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

[Motenten]

No offence but will there be some form of documentation when the trigers are standardize for all different authors include.xml?
Because right now, i'm confused on what trigger macros to set and use for each

In addition to the general documentation Yugl mentioned, I'll note that I keep everything documented in comments in my include xml. The first 80 lines are nothing but comments, and the next 100 lines are commented variable names explaining their general use. There's also comments throughout the code explaining what each import section is for.

[Motenten]

Re-writing my xml (learned a bit more about XML coding and wanted to try more efficient and universal code), and have a question.

In my sets, I've re-named them based on type and skill (for the most part). However, if I want to call up a White Magic Enfeebling spell, how do I (properly) get the code to differentiate?

<..snip..>

Or something like that? Is there a way to put them both in the same line by any chance? %skill%type?

(Sub question- in my quest to make this simpler, am I over thinking it?)

Somewhat yes, and somewhat not enough. White magic enfeebles are mnd-based, black magic enfeebles are int-based. And on top of that, some care only about accuracy, and some use the stat for potency.

At the very simplest level you can use this:

<if skill="EnfeeblingMagic">
  <equip set="%type-%skill" />
</if>

and have sets named WhiteMagic-EnfeeblingMagic and BlackMagic-EnfeeblingMagic. No, using <equip set="%skill" /> + <equip set="%type" /> will not be the same thing, though it can end up rather similar.

I would tend more towards:

<if type="WhiteMagic">
  <if skill="EnfeeblingMagic">
    <equip set="Mnd-Enfeeble" />
  </if>
</if>
<elseif type="BlackMagic">
  <if skill="EnfeeblingMagic">
    <equip set="Int-Enfeeble" />
  </if>
</elseif>

to simplify the set names. I broke it down by white magic/black magic first (rather than white magic or black magic within an enfeebling magic section) since I assume you'll also have other sections, such as healing magic or elemental magic. That depends on how you want to organize the xml as a whole, though.

[Motenten]

I don't think it's feasible to make general casting categories as with melee. If, for example, you are solo BLU burning, you will want Dire Cast on a continuous scale for sleeps, potency gear for CW, and an immediate Dire Cast on following sleeps (If necessary). With that configuration, there is no way to rapidly move between those and timing is critical when you have tons of potentially IT mobs on you without a WHM. Also, BLU would require plus and minus since they can either tank with the enmity plus version or cure with the enmity minus version. With the separation, you use 4 triggers.

However, if the issue is getting Nuke-Enmity on that list, it might be possible to just add the option to the levels of "magic accuracy." On that note, it might be desirable to have a three tiered magic accuracy system (Though I would probably want to throw that up for a vote in a separate thread if possible) for full on potency, moderate magic accuracy, and full magic accuracy. The benefit of three tiers for this are more profound than physical accuracy since you generally cannot make up magic accuracy with food to the degree that you can with physical accuracy. Thus, I propose the following:

Magic Style: Potency, Mid-Potency (Name pending), Full Magic Accuracy, and Enmity *
Cure Variable: Potency, EnmityMinus, and Enmity Plus
Dire Cast: Continuous use of PDT or Spell Interruption for crowd control spells
Quick Resist: Changing the Magic Style for one cast

* My only issue with this is enmity is not necessary for enfeebles, which raises complications since you can neither say that a person using enmity gear necessarily wants to use Full Magic Accuracy nor say they want Potency. In this case, it might be better to add Nuke enmity as a separate (Maybe even class specific?) trigger

Ah, right, I'd intended 3-tier (potency, blend, accuracy), but left the middle one off at the end (partly to simplify the comparison).

From the blu-burn example, you'd want Interrupt for crowd control and Potency for nukes (which have to be manually broken out for blu, but whatever).

Ok, we can probably consolidate the groupings into three general cateogories: Crowd Control, Offense (nuking + enfeebling), and Support (curing + enhancing).

