GS For A Dummy!

Mmmk. As I have run out of the hundred macro sets on game, and just recently picked up GEO, I'm considering coming over to the dark side.

I hear you have cookies.

Anyway, whenever I look at the help threads, I see lines of gibberish. I understand they're rules for specific actions, but half of what's in there is worse than Greek to me.

I found a SMN file that looks nice and simple over in the SMN forum, and it looks idiotproof enough that I should just be able to shove my stuff in and go from there.

....Unless there's someplace I can get blank templates where I just add my gear. There's no way in hell I will ever be able to write these; I don't understand it, and I'm not sure I ever will.

Keybinds- they're essentially macros, with 10000% more functionality? We'll use my SMN in-game macros for instance, to see if I even halfway get it. When I hit ctrl+f1, on all of my avatar specific macros, I Assault whatever the <t> is.

If I were to keybind simply f1, GS could see that I have Ramuh out, and make sure that I went from pet-free idle to assault set without further orders (assuming I have this already predefined). By extension, when the smn.lua was loaded, this would be the case for all avatars, because assault is assault is assault.

I then decide that the Blanched Mandragora (because these are the official FFXI Punching Bags) offended me. BP: Rage incoming!

...do I use the menu? Do I have a button for each Rage and Ward? I don't get it. It seems as though using a separate button isn't much different from what I already do, and as in in-game sets, I'd soon run out of keys or would be popping off random Wards because I mistype. Using the menu seems horribly inefficient and slower, which I know is not the case. So halp?

JAs similarly confuse me. I know of some people who have rules set to automate certain actions - Bounty Shot being one, Elemental Siphon another. I'd guess you just input its timer....somewhere...and have yet a different button or something....but I don't know...

*headache*

I know there's a ton of functionality and that I can improve how I play by using this, but I just don't get how it works, and how I can make it work for me.

Got Skype or any voice chat? Lol I know GS can be ancient Greek at times but id when I can

I want to clarify a few things.

First, GearSwap actually doesn't manage or handle key binds at all, but a number of people have added this functionality to their user scripts. Key binds are a core Windower feature, so you can make your own without ever touching GearSwap, but it's generally easier to manage them/keep them in sync with your current job if you use GearSwap.

GearSwap works regardless of how you cast a spell. It works if you use a macro, cast from the menu, manually type out the command, or use a key bind. At some point all of these methods send a /ja "Assault" <t> command, and that's what GearSwap intercepts, and acts upon.

If you're just starting out with GearSwap try not to overthink it. At it's core it's a very simple concept. It's designed to equip gear in reaction to spell casting events. It can do a lot of other stuff, but this is mostly a byproduct of that primary design goal.

Here's a rough sketch of what happens for every spell/job ability that you use while GearSwap is loaded.

1. A Spell command comes in.

2. GearSwap intercepts it before the game sees it.

3. GearSwap tells your user script about the spell.

4. The user script tells GearSwap what gear to equip in the "precast" stage.

5. GearSwap equips that gear.

6. GearSwap sends the command that it intercepted in step 2.

7. When the server tells the client that casting has started, repeat steps 3 through 5 for the "midcast" stage.

8. When the server tells the client that casting has completed, repeat steps 3 through 5 for the "aftercast" stage.

There are some details I'm intentionally leaving out here, but that should be enough to help you wrap your head around what's happening. Once you have a firm grasp on the basics of using rules to equip gear sets, then you can start to think about the more advanced uses. Don't try to jump headlong into the deep end of GearSwap scripting.

Well, I finally finished inputting my junk into the lua I found, named it correctly...and now it's sending me errors.

I am saddened by this. How do I post it so maybe someone can help me find it?

You can use the website http://www.pastebin.com