The Incomplete and Unofficial Guide to /bind (1.1)
By
Aarzak,
Posted on: 2004-05-09 09:46 in Player Guides
Thanks, i have to do some work/get food tonight, but i will let everyone know how they work tommorow 
.
Right now i have it set up with two buttons i can get with my thumb on the keyboard, and it works pretty well (did some practice killing). Pretty much just keep alternate slapping the binds fast until some combination of your minions kill the main threat and or they start taking enoough fire you can let them have free will. It was a little slower than focus firing on one target at a time becuase the attacks with really slow start up (zombie brawl) wouldnt always go off if i switched the stances too fast. If I took my time and waited until i saw the attack start before switching it worked every time. I figure it should work better with mercs or something, since as soon as they get the attack order they can start attacking without any shuffling, just wait for the rifle to start moving and switch them back to defensive.
So long story short, it works pretty well with 2 buttons, I just figured if I could get it on one button i could get it on my mouse (for my other thumb). So if the one button version works better it will be a little more comfortable 
Basicly, unless there is some kind of lag between switching stances and body gaurd kicking in, i except to see alot of bind abuse on ranged, and to a lesser extent all, mms that want to cheese. I plan on testing these out when it hits test
[ QUOTE ]
Observation:
When using $target for a bind, in a say; results work as desired, when using $target with a macro, results less than admirable.
Can this be done effectively?
Example
/bind will say "Move over Sorceror"
/macro will say "Move over $target"
Solution?
[/ QUOTE ]
I made this macro for my tank and MM to use with TP Foe and it works. Made it a macro instead of a bind since its situational.
/macro TPFOE "local $target, GET OVER HERE!$$powexec_name tp foe"
@FOSSIL
Victory Server Glo-Worm Rad/Dark Defender
Justice Server: Fossil Stone Stone/EM Tank
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
"Why is it a penny for your thoughts, but you have to put your two cents in?"
[/ QUOTE ]
Inflation
[/ QUOTE ]
I thought it was a nickel for your thoughts... then you put your 2 cents in... leaving you with just 3 cents. 
@FOSSIL
Victory Server Glo-Worm Rad/Dark Defender
Justice Server: Fossil Stone Stone/EM Tank
[ QUOTE ]
I was told that this bind isn't very well known and that I should share it. Credit goes to someone in the Virtue Legion of Freedom for sharing it with me.
This allows you to show your character, level, server, whatever at the start of any global chat you type in. Helpful to badge & monster channels to sort out servers and character names for invitations. Helpful for SG coalitions to see what level someone is running.
/bind KEY beginchat /send "insert name of global chat channel here" [$name - $level - server or archetype or whatever] (space)
The space is helpful if you won't remember to add it automatically; makes it a little easier to read. An example and what it looks like in-game:
/bind L beginchat /send "Triumph Watch" [$name - $level - Triumph] (space)
Triumph Watch: [Flamare - 38 - Triumph] Hi, gang! Any mosnters out?
Hope this helps!
[/ QUOTE ]
Just an FYI....
I tried putting these binds into my toon specific bind files and I get an error when I load them. I've notice that they work when you manually input them.
This is how it looks in my bind file:
[ QUOTE ]
SHIFT+J beginchat /send "Justice Badge" [$name, lvl $level $Archetype]
[/ QUOTE ]
*** Maybe I'm doing something wrong and don't know it. 
****
@FOSSIL
Victory Server Glo-Worm Rad/Dark Defender
Justice Server: Fossil Stone Stone/EM Tank
I tried that out myself, and it works fine on its own. Are you loading the correct files? What error message are you getting?
[ QUOTE ]
I tried that out myself, and it works fine on its own. Are you loading the correct files? What error message are you getting?
[/ QUOTE ]
I just tried it again today. I didn't get the error I was getting before and it seems to work now. Oh well. I'm just glad it works.
@FOSSIL
Victory Server Glo-Worm Rad/Dark Defender
Justice Server: Fossil Stone Stone/EM Tank
I would like to create a bind that would do an emote then Placate.
I was told that /bind <key> "em fades into the shadows$$powexec_name placate"
would do it...but I used another emote and the bind just executed the power and not the emote?
Questions about the game, either side? /t @Neuronia or @Neuronium, with your queries!
168760: A Death in the Gish. 3 missions, 1-14. Easy to solo.
Infinity Villains
Champion, Pinnacle, Virtue Heroes
interesting, have you tried reversing the order?
