Spellcast Help Thread (Link your XML using Pastebin.com for help!)

**Yugl** · 2013-05-22 20:56

Originally Posted by Aliquis

I'm getting "SpellCast: XML Parsing Error line 260." This is </rules> and I can't find the issue within the rules. Its a brand new spellcast file i made and I havent gotten the chance to test any of it. If someone might have the time to figure it out i'd appreciate it.

can't post urls so i put the rules section in a spoiler. Some rules are in  this is because i don't have the gear for the swap in the rule. so i dont want it to parse or w.e.

Spoiler: show

<if type="WeaponSkill"> should say <if type="WeaponSkill" />

**Aliquis** · 2013-05-22 21:03

works now thank you. i feel so blind >.<

**|Heretic|** · 2013-05-23 11:22

Originally Posted by Motenten

@Heretic:

Change:

Code:

        <xi:include href="Mote-Rules-Include.xml" xpointer="//include[@name='HandleEquippingGear']/*" />

To:

Code:

    <if NotType="BardSong">
        <xi:include href="Mote-Rules-Include.xml" xpointer="//include[@name='HandleEquippingGear']/*" />
    </if>

I'm being a pain in the ass I know, but this seems to mess with the Daurdabla filler rules. It will equip my fastcast set, but not the Daurdabla itself.

Code:

        <!-- Daurdabla filler song handling -->
        <if spell="ClassTrigger">
            <if SpellTargetRaw="DaurFiller1">
                <changespell spell="Dark Carol II" />
                <changetarget target="&lt;me&gt;" />
                <equip when="precast|midcast" setgroup="BasicMagic" set="Daurdabla" />
                <return />
            </if>
            <elseif SpellTargetRaw="DaurFiller2">
                <changespell spell="Light Carol II" />
                <changetarget target="&lt;me&gt;" />
                <equip when="precast|midcast" setgroup="BasicMagic" set="Daurdabla" />
                <return />
            </elseif>
		</if>

Code:

            <set name="Daurdabla" BaseSet="SongFastCast">
                <ranged>Daurdabla</ranged>
            </set>

Any workaround for the workaround?

**Motenten** · 2013-05-23 11:51

That shouldn't be happening for two reasons:

1) The HandleEquippingGear include only deals with aftercast. Precast and Midcast should all be set within the brd.xml itself. Commenting it out should have no impact on whether Daurdabla gets equipped when singing the song.

2) The ClassTrigger rules explicitly equip the Daurdabla set, and then <return />, which means nothing else in the XML should be getting executed anyway, including the call to HandleEquippingGear.

The actual problem appears to be that this:

Code:

<ranged>Daurdabla</ranged>

should be this:

Code:

<range>Daurdabla</range>

I would have caught this if I'd remembered to run this through my schema checker first.

**Moozie** · 2013-05-23 13:02

not really a spellcast question, but a general curing question getting into gear swaps.

for whm curing, I have heka body and af3+2 and i use solace.

for cure casting time, i should have heka body equipped, but for the stoneskin effect I have to have af3 body on, I was wondering if I get the bonuses from heka when the curing starts, specifically the cure potency, or if i have to get more get to get to the 50% cap?

Thanks

**Motenten** · 2013-05-23 13:10

You only get one or the other effect when the spell is actually cast. You can precast in Heka's for the casting speed, but it has no effect on the final spell effect if you're not wearing it when the spell lands. So yes, you need to try for 50% cure potency -outside- the body slot in order to fully utilize the AF3+2 body's Solace enhancement.

I think you can get 47% without the Magian staff, if you for some reason were still just using Chatoyant. This includes the new Bokwus gloves, but doesn't include leg slot since it assumes AF3+2 legs there. With the Magian staff you can hit 50% in 4 slots: staff, AF3+2 head, Bokwus hands, and any other 3%+ item.

**Yugl** · 2013-05-23 13:11

The Cure Potency works when the spell lands. That means you need 50% Cure Potency and the EMP+2 body equipped when the spell lands.

**Moozie** · 2013-05-23 14:17

thank you masters of the spellcast

that is what I was afraid of, now i have to do another magian staff.

