VGUI Screen Creation

Getting it to load

( Originally from jim_the_coder from TheWavelength )

1) Create a .res file in steamdir\SourceMods\yourmod\scripts\screens ex. vgui_test_screen.res:

"screen_basic.res"
{
   "Background"
   {
       "ControlName" "MaterialImage"
       "fieldName"  "Background"
       "xpos"   "0"
       "ypos"   "0"
       "zpos"   "-2"
       "wide"   "480"
       "tall"   "240"
       "material"  "vgui/screens/vgui_overlay"
   }
   "OwnerReadout"
   {
       "ControlName" "Label"
       "fieldName"  "OwnerReadout"
       "xpos"   "10"
       "ypos"   "20"
       "wide"   "240"
       "tall"   "34"
       "autoResize" "0"
       "pinCorner"  "0"
       "visible"  "1"
       "enabled"  "1"
       "tabPosition" "0"
       "labelText"  "No Owner"
       "textAlignment" "center"
       "dulltext"  "0"
       "paintBackground" "0"
   }
   "HealthReadout"
   {
       "ControlName" "Label"
       "fieldName"  "HealthReadout"
       "xpos"   "240"
       "ypos"   "20"
       "wide"   "240"
       "tall"   "34"
       "autoResize" "0"
       "pinCorner"  "0"
       "visible"  "1"
       "enabled"  "1"
       "tabPosition" "0"
       "labelText"  "Health: 100%"
       "textAlignment" "center"
       "dulltext"  "0"
       "paintBackground" "0"
   }
   "DismantleButton"
   {
       "ControlName" "MaterialButton"
       "fieldName"  "Dismantle"
       "xpos"   "78"
       "ypos"   "160"
       "wide"   "324"
       "tall"   "48"
       "autoResize" "0"
       "pinCorner"  "0"
       "visible"  "1"
       "enabled"  "1"
       "tabPosition" "2"
       "labelText"  "Dismantle"
       "textAlignment" "center"
       "dulltext"  "0"
       "brighttext" "0"
       "Default"  "0"
       "command"  "quit"
       "paintborder" "0"
       "enabledImage"
       {
           "material" "vgui/screens/vgui_button_enabled"
           "color" "255 255 255 255"
       }
       "mouseOverImage"
       {
           "material" "vgui/screens/vgui_button_hover"
           "color" "255 255 255 255"
       }
       "pressedImage"
       {
           "material" "vgui/screens/vgui_button_pushed"
           "color" "255 255 255 255"
       }
       "disabledImage"
       {
           "material" "vgui/screens/vgui_button_disabled"
           "color" "255 255 255 255"
       }
   }
}

2) The materials used in the .res file can be found in source material.gcf using Nem's GCFScape. Extract the files in hl2\materials\vgui\screens to steamdir\SourceMods\moddir\materials\vgui\screens.

3) In steamdir\SourceMods\moddir\scripts create or open the text file vgui_screens.txt and add a new entry for the screen. ex.

"VGUI_Screens"
{
   "vgui_test_screen"
   {
       // This is our example screen
       "type"		"vgui_screen_panel"
       "pixelswide"	480
       "pixelshigh"	240
       // This must be the file you created in step 1
       "resfile"	"scripts/screens/vgui_test_screen.res"
   } 
   "teleport_countdown_screen"
   {
       "type"		"teleport_countdown_screen"
       "pixelswide"	480
       "pixelshigh"	240
       "resfile"	"scripts/screens/teleport_countdown_screen.res"
   }
}

4) Open Hammer create a small square map with a spawn, a light, and a vgui_screen. Change the vgui_screen's properties like so: Panel Name = vgui_test_screen Panel Width in World = 64 Panel Height in World = 32

Height and Width can be changed to whatever you need. Those values define the actual size of the screen in the world.

5) Save your files, build your map, launch your mod, and whala! you have a vgui_screen in game.

Getting Input to work

Here is the proper way of fixing vgui input:

In in_buttons.h, where the other flags are defined add:

   #define IN_VALIDVGUIINPUT		    (1 << 23) //bitflag for vgui fix

next, in in_main.cpp inside the method - CInput::CreateMove(...) add:

   cmd->buttons |= IN_VALIDVGUIINPUT;

right above:

   g_pClientMode->CreateMove( input_sample_frametime, cmd );

next, in c_baseplayer.cpp inside the method - C_BasePlayer::CreateMove( ... ) add:

   if(pCmd->buttons & IN_VALIDVGUIINPUT)

right above:

   DetermineVguiInputMode( pCmd );

(So it only calls DetermineVguiInputMode if the buttons include our flag)

and finally, inside the method - C_BasePlayer::DetermineVguiInputMode(...) change both instances of:

   pCmd->buttons &= ~(IN_ATTACK | IN_ATTACK2);

to read:

   pCmd->buttons &= ~(IN_ATTACK | IN_ATTACK2 | IN_VALIDVGUIINPUT);

The reason we do this is because CInput::ExtraMouseSample calls g_pClientMode->CreateMove() without initializing the button flags, thus the VGui screen is updated with bad button input. Since IN_VALIDVGUIINPUT is only set from within CInput::CreateMove, the VGui screens only update when the button flags are valid.

Alternative Fix

An alternative fix would be to add a new variable to CUserCmd such as bButtonFlagsValid that can be set to either true or false depending on the validity of the button flags. This would allow the structure to internally store this information for its whole lifetime while freeing up that extra button bit.

Note: TJMonk but if you're going to use my answers/suggestions, and mention where you got the information, Atleast create a proper fix so I don't look like I've done a poor job, or simply ask me to create a tutorial. I hope no mods employed the previous "fix" posted here.

I hope this helps some people.

Screenshot of working panels in the mod Hostile Planet

-Helkus@gmail.com

Further Possibilities

1) Make it so that when a player is viewing the screen, all input is sent to the screen, including movement keys. The player will not be able to move again, until they look outside the bounds of the screen.

Revision History

Created: 7/13/05 by TJMonk15
Rewritten: 7/23/05 by Helk
Revised: 7/27/05 by Zipster