/bind <key> "powexec_name placate$$emote Fades into the shadows"
My understanding is that a bind will activate the last command first then the previous in the command string.
[color=gold][b][size=5]♪ Sometimes you feel like a Tank, Sometimes you don't! ♪[/size][/color][/b]
[url=http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=114726][color=black][b][size=5]Moon [color=red]Hazard [color=black]Zone![/size][/color][/color][/color][/b][/url]
Supposedly the game interprets the bind in order. However since executing a power will unqueue the previous power, it seems as though it does the last thing first.
Your bind *should* work, I see no syntax errors.
So, after an extensive effort to create a bind file which binds each key 4 times over (Key, Shift+, Ctrl+, Alt+), I loaded it up for the first time to test it out, only to discover a few issues, the most shocking of which is that there is a limit to the number of keybinds one may have!
Does anyone know what the maximum number of keybinds is?
Seperately and only partially related:
What is the maximum number of characters allowed in a keybind, and where do you start/stop counting?
Completely unreltated, I was trying to come up with a bind that would say hello to four different global channels.
Can anyone speculate on how the following bind (used in a bind file) might be fixed?
SHIFT+F1 "e Hi$$send "[Chan1]" Hello Heroes!$$send "[Chan2]" Hello, everyone!$$send "[Chan3]" Hi, everybody!$$send "[Chan4]" Greetings, fellow heroes!"
Lastly:
[color=yellow]What is the difference between beginchat and startchat?
[ QUOTE ]
So, after an extensive effort to create a bind file which binds each key 4 times over (Key, Shift+, Ctrl+, Alt+), I loaded it up for the first time to test it out, only to discover a few issues, the most shocking of which is that there is a limit to the number of keybinds one may have!
Does anyone know what the maximum number of keybinds is?
Seperately and only partially related:
What is the maximum number of characters allowed in a keybind, and where do you start/stop counting?
Completely unreltated, I was trying to come up with a bind that would say hello to four different global channels.
Can anyone speculate on how the following bind (used in a bind file) might be fixed?
SHIFT+F1 "e Hi$$send "[Chan1]" Hello Heroes!$$send "[Chan2]" Hello, everyone!$$send "[Chan3]" Hi, everybody!$$send "[Chan4]" Greetings, fellow heroes!"
Lastly:
[color=yellow]What is the difference between beginchat and startchat?
[/ QUOTE ]
On the first part, how do you know there is a limit to the number of binds? I have quite few keys with binds on all the combinations of CTRL, ALT, SHIFT etc. and they all work. What error did you get?
On the second part, I believe that the maximum number of characters in a single line or bind is the standard limit of 255 starting right at the beginning and continuing to the end, although it's possible it's 254 depending on how they implemented it.
On your 3rd item, it is quite possible that it will not let you do the same command repeated in a file in the same way that it will not allow you to repeat a powexec_name command multiple times and have it work. I suggest simplifing to a single channel and testing it first, then add a second to see if that works.
And lastly from the /command list:
"beginchat - Starts chat-entry mode with given string"
"startchat - Starts chat-entry mode"
so you can use beginchat to have a string appear in the box before you start typing
I don't think there is a maximum number of binds. But there is a maximum file size for /bindloadfile. I found that out the hard way. Which is why I have a generic.txt to bind some basics and all my F keys, which I use to load generic2.txt for the rest of my basic binds and the character specific bind files. It did take some extra work to set up originally, but now it makes it very easy to handle binds for my characters, both individually and collectively.
Justice Blues, Tech/Tank, Inv/SS
----------------------
Fighting The Future Trilogy
----------------------
[ QUOTE ]
On the first part, how do you know there is a limit to the number of binds? I have quite few keys with binds on all the combinations of CTRL, ALT, SHIFT etc. and they all work. What error did you get?
[/ QUOTE ]
I the following error many times in succession:
You have reached the maximum number of keybinds!
I'll try seperating the file into 2 parts, as suggested by Justice_Blues, and see if that works. 
If not... Would non-operational placeholder be read as a bind? And, is there a functional difference between the two types?
(Like: F "" vs F "nop")
---------------
Thanks for the tip about the bind length. I thought that it was 255 or 225.
So, does it start at the first quotation mark, or the key designation?
And, does it end at the last quotation mark (inclusive), or does it include the paragraph mark?
---------------
As for the global channel, I know that you can send several messages to local, team and emote, so globals shouldn't be different.
