[REL] Fix to move Message Log on start-up

[panthercules]

EDIT - updated for Patch 1.4

Confirmed that the numbering in these sections of the menu_1024_768.ini file did not change between patch 1.3 and patch 1.4 - also confirmed that these tweaks continue to work under patch 1.4 with no apparent negative side effects (at least none have surfaced so far).

Thanks to LukeFF renewing his question, I did confirm during this testing that my instructions on how to resize the box were incomplete before. In order to resize the message box without screwing up the scroll bar functionality, not only do you need to change the 3rd and 4th numbers in the zone line for section [G3F I241] as noted below, but you also have to make the same changes (increase the 3rd and 4th zone numbers by the same amount) in section [G3F I237] as you do in section [G3F I241]

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EDIT - Updated for Patch 1.3 -

Patch 1.3 altered the numbering of the sections in the menu_1024_768.ini so that these fixes to the message box (relocating, as well as making transparent and removing the opacity slider) need to be made to different-numbered sections, as follows:

Moving message box to bottom left (at 1024x768):
[G3F I237]
Zone= 256 764 350 94 0 1 0x3F000000 0.25 0 0x3F2A0000 0 0 -255 -614

Making message box start transparent:
[G3F I249]
Color=0xFFFFFF00 ;was 80

Removing opacity slider:
[G3F I242]
Name=OpacitySlider
Zone= 328 767 120 30 0 1 0x3F2A0005 1 -0.5 0x3F360000 0 0.5 10 -2000

The opacity fix works for any resolution, but as before, if you're running a different/higher resolution you may need to tweak these numbers a bit to get it where you want.

Enjoy!




EDIT - NOTE - It turns out that the patch 1.3 renumbered the section mentioned in some of the posts below about resizing the message box as well - what was [G3F I233] is now [G3F I241]. Therefore, if you want to resize the box when using SH4 version 1.3, you'll need to make changes to that section as follows:

[G3F I241]
Zone= 262 742 338 68 0 1 0x3F2A0000 0 0 0x3F320000 0 0 6 -22

As before, you just add whatever numbers you want to the "338" to make the message area wider, and to the "68" to make it taller - you'll need to experiment a little to get the size you want. I tried it with adding 100 to each, and it gave a pretty good increase without taking over the whole screen. Don't worry that the scroll bar on the right seems to disappear - it comes back as soon as you have enough text messages to need it again. Also, if you've moved the box down to the bottom and then you make it bigger, you'll probably need to relocate it somewhat to keep the larger box from being partially obscured by the order bar.



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Well, I finally managed to fix something that's been bugging me since the first time I fired up SH4, and I thought maybe somebody else would appreciate this little tidbit.

I always hated where they put the message log display at the top center, and the fact that the game wouldn't remember where you moved it so that I had to keep moving it every time I started up the game. So, flush with my newly-won (though highly derivative) victories over the menu_1024_768.ini file (moving the sliding recog manual up per this thread: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...299#post519299 ; and moving the hydrophone notepad out of the way per this thread: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...d=1#post526468 ), I decided to see if I could figure out how to make the message log start out where I wanted it so I wouldn't have to keep dragging it each time.








Eureeka! After an embarrassingly large number of trial and error attempts (before I finally figured out how to chart out the relationships between the sections and actually deduce which 2 sections were the only ones I needed to change), I finally managed to get this tweaked. The changes are very simple, and are as follows:

To move the message log box to the bottom left corner (my favorite position) where it will "hide" behind the bottom toolbar until the toolbar slides down, you only have to change the "Zone" lines of the following 2 sections of the menu_1024_768.ini file (changing last 2 Zone numbers to go left by 255 and down by 610) so they now read as follows:

[G3F I229]
Zone= 256 764 350 94 0 1 0x3F000000 0.25 0 0x3F2A0000 0 0 -255 -614

[G3F I242]
Zone= -600 200 300 100 2 1 0x3F000000 0 -1 0x3F040000 -2 1 -255 -510

See screenshot below which shows placement of message log this achieves:



Word of caution - this has only been tested and only works exactly like this if you're running at 1024x768. If you're using a higher/different resolution you will have to adjust your numbers accordingly since they represent the number of pixels the log is moved down and to the left from where it was in stock location. Also, I'm using RFB 1.22 as my base menu_1024_768.ini file - I don't think that mod messed with these particular sections, but if you're seeing different numbers in your existing zone lines then you may not be able to use my exact numbers shown in yellow above but, again, you should be able to subtract the same basic numbers (255 left, 610 down) from your existing zone numbers to get the same result at 1024x768 resolution.

I've been unsuccessful so far trying to tweak this so the "locked" box would start out checked and the opacity slider would start out all the way left (max transparent) - I suspect those things may be hard-coded since they have to react to player actions, but if anybody knows how to pre-set those, that would be great. As it is, it's still better than having to drag the dang thing every time, so I hope you find it useful.


Good luck and good hunting!

[Canonicus]

Great work, panthercules

I like to keep the order bars up, so there's a nice notch to the right of the camera tab and the engine telegraph.

I dropped it right in there with 125, -800. This was at a resolution of 1280 x 960 on a 22" widescreen display.

[latemail]

Well done !!

