Aliases & You ( Text Macros )

[thalion]

DDO has an ALIAS mechanism or what others may refer to as a text MACRO ( blatant attempt at catching that search keyword ). Although my primary reason for discovering and using them, other than my pathetic typing skills, were for Roleplaying - they are for Everyone!

I put together an Alias Post long ago and I thought I'd give it a little update unfortunately it Tis not to be found ( Think it may have been lost in the Forum Uproar of 07 )

Here is the Alias options in game via the '/help' command:
alias -- usage: /alias < ;<new alias string> <replacement string > | add ;<new alias string> <replacement string> | remove ;<unwanted alias string> | list | clear | clearlist | shortcut ;<alias string> <shortcut location>>

JUST GET IT TO WORK
OK for those of you who already skipped ahead ... lets just make a simple alias called X. Enter the following BOLD entries in a chat window (just to keep things uncomplicated for now start in a chat window that has /say as your default output text) Italics are the system responses:

/alias ;X Hello World
(Standard): Alias added.
;X
(Say): You say, 'Hello World'
;X >>can you hear me now?<< ;X
(Say): You say, 'Hello World >>can you hear me now?<< Hello World'
/alias list
(Standard): Predefined Aliases:
(Standard): ;target The name of your current selection
(Standard): ;loc Your Location
alias [;x] == [Hello World]

For the clever among you... don't bother to select a target with your mouse and then try entering Screams at the top of his lungs ;X towards ;target located near ;loc

Alright so you want to know more... do I have to enter these every time, can they be made permanent, can I use colors?

ADVANCED USAGE
Although I'm not sure you can preserve your aliases in game, you can create a file that can be manually loaded when you log a character in. The file show below is for my main Ranger. The command /importoptions alias.txt loads up the file with the aliases I want for that session.
A few important notes about /importoptions:

1. SPACES and QUOTES are very important regarding the format of the file so keep your files small and simple until you get the hang of it and use /alias list to check your work.
2. There is an expected path implied by the game. My file ( I have a different files for some of my Roleplay Characters) on a default game install on Windows XP is "/Program Files/Turbine/Dungeons & Dragons Online - Stormreach/aliast.txt".
3. You will not get a confirmation of success.

"GAMEPLAY OPTIONS"
[
  Aliases
  [
    ;s [ /sheathe ]
    ;l [ /laugh ]
    ;y [ /yes ]
    ;n [ /no ]
    ;d [ /shrug ]
    ;p [ /point ]
    ;o [ "(occ)" ]
    ;rp [ "light Roleplay, nonrush?" ]
    ;helm [ "/showhelmet " ]
    ;f [ "*fumbles through pack*" ]
    ;c [ "Coyle is not at full health!" ]
    ;rplink [ "http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=123661" ]


    ;kl [ "/point motions towards the creature, <rgb=#FF0000> Kill It! </rgb>"  ]
    ;k [ "*POINTS* <rgb=#FF0000> Kill It! </rgb>" ]
    ;k1 [ "*YELLS* <rgb=#FF0000> Bring It Down! </rgb>" ]
    ;k2 [ "*SHOUTS* <rgb=#FF0000> It must Die! </rgb>" ]

    ;mv [ "/kneel quickly kneels, <rgb=#FF6600> Movement ahead...  </rgb>" ]
    ;m [ "*signals* <rgb=#FF6600> Movement ahead... </rgb>" ]
    ;m1 [ "*freezes* <rgb=#FF6600> Shhh... something moved up there... </rgb>" ]
    ;m2 [ "*stops* <rgb=#FF6600> Did you hear that? </rgb>" ]

    ;tr [ "/stop stops suddenly and whispers, <rgb=#FFFF00> Something is not right... </rgb>" ]
    ;t [ "*whispers* <rgb=#FFFF00> Something is not right... </rgb>" ]
    ;t1 [ "*looks around* <rgb=#FFFF00> I have a bad feeling about this... </rgb>" ]
    ;t2 [ "*stops* <rgb=#FFFF00> Well, this looks strange... </rgb>" ]

  ]

  Shortcuts
  FilterSettings
]

Note:
with the file above regarding the helm alias you need a parameter, I generally use ;helm on or ;helm off
colors ( RED, ORANGE, and YELLOW in the sample) are handled with the <rgb=#RRGGBB> tag. They are Hexadecimal values and you can find color charts on the web for further exploration. 00FF00=Green 0000FF=Blue

Problems
The aliases with emotes work fine with a window with default output of /Say. But they do not work while in /Party default output ( WHERE I WANT THEM TOO ).
---I got around to bug reporting it a long time ago but it was never addressed---
To clarify with an Example say you have an alias ";s" that simply just does /sit - in the default chat window you type ";s" and it performs the emote as expected but the same alias command does not get parsed correctly in any other window output stream - it prints out "/sit" it does not perform the emote.

