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12-07-20, 01:55 AM   #1
Zax
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How to add a thin border to a frame?

Hello,

Is there a simple way to draw/add a thin border to a frame, without any .tga file?
Something like CSS attribute border: 1px solid #00ff00

I tried with Backdrop's edgeFile with some built-in texture files but the result is not accurate (the border is not well drawn), at least with small frames like buttons.

My final goal is to write a function like .addBorder(frame, borderWidth, borderColor)
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12-07-20, 12:03 PM   #2
Xrystal
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Look at one of the preset backdrop examples that are used with the built in frames.
https://www.townlong-yak.com/framexml/live/Backdrop.lua

You may have to look at the inset value as well.

Find a blizzard frame that does something similar to what you want to do and see which of the backdrops they have set up for it. And then go from there.
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12-08-20, 06:17 AM   #3
Zax
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Very interesting link, Xrystal.
Thank you.
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12-12-20, 02:11 AM   #4
Walkerbo
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Just to piggyback onto Xrystal; here is a small sample of frame templates.

Options box template has the finest line, so that may be a great place to start..
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12-12-20, 12:35 PM   #5
Zax
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Nice
Thank you.
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12-12-20, 02:27 PM   #6
Kanegasi
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If you want something simple and direct, this is what I use to add a 1pixel black border around my chat frame with a single pixel missing at the corners:

Lua Code:
  1. local frame = frameYouWantToAddBordersTo
  2.  
  3. local frameborder=CreateFrame("frame",nil,frame)
  4. frameborder:SetAllPoints(frame)
  5. frameborder:SetFrameStrata("BACKGROUND")
  6. frameborder:SetFrameLevel(1)
  7. frameborder.left=frameborder:CreateTexture(nil,"BORDER")
  8. frameborder.left:SetPoint("BOTTOMLEFT",frameborder,"BOTTOMLEFT",-2,-1)
  9. frameborder.left:SetPoint("TOPRIGHT",frameborder,"TOPLEFT",-1,1)
  10. frameborder.left:SetColorTexture(0,0,0,1)
  11. frameborder.right=frameborder:CreateTexture(nil,"BORDER")
  12. frameborder.right:SetPoint("BOTTOMLEFT",frameborder,"BOTTOMRIGHT",1,-1)
  13. frameborder.right:SetPoint("TOPRIGHT",frameborder,"TOPRIGHT",2,1)
  14. frameborder.right:SetColorTexture(0,0,0,1)
  15. frameborder.top=frameborder:CreateTexture(nil,"BORDER")
  16. frameborder.top:SetPoint("BOTTOMLEFT",frameborder,"TOPLEFT",-1,1)
  17. frameborder.top:SetPoint("TOPRIGHT",frameborder,"TOPRIGHT",1,2)
  18. frameborder.top:SetColorTexture(0,0,0,1)
  19. frameborder.bottom=frameborder:CreateTexture(nil,"BORDER")
  20. frameborder.bottom:SetPoint("BOTTOMLEFT",frameborder,"BOTTOMLEFT",-1,-1)
  21. frameborder.bottom:SetPoint("TOPRIGHT",frameborder,"BOTTOMRIGHT",1,-2)
  22. frameborder.bottom:SetColorTexture(0,0,0,1)

A blank "background" container with four black textures anchored to the four corners. With the way this lays out, these lines rest right on the edges of the parent frame, leaving the blank corners clear from the parent frame's own background. Attached is a screenshot of my chatframes. I repeat this code for each chatframe separately.
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12-14-20, 02:22 AM   #7
Zax
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Interesting trick! Thank you Kanegasi.

