Script for Rapidly Marking Targets

Astrylian · 11/26/07, 1:18 PM

I looked around and couldn't find an addon that satisfied my needs in marking targets, so I wrote a script for it myself. I figure that more people may be interested in this, so here it is... It probably wouldn't be too hard to turn it into a decent addon, with the mark order graphically customizable, and a feature to use a modifier to reset it or something... But whatever, that's up to you, anyone is free to make an addon from this, just credit me on it, and let me know if you do.

I've got a small addon that I toss scripts in, so it's in that, but you could add it to any addon's .lua file:

lastMark = 0;
currentMarkIndex = 0;
AstrylMarks = {8, 4, 3, 6, 0}; --My guild's normal kill order is skull, triangle, diamond, and square is the normal sheep target
function Astryl_Mark()
  if (UnitExists('mouseover')) then
    if ((GetTime() > lastMark + 5) or (currentMarkIndex >= table.getn(AstrylMarks))) then
      currentMarkIndex = 0;
    end
    lastMark = GetTime();
    currentMarkIndex = currentMarkIndex + 1;
    SetRaidTarget('mouseover', AstrylMarks[currentMarkIndex]);
  end
end

You can change the contents of AstrylMarks at runtime during the instance to whatever marks you will typically be using. In my default case, my guild typically kills Skull, then Triangle, then Diamond, then Square (sheeped). So, my defauly AstrylMarks is {8, 4, 3, 6, 0}, the numbers associated with each of those marks (and 0 is no mark), but I can change AstrylMarks at any time, usually at the beginning of a run to match what tank targets I'll need, and what CCs I have available.

Anyway, how it works: Make a macro, /script Astryl_Mark(), and drop that on a bar somewhere, or use some other addon to bind that to a key, or whatever. Somehow, make it activate that macro via a keypress. I use the ` key. Then, when you come to a pack of mobs, hover your cursor over the first mob (no need to target it), hit the key, move to the 2nd mob, hit the key, etc. Just move your cursor over the mobs in the order you want to mark them, and tap the key. It'll cycle through the marks in AstrylMarks, and then start over. It'll also start over if you haven't marked anything within 5 sec (ie, for the next pack of mobs).

It's not perfect, but figured someone could make use of it. Enjoy.

Erzy · 11/26/07, 1:52 PM

Looks really nice. Although I'm not a raidleader myself, I could always suggest this to my raidleaders and see if they want it.

Modhne · 11/26/07, 2:33 PM

I'm not sure if this is a discussion on how to speed up marking targets or just a macro you made, so if my post is useless go ahead and delete it, but I've been using Simple Raid Target Icons found here: WoWInterface Downloads : Simple Raid Target Icons
Double click brings up a circular portrait of the mob with the 8 raid icons surrounding it. Click on one and it gets marked. There are other triggers but I haven't customized it further since it already made my marking time in SSC go down substantially.

Astrylian · 11/26/07, 2:43 PM

Right, and that takes a double click, a mouse movement, and a click, for each mob, a total of 8 mouse movements and 12 clicks to mark 4 mobs, whereas my solution takes 4 mouse movements and 4 keypresses.

Endahl · 11/26/07, 2:51 PM

If you're just interested in the amount of user interface actions, yes. But the solutions aren't really mutually exclusive. Your script solution is faster for repetitive and mechanical marking of mob packs, but the mod allows some flexibility for re-marking and changing things on the fly. No real reason you couldn't use both.

As an aside, SRTI doesn't require a double click to bring up the menu ring. You can use a modified click or a keybinding. I have my mouse button 5 set to it.

Astrylian · 11/26/07, 3:18 PM

Aye, quite true. I found that 90% of my marking was the same symbols over and over, in the same/similar sequence, so made this script to automate that 90%.

Baloril · 11/26/07, 3:49 PM

I just bound the various raid target icons to my F1-F8 keys, because I don't need them for anything else, which makes it easy to assign arbitrary targets in the middle of a fight or in other situations where targets need to be marked quickly. It works quite well.

Astrylian · 11/26/07, 3:58 PM

Aye, that works quite well for those who have 8 spare keybindings.

Modhne · 11/26/07, 4:20 PM

Originally Posted by Astrylian

Right, and that takes a double click, a mouse movement, and a click, for each mob, a total of 8 mouse movements and 12 clicks to mark 4 mobs, whereas my solution takes 4 mouse movements and 4 keypresses.

True, but I know for a fact that I'll mismark at least once every 3-4 pulls on one mob which makes me have to go back and use the normal marking features or reset the macro. With STRI I can just remark the one mob, not the entire pack. The packs of Broken in SSC are horrible to mark, especially the first group after Lurker near the console.