**Projekt.Ein** · 2013-05-24 06:01

Having (I'm going to assume, latency) problems with this spellcast:
Spellcast: http://pastebin.com/FsDuJEPy
Include: http://pastebin.com/qQeWUhgx

Everynow and then, when switching from WS gear to TP/PDT/Hybrid gear sets and vice versa, it will only switch half of the equipment and I have to constantly use //update. Is this a latency problem or a problem in the XML itself?

**grevenilvec75** · 2013-05-24 10:25

Turn on ShowGearSwaps and see if everything looks good.

**disengaged** · 2013-05-24 23:08

i'm having an issue with my BRD spellcast... i can't really post the link since i don't have enough posts but it's at pastebin / LL9hfc67 ...

anyway though i'm having an issue with it not equipping my song casting- gear. it seems like it never puts on precast stuff and just jumps straight to the skill+ gear. i unloaded spellcast to check how fast i casted in all my gear versus how fast i do so with spellcast and it's definitely a huge difference. i'm not sure if it's just going too fast to get the cast down or what. i'd appreciate if someone could look at it for me and tell me if i'm just being retarded and missing something. thank you!

**Yamoman** · 2013-05-25 00:01

Help me out please, i'm goin nuts trying to figure out why my gear change for engaged isnt working, it's pretty much the same as most the xml i browse, i'm getting the chat that says i changed engaged set, but set not actually changing, made the sets different weapons to see if it works, and weapon stays the same, i dont have an include with this, this is the whole xml, not sure i need that
this is xml i'm using
http://pastebin.com/MF4iRUnr
any help apreciated

**Aliquis** · 2013-05-25 01:32

Could anyone point me in the direction of a good lesson on spellcast variables? i found one pretty good one but it still left me in the dark a bit.

**grevenilvec75** · 2013-05-25 08:46

Originally Posted by Yamoman

Help me out please, i'm goin nuts trying to figure out why my gear change for engaged isnt working, it's pretty much the same as most the xml i browse, i'm getting the chat that says i changed engaged set, but set not actually changing, made the sets different weapons to see if it works, and weapon stays the same, i dont have an include with this, this is the whole xml, not sure i need that
this is xml i'm using
http://pastebin.com/MF4iRUnr
any help apreciated

Code:

               <if spell="trigger0">
                        <if Advanced='"%Group"="ACC"'>
                                <action type="command">sc group HASTE</action>
                                <action type="AddToChat">HASTE SETUP</action>
                                <action type="command">input /ma Lowing Raksha</action>
                                <action type="CancelSpell" />
                                <action type="Return" />
 
                        </if>
                        <elseif Advanced='"%Group"="HASTE"'>
                                <action type="command">sc group HASTE-ACC</action>
                                <action type="AddToChat">HASTE-ACC SETUP</action>
                                <action type="command">input /ma Lowing Raksha</action>
                                <action type="CancelSpell" />
                                <action type="Return" />
 
                        </elseif>
 
                        <elseif Advanced='"%Group"="HASTE-ACC"'>
                                <action type="command">sc group EVA</action>
                                <action type="AddToChat">EVA SETUP</action>
                                <action type="command">input /ma Lowing Raksha</action>
                                <action type="CancelSpell" />
                                <action type="Return" />
 
                        </elseif>
                        <else>
                                <action type="command">sc group ACC</action>
                                <action type="AddToChat">ACC SETUP</action>
                                <action type="command">input /ma Lowing Raksha</action>
                                <action type="CancelSpell" />
                                <action type="Return" />
 
                        </else>
                </if>

                <if spell="Lowing">
 
                        <equip when="precast|engaged|idle|resting" set="%status" />
                        <action type="CancelSpell" />
 
                </if>

you have to trigger an update after you change your TP var in order for the swap to happen. The code i posted shows how I handle it in my DNC xml. I use the spell Lowing to trigger a gear update.

