image setup that looks like a green button that I use here, you can not use color to substitute when working with images in you bars)

10. Now copy the step just created in 9 and drop to Step 2 and paste the action into the center pane on action. Now change the image to your originally used image (mine was spell_holy_prayeroffortitude.jpg)

11. Time to setup the hide key since we don't need to buff all the time. Start by creating an extra Mapped Key in Buffs, name it: Buff-On-Off
    a. One step and one action, create new action: Click Bar Action > New Click Bar State Action
    b. Set these settings for your action:
      Target: Window:All w/Current
      Click Bar: Buffs
      On/Off/Toggle: Toggle

12. Now, jump to Click Bars > Broadcast > Buttons and create a new button with these settings:
    a. Buffs -using the image from game image pack spell_holy_fanaticism.jpg
      i. Name = Buffs-On-Off
      ii. Text = Buffs
      iii. Left Click = Do Buff-OnOff in Buffs Key Map -> self

Done, save and export! You can now use the new button with your broadcast bar to toggle the state of this bar on and off. Please feel free to expand on this for other classes.


Priest Buffs Section - Completed
Last edited by sonic777 on Sat Aug 14, 2010 12:40 am, edited 5 times in total.
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sonic777

Posts: 26

Joined: Sat Nov 28, 2009 10:59 pm

Post Sun Aug 08, 2010 6:04 pm

Re: Advanced Click Bars

Part 4 - Virtual G-Keys - Complete


Part 4 - Virtual G-Keys with On/Off with Color Feedback

Description: This is all about mobility, I'm not talking about in-game I'm talking about going from my home PC to my new super hot laptop. I mean this laptop is not Alienware but I got to tell you I have done a little customizing to it and I think it's better. So, how about I just jump in the car with my backpack filled with said laptop and hit up some social coffee house nearby. Ah, not so fast, I'm a multiboxer, not a silly rabbit, I have to stay home and use my G11 with 2000 extra keys. How am I ever going to get all my key combos and G-keys to transfer? I don't want to pack that keyboard, I know I'm a geek but I don't need to advertise at a coffee shop, next thing you know I'm giving advice on what the best PC gear is instead of getting a new number... true story. Okay, so setup on your main computer no matter what the situation, make your grid look like you like it and only turn it on when you run InnerSpace on you laptop.

1. Starting with a look at my Key Maps I can look through the top pane listings and see the G-Keys I'm using. I write down all my keys I'm not using since that list is shorter. Drop down to Click Bars when done and create "Virtual-GKey" and go to buttons.

(instructions from here apply to G11 but make adjustments as required for your keyboards, how about building out your n52 Belkin)
2. Now setup a grid 6x3 and cells 32x32 make adjustments as required for your layout. This gives me my 18 extra G keys, not including other keys on the keyboard.

3. Now we setup each of the keys with the following settings:
    i. Name = G1 <change this as required per key>
    ii. Text = G1 <same as name>
    iii. Check Text Style and setup with: Ariel / Blue Color / Size 12
    iv. Setup the Left Click for each key to the same Key Maps, they should all target self
    v. (optional) Now go back through and change the background color for ever other row to gray, this makes the columns easier to work with.

4. Now, it's time to setup your Mapped Keys to better support this new layout. My G-key to invite my team together is G4. For this new method we will use "pressed or released" settings. So we will have two steps (note by changing your keys to two steps with press and release you may need to make changes to your play style) and in addition to my original step actions I have an added Click Bar Action > New Click Bar Action to change the color of my virtual button to green.on the actions. So add the following action to step one of all your G-Key's that you plan to use:
    Click Bar Action > New Click Bar Action
      Target: Window:Current
      Click Bar: Virtual-GKey
      Button: G4 <this should be set to the GKey being pressed>
      Check Box Color: Green (Hex: FF00F000)

5. For step two we will copy the Click Bar Action we just created to the action in Step 2 of our Mapped Key. You only need to change one setting and that is the color should be set to the color that key started with originally, for me I had a dark grey color with a Hex setting of: FF969696

6. You must now repeat this tutorials steps 4 and 5 until you have completed all your GKeys.

7. Time to setup the hide key since we don't need to have our Virtual GKeys on all the time. Now, jump to Click Bars > Broadcast > Buttons and create a new button with these settings:
    a. GKeys -using the color selector set the hex to: FFFFFF00
      i. Name = GKeys
      ii. Text = G's
      iii. We will come back and setup the click action.

8. Now, creating an extra Mapped Key in Control, name it: Virtual-GKeys-OnOff
    a. Two steps and Two actions, create new action: Click Bar Action > New Click Bar State Action
    b. Set these settings for your action:
      Target: Window:All w/Current
      Click Bar: Virtual-GKeys
      On/Off/Toggle: On
    c. New action Click Bar Action > New Click Bar Action
      Target: Window:All w/Current
      Click Bar: Broadcast
      Button: GKeys
      Check Box Color: Green (Hex: FF00F000)
      Check Text: G-On
    d. Now copy "Step 1" and paste back into your Steps.
    e. Jump back to our Mapped Key and you will have two steps now, click into your step two and change our original actions, there are only a couple of changes:
      - First action change On/Off/Toggle: Off
      - Second action change Color Hex to red "FFFF0000" and Text to "G-Off"
9. Now, jump back to Click Bars > Broadcast > Buttons and create a Left Click action:
    i. Left Click = Do Virtual-GKeys-OnOff in General Key Map -> self

Done, save and export! You can now use the new button with your broadcast bar to toggle the state of this bar on and off. Please feel free to expand on this for other interfaces you use with your PC. Once you understand this guide the door to really creating a lot of other useful buttons can be put together well.


Part 4 - Virtual G-Keys - Complete

I invite you to see one other written guide I have called ClickBar Hotkey Reminder in the forums here: viewtopic.php?f=27&t=351
I also have a 10 minute video guide "Click Bars for noobs" (audio redone) your can find here: viewtopic.php?f=21&t=250
Last edited by sonic777 on Sat Aug 14, 2010 6:37 pm, edited 4 times in total.
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lax

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Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2009 9:32 pm

Post Sun Aug 08, 2010 6:48 pm

Re: Advanced Click Bars

Glad to see you taking this on :)
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lax

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Posts: 7301

Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2009 9:32 pm

Post Sat Aug 21, 2010 4:12 pm

Re: Advanced Click Bars

I've awarded the bounty for this written guide to sonic777 as of now

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