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

[SargentRemora]

Having an issue with Sleepga on SMN. When I use the ability from either a macro or the menu, it just gives the message "...a command error occured." I tried switching xml, but the issue persists.
I don't know if it's the resources, the xml, or spellcast, but for reference, my xml is here. Any help would be appreciated.

[Radec]

Basically, it's trying to cast sleepga-magic instead of sleepga-pact.

    <if petname="Shiva" spell="Sleepga">
      -Do all your gearswaps here-  
      <cancelspell/>
      <command>input /raw /pet "%spell" %spelltarget</command>
    </if>

Add that to your smn xml, should fix sleepga - though, you won't be able to do /blm sleepgas with shiva out.

[SargentRemora]

It worked, thanks!

[Spaz]

Hey guys:

I came back from a break a few months ago, and I put off using spellcast for the last few years. I've been trying to learn it this month, and I've been making enough progress to start writing my own after going over a lot of the already written ones uploaded. I've been having a few weird issues with the SCH one that I made recently. I keep getting the error that spellcast isn't finding my FastCast set when casting any White Magic spell. It seems to be equipping the gear just fine, however the error message keeps coming up.

Also, It's not equipping my helix gear either. It just seems to default to the standard nuking gear.

I still have lots of stuff to add to this, but I'm trying to take it slow so I can backtrack any typos and bad coding. Unfortunately, I've been staring at this for the past few days and just can't seem to figure this one out for the life of me. Its probably just a stupid typo, but like I said, I just can't see it. I can't post links yet, so you have to add the beginning part.

pastebin.com/5gYhcwbk

If anyone has any time to give this a quick look I'd really appreciate it. Thanks very much.

[Yugl]

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

You have "FastCast " instead of "FastCast"

Not sure what the nuking issue is.

[blasdoo]

		<elseif spell="Cure*|Curaga*">
				<action type="equip" when="precast" set="CurePot" />
				<action type="equip" When="midcast">
					<main>Surya's Staff +2</main>
				</action>
			<if PetElement= "none"> 
				<equip when="aftercast" set="Standard" />
			</if>
			<else>
                                 <equip when="aftercast" set="AvatarPerp" />
                         </else>
		</elseif>

Try that.

Ok here's my other problem i tried adding a rule for dayelement = pet element or w/e and that worked fine somewhat but when i released the pet it wouldn't put on all of my idle gear it would leave my summoner's horn on for some reason and i could see myself blinking twice, like it had put on my caller's +1 then changed it to summoner's horn. oh by the way that worked thank you

Edit: actually i lied it only worked somewhat... it does the gear swaps and reverts me back to my perpetuation gear, however i'm having a stave issue. it'll equip w/e stave the element of the spell is. so curing, apollo's and so forth.

[Spaz]

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

You have "FastCast " instead of "FastCast"

Not sure what the nuking issue is.

Thanks very much Yugl, I knew it had to be something stupid. Just needed another pair of eyes I guess. I appreciate it.

[blasdoo]

I've run into even more issues! damn smn xml... ok so i made a BPDelay, BPAttack and BPMATT set for you know the obvious. they all work great, however after i release the the avatar it'll go through 2 gear swaps first it'll swap me back into my BPDelay then it'll swap me out into my AvatarPerp set.

This is the rule i added and that's when things started getting funky O.O
<if magic="BloodPact*">
<action type="Equip" When="Precast" Set="BPDelay" />
<action type="Equip" When="Aftercast" Set="AvatarPerp" />
</if>

[blasdoo]

just keeps getting better and better apparently out of ALL the avatars... diabolos is the only one that wants to give me trouble... summoning is fine and all but aftercast of the spell i revert back to standard/idle gear and his stupid diabolos's rope won't stay equipped... reverts back to hierarch belt.

this is the updated xml file after the previous comment + some other things i've moved around and added. again will have to add the beginning of the url
pastebin.com/Q2E63AyG

[chichicha]

Hi,
Sorry for another foolish question.
Can I use autoexec to activate my macro?

For example , if I have event by me chat macro 1, can my mule "press" Ctrl+1?

[Kaces]

just keeps getting better and better apparently out of ALL the avatars... diabolos is the only one that wants to give me trouble... summoning is fine and all but aftercast of the spell i revert back to standard/idle gear and his stupid diabolos's rope won't stay equipped... reverts back to hierarch belt.

this is the updated xml file after the previous comment + some other things i've moved around and added. again will have to add the beginning of the url
pastebin.com/Q2E63AyG

Your idle sets point to AvatarPerp... it should be equipping Hierarch Belt. I suggest taking a look at http://pastebin.com/egbBF2iQ, specifically the Diabolos's Rope check, take a look at how the check is done so you can get a feel of what to do for your other pets.