Crowd Control options: Interrupt, Accuracy
Offense options: Potency, Mid-Accuracy, Full-Accuracy, Interrupt, EnmityDown(?)
Support options: Potency, Interrupt, EnmityUp, EnmityDown

At the moment I can't imagine Interrupt being a useful long-term option for Support, but rather just used with the 1-shot trigger as needed (eg: stoneskin, or needing to get a cure off while a mob is beating on you). Potency and Enmity Up/Down I could see as long-term options.

Thinking about it more, I'm not sure of the viability of EnmityDown for Offense in general, or nuking in particular. Left it as questionable.

I could imagine, for example, a whm wanting EnmityDown for curing, Potency for enfeebles, and Accuracy for crowd control/sleeps. A blm may want Interrupt for crowd control/sleeps, and Potency for both nuking and curing. There's really no single config option that works for all three types.


On the other hand, we -can- say that long-term settings by definition shouldn't need to be changed much. We don't necessarily need active keybinds for those, just the Dire/Quick Resist triggers.

Continuing to ponder this.

[Caylene]

Thanks for the response.

h t t p : / /pastebin.com/DavzvQwv

This is the current XML code I'm working through today, and you'll see it's obviously a work in progress. Some of the set names are still in transit and need to be updated, etc. I can't get EnSpells to work- I took out the elemental stave variables because last night it was telling me the whole time that it couldn't find "Vulcan's StaffEN" ><. Not sure what I'm doing wrong with those but do plan to work through it. Also don't have weapons/subs most places because I'm working through those issues as well.

I do like the idea of having a %type-%skill name. TY for that.

I am hoping the end result XML will end up with advanced rules and variables for things like more difficult mobs, or if something keeps getting resisted, element based weaponskills/gear, etc. I also want to variable my weapons.

(Also editing via Dreamweaver so I apologize if there's any weird spacing issues)

[Yugl]

Quick notes before I run out.

1. It might be better to use Dire Cast as a pipe since BLU's spells aren't organized properly in resources *
2. PDT would also be useful for the Crowd Control option if it allows you to floor hits
3. Spell Interruption/PDT is also useful for Support due to the need to cast spells such as Phalanx/SS while holding packs of mobs; however, this shouldn't necessarily affect cures, so I think Support is too broad

* SE made a change to how they categorize BLU spells after the 75 patch. Spells that are buffs, even if they have an element, are not listed as having an element. Moreover, since there is a mix between skill affected BLU buffs (As with enhancing magic) and others, it is even more difficult to pair them in a manner that would allow for rotations. To see what I mean, you can check the BLU XML rules section to see that SE made wonky decisions when labeling BLU magic.

[Motenten]

    <var name="Ice">Enblizzard II</var>
    <var name="Fire">Enfire II</var>
    <var name="Wind">Enaero II</var>
    <var name="Earth">Enstone II</var>
    <var name="Thunder">Enthunder II</var>
    <var name="Water">Enwater II</var>
    <var name="Light">Enthunder II</var>
    <var name="Dark">Enthunder II</var>

This is bad. Do not use variables names that are solely the element. Because of the way spellcast constructs variables, this will undoubtedly cause you lots of headaches further on.

Instead use something like <var name="En-Ice">Enblizzard II</var>, and refer to it by <if Spell="$En-%SpellElement"> .. etc.

Same thing with these:

    <var name="Grip">Wise Strap</var>
    <var name="DarkMagic">Caecus Grip</var>
    <var name="DivineMagic">Divinus Grip</var>
    <var name="ElementalMagic">Elementa Grip</var>
    <var name="EnfeeblingMagic">Macero Grip</var>
    <var name="EnhancingMagic">Fulcio Grip</var>
    <var name="HealingMagic"></var>
    <var name="ElementalMagicDMG">Wise Strap</var>

You most likely want to use a "Grip-" prefix for each of those.

    <elseif type="Command Prefix">
        <if spell="/range">
            <castdelay delay=".2" />
            <equip set="%Spell" />
        </if>
    </elseif>

You appear to want /ra attacks to be processed here. First, the type is wrong (should be "misc"). Second, the spell is wrong (should be <if Spell="Ranged">).