I tried this, but the result is sometime not very accurate:
Code:
-- params
local borderColor = {1, 1, 1}
local borderWidth = 1
--
if (not frame.SetBackdrop) then Mixin(frame, BackdropTemplateMixin) end
frame.backdrop = {
	edgeFile = "Interface\\Buttons\\WHITE8x8",
	tileEdge = false,
	edgeSize = borderWidth,
	insets = {left = borderWidth, right = borderWidth, top = borderWidth, bottom = borderWidth},
}
frame:SetBackdrop(frame.backdrop)
frame:SetBackdropBorderColor(borderColor[1], borderColor[2], borderColor[3], 1)
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12-14-20, 03:52 AM   #8
runamonk
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The code you tested is correct; I'm guessing you've run into what I've run into and sometimes it's a pixel bigger or smaller than it should be in some places while in others it's perfect?
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12-14-20, 07:45 AM   #9
Zax
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Originally Posted by runamonk View Post
sometimes it's a pixel bigger or smaller than it should be in some places while in others it's perfect?
Yes, that's what happen with a 1px border width: some borders are sometimes drawn with 2px.
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12-14-20, 09:40 AM   #10
runamonk
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I have the same issue. I draw lots of boxes (bags/items in the bags) and even with changing the scaling I could never get it draw everything perfect. Super annoying.
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12-14-20, 03:54 PM   #11
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DISCLAIMERB: I might not use the correct terms, but, this has happened to me also.

I had this issue with one of my laptops - turned out that it was just not "pixel perfect", only I didn't know that until I got a new laptop and everything (all of the borders and such) were perfect. I don't think that is your problem, though. It's my understanding that WoW's parent company has fixed that particular problem. But, I could always be wrong.

In my defense I must tell you that I'm 67 years of age and live in an assisted living facility, and I haven't played WoW in four and a half years and I don't believe I ever will again.
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12-14-20, 04:06 PM   #12
Fizzlemizz
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Something else to try:
Lua Code:
  1. local function CreateBorder(self)
  2.     if not self.borders then
  3.         self.borders = {}
  4.         for i=1, 4 do
  5.             self.borders[i] = self:CreateLine(nil, "BACKGROUND", nil, 0)
  6.             local l = self.borders[i]
  7.             l:SetThickness(1)
  8.             l:SetColorTexture(1, 1, 0, 1)
  9.             if i==1 then
  10.                 l:SetStartPoint("TOPLEFT")
  11.                 l:SetEndPoint("TOPRIGHT")
  12.             elseif i==2 then
  13.                 l:SetStartPoint("TOPRIGHT")
  14.                 l:SetEndPoint("BOTTOMRIGHT")
  15.             elseif i==3 then
  16.                 l:SetStartPoint("BOTTOMRIGHT")
  17.                 l:SetEndPoint("BOTTOMLEFT")
  18.             else
  19.                 l:SetStartPoint("BOTTOMLEFT")
  20.                 l:SetEndPoint("TOPLEFT")
  21.             end
  22.         end
  23.     end
  24. end
  25.  
  26. local f = CreateFrame("Frame")
  27. f:SetSize(40, 40)
  28. f:SetPoint("CENTER")
  29. f.bg = f:CreateTexture()
  30. f.bg:SetAllPoints()
  31. f.bg:SetTexture("Interface/BUTTONS/WHITE8X8")
  32. f.bg:SetVertexColor(0, 0, 0)
  33. f:SetResizable(true)
  34. f:EnableMouse(true)
  35. f:RegisterForDrag("LeftButton")
  36. f:SetScript("OnDragStart", function(self)
  37.     self:StartSizing("BOTTOMRIGHT")
  38. end)
  39. f:SetScript("OnDragStop", function(self)
  40.     self:StopMovingOrSizing()
  41. end)
  42.  
  43. CreateBorder(f)

It's along the same lines as Kanegasi's solution.
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Last edited by Fizzlemizz : 12-14-20 at 05:11 PM.
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12-15-20, 02:32 AM   #13
Zax
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Maybe it should be intensively tested but Fizzlemizz's solution seems perfect

Though, I don't understand why corners are rounded (it's obvious with thickness > 1)

Last edited by Zax : 12-15-20 at 02:40 AM.
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12-15-20, 02:10 PM   #14
Kanegasi
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If you're using the backdrop method, the API behind that is called "NineSlice". This is a method of creating resizeable textured frames of nine pieces, consisting of four static corners, four repeatable edge textures, and a repeatable background. The corners are rounded because they are separate textures, the roundness not noticeable at really tiny sizes.
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12-16-20, 03:03 AM   #15
Zax
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Considring Fizzlemizz's script, is there a way to modify border color of an existing border, previously created with his script?

