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The '''User interface customization guide''' is based on slouken's post on the official beta UI forums ''(a long, long time ago)''.
The '''User interface customization guide''' is based on slouken's post on the official beta UI forums ''(a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away)''.


== World of Warcraft Interface Customization Guide ==
== World of Warcraft Interface Customization Guide ==
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There is no official support for modifying the WoW interface. If you break it, you get to keep both pieces. :)  
There is no official support for modifying the WoW interface. If you break it, you get to keep both pieces. :)  


To start fresh, download the [http://www.blizzard.com/support/wow/?id=aww01669p "User Interface Customization Tool"] and extract both Data & Art. This creates a new directory called "Interface". This directory will override any built-in user interface. To remove all customized UI, just remove the Interface directory. Be sure that you never remove the Interface directory in Data\, only remove the top level Interface directory the tool created for you. For example, if you installed WoW to the default directory on Windows, you'll need to delete the "Interface" folder located in ''C:\Program Files\World of Warcraft\''.
To start fresh, download the [http://us.blizzard.com/support/article.xml?articleId=21466 "User Interface Customization Tool"] and extract both Data & Art. This creates a new directory called "Interface". This directory will override any built-in user interface. To remove all customized UI, just remove the Interface directory. Be sure that you never remove the Interface directory in Data\, only remove the top level Interface directory the tool created for you. For example, if you installed WoW to the default directory on Windows 2000/XP, you'll need to delete the "Interface" folder located in ''C:\Program Files\World of Warcraft\''.


When the game is updated, your customized files will not be modified, which means that you'll need to get an updated version of Interface.zip and apply your changes to the new files.  
When the game is updated, your customized files will not be modified, which means that you'll need to get an updated version of Interface.zip and apply your changes to the new files.  
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The best way to become familiar with the way Lua is used to script the interface is to look at the scripts in the XML files, denoted by the <script> tag, and to browse the lua files. The lua files typically contain functions which are used by the corresponding XML files.
The best way to become familiar with the way Lua is used to script the interface is to look at the scripts in the XML files, denoted by the <script> tag, and to browse the lua files. The lua files typically contain functions which are used by the corresponding XML files.


As a reference, the [[World_of_Warcraft_API]] page contains a (almost) complete list of available API functions in World of Warcraf. Also the [[Widget API]] page contains an overview of the methods that are available when dealing with objects of the user interface - like action buttons or unit frames. Feel free to play around with the <tt>print()</tt> function to try out the various API functions.
As a reference, the [[World_of_Warcraft_API]] page contains a (almost) complete list of available API functions in World of Warcraft. Also the [[Widget API]] page contains an overview of the methods that are available when dealing with objects of the user interface - like action buttons or unit frames. Feel free to play around with the <tt>print()</tt> function to try out the various API functions.


For example:
For example:
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Further on in the file a few textures are defined in XML. They have the "virtual" attribute, which means that they are not actually created, only stored definitions to be inherited later. After that a frame, or widget, called "DialogBoxFrame" is defined. This frame is also virtual, and contains an anchor which defines how it's positioned relative to its parent, a background, and a child button which just hides the dialog when it's clicked.  
Further on in the file a few textures are defined in XML. They have the "virtual" attribute, which means that they are not actually created, only stored definitions to be inherited later. After that a frame, or widget, called "DialogBoxFrame" is defined. This frame is also virtual, and contains an anchor which defines how it's positioned relative to its parent, a background, and a child button which just hides the dialog when it's clicked.  


Each frame consists of a number of layers, each of which can contain any number of textures and fontstrings. Each texture and fontstring must be anchored and sized so they are visible. The numbers used for anchor offsets and sizes are values in pixels.  
Each frame consists of a number of layers, each of which can contain any number of textures and font strings. Each texture and font string must be anchored and sized so they are visible. The numbers used for anchor offsets and sizes are values in pixels.  


At the end of the file we define an actual frame called "ScriptErrors" which inherits the dialog box we defined previously. This is the frame which is shown in the message function at the top of the file.
At the end of the file we define an actual frame called "ScriptErrors" which inherits the dialog box we defined previously. This is the frame which is shown in the message function at the top of the file.
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The very first frame that is created is the WorldFrame. This frame is required, and is where the game world renders. The next frame that is created is the UIParent frame. This frame manages all the rest of the user interface, and allows it to be hidden separately from the world. This is how we get screenshots without the interface visible. :)  
The very first frame that is created is the WorldFrame. This frame is required, and is where the game world renders. The next frame that is created is the UIParent frame. This frame manages all the rest of the user interface, and allows it to be hidden separately from the world. This is how we get screenshots without the interface visible. :)  


Whenever a frame, texture or fontstring is defined in XML, its initial attributes are defined and it is added to the lua namespace as an object of the appropriate type. Each type of object has member functions that modify that object. This is how we show the error dialog frame from script.  
Whenever a frame, texture or font string is defined in XML, its initial attributes are defined and it is added to the lua name space as an object of the appropriate type. Each type of object has member functions that modify that object. This is how we show the error dialog frame from script.  


Each frame has a set of script handlers which are called under certain conditions. For example, UIParent has OnLoad, which is called immediately after the frame is loaded, OnEvent, which we'll get to later, OnUpdate, which is called every time the world is updated, and OnShow, which is called whenever the frame is shown.  
Each frame has a set of script handlers which are called under certain conditions. For example, UIParent has OnLoad, which is called immediately after the frame is loaded, OnEvent, which we'll get to later, OnUpdate, which is called every time the world is updated, and OnShow, which is called whenever the frame is shown.  
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