Might it be the double quotes?
Will single quotes work around the channel names?
SHIFT+F1 "e Hi$$send 'Chan 1' Hello Heroes!$$send 'Chan 2' Hello, everyone!$$send 'Chan 3' Hi, everybody!$$send 'Chan 4' Greetings, fellow heroes!"
---------------
Thanks for the heads up on the beginchat vs startchat. I was getting an error indicating that it required an argument, which I think is related to the single vs double quote thing.
Ok I'm working on a series of emotes and speech to make my villains monolauge. I'm pretty well versed in binds and macros, just got one quick question. How can I make 2 or more chat bubbles in a bind or macro?
I'm thinking it's like this but can't remember; I've done it before.
/macro m1 "<color red><bg black><border red>say blah blah blah$$emote lecture$$return$$<color black><bg red><border black>say more yackity yack yack."
The effect I'm looking for is
lecture emote
chat bubble 1 -blah blah blah
chat bubble 2 -more yackity yack yack
thanks in advance
Nerf unto others as you would have them nerf unto you.
[url="http://boards.cityofvillains.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=faq&Number=5935090&fpart=&PHPSESSID="]The Teqnikal way to build a raid base v1.0[/url]
lol got you in the other thread
/bind CTRL+F5 "emote bubble One$$emote Bubble Two"
or
/bind CTRL+F5 "local bubble One$$local Bubble Two"
[color=gold][b][size=5]♪ Sometimes you feel like a Tank, Sometimes you don't! ♪[/size][/color][/b]
[url=http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=114726][color=black][b][size=5]Moon [color=red]Hazard [color=black]Zone![/size][/color][/color][/color][/b][/url]
Teqnik -
Please don't post the same question on multiple threads. You'll get a better response if you create your own thread. When responses are on multiple threads you don't get the same quality of conversation between other posters as you do under a a post that was created specificly for that purpose.
[ QUOTE ]
Please don't post the same question on multiple threads. You'll get a better response if you create your own thread. When responses are on multiple threads you don't get the same quality of conversation between other posters as you do under a a post that was created specificly for that purpose.
[/ QUOTE ]
Sorry about that 
, but the last time I posted in just one of the threads I didn't get any response. However, I'll make sure I don't do it again.
And Thanks fo the tip Ace. My evil hillarity shall ensue shortly.
Nerf unto others as you would have them nerf unto you.
[url="http://boards.cityofvillains.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=faq&Number=5935090&fpart=&PHPSESSID="]The Teqnikal way to build a raid base v1.0[/url]
Ok, I know you can put multi toggled powers on one macro, and you have to push the macro again and again to turn on each toggled power. My question is, Can I put Rage and Hasten on one macro so that when i use rage, hasten is automaticlly activated too? NOONE seems to be able to answer this question. Please help.
I've heard talk of being able to put in a macro one "Activate power" command and one "Auto-toggle other power" command. In other words, the macro would make you use, say, Rage, and then make Hasten auto-toggled so it would turn on as soon as the actiavtion time for Rage stopped.
I haven't tested this myself, though. I've just seen it discussed.
EDIT: ?! What the heck?! Huh, the change in Post Title got me...
Neither Rage nor Hasten are toggles. They are both Clickies. (Granted clickies with very long durations but clickies none the less).
You will have to create bind files chained together for it to work.
c:\hasten.txt:
v "powexecname hasten$$bindloadfile c:\rage.txt"
c:\rage.txt:
v "powexecname rage $$bindloadfile c:\hasten.txt"
You would have to press the "V" key twice. best I can think of unless you want the press and release trick but that is not very reliable.
Oh what the heck. It could glitch on you.
c:\hasten.txt:
v "+ $$powexecname hasten$$bindloadfile c:\rage.txt"
c:\rage.txt:
v "+ $$powexecname rage $$bindloadfile c:\hasten.txt"
there is no way of activating more than one power at a time.
[color=gold][b][size=5]♪ Sometimes you feel like a Tank, Sometimes you don't! ♪[/size][/color][/b]
[url=http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=114726][color=black][b][size=5]Moon [color=red]Hazard [color=black]Zone![/size][/color][/color][/color][/b][/url]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
On the first part, how do you know there is a limit to the number of binds? I have quite few keys with binds on all the combinations of CTRL, ALT, SHIFT etc. and they all work. What error did you get?
[/ QUOTE ]
I the following error many times in succession:
You have reached the maximum number of keybinds!