**Aliquis** · 2013-05-25 13:20

I guess I'll just present my issue and hope someone can help me because I have tried hard to find a good help topic on spellcast variables. What I am trying to do is create trigger based variables. I want be able to use
//sc var set ____ ____ to change my current gear set whether engaged or idle and have it so its set to swap back after weaponskills and out of movement speed boots when beginning to engage. I've heard you must use an action like a job ability or spell to activate the macro. If so can I just use one I don't have like spell on a DD job (i have just been using ones i have)? I just cant figure out how to get it to work despite many tries and I've probably over thought this but I can't figure it out. >.<

**grevenilvec75** · 2013-05-25 15:31

You can use any spell/ja/whatever to trigger a spellcast update. There are also triggers specifically added to do this (trigger0 trigger1 trigger2 ... trigger9 etc)

http://pastebin.com/qgtzN4ZE

you can look at my WAR xml (specifially the vertical cleave rule and the trigger0 rule) to get a rough idea of how I handle it.

**Yugl** · 2013-05-25 15:31

When altering a variable with rules, you should use:

<var cmd="set VariableNameHere NewVariableValueHere" />

From here, I'll refer to Variable Name as "VN" and Variable Value as "VV." The main trick with SC is making sure SC activates when you need SC to do so. Remember that SC is reactionary, so you need some sort of input to make SC respond. If you're working with variables, you need to be aware of when you're affecting the VV. Some ways to make SC respond:

1. Use <command when="statuseshere">
2. Do an action (WS, JA, Spell, etc)

The first idea is useful for engage/idle/resting/precast/midcast/aftercast. Since you can issue a command to SC when your character moves between these statuses, you can use these statuses to affect the VV. For instance:

<command when="aftercast">Update</command>

This issues a command to SC to use the fake spell "Update" when your character returns to aftercast status (After a spell, WS, JA, etc). So if you perform a WS, your character will use the spell "Update" immediately after. An issue appears though. If you're using Update after any cast (WS, Spell, JA, etc), then the aftercast of Update will trigger another Update and this loop continues. To prevent this loop, you can use the line <cancelspell />, which prevents Update from ever triggering.

<if spell="Update">
<cancelspell />
</if>

If the spell never triggers, you don't have an aftercast (You can't have an aftercast if you never cast ya?).

The second idea seems to be your objective and basically works like this:

<if spell="WSNameHere">
<var cmd="set VN VV" />
</if>

This will affect the VV value before your WS occurs. I'm not sure how you plan to use the variable, but this would be the method.

**Aliquis** · 2013-05-25 21:20

Ok you guys helped a little but I'm still lost. Let me try to better explain what I am trying to do from my understanding.

I'm trying to set a variable name with multiple values I want to fit into this one variable. So that I will return to the set value I've triggered as the current variable, after weaponskill swaps/JA swaps and will work as a base set for my idle which only consists of movement speed boots. I'm assuming here though that the values can be actual set names.

So what I have tried most recently which has not worked...

Spoiler: show

Also can I use the variable name as a set's BaseSet? ie <set name="Idle" baseset="$B.Group"> ??

**Motenten** · 2013-05-25 22:30

I'm trying to set a variable name with multiple values I want to fit into this one variable.

A single variable that holds multiple values at one time? (EG: myVar = "one;blade;evasion") Or multiple possible values, and you want the variable to hold one (and only one) of them at a time? (EG: myVar = "PDT", myVar = "Evasion", etc)

So that I will return to the set value I've triggered as the current variable

This is confusingly written. A value can't be triggered. Or you've triggered a variable? Or...

You want the variable to hold the name of a set? And you want to equip that set? On an explicit trigger, or returning to that set as part of the aftercast?

Actually, let's back up. Forget variables entirely. Describe in detail exactly what you want to happen. A common issue is people asking for help about how to make a particular tool work, when they actually want to solve a particular problem, and the tool is just the means they were using to accomplish that.

Reading your posts, I get:

What I am trying to do is create trigger based variables.

You mean you want to have variables that you can change based on initiation a trigger action?