    <elseif type="Ninjutsu">
        <if spell="Utsusemi*">
            <equip set="%Spell" />
        </if>  
    </elseif>

This will fail because you only have a set named "Utsusemi". You're trapping for any form of Utsusemi here, and equipping "%Spell", which means it will look for sets named "Utsusemi: Ichi" and "Utsusemi: Ni".

The remainder is clumsy and cluttered, so I'll let you do some revisions before looking at it again.

[Caylene]

Thanks for the notes. As I said, a work in progress. There were a lot of things I was too excited about learning SC to notice (like defaults), and I have been trying to streamline the whole process.

I would wonder though- about your comment on the %Spell set for Uts? I thought set names supported *, so wouldn't it work?

I straight pulled both command prefix bit and the elemental staves bit from the SC website, so thanks for the correction on that. Never tested it but it was in my notes to add in a rule for ranged attacks (rarely but sometimes used on my rdm).

[Motenten]

Quick notes before I run out.

1. It might be better to use Dire Cast as a pipe since BLU's spells aren't organized properly in resources *
2. PDT would also be useful for the Crowd Control option if it allows you to floor hits
3. Spell Interruption/PDT is also useful for Support due to the need to cast spells such as Phalanx/SS while holding packs of mobs; however, this shouldn't necessarily affect cures, so I think Support is too broad

* SE made a change to how they categorize BLU spells after the 75 patch. Spells that are buffs, even if they have an element, are not listed as having an element. Moreover, since there is a mix between skill affected BLU buffs (As with enhancing magic) and others, it is even more difficult to pair them in a manner that would allow for rotations. To see what I mean, you can check the BLU XML rules section to see that SE made wonky decisions when labeling BLU magic.

1. Well, the blu spell organization will have to be handled manually regardless (perhaps set up an include for blu to break spells down into standard categories?); whether it should use a pipe or not, I'm not sure, and figure it's something to decided separately from the blu spell issue.

2. True. If stoneskin+phalanx is on, PDT is more useful for keeping hits at 0 longer, giving you full effective spell interrupt reduction. I would consider an automatic conditional choice within the code: if set for Interrupt, if Stoneskin (and optionally phalanx) is active, use PDT; otherwise use -Spell Interrupt gear. And if you don't have enough spell interrupt gear to be worthwhile, you can just put PDT gear in the Interrupt set.

3. While Phalanx and Stoneskin are indeed appropriate targets for Interrupt sets (and maybe Aquaveil), most everything else that falls under Support isn't (protect/shell/haste/refresh/barspells/boost/gain/enspells/erase/-nas/etc). Cures -might- be, but you can usually cast them between mob attacks (unlike, say, stoneskin).

Still, you can leave the -Interrupt set in place and custom use it for those particular spells, if you want. Essentially it's just 2-3 spells that would get special treatment out of the entire general category of healing and enhancing magic spells, and there's always the Dire Cast trigger for spot emergencies.

[Motenten]

I would wonder though- about your comment on the %Spell set for Uts? I thought set names supported *, so wouldn't it work?

It would if you named your set to take advantage of that. However your set is:

    <set name="Utsusemi">
            <neck>Magoraga Beads</neck>
    </set>

You'd need to have the set named "Utsusemi*".

The <if Spell="Utsusemi*"> check does not mean that that's what's going to get called in your <equip> command. The spell name hasn't changed, and %Spell will still be "Utsusemi: Ni" (or Ichi), which is the name of the set it's going to try to find.

[Caylene]

Ahh I must have just edited it after posting to pastebin. Yes, I use the WC function in the set name.

[Caylene]

Question:

1.can you pipe a variable? or do you $ the second variable to be the other variable?

I mean:

<var name="itemx|itemy">Item X</var>

or

<Var name="itemx">Item X</var>
<Var name="itemy">$Item X</var>

2. At what time in seconds does the "if casttimegt" rule become effective for a RDM main? what about /rdm? (I ask because I saw a pld/rdm rule that was putting on fastcast gear for phalanx, a three second spell...