Hi,
Sorry for another foolish question.
Can I use autoexec to activate my macro?

For example , if I have event by me chat macro 1, can my mule "press" Ctrl+1?

key_send

[blasdoo]

Your idle sets point to AvatarPerp... it should be equipping Hierarch Belt. I suggest taking a look at pastebin.com/egbBF2iQ, specifically the Diabolos's Rope check, take a look at how the check is done so you can get a feel of what to do for your other pets.

there's a difference between idle and aftercast and i just wanted a second pair of eyes as to why it's doing it for him... what's so special/fucked up about him that it's not working the rules and how i have them now work for all other spells/avatars/spirits/ja except for diabolos. why was my question.

[Motenten]

@blasdoo:

There is a ton of mess in that xml.

To build a good XML, you have to learn how to group things in a logical manner. For smn, you have a few basic global issues to take care of:

1) Sets for precast. This covers Fast Cast and misc JAs.

2) Sets for standard spellcasting. Cure, enfeebling, whatever. Almost always midcast.

3) Sets for idle/aftercast. Smn has multiple idle sets due to the avatars, so you need to break this down:

3a) Idle if no avatar is out. Default.
3b) Idle with avatar. This is sub-composed of: which staff to use; which avatar-specific gear to use; refresh gear; -perp gear; weather-dependant -perp gear; day-dependant -perp gear. This needs to be determined if: you're taking an action with an avatar out; or if you're summoning an avatar. It needs to revert to the default idle set if you're releasing the avatar.


Section 3 needs to be evaluated for pretty much any action you take, so it's easiest to handle it first. This is aided by proper scoping. EG:

        <if PetIsValid="TRUE" NotSpell="Release">
            <!-- Have an avatar out already. Define sets based on which avatar it is.
                 This also means that if we accidentally hit a macro to summon an avatar
                 while we already have one out, it won't override the proper values. -->
        </if>
        <elseif type="SummonerPact">
            <!-- Summoning an avatar.  Define sets based on which avatar it is. -->
        </elseif>
        <else>
            <!-- Either no avatar, or releasing the avatar we have.  Drop back to default idle. -->
        </else>

By setting it up that way, you can simply set some variables up that construct which sets you plan to use. The variables get set within the above If/Else blocks, and then used after those blocks, since everything is on a common footing at that point.

To illustrate how that would work, consider this expanded version (taken from my own smn xml):

        <if PetIsValid="TRUE" NotSpell="Release">
            <!-- Pet is out, so the staff we used is based on the pet's element. -->
            <var cmd="set PrimaryWeapon $EleStaff-%PetElement" />
            <var cmd="set PrimarySub Verse Strap +1" />
            <var cmd="set PetSet %PetName" />

            <var cmd="set PerpSet Perpetuation" />
            
            <if DayElement="%PetElement">
                <var cmd="set PerpSet $PerpSet|PerpDay" />
            </if>

            <if mode="OR" WeatherElement="%PetElement" BuffActive="$Storm-%PetElement">
                <var cmd="set PerpSet $PerpSet|PerpWeather" />
            </if>
        </if>
        <elseif type="SummonerPact">
            <!-- Pet is being summoned, so the staff we use is based on the spell's element. -->
            <var cmd="set PrimaryWeapon $EleStaff-%SpellElement" />
            <var cmd="set PrimarySub Verse Strap +1" />
            <var cmd="set PetSet %Spell" />

            <var cmd="set PerpSet Perpetuation" />
            
            <if DayElement="%SpellElement">
                <var cmd="set PerpSet $PerpSet|PerpDay" />
            </if>

            <if mode="OR" WeatherElement="%SpellElement" BuffActive="$Storm-%SpellElement">
                <var cmd="set PerpSet $PerpSet|PerpWeather" />
            </if>
            
            <equip when="precast" set="FastCast" />
            <equip when="midcast" set="HasteCast|ConserveMP" />
        </elseif>
        <else>
            <var cmd="set PrimaryWeapon $IdleWeapon" />
            <var cmd="set PrimarySub $IdleSub" />
            <var cmd="set PetSet None" />

            <var cmd="set PerpSet None" />
        </else>

        ....
        