[DiveMonkey]

Acer 22in wide screen 1440x900...100 -750


Nice work
Thank you

We should all post our rez and zone numbers for others to use

[ustahl]

Originally Posted by DiveMonkey

Acer 22in wide screen 1440x900...100 -750


Nice work
Thank you

We should all post our rez and zone numbers for others to use

Agreed.
LG 22in wide screen @ rez 1680x1050: 100 -900 (Position like DiveMonkey's screen above).
If only it could be made instantly transparent...

[panthercules]

Originally Posted by ustahl

If only it could be made instantly transparent...

Yeah - I saw a line saying "Slider Position = ..." in one of the sections and thought maybe I'd found the key but it turned out to apparently be referring to the vertical slider to scroll the messages, so no luck - I'd love to think it might be tweakable here, but I haven't seen any indication of how to do it so far.

[edit] Eureeka!! Just figured it out




First, I tried moving the background off-screen with a -400 -400 on the zone line - that works but some minor functionality was lost that way. I'd been wondering in another thread why the color entries in the "color=" lines had 8 places/characters when all of the color hex-formulas I'd seen only had 6 places/characters - then it dawned on me. The last two places in that line are for opacity! Voila! the change is simple - just make the following additional change to menu_1024_768.ini:

[G3F I241]
Color=0xFFFFFF00 ;was 80

Now, all the functionality seems to still be there, and the message log background starts and stays transparent!

Enjoy!

[U-Bones]

Originally Posted by DiveMonkey

Acer 22in wide screen 1440x900...100 -750


Nice work
Thank you

We should all post our rez and zone numbers for others to use

1152 x 864 - Use "159" and "-709" for placement between tabs and dials.

Really nice find here - I was totally tired of moving this all the time.

[ustahl]

Originally Posted by panthercules

Voila! the change is simple - just make the following additional change to menu_1024_768.ini:

[G3F I241]
Color=0xFFFFFF00 ;was 80

Now, all the functionality seems to still be there, and the message log background starts and stays transparent!

Enjoy!

Confirmed! Now it's exactly like I want it right from the start - no more dragging & changing opacity.

Thank you very much, Panthercules!

One question though:
Regarding repositioning the message box your instructions are to adjust those Zone values in both [G3F I229] and [G3F I242].
I found that changing [G3F I229] alone was enough, and altering also [G3F I242] did not make any difference. Also your values for [G3F I242] are different than for [G3F I229]. Is there a reason for changing [G3F I242]?:hmm:

[Bane]

This is sweet! Thanks panthercules!

[panthercules]

Originally Posted by ustahl

Thank you very much, Panthercules!

One question though:
Regarding repositioning the message box your instructions are to adjust those Zone values in both [G3F I229] and [G3F I242].
I found that changing [G3F I229] alone was enough, and altering also [G3F I242] did not make any difference. Also your values for [G3F I242] are different than for [G3F I229]. Is there a reason for changing [G3F I242]?:hmm:

Good question - when I charted all the sections, those were the only two that both had the same, upper level parentID, so I figured that they should both be moved by the same amount (that's why the last two numbers are slightly different - I subtracted the same two numbers from each item, but the items started with slightly different numbers) - when that worked, I didn't go back to test to see if it also would have worked with changing only [G3F I229]. But, it looks like you may be right - I just went back and tried it, and there doesn't seem to be any discernable difference between changing just [G3F I229] and changing both sections, so I guess you don't really need to change [G3F I242] after all - good find!

[U-Bones]

Originally Posted by panthercules

Good question - when I charted all the sections, those were the only two that both had the same, upper level parentID, so I figured that they should both be moved by the same amount (that's why the last two numbers are slightly different - I subtracted the same two numbers from each item, but the items started with slightly different numbers) - when that worked, I didn't go back to test to see if it also would have worked with changing only [G3F I229]. But, it looks like you may be right - I just went back and tried it, and there doesn't seem to be any discernable difference between changing just [G3F I229] and changing both sections, so I guess you don't really need to change [G3F I242] after all - good find!

I assumed one was for multiplayer.

[panthercules]

Originally Posted by U-Bones

I assumed one was for multiplayer.

I've never messed with multiplayer, but what is it about multiplayer that would make this (or part of this) be different for multiplayer? Is there some sort of special "same team" channel or something that shows up differently for messages players type to each other or something?

But yeah - since I only play single player I haven't tested any of these things for multiplayer and have no idea what sort of unintended consequences might show up in multiplayer. - so, you MP guys are on your own

[LukeFF]

Great job on this one! Now I have my sonarman's notepad and the message box right where I want them.

[Delusory]

Originally Posted by DiveMonkey

Acer 22in wide screen 1440x900...100 -750


Nice work
Thank you

We should all post our rez and zone numbers for others to use

I use 1280x1024 and the numbers are: 120 -874
It seems that the thickness of the bar is about 150 pixels, but i don't know the lenght from the left.
Good luck

[LukeFF]

Originally Posted by LukeFF

Great job on this one! Now I have my sonarman's notepad and the message box right where I want them.

Now for two other questions: how do you resize the message box, and is there a way to have the check box clicked by default? (i.e., the one that keeps the message box from being moved)