Also the last module ( Stop Laughing ) I believe introduced an additional Alias Bug where it remembers the last extra text input after an an actual '/' based emote. For example if you enter /point You go down to the left and then a little while latter simply type /angry ( with no extra parameters ) you'll get an angry emote and then a text output of You go down to the left ( from the previous command ! ) This is truly very annoying when you use many emotes during the game.

One day I thought I'd be clever and create a generic set of aliases that all my characters would use ( the first twelve entries in the sample alias.txt file ) and then create a separate additional file for a few of my other characters who behave differently ( the Barbarian's file has ;k1 [ "*yells* Today is a good day to DIE!" ], and ;t1 [ "*looks around* Perhaps it is not such a good day to die?" ] ). Well unfortunately I discovered that the /importalias option appears to remove all your previous aliases before it imports the new file.

What part of "don't bother to select a target with your mouse and then try entering Screams at the top of his lungs ;X towards ;target located near ;loc" didn't you understand?

I don't believe anyone has managed to assign these aliases to hotbar keys/locations.

[Shamurai]

This is a really awesome Tutorial.. One question. How do I create the Macro file (like in notepad?), and how is it loaded or is that listed file autoloaded?


*Edit* Oops okay I see how t Manually load it.

[Mellifera]

Nice guide. Thanks!

[Harncw]

+1 good work!

the /importoptions command looks interesting.

[Visty]

some nice images for your chat and how to do it:

http://community.codemasters.com/for...d.php?t=367963

example:

Another exemple a bit more hard to do.

http://yfrog.com/5adesintetedemortj

http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/6893/magicien.jpg

[skugge]

DDO has an ALIAS mechanism or what others may refer to as a text MACRO ( blatant attempt at catching that search keyword ). Although my primary reason for discovering and using them, other than my pathetic typing skills, were for Roleplaying - they are for Everyone!

I put together an Alias Post long ago and I thought I'd give it a little update unfortunately it Tis not to be found ( Think it may have been lost in the Forum Uproar of 07 )

Here is the Alias options in game via the '/help' command:
alias -- usage: /alias < ;<new alias string> <replacement string > | add ;<new alias string> <replacement string> | remove ;<unwanted alias string> | list | clear | clearlist | shortcut ;<alias string> <shortcut location>>

JUST GET IT TO WORK
OK for those of you who already skipped ahead ... lets just make a simple alias called X. Enter the following BOLD entries in a chat window (just to keep things uncomplicated for now start in a chat window that has /say as your default output text) Italics are the system responses:

/alias ;X Hello World
(Standard): Alias added.
;X
(Say): You say, 'Hello World'
;X >>can you hear me now?<< ;X
(Say): You say, 'Hello World >>can you hear me now?<< Hello World'
/alias list
(Standard): Predefined Aliases:
(Standard): ;target The name of your current selection
(Standard): ;loc Your Location
alias [;x] == [Hello World]

For the clever among you... don't bother to select a target with your mouse and then try entering Screams at the top of his lungs ;X towards ;target located near ;loc

Alright so you want to know more... do I have to enter these every time, can they be made permanent, can I use colors?

ADVANCED USAGE
Although I'm not sure you can preserve your aliases in game, you can create a file that can be manually loaded when you log a character in. The file show below is for my main Ranger. The command /importoptions alias.txt loads up the file with the aliases I want for that session.
A few important notes about /importoptions:

1. SPACES and QUOTES are very important regarding the format of the file so keep your files small and simple until you get the hang of it and use /alias list to check your work.
2. There is an expected path implied by the game. My file ( I have a different files for some of my Roleplay Characters) on a default game install on Windows XP is "/Program Files/Turbine/Dungeons & Dragons Online - Stormreach/aliast.txt".
3. You will not get a confirmation of success.

"GAMEPLAY OPTIONS"
[
  Aliases
  [
    ;s [ /sheathe ]
    ;l [ /laugh ]
    ;y [ /yes ]
    ;n [ /no ]
    ;d [ /shrug ]
    ;p [ /point ]
    ;o [ "(occ)" ]
    ;rp [ "light Roleplay, nonrush?" ]
    ;helm [ "/showhelmet " ]
    ;f [ "*fumbles through pack*" ]
    ;c [ "Coyle is not at full health!" ]
    ;rplink [ "http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=123661" ]


    ;kl [ "/point motions towards the creature, <rgb=#FF0000> Kill It! </rgb>"  ]
    ;k [ "*POINTS* <rgb=#FF0000> Kill It! </rgb>" ]
    ;k1 [ "*YELLS* <rgb=#FF0000> Bring It Down! </rgb>" ]
    ;k2 [ "*SHOUTS* <rgb=#FF0000> It must Die! </rgb>" ]