        <!-- Extremely simple set definition: -->
        <equip when="aftercast|idle" set="Idle|$PerpSet|$PetSet" />

The above sets your idle/aftercast sets, so you don't have to touch them at all anymore. Checks for individual pets are never needed (certainly don't need to check if you have a valid pet inside your rules for casting Cure, for example); anything specific to the pet is handled by the set with the pet's name (eg: <set name="Carbuncle"><hands>Carbuncle Mitts</hands></set>).

After that you can set up your basic JA/Spell blocks for precast/midcast stuff and keep everything nicely isolated.

[blasdoo]

@blasdoo:

There is a ton of mess in that xml.

To build a good XML, you have to learn how to group things in a logical manner. For smn, you have a few basic global issues to take care of:

1) Sets for precast. This covers Fast Cast and misc JAs.

2) Sets for standard spellcasting. Cure, enfeebling, whatever. Almost always midcast.

3) Sets for idle/aftercast. Smn has multiple idle sets due to the avatars, so you need to break this down:

3a) Idle if no avatar is out. Default.
3b) Idle with avatar. This is sub-composed of: which staff to use; which avatar-specific gear to use; refresh gear; -perp gear; weather-dependant -perp gear; day-dependant -perp gear. This needs to be determined if: you're taking an action with an avatar out; or if you're summoning an avatar. It needs to revert to the default idle set if you're releasing the avatar.


Section 3 needs to be evaluated for pretty much any action you take, so it's easiest to handle it first. This is aided by proper scoping. EG:

        <if PetIsValid="TRUE" NotSpell="Release">
            <!-- Have an avatar out already. Define sets based on which avatar it is.
                 This also means that if we accidentally hit a macro to summon an avatar
                 while we already have one out, it won't override the proper values. -->
        </if>
        <elseif type="SummonerPact">
            <!-- Summoning an avatar.  Define sets based on which avatar it is. -->
        </elseif>
        <else>
            <!-- Either no avatar, or releasing the avatar we have.  Drop back to default idle. -->
        </else>

By setting it up that way, you can simply set some variables up that construct which sets you plan to use. The variables get set within the above If/Else blocks, and then used after those blocks, since everything is on a common footing at that point.

To illustrate how that would work, consider this expanded version (taken from my own smn xml):

        <if PetIsValid="TRUE" NotSpell="Release">
            <!-- Pet is out, so the staff we used is based on the pet's element. -->
            <var cmd="set PrimaryWeapon $EleStaff-%PetElement" />
            <var cmd="set PrimarySub Verse Strap +1" />
            <var cmd="set PetSet %PetName" />

            <var cmd="set PerpSet Perpetuation" />
            
            <if DayElement="%PetElement">
                <var cmd="set PerpSet $PerpSet|PerpDay" />
            </if>

            <if mode="OR" WeatherElement="%PetElement" BuffActive="$Storm-%PetElement">
                <var cmd="set PerpSet $PerpSet|PerpWeather" />
            </if>
        </if>
        <elseif type="SummonerPact">
            <!-- Pet is being summoned, so the staff we use is based on the spell's element. -->
            <var cmd="set PrimaryWeapon $EleStaff-%SpellElement" />
            <var cmd="set PrimarySub Verse Strap +1" />
            <var cmd="set PetSet %Spell" />

            <var cmd="set PerpSet Perpetuation" />
            
            <if DayElement="%SpellElement">
                <var cmd="set PerpSet $PerpSet|PerpDay" />
            </if>

            <if mode="OR" WeatherElement="%SpellElement" BuffActive="$Storm-%SpellElement">
                <var cmd="set PerpSet $PerpSet|PerpWeather" />
            </if>
            
            <equip when="precast" set="FastCast" />
            <equip when="midcast" set="HasteCast|ConserveMP" />
        </elseif>
        <else>
            <var cmd="set PrimaryWeapon $IdleWeapon" />
            <var cmd="set PrimarySub $IdleSub" />
            <var cmd="set PetSet None" />

            <var cmd="set PerpSet None" />
        </else>

        ....
        
        <!-- Extremely simple set definition: -->
        <equip when="aftercast|idle" set="Idle|$PerpSet|$PetSet" />

The above sets your idle/aftercast sets, so you don't have to touch them at all anymore. Checks for individual pets are never needed (certainly don't need to check if you have a valid pet inside your rules for casting Cure, for example); anything specific to the pet is handled by the set with the pet's name (eg: <set name="Carbuncle"><hands>Carbuncle Mitts</hands></set>).