Here, for example, is one that I use:

Code:

        <if Spell="ClassTrigger">
            <!--
            TH Modes:

            None:   Does not swap in TH gear under any circumstances.
            Tag:    Swaps in TH gear when using ranged attacks and Steps, and when engaging (considered a tagging action).
            SATA:   In addition to tagging actions, it will equip TH gear on all SATA sets (including weaponskills).
            Fulltime: Will fulltime TH gear during melee.
            -->

            <if SpellTargetRaw="Cycle(THMode)">
                <if advanced='"$THMode" = "None"'>
                    <var cmd="set THMode Tag" />
                </if>
                <elseif advanced='"$THMode" = "Tag"'>
                    <var cmd="set THMode SATA" />
                </elseif>
                <elseif advanced='"$THMode" = "SATA"'>
                    <var cmd="set THMode Fulltime" />
                </elseif>
                <else>
                    <var cmd="set THMode None" />
                </else>

                <addtochat>TH Mode: $THMode</addtochat>
            </if>
        </if>

Each time the user executes a macro with the command "/ma ClassTrigger Cycle(THMode)", this will change the current value of the variable "THMode", giving it one of four possible values: "None", "Tag", "SATA" and "Fulltime". It also uses <addtochat> to report back to the user what the new value is.

It determines what the new value should be based on what the current value is, which is done with a check in the 'advanced' attribute. It uses a combination of <if>, <elseif>, and <else> to be sure that every possible value that can exist in THMode is accounted for.

Your comment above was followed by:

I want be able to use //sc var set ____ ____ to change my current gear set whether engaged or idle

Note: this will not, and can never, change your current gear set. This is a direct command to Spellcast that sets a variable value, and that is -all- that it will do -- set the value of a variable. It will not equip gear. It will not update engaged sets or idle sets. None of that. Spellcast will not actually execute an evaluation of your rules until you take some actual action.

In my above example, I actually initiated an action with the "/ma ClassTrigger Cycle(THMode)" command. Spellcast has to evaluate the xml rules in order to get to the point where it can change a variable value, and will continue to execute after that point, allowing me to also equip different gear sets based on the new variable value.

have it so its set to swap back after weaponskills and out of movement speed boots when beginning to engage

This is part of normal Spellcast usage, and doesn't have anything to do with variables, per se.

I've heard you must use an action like a job ability or spell to activate the macro. If so can I just use one I don't have like spell on a DD job (i have just been using ones i have)?

As somewhat explained above, Spellcast will not execute anything within your xml <rules> section unless you attempt to perform some sort of action (whether from macro, command line, menu, key bind, whatever). This action does not have to be one that your job can normally perform, so yes, you could have your war use Invincible, and trap for Invincible in your war's xml, and change things any time you use that.

However a large number of special 'fake' actions are now included in the resources Spellcast uses, called trigger spells. These allow you to test for particular properties of these spells to make it easier to filter for these particular types of actions. For example, all trigger spells are type="Trigger", so you can isolate them the same way you would for type="Weaponskill" or type="JobAbility". They are grouped into 'skill' types (eg: skill="ControlTrigger", skill="ElementalTrigger"). There are also several that have specific elements tied to them (eg: spell="WaterTrigger" will also match element="Water"). This allows for a fair bit of flexibility for special use cases.

Now, on to your actual code. Here we have more confusing elements.

Code:

    <var name="Trigger0">Firaga IV</var>

    <if spell="trigger0">

You're testing for spell="trigger0". The question is, are you testing this using the actual macro command "/ma trigger0", or are you trying to trigger this using "/ma Firaga IV"? "Firaga IV" is a value contained within a variable. Your spell="trigger0" is checking an explicit value, not a variable. If you're trying to test the use of Firaga IV as a trigger, you'd need to use:

Code:

    <var name="Trigger0">Firaga IV</var>

    <if spell="$Trigger0">

Note the $ before Trigger0 when referenced in the <if> check. That means you want the -value- of the variable, not the name of the variable.

On the other hand, you might have just accidentally left the Trigger0 variable in from earlier testing, and actually were using the spell, 'trigger0'. I can't tell at this point.

Then you have your B.Group variable.

Code:

    <var name="B.Group">420.TP|420.ACC|-DT</var>

First, realize that everything between the two <var> </var> tags is part of the variable value. If you were to equip the referenced sets, like:

Code:

    <equip set="$B.Group" />

then it will attempt to equip the set named "420.TP", followed by adding/replacing the gear specified in set "420.ACC", followed by adding/replacing the gear specified in set "-DT". Is this intended? Because your comparisons later only use 420.TP or 420.ACC, not both.