TIA!

[Caylene]

Ok just about done for this round.

Constructive criticism welcome!

I've re-named my sets, based on %Skill, %Type, %Spell, etc. I have tried to cut down on the fluff and consolidate as much as possible by using pipes.

I am still not sure about a few things, so it would be helpful to get some ideas on where to put my elemental staves and other <!--X--> types of questions that I have.

I am not asking anyone to "fix" this or edit it, merely to help me figure it out, and tell me where I have erred. I enjoy learning and (oddly enough, to some) enjoy writing the code.

Thanks!

[Esvedium]

Thief XML - Looking for critique on this. I don't need/want anything too complicated for my THF xml, and this has been doing the trick for me recently. Changing acc/atk for different activities has been handled by going between a str, dex, and agi kila, triplus, oynos dagger manually.

Thoughts?

[Nightfyre]

His XML locks main|sub and I just haven't bothered to figure out where/why it does it, so I tossed that into the syntax.

Hm? The only time I use lock commands is for Reraise Earring, Powder Boots, and Aliyat Chakram/Killer Shortbow. I don't have any lock/disable rules for main/sub whatsoever.

I do intend to examine Yugl/Motenten's triggers and update accordingly once a consensus has been reached, but I have no plans to adjust them until that time. I don't have much time to work on XMLs at the moment and I'd rather spend said time tweaking my other XMLs since they're in dire need of updating by now than constantly rewriting a system that's already functional.

[Motenten]

Question:

1.can you pipe a variable? or do you $ the second variable to be the other variable?

I mean:

<var name="itemx|itemy">Item X</var>

or

<Var name="itemx">Item X</var>
<Var name="itemy">$Item X</var>

The first method will not work. The second method... I'm not sure what you're trying to do. If you're trying to make itemy have the same value as itemx you have it partly correct, but partly broken. You'd use:

<Var name="itemx">Item X</var>
<Var name="itemy">$itemx</var>

Note that exact variable names chosen can impact whether this actually works.

2. At what time in seconds does the "if casttimegt" rule become effective for a RDM main? what about /rdm? (I ask because I saw a pld/rdm rule that was putting on fastcast gear for phalanx, a three second spell...

It depends on how much fast cast is affecting the spell. A pld/rdm probably doesn't have more than about 30% fast cast total, which reduces cast time of Phalanx from 3 seconds to a bit over 2 seconds. 2 seconds between gear changes is no problem whatsoever, so that's fine.

On the other hand you can have a whm casting Cure V (2.5 cast time spell) with 65%-80% cure cast time from gear/merits/subjob, putting final cast time in the 0.5 to 0.875 second range. Anything under 0.5 seconds you pretty much cannot effectively swap. Anything under 0.85 seconds is iffy. 0.85 to 1 second is mostly ok (but not guaranteed), and anything over 1 second should be fine.

[Motenten]

I am still not sure about a few things, so it would be helpful to get some ideas on where to put my elemental staves and other <!--X--> types of questions that I have.

Exactly the same as the grips and en-spells. <var name="Staff-Fire">Vulcan's Staff</var>

Notes:

There is no aftercast for autoset triggers.

Your check for 'buffnotactive' will fail. The proper form of negating a rule check to to place the word 'not' at the beginning of the normal attribute. Thus: 'NotBuffActive'.

<!--do i need a castdelay>equipset>wait>equipset rule here, so i can equip %type gear then %skill gear, and determine from there whether or not I'm in aby or vw?-->

That.... seems inordinately complicated, and almost certainly will not do what you want.

All sets in Spellcast are constructed immediately, before it begins sending anything out to the game. Putting any sort of 'wait' in there is meaningless (there are ways around this, but keeping this simple). When you have multiple rules that equip a gear set at the same 'time', such as:

<equip when="precast" set="FastCast" />

<if spell="Stoneskin">
  <equip when="precast" set="StoneskinFastCast" />
</if>

that means that anything in the second equip set will be applied -in addition to-, and -in place of- (if there are any conflicts) what was determined in the first equip set.