After that you can set up your basic JA/Spell blocks for precast/midcast stuff and keep everything nicely isolated.

guess i can't keep it simple huh... so for ever avatar with at least 1 piece of gear i have to make a set for that one avatar? i really don't get any of this... i just really really really wanted to keep it basic and simple...

[Motenten]

guess i can't keep it simple huh... so for ever avatar with at least 1 piece of gear i have to make a set for that one avatar? i really don't get any of this... i just really really really wanted to keep it basic and simple...

The problem is that by trying to keep it 'simple', you're actually making yours more complicated and prone to bugs (as you've already discovered). I would argue that having a set per avatar is a trivially simple addition that takes a large amount of work out of the rules section. How hard is it to have something like:

            <set name="Carbuncle">
                <hands>Carbuncle Mitts</hands>
            </set>
            <set name="Diabolos">
                <waist>Diabolos's Rope</waist>
            </set>
            <set name="Fenrir|Ifrit|Shiva|Garuda|Titan|Ramuh|Leviathan|Alexander|Odin|*Spirit">
            </set>

Note: yes, you have to have one set per avatar for it to work, but it's mostly just a list of empty sets, and can have the empty ones all collapsed into one set entry.

On the other hand, maybe my example was a little extra complicated. If you don't care about day- or weather-specific gear, you can remove those bits entirely. If you have a Chatoyant staff then choosing the staff is trivially easy (unless you're making Magians; then you have to individually pick them again). If you're not using Owleyes then you can get rid of the grip specification since you'll just be swapping staves.

The basic structure, however, remains the same, and shouldn't be a problem, and that's mostly what I was trying to get at. If you have a clean and well-designed basic structure, adjusting the specifics of the rules becomes easy, and you don't have the problem of changes in one part of the rules section affecting other parts of the rules in non-obvious, potentially broken ways (as was the case in your original version).

[chichicha]

Your idle sets point to AvatarPerp... it should be equipping Hierarch Belt. I suggest taking a look at http://pastebin.com/egbBF2iQ, specifically the Diabolos's Rope check, take a look at how the check is done so you can get a feel of what to do for your other pets.


key_send

How do I have it in autoexec.xml?

<register event=chat_chchi_ctrl1 key_send "ctrl+1"

Is it how to get it work?
I'm not good at programming, and been google to look for guide ; ;

[Fake]

I've been using one of the war xmls from the other thread and have been having an issue with it. I am not that great at any of the more advanced stuff and have probably butchered something.

From what I can gather I should be using dancing chains to equip my tp gear, however i'm always changing into tp-n, even with restraint is up so I'd like to sort that.

I'd also like to add something that keeps AF3+2 feet equipped on tp/ws sets when mighty strikes is active and am not sure what the best way to go about that it.

This is the xml as it stands This is the xml as it stands

[Yugl]

You changed the TP set names it seems.

<equip set="TP-$STYLE-$Restraint|$Armor|$Movement-%Status|$TwilightSet" /> ::What is equipped::

<set name="TPRestraint"> ::Sets that you have (Notice the lack of - and Style within the name)::

There are two ways to fix this.

1. If you want to make TP sets specific to different types of weapons

Add to variables:
<var name="Style">Great_Axe</var>

Change sets to:
<set name="TP-Great_Axe-Restraint">

2. If you don't want to make sets specific to different types of weapons

Change sets to:
<set name="TP-Restraint">

Change equip rule to:
<equip set="TP-$Restraint|$Armor|$Movement-%Status|$TwilightSet" />

As for Mighty Strikes, do the following:

<var name="Mighty_Strikes">BlankSet</var>

<if Buffactive="Mighty_Strikes">
<var cmd="set Mighty_Strikes Mighty_Strikes">
</if>
<else>
<var cmd="set Mighty_Strikes BlankSet">
</else>

<equip set="TP-$Restraint|$Mighty_Strikes|$Armor|$Movement-%Status|$TwilightSet" />

[Fake]

Thanks for your help Yugl. I've made the changes and dancing chains still only loads up TP-N.

For some reason the mightystrikes rule breaks the xml and it won't load (the buffactive part)

Sorry if I have managed to mess up, http://pastebin.com/JW2eez0x this is the xml in its current broken form, if I remove the buffactive rule for MS at the bottom it will work again.

[Yugl]

I gave you a bad line:

<if Buffactive="Mighty_Strikes"> BAD
<if Buffactive="Mighty Strikes"> CORRECT

I'll check the rest out in a sec.