Emotes (aka Smilies).. the "How To" information

Information on how to create and distribute your own custom emotes, and user submitted custom emote packages.
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CanEh
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Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2009 3:51 am

Emotes (aka Smilies).. the "How To" information

Post by CanEh »

Starting with version 2.7.2 of the client program, you are now allowed to create your own additions to the base emotes supplied by the system. ... Here is how everything works, and should be the same "text" content as the 'Smiles How To' text document included with the client program install.

These are the "smilies" concept...

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The CDROM client reads in a text file by default, for the base emotes used by the program. This default information is stored in your program files folder, under the installed location, and in the "SMILIES/BASE" folder.

The *structure* of any emote is controlled by a file called "smiles.txt", and each line in this file consists of 3 elements as follows:

1) the "short code" that defines the emote
2) the actual name of the emote image
3) an 'english' text description of the emote


An example of this is as follows:

(ap), image006.jpg, Airplane

... (ap) is the short code, followed by a comma and space
... image006.jpg is the file name of the image to display, followed by a comma and a space
... Airplane will be the word shown, when images without emotes are selected from within the client (F3 key). Keep your names 'clean' please, with SHORT descriptions (20 characters max)

To make your own custom emote package, do the following:

1) Create a new folder INSIDE the SMILIES folder. DO NOT make a folder inside the base folder.

2) Name the folder you just made, anything you want. Perhaps use a clan name (if you are in one) to represent your custom emotes, or your own name, or whatever. It doesn't really matter, however if you plan to upload your custom emotes into the Forum system where other users can download them to install on their system, and you use a folder with a stupid or ignorant or adult themed name, you can count on your upload and post being removed, and your access to future uploads removed. This is your one and only warning. :)

3) Open your new folder.

4) Copy the image files you want to use. Please be cautious of the file formats choosen, and the size of the image file made. For the most part,if you keep the sizes to 19 x 19 or 30 x 30, it will help in keeping the chat areas reasonably clean and "aligned" with other images. Of course, this is only a guideline, but it does affect everyone who may want to use your custom emotes.

5) Create a text file called "smilies.txt"

4) Edit the file, and create a line per emote image, following the identical format of the 3 elements shown above. Example:

:qqz:, uglybutt.jpg, Flying Butt

5) Save your changes and close the smiles.txt file.

6) Run your client program. NOTE: if any of your shortcodes are already in use in another 'smiles.txt' file, you will receive a warning that your short code has failed to be included. You must edit YOUR custom smiles.txt file, and choose a different short code to use.

7) TEST your custom emotes (perhaps in a game table) to make sure they perform the way you want them to, and that they conform to decent system standards.

8) If everything works right, then zip or rar YOUR entire folder and contents making sure you are ONLY doing YOUR folder and not the BASE folder, and send the zip/rar file to your friends, or upload it into the Custom Emotes forum (in a new forum post) for others on the system to enjoy.
Last edited by CanEh on Thu Mar 15, 2012 4:37 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: updated title
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