I'll try seperating the file into 2 parts, as suggested by Justice_Blues, and see if that works.
If not... Would non-operational placeholder be read as a bind? And, is there a functional difference between the two types?
(Like: F "" vs F "nop")
[/ QUOTE ]
After some extensive testing (on both test and now live), I've discovered the following:
<ul type="square">[*]You can store up to a maximum of 280 binds on each character. [*]You can load more binds, but every bind after the 280th will be lost when you logout or zone. [*]Binding blanks ("nop" and "") will count against that number. There seems to be no other distinction. [*]When you bind one of the arrow keys (Up, Left, Down, and Right), it also binds as an arrow designation (UpArrow, LeftArrow, DownArrow, and RightArrow). Each bind counts against the maximum number of binds. 
[*]LCTRL and RCTRL will also bind as LControl and RControl, taking up two spots on the maximum list. [*]Overwriting a bind will not alter your total number of binds applied against the maximum, even if you overwrite it with nothing.[*]Using the options window to manually remove all the default keybinds (by binding everything the the same key until you only have one item still bound) will not actually delete the keybinds. It will only bind them to blanks. ("") [/list]
Yes, I am 100% sure about these things. I have over a dozen bind files to prove it, showing the before and after.
Also, I could find no way to completely remove a default keybind from the list, as opposed to just overwriting it.
Does anyone know a way to remove a default keybind entirely?
interesting. are you loading your binds from in game? or are you loading them from a text file?
[color=gold][b][size=5]♪ Sometimes you feel like a Tank, Sometimes you don't! ♪[/size][/color][/b]
[url=http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=114726][color=black][b][size=5]Moon [color=red]Hazard [color=black]Zone![/size][/color][/color][/color][/b][/url]
[ QUOTE ]
interesting. are you loading your binds from in game? or are you loading them from a text file?
[/ QUOTE ]
LoL
With almost 400 binds, I was definately using a text file. But, either way, the limit is still there, and blanked binds stay there as blanked binds.
I discovered all of this by loading the binds (which all worked when loaded), logging off from the game, logging back into the game, and then saving the bind file as it existed at that moment. No matter how many blanks or duplicates, only 280 binds got saved.
I dont have nearly that many binds, and have no idea how anyone could keep them straight.
Still not sure why the binds are not being saved.
I have all my binds in text files
Numpad1 Ace01.txt Ace07.txt
Numpad 2-9 are a series of different binds I use on different occasions (dont remember them all)
Numpad 4 sends to a series of binds called Monkey01 08 (allows me to sing Hey Hey were the Heroes) at the end of the song it sends me back to Ace01.txt. (only one I could remember off hand)
That way I can get my binds to rotate every time I press the same button.
Not understanding though if I had one text file with more than 280 binds in it why it would not save.
Are you saying the fill will not load because it is too big?
[color=gold][b][size=5]♪ Sometimes you feel like a Tank, Sometimes you don't! ♪[/size][/color][/b]
[url=http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=114726][color=black][b][size=5]Moon [color=red]Hazard [color=black]Zone![/size][/color][/color][/color][/b][/url]
Create two text files as follows:
attack.txt
<key> " +$$petcom_all att agg$$bind_load_file c:/bind/guard.txt"
shift+<key> "bind_load_file c:/bind/attack.txt"
guard.txt
<key> " +$$petcom_all fol def$$bind_load_file c:/bind/attack.txt"
replace "<key>" with the key you want to bind this to, and put them in a folder called 'bind' on your c:/ drive. Of course, you can change the location, and you would need to change the path in the bind_load statement accordingly.
Once done, type this in game:
/bind_load_file c:/bind/attack.txt
That will load the first bind. Pressing the key will put all your pets in aggressive mode, and send them off to attack your targeted foe. It will also load the second bind.
Releasing the key will execute the second bind, placing your pets into deffensive mode and seting them to follow you. It will also re-load the first bind to set the cucle all over again.
Now, with these types of binds, lag can ofter get them out of synch. Taht's the reason I added the 'shift+' portion. This way, if the bind breaks, presing shift+<key> will set you back to normal.
And I have to admit, this is an interestig idea with Bodyguard coming on line. But I think I'd rather two seperate key-presses to do that.
And, if you want to do this with two presses of the same key, remove the " +$$" at the beginning of each of the binds. This way, the bind will only execute on press, and not release. So, the first press will set to attack/aggressive, the second press will set them