WoW:HOWTOs

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→ HOWTOs

← HOWTOs

HOWTOs are detailed documents describing "how to" accomplish something specific. Most of them will assume a basic understanding of the WoW scripting language and framework. For more information on the framework please refer to Portal:Interface customization, AddOns, and World of Warcraft API.

This list may be incomplete; all HOWTOs are listed on Category:HOWTOs.

Getting Started

Getting started with writing addons

An overview of the tools, code and file types involved in creating addons.

AddOn programming tutorial/Introduction (Overview Page)

Creating a Hello World! AddOn.

Setting up Visual Studio for WoW XML

On a Windows platform, you can use Visual Studio to create XML descriptions of interfaces.

General Lua tutorials

• Common Lua shortcuts - Commonly occurring uses of Lua logic evaluation short-cuts, method syntax and the global environment.
• Function arguments - Declaring and passing arguments to functions.
• Using the argument '...' efficiently - Tips involving the vararg operator.
• Hooking functions - Functions are first-class values in Lua, which allows you to override or extend the behavior of already declared functions.
• Pattern matching - An overview of the regular expression features of Lua.
• Lua basics - a few basic hints and notes about Lua

General Addon tutorials

Getting the current interface number

For use in .toc files.

Handling events

Creating, and managing event handler code.

Saving variables between game sessions

Description and examples of saving variables to disk.

Creating defaults

creating default values in your addon's saved variables.

Localizing an addon

General techniques enabling localization.

Using OnUpdate correctly

Throttling OnUpdate code execution.

Using FrameXML

Creating GUI configuration options

A custom configuration frame tutorial.

Creating tabbed windows

Using UIPanelTemplates to create tabs.

Creating a slash command

Creating and using slash command handlers.

Creating your own chat types

Adding new chat types allows users to redirect your addon's chat output to one or more desired chat frames.

Making a scrollable list using FauxScrollFrameTemplate

FauxScrollFrameTemplate tutorial.

Creating standard left-sliding frames

using the UIPanelLayout attributes to manage your frame's position.

Make Frames Closable With the "Esc" Key

using UISpecialFrames to enable this behavior.

Removing Blizzard default frames

Maps default UI elements to frame names and suggests use of the :Hide() widget function.

Hooking outgoing chat messages

Describes a mechanism to alter outgoing chat messages.

Creating simple pop-up dialog boxes

Using StaticPopup to display simple prompts.

Using the ColorPickerFrame

Invoking the default color picker.

Using UIDropDownMenu

Drop down boxes and menus using the FrameXML API.

Using the Interface Options Addons panel

Describes how to create an option panel that works with the default UI's Interface Options frame.

Using bindings.xml to create key bindings for your addon

Enabling default UI bindings.

Widgets

HOWTO: Scroll EditBoxes to the left programatically

Making Draggable Frames

Describes several methods to allow the user to move a frame.

Miscellaneous

Detecting an instant cast spell

Using the UNIT_SPELLCAST_SUCCEEDED event.

Identifying buffs using textures

HOWTO: Speed up string match lookups

Describes how to potentially speed up multiple similar pattern string matching.

HOWTO: Use Tables Without Generating Extra Garbage

An overview of techniques enabling table reuse and avoiding excessive garbage generation.

See also

• Making a macro : An overview of the various macro slash commands.