If you want to use certain gear in Abyssea, just add another <if> check for it and add the appropriate <equip> rule, and it will be applied on top of whatever you already had set up.

<if spell="Cur*">

A common bug, this will trap for the spell Cursna in addition to Cures and Curagas (since this was placed before the check for *na spells). If you check for *na spells first, it won't be a problem.

<action type="Var" cmd="set SetGrip $%SpellSkillDMG" />

You don't need to use the <action> tag. This can be written as

<var cmd="set SetGrip $%SpellSkillDMG" />

I can't guarantee this particular var set will work though (it -should-, but may not), due to Spellcast's variable construction rules.

<action type="Var" cmd="set SetStaff $%SpellElement" />

SetStaff is not defined in your initial vars (and thus has no default value, and may not work properly when used elsewhere), and is never used for anything beyond this line.

For your warning lines, you probably also want to check that you aren't in fact casting the spell that you're warning about. EG: Casting Reraise shouldn't scream about you not having reraise on.

[Motenten]

Thief XML - Looking for critique on this. I don't need/want anything too complicated for my THF xml, and this has been doing the trick for me recently. Changing acc/atk for different activities has been handled by going between a str, dex, and agi kila, triplus, oynos dagger manually.

Thoughts?

The pastebin formatting in the weaponskill section made things a bit confusing (thought you were cancelling Sneak Attack and Trick Attack entirely), but the main flaw I saw was that the variables SA and TA were never actually defined anywhere. They will thus always remain the default value of 0 as given in the <vars> section. Further, Sneak Attack and Trick Attack gear sets will never be equipped.

[Yugl]

Still, you can leave the -Interrupt set in place and custom use it for those particular spells, if you want. Essentially it's just 2-3 spells that would get special treatment out of the entire general category of healing and enhancing magic spells, and there's always the Dire Cast trigger for spot emergencies.

This is what I was getting at when I said pipe the spells. Just do set="NormalSetUsed|$DireCast". It's also beneficial for the user if Direcast becomes its own set since that means independence from similar sets. For example, my Dire Cast PDT might benefit from magic accuracy, but I wouldn't want magic accuracy within my PDT set.

[Esvedium]

The pastebin formatting in the weaponskill section made things a bit confusing (thought you were cancelling Sneak Attack and Trick Attack entirely), but the main flaw I saw was that the variables SA and TA were never actually defined anywhere. They will thus always remain the default value of 0 as given in the <vars> section. Further, Sneak Attack and Trick Attack gear sets will never be equipped.

Aww shit, musta pasted the wrong file. I use Autoexec to set SA/TA variables. I have that note on my guildwork-posted version, guess I missed pasting it on pastebin.
Here is the autoexec stuff.

	<!-- Add the following 4 lines to your Autoexec.xml file
		<register silent="true" event="losebuff_Sneak_Attack">sc var set SA 0; wait .2; Dancing Chains</register>
		<register silent="true" event="losebuff_Trick_Attack">sc var set TA 0; wait .2; Dancing Chains</register>
		<register silent="true" event="gainbuff_Sneak_Attack">sc var set SA 1; wait .2; Dancing Chains</register>
		<register silent="true" event="gainbuff_Trick_Attack">sc var set TA 1; wait .2; Dancing Chains</register>
	<!-- These lines are needed for auto-switching out of SA/TA gear, and for WS stuff -->

I wanted to use Autoexec for changing buffs instead of a rule in the xml in case I'm spamming my SA macro. I have a tendency to spam macros at times. <_<

[Caylene]

Morning! Quick question:
Do you put your gear into groups, or do you use includes and write an include xml that can be used for that particular zone/task?

Ive been writing rules to call up macro books but I'm starting to wonder if I should just put all the extraneous stuff into an include?

As a general rule to learn- what should includes be used for, ideally?