Lua Code:
  1. local function CreateBorder(self)
  2.     if not self.borders then
  3.         self.borders = {}
  4.         for i=1, 4 do
  5.             self.borders[i] = self:CreateLine(nil, "BACKGROUND", nil, 0)
  6.             local l = self.borders[i]
  7.             l:SetThickness(1)
  8.             l:SetColorTexture(1, 1, 0, 1)
  9.             if i==1 then
  10.                 l:SetStartPoint("TOPLEFT")
  11.                 l:SetEndPoint("TOPRIGHT")
  12.             elseif i==2 then
  13.                 l:SetStartPoint("TOPRIGHT")
  14.                 l:SetEndPoint("BOTTOMRIGHT")
  15.             elseif i==3 then
  16.                 l:SetStartPoint("BOTTOMRIGHT")
  17.                 l:SetEndPoint("BOTTOMLEFT")
  18.             else
  19.                 l:SetStartPoint("BOTTOMLEFT")
  20.                 l:SetEndPoint("TOPLEFT")
  21.             end
  22.         end
  23.     end
  24. end
  25.  
  26. local f = CreateFrame("Frame")
  27. f:SetSize(40, 40)
  28. f:SetPoint("CENTER")
  29. f.bg = f:CreateTexture()
  30. f.bg:SetAllPoints()
  31. f.bg:SetTexture("Interface/BUTTONS/WHITE8X8")
  32. f.bg:SetVertexColor(0, 0, 0)
  33. f:SetResizable(true)
  34. f:EnableMouse(true)
  35. f:RegisterForDrag("LeftButton")
  36. f:SetScript("OnDragStart", function(self)
  37.     self:StartSizing("BOTTOMRIGHT")
  38. end)
  39. f:SetScript("OnDragStop", function(self)
  40.     self:StopMovingOrSizing()
  41. end)
  42.  
  43. CreateBorder(f)
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12-16-20, 07:51 AM   #16
Kanegasi
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The textures are stored as indexes in the borders key of the parent frame. If you were to do ZaxBorders=CreateFrame("frame") instead of local f=CreateFrame("frame"), you can change the colors like so:

Lua Code:
  1. for i=1,4 do
  2.     ZaxBorders.borders[i]:SetColorTexture(r,g,b,a)
  3. end

Also, the way the code is currently ordered, 1 is top, 2 is right, 3 is bottom, and 4 is left. You can change the color of, say, just the bottom with this:

ZaxBorders.borders[3]:SetColorTexture(r,g,b,a)
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12-16-20, 09:52 AM   #17
Fizzlemizz
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Again, the same as Kanegasi but slightly different in order to bake the border colouring into your created frames:

Lua Code:
  1. local function ColorBorders(self, r, g, b, a)
  2.     for i=1, 4 do
  3.         self.borders[i]:SetColorTexture(r, g, b, a and a or 1)
  4.     end    
  5. end
  6.  
  7. local function CreateBorderFrame(name, thickness)
  8.     local f = CreateFrame("Frame", name)
  9.     f:SetSize(40, 40)
  10.     f.bg = f:CreateTexture()
  11.     f.bg:SetAllPoints()
  12.     f.bg:SetTexture("Interface/BUTTONS/WHITE8X8")
  13.     f.bg:SetVertexColor(0, 0, 0)
  14.     f:SetResizable(true)
  15.     f:EnableMouse(true)
  16.     f:RegisterForDrag("LeftButton")
  17.     f:SetScript("OnDragStart", function(self)
  18.         self:StartSizing("BOTTOMRIGHT")
  19.     end)
  20.     f:SetScript("OnDragStop", function(self)
  21.         self:StopMovingOrSizing()
  22.     end)
  23.     f.SetBorderColor = ColorBorders
  24.     f.borders = {}
  25.     local offset = (thickness/2)
  26.     for i=1, 4 do
  27.         f.borders[i] = f:CreateLine(nil, "BACKGROUND", nil, 0)
  28.         local l = f.borders[i]
  29.         l:SetThickness(thickness)
  30.         l:SetColorTexture(1, 1, 0, 1)
  31.         if i==1 then
  32.             l:SetStartPoint("TOPLEFT", -offset, 0)
  33.             l:SetEndPoint("TOPRIGHT", offset, 0)
  34.         elseif i==2 then
  35.             l:SetStartPoint("TOPRIGHT", 0, offset)
  36.             l:SetEndPoint("BOTTOMRIGHT", 0, -offset)
  37.         elseif i==3 then
  38.             l:SetStartPoint("BOTTOMRIGHT", offset, 0)
  39.             l:SetEndPoint("BOTTOMLEFT", -offset, 0)
  40.         else
  41.             l:SetStartPoint("BOTTOMLEFT", 0, -offset)
  42.             l:SetEndPoint("TOPLEFT", 0, offset)
  43.         end
  44.     end
  45.     return f
  46. end
  47.  
  48. local f = CreateBorderFrame("ZaxFrame1", 1)
  49. f:SetPoint("RIGHT", UIParent, "CENTER", -20, 0)
  50. f = CreateBorderFrame("ZaxFrame2", 18)
  51. f:SetPoint("LEFT", UIParent, "CENTER", 20, 0)
  52. ZaxFrame2:SetBorderColor(0.2, 0.5, 0.8)
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Last edited by Fizzlemizz : 12-16-20 at 09:57 AM.
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12-16-20, 10:17 AM   #18
Zax
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Great
Thank you very much Fizzlemizz and Kanegasi for your scripts, and also for your time and patience.
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12-19-20, 02:19 AM   #19
Spyro
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Originally Posted by Kanegasi View Post
If you're using the backdrop method, the API behind that is called "NineSlice". This is a method of creating resizeable textured frames of nine pieces, consisting of four static corners, four repeatable edge textures, and a repeatable background. The corners are rounded because they are separate textures, the roundness not noticeable at really tiny sizes.
Didn't know the backdrop borders have parentkeys.

Do the corners have parentkeys too?

Currently I'm accesing them with GetRegions() lol.
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12-19-20, 07:26 AM   #20
Vrul
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Originally Posted by Spyro View Post
Didn't know the backdrop borders have parentkeys.

Do the corners have parentkeys too?

Currently I'm accesing them with GetRegions() lol.
These are the default names:
TopLeftCorner
TopRightCorner
BottomLeftCorner
BottomRightCorner
TopEdge
BottomEdge
LeftEdge
RightEdge
Center

However, the pieces are accessed via:
Lua Code:
  1. local function GetNineSlicePiece(container, pieceName)
  2.     if container.GetNineSlicePiece then
  3.         local piece = container:GetNineSlicePiece(pieceName);
  4.         if piece then
  5.             return piece, true;
  6.         end
  7.     end
  8.  
  9.     local piece = container[pieceName];
  10.     if piece then
  11.         return piece, true;
  12.     else
  13.         piece = container:CreateTexture()
  14.         container[pieceName] = piece;
  15.         return piece, false;
  16.     end
  17. end

The only two places I found using GetNineSlicePiece were for Blizzard_BFAMissionUI and Blizzard_CovenantMissionUI which had keys:
TopLeftCorner
TopRightCorner
BotLeftCorner
BotRightCorner
TopBorder
BottomBorder
LeftBorder
RightBorder
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WoWInterface » Developer Discussions » Lua/XML Help » How to add a thin border to a frame?

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