They also explicitly reference Blankset, which is nonsensical in this configuration. In fact, I would say that a lot of what you've written just makes my head hurt.

I am going to pretend I know exactly what you're trying to do, and show you how to go about doing that.

1) You want to equip particular sets when engaged, and return to those sets after a weaponskill action.
2) You may want to have -DT gear equipped in priority over your normal gear.
3) When you weaponskill, you want to equip the appropriate weaponskill gear.
4) When you're no longer engaged you want to equip +movement gear.

Code:

    <variables clear="true">
        <var name="DT">None</var>
        <var name="TP">TP</var>
    </variables>
    
    <sets>
        <group name="Common" default="true">
            <set name="None">
                <!-- empty set -->
            </set>
            
            <set name="Idle">
                <feet>Danzo Sune-ate</feet>
            </set>
    
            <set name="420.TP">
                <!-- stuff -->
            </set>
            
            <set name="420.ACC">
                <!-- stuff -->
            </set>
            
            <set name="DT">
                <!-- stuff -->
            </set>
            
            <set name="Shoha">
                <!-- stuff -->
            </set>
        </group>
    </sets>
    
    <rules>
        <if type="Weaponskill">
            <if Spell="Tachi: Shoha">
                <equip when="precast" set="Shoha" />
            </if>
        </if>
        <elseif type="Trigger">
            <cancelspell />
    
            <if spell="ClassTrigger">
                <if SpellTargetRaw="+DT">
                    <var cmd="set DT DT" />
                    <addtochat>DT set on</addtochat>
                </if>
                <elseif SpellTargetRaw="-DT">
                    <var cmd="set DT None" />
                    <addtochat>DT set off</addtochat>
                </elseif>
                <elseif SpellTargetRaw="+Acc">
                    <var cmd="set TP Acc" />
                    <addtochat>TP set for accuracy</addtochat>
                </elseif>
                <elseif SpellTargetRaw="-Acc">
                    <var cmd="set TP TP" />
                    <addtochat>TP set for normal</addtochat>
                </elseif>
            </if>
            <elseif spell="Reset">
                <var cmd="set DT None" />
                <var cmd="set TP TP" />
                <addtochat>DT and TP sets reset</addtochat>
            </elseif>
            
            <if status="engaged">
                <equip when="precast" set="420.$TP|$DT" />
            </if>
            <else>
                <equip when="precast" set="Idle" />
            </else>
            
            <return />
        </elseif>
        
        <if status="engaged">
            <equip when="engaged|aftercast" set="420.$TP|$DT" />
        </if>
        <else>
            <equip when="idle|aftercast" set="Idle" />
        </else>
    </rules>

Note that if you use trigger spells, you need to use <cancelspell> to ensure that Spellcast doesn't try to actually send them as commands to the game. Also, because you're cancelling them, any <equip> commands have to happen at the precast level instead of the normal aftercast, which is why those <equip> commands are duplicated. I also put in a <return /> since at that point in the code we don't need it to go any further.

In this case, I've used variables to define which sets are being used, but I don't use a variable to define the entire equip set structure. I can define that explicitly in the <rules>, and just let the variables fill in the missing bits.

For this to work, you'd want up to 5 macros to control things:

/ma ClassTrigger +DT
/ma ClassTrigger -DT
/ma ClassTrigger +Acc
/ma ClassTrigger -Acc
/ma ClassTrigger Reset

This can be simplified and consolidated to save on macro space, but I wanted to make it as clear and explicit as possible, rather than try to use fancy tricks.

Hopefully this helps clear things up a little.

**grevenilvec75** · 2013-05-26 00:04

Originally Posted by Aliquis

stuff

first thing i'd do is rename those variables. I don't know whether or not spellcast can handle a variable name that starts with a number, but it's just bad form in general to do it that way. I'd name them something like "xhit", "ACC", "DT"

next thing i see is that you have:

<if advanced='"$B.Group"="Blankset|-DT"'>

Not sure if the | pipe works that way in an advanced rule, but it's another red flag that goes up. I'd make that 2 different rules, or figure out a way to do a NOTadvanced (unsure if it works like that).

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