And to the people who have 8 extra keybindings laying around, I am jealous.

chase · 11/26/07, 4:43 PM

Originally Posted by Modhne

And to the people who have 8 extra keybindings laying around, I am jealous.

At least 104 keys on your keyboard. You have shift/alt/ctrl modifers.

The only keybindings I "run out of" are ones that are easy/comfortable to reach. This is for something done out of combat with no real rush, so it does not really need to be comfortable or in easy reach.

Doesn't take away from the utility of the script. Personally I'm used to using my numpad to mark targets and that can all be done in the standard keybinding menu.

mutagen · 11/26/07, 5:09 PM

Originally Posted by Modhne

And to the people who have 8 extra keybindings laying around, I am jealous.

I bound mine to CTRL-Numpad 1-8 (9 clears the raid mark). This was easier when I could extend the tab range and just tab through and hotkey the marks up on the mobs but even now it isn't hard to put them up.

Axelrod · 11/26/07, 11:53 PM

There was an addon I used to use (forget what it was called) pre-BC where I'd hit one key, then slide my mouse over the mobs one by one and it would mark them sequentially. If we were in the middle of a fight and some marking needed to be done, I'd hit the same key and just scribble my mouse all over the screen and it would mark them all. It was my favorite raid marking addon because it was so quick and easy (especially in AQ and Naxx where mobs all stood in a line), but you'd have to have patience in sliding your mouse in the correct order if you want to mark them in a certain order.

Revv · 11/27/07, 11:59 AM

Being a non-healer, I also bind my raid symbols to F2-F9 (F1 was already doing something else before Blizzard gave us raid symbols).

I wrote my own mod to mouse over and paint multiple targets. Here it is for those interested. (Note, it's part of a small group of tools I use, and I pulled only the target painting code out of the mod, my apologies if this doesn't work out of the box.)

/pt begins or toggles the painting of targets. After 7 seconds, it stops checking for new targets.

RaidTools = AceLibrary("AceAddon-2.0"):new("AceConsole-2.0", "AceEvent-2.0")

local paintRaidSymbolId = 1

function RaidTools:OnInitialize()
    -- Paint targets with raid icons; /pt
    self:RegisterChatCommand({"/pt"}, {
        type = "execute",
        name = "paint targets with raid icons",
        desc = "Mouse over enemy mobs, and place a raid target on each.",
        func = "paintTargets",
    })
end

function RaidTools:UPDATE_MOUSEOVER_UNIT()
    -- Handle painting.
    if self:IsEventScheduled("Stop Painting") == true then
        if (not UnitExists("mouseover")) or (not UnitIsEnemy("player", "mouseover")) or
          UnitIsCorpse("mouseover") or UnitPlayerControlled("mouseover") then
            return      -- Not a valid target to paint.
        end

        local raidIconId = GetRaidTargetIndex("mouseover")

        if raidIconId and (raidIconId > 0) then
            return      -- Target has a raid icon set already.
        end

        SetRaidTarget("mouseover", paintRaidSymbolId)

        paintRaidSymbolId = paintRaidSymbolId + 1

        if paintRaidSymbolId > 8 then
            paintRaidSymbolId = 1
        end
    end

    return
end

function RaidTools:stopPainting()
    RaidTools:UnregisterEvent("UPDATE_MOUSEOVER_UNIT")

    UIErrorsFrame:AddMessage("--- Done Painting Targets ---", 1, 1, 1, 1, UIERRORS_HOLD_TIME)

    return
end

function RaidTools:paintTargets()
    if RaidTools:IsEventScheduled("Stop Painting") == true then
        -- Turn off painting.
        RaidTools:CancelScheduledEvent("Stop Painting")
        RaidTools:stopPainting()
        return
    end

    paintRaidSymbolId = 1

    -- Register the mouseover event, if we haven't already.
    if RaidTools:IsEventRegistered("UPDATE_MOUSEOVER_UNIT") == false then
        RaidTools:RegisterEvent("UPDATE_MOUSEOVER_UNIT")
    end

    UIErrorsFrame:AddMessage("--- Begin Painting Targets ---", 1, 1, 1, 1, UIERRORS_HOLD_TIME)

    -- Start the timer to end the painting.  (7 seconds)
    RaidTools:ScheduleEvent("Stop Painting", RaidTools.stopPainting, 7)

    return
end

Calantus · 11/29/07, 11:55 PM

Tehehe · 11/30/07, 6:32 AM

The following macro has been invaluable to me over the past couple months of raid leading, it really speeds things up.

/script local ri = 8; if GetRaidTargetIndex("mouseover") ~= ri then SetRaidTarget("mouseover",ri) else SetRaidTarget("mouseover",0) end

It will place a skull on the mouseover target, if there is already a skull, it will remove it. I have 8 of these macros, one for each icon.