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GuiMessageVector Control Questions

by Chris Fitzgerald · in Torque Game Engine · 09/30/2007 (1:35 pm) · 4 replies

Greetings.

I've created my own chat system using a GuiMessageVector that works pretty well. I have two issues though. First, I can't seem to change the color of each line. I can do the following:

ChatMessageProfile.fontColor = "100 100 100"; (I've assigned it this profile)

But, when I change this dynamically, it changes all text. So, I looked through the code and noticed a couple things. First, I can set the allowedMatches0 field to "find" change the color of the line to matchColor (this only seems to work with "http" though). The only problem is that I can only change one color, even for multiple allowedMatches. So, this doesn't work.

I took a look at the chatHud fps example and noticed that in the profile it lists the following:

fontColor = "44 172 181";
fontColors[1] = "150 50 50";
fontColors[2] = "50 150 50";

I just can't seem to track down exactly what context fontColors[1] would be used. I thought it might be tied to the line tag in the messageVector but that doesn't seem to be the case. I've done the following:

$Client::MessageVector.pushBackLine(%message,0)
and
$Client::MessageVector.pushBackLine(%message,1)

and they both are formatted the same

Second, I noticed that when I set allowedMatches0 to "http" it underlines and formats the text like a typical link. But, there's no way to actually click on the link. I understand TorqueML quite well, so I don't have a problem using an ML control but the GuiMessageVector seems to be a bit deficient. How would I get this link to work?

I'd rather not have to merge messageVector.c and guiMLTextCtrl for something as simply as colored text in the message vector ...

Thanks for any help.
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Torque Owner Gary Preston
#1
09/30/2007 (1:42 pm)
If memory serves, fontColors are used with the \c0 \c1 \c2.... \cN tags within the text. 

%text = "Hello \c1World\c2!!!";

There are a limited number of fontColors available, off hand I can't remember how many, but if you go too far you will overwrite the highlight color. Check the source for the exact number, it's something like 8 (maybe less?).

If you're using an ML text control, then you can also embed font and colour changes using the various markup the control supports. Again reference the source for a list of the tags.

Torque Owner Chris Fitzgerald
#2
09/30/2007 (2:09 pm)
Yep, you're right. I traced back the starter.fps chat system and noticed they were using /c0-4 for colors. This seems to limit the ability for player's to modify the base colors.

I'd prefer to use ML text for chatting. I'll see if I can replace the messageVector with an MLText array -- hopefully that will scroll properly in a Scroll Control.

Thanks for the speedy response.

Edit: Other than some issues with scrolling to the bottom of the Scroll Control, MLText seems to be superior to a messageVector.

Torque Owner Chris Fitzgerald
#3
09/30/2007 (3:08 pm)
Used with this resource:

http://www.garagegames.com/index.php?sec=mg&mod=resource&page=view&qid=10980

You can replace using a messageVector for chatting with a GuiMLTextCtrl which is a million times better than the messageVector.

Edit: It looks scrolling to the bottom like this is in 1.52 already with the scrollToBottom console method.

Associate Orion Elenzil
Real Life Plus
#4
09/30/2007 (4:58 pm)
I too have found that a GuiMLTextCtrl is about a million times better than GuiMessageVector.