WoWInterface - replacing map blips

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replacing map blips

I have a small function that intends to bring back old cartographer-style world map blips - with embedded group #s and colour changes when the unit is in specific conditions like combat or AFK.

Lua Code:

--
    local blippadding = 5
    --
 
    local frame = CreateFrame("Frame", nil, WorldMapFrame)
    local frequency = .5 -- how often to update blips (while in group when map shown)
    local timer = frequency
    frame:Hide()
 
    frame:SetScript("OnUpdate", function(self, elapsed)
        timer = timer + elapsed
        if (timer > frequency) then
            timer = 0
            local groupSize = GetNumGroupMembers()
            local groupUnit = IsInRaid() and "Raid" or "Party"
            
            if (groupSize > 0) then
                for i = 1, groupSize do
                    local blip = _G["WorldMap"..groupUnit..i]
                    local blipoverlay = blip:CreateTexture(nil, "OVERLAY")
                    blipoverlay:SetDrawLayer("OVERLAY", 7)
                    blipoverlay:SetPoint("TOPLEFT", blip.icon, -blippadding, blippadding)
                    blipoverlay:SetPoint("BOTTOMRIGHT", blip.icon, blippadding, -blippadding)
                    
                    if blip and blip.unit and blip:IsVisible() then
                        local _, class = UnitClass(blip.unit)
                        local _, _, subgroup = GetRaidRosterInfo(i)
                        
                        if not blip.skinned then
                            if (UnitInRaid(blip.unit)) then
                                blipoverlay:SetTexture(format("Interface\\AddOns\\WorldMapForModernists\\blips\\raid%d", subgroup))
                            else
                                blipoverlay:SetTexture("Interface\\AddOns\\WorldMapForModernists\\blips\\party")
                            end
                            blip.skinned = true
                       end
                        
                       if (blip.skinned) then
                            -- color the texture
                            local color = CUSTOM_CLASS_COLORS or RAID_CLASS_COLORS[class]
                            -- by class
                            if color then
                                blipoverlay:SetVertexColor(color.r, color.g, color.b)
                            -- fallback
                            else
                                blipoverlay:SetVertexColor(103/255, 103/255, 103/255)
                            end
                        
                            if (GetTime() % 1 < .5) then
                                -- combat (flashing)
                                if UnitAffectingCombat(blip.unit) then
                                    blipoverlay:SetVertexColor(1, 0, 0)
                                -- dead (flashing)
                                elseif UnitIsDeadOrGhost(blip.unit) then
                                    blipoverlay:SetVertexColor(.2, .2, .2)
                                -- AFK (flashing)
                                elseif UnitIsAFK(blip.unit) then
                                    blipoverlay:SetVertexColor(255/255, 206/255, 206/255)
                                end
                            end
                        end
                    end
                end
            end
        end
    end)
 
    frame:SetScript("OnEvent",function(self,event)
        timer = frequency
        self:SetShown(IsInGroup())
    end)
    
    frame:RegisterEvent("GROUP_ROSTER_UPDATE")
    frame:RegisterEvent("WORLD_MAP_UPDATE")

the colour updates currently won't update like this. If I remove the blip.skinned check on line 25 then it does update as intended, but I assume that's because it's creating a new texture on every pass which is understandably a very bad thing. I recognise that this is probably written very badly, so what do I need to do to make this work?

There were some issues at some lines.

For instance the logic for what texture to use is a bit awkward as the texture it should use already is defined in the groupUnit variable. Meaning we only need one check at the begining and draw our custom overlay if it doesn't exist, also apply texture there. The only thing the for loop further down needs to do is make the texture change color accordingly.

I've rewritten it and tried to clean it up a bit. Take a look. Perhaps it fixes some of the issues, perhaps not. I haven't actually tested it myself. Do write what happens though, I am interested.

Also yes I hooked the Minimap UpdateBlips function so when it runs our code run, kind of more synchronized that just randomly updating hoping to update at the right time. Besides the UpdateBlips function runs at lower intervals, so it won't be each frame update either. Good for us!

Code:

local addonName = ...

local padding = 5



local groupSize, groupType, frame

local _, subgroup, class, color

local elapsed = 0



WorldMapFrame:HookScript("OnUpdate", function(self, e)

        elapsed = elapsed + e

        if elapsed > .5 then -- update frequency

                elapsed = 0

                groupSize = GetNumGroupMembers()

                if groupSize > 0 then

                        groupType = IsInRaid() and "Raid" or "Party"

                        for i = 1, groupSize do

                                frame = _G["WorldMap" .. groupType .. i]

                                if frame then

                                        if not frame.overlay then

                                                frame.overlay = frame:CreateTexture(nil, "OVERLAY")

                                                frame.overlay:SetDrawLayer("OVERLAY", 7)

                                                frame.overlay:SetPoint("TOPLEFT", frame.icon, -padding, padding)

                                                frame.overlay:SetPoint("BOTTOMRIGHT", frame.icon, padding, -padding)

                                                _, _, subgroup = GetRaidRosterInfo(i)

                                                frame.overlay:SetTexture(groupType == "Raid" and ("Interface\\AddOns\\" .. addonName .. "\\blips\\raid" .. subgroup) or "Interface\\AddOns\\" .. addonName .. "\\blips\\party")

                                        end

                                        if frame.unit and frame:IsShown() then

                                                _, class = UnitClass(frame.unit)

                                                color = (CUSTOM_CLASS_COLORS or RAID_CLASS_COLORS)[class]

                                                if color then

                                                        frame.overlay:SetVertexColor(color.r, color.g, color.b)

                                                else

                                                        frame.overlay:SetVertexColor(103/255, 103/255, 103/255)

                                                end

                                                if GetTime() % 1 < .5 then

                                                        if UnitAffectingCombat(frame.unit) then

                                                                frame.overlay:SetVertexColor(1, 0, 0)

                                                        elseif UnitIsDeadOrGhost(frame.unit) then

                                                                frame.overlay:SetVertexColor(.2, .2, .2)

                                                        elseif UnitIsAFK(frame.unit) then

                                                                frame.overlay:SetVertexColor(255/255, 206/255, 206/255)

                                                        end

                                                end

                                        end

                                end

                        end

                end

        end

end)

Hey, thanks for the clean up!

Not sure if the hook is the wrong choice or something but textures only appear after 30 seconds or so, presumably due to the lower intervals at which UpdateBlips runs. I also had to change the initial check for the colouring section of the function to just

Lua Code:

if frame.unit then

for it to start colouring, but even then it updates only sporadically and without the intended flashing updates for dead or in combat blips.

*Edit* I updated my code above with the changes below. You can copy paste it instead if you like. :)

Great feedback.

The hook updates quite often when I tested, but probably not if there are no blips on the minimap to show.

For that I suggest changing:

Code:

hooksecurefunc(Minimap, "UpdateBlips", function()

to this:

Code:

local elapsed = 0

WorldMapFrame:HookScript("OnUpdate", function(self, e)

        elapsed = elapsed + e

        if elapsed < .5 then return end -- update frequency

        elapsed = 0

I thought about it and it's probably best to add a OnUpdate after all, since the blips even if not moving or updating, need to flash. :P

The "if frame.unit then" will update units that aren't visible as well. On the other hand perhaps instead of "IsVisible" maybe "IsShown" is better. Try using "if frame.unit and frame:IsShown() then" and see if it works. This will help avoid updating the hidden frames, we don't need to update those anyway. :)

Working perfectly, thanks!