    ;mv [ "/kneel quickly kneels, <rgb=#FF6600> Movement ahead...  </rgb>" ]
    ;m [ "*signals* <rgb=#FF6600> Movement ahead... </rgb>" ]
    ;m1 [ "*freezes* <rgb=#FF6600> Shhh... something moved up there... </rgb>" ]
    ;m2 [ "*stops* <rgb=#FF6600> Did you hear that? </rgb>" ]

    ;tr [ "/stop stops suddenly and whispers, <rgb=#FFFF00> Something is not right... </rgb>" ]
    ;t [ "*whispers* <rgb=#FFFF00> Something is not right... </rgb>" ]
    ;t1 [ "*looks around* <rgb=#FFFF00> I have a bad feeling about this... </rgb>" ]
    ;t2 [ "*stops* <rgb=#FFFF00> Well, this looks strange... </rgb>" ]

  ]

  Shortcuts
  FilterSettings
]

Note:
with the file above regarding the helm alias you need a parameter, I generally use ;helm on or ;helm off
colors ( RED, ORANGE, and YELLOW in the sample) are handled with the <rgb=#RRGGBB> tag. They are Hexadecimal values and you can find color charts on the web for further exploration. 00FF00=Green 0000FF=Blue

Problems
The aliases with emotes work fine with a window with default output of /Say. But they do not work while in /Party default output ( WHERE I WANT THEM TOO ).
---I got around to bug reporting it a long time ago but it was never addressed---
To clarify with an Example say you have an alias ";s" that simply just does /sit - in the default chat window you type ";s" and it performs the emote as expected but the same alias command does not get parsed correctly in any other window output stream - it prints out "/sit" it does not perform the emote.

Also the last module ( Stop Laughing ) I believe introduced an additional Alias Bug where it remembers the last extra text input after an an actual '/' based emote. For example if you enter /point You go down to the left and then a little while latter simply type /angry ( with no extra parameters ) you'll get an angry emote and then a text output of You go down to the left ( from the previous command ! ) This is truly very annoying when you use many emotes during the game.

One day I thought I'd be clever and create a generic set of aliases that all my characters would use ( the first twelve entries in the sample alias.txt file ) and then create a separate additional file for a few of my other characters who behave differently ( the Barbarian's file has ;k1 [ "*yells* Today is a good day to DIE!" ], and ;t1 [ "*looks around* Perhaps it is not such a good day to die?" ] ). Well unfortunately I discovered that the /importalias option appears to remove all your previous aliases before it imports the new file.

What part of "don't bother to select a target with your mouse and then try entering Screams at the top of his lungs ;X towards ;target located near ;loc" didn't you understand?

I don't believe anyone has managed to assign these aliases to hotbar keys/locations.

Now we all have different styles of learning and I just cant seem to understand this. How would i do exactly to create a macro that simply says "Trap" in group chat? If someone can type that out to me I can compare it with your tutorial and perhaps understand :P

[Visty]

Now we all have different styles of learning and I just cant seem to understand this. How would i do exactly to create a macro that simply says "Trap" in group chat? If someone can type that out to me I can compare it with your tutorial and perhaps understand :P

/alias ;trap trap

then, when you type ;trap in partychat (or /p ;trap in any other chat) you say trap in party

[excess]

Which, I can't help but notice, is actually longer to type then actually typing "trap" in party.

[Visty]

Which, I can't help but notice, is actually longer to type then actually typing "trap" in party.

pff, then make it /alias ;t trap

then you just have to type ;t


also you can make that alias colored, which is then faster then typing it manually

[Stabsy]

Can you bind an alias to a hotkey?

[ilgriffo]

Can you bind an alias to a hotkey?

I would like to know the same. I would liek to be able to pusch a button (hotkey) and see a text appear in the /party or /general chat. this way I will be able to assign a specific text to some manuvers or a text while casting a spell. that would be nice

[thalion]

I would like to know the same. I would liek to be able to pusch a button (hotkey) and see a text appear in the /party or /general chat. this way I will be able to assign a specific text to some manuvers or a text while casting a spell. that would be nice

My initial testing of it never worked as expected, and I have never heard of anyone getting aliases bound to shortcuts to work

Anyone else have any success at this - let me know !

[sda3]

It appears that rgb color tags are no longer working in game either. Those have been around for years, have they changed or are where they taken out?

[Visty]

It appears that rgb color tags are no longer working in game either. Those have been around for years, have they changed or are where they taken out?

that got changed with update 2 or 3

[Emili]

that got changed with update 2 or 3

Yes I think all the commands such as <li> etc... are now parsed and screened out to prevent people from using such to grief and such...

[Gregad]

I can't figure out how to use the
;target and ;loc aliases...

Any clue please ?

[Visty]

you type ;loc and you get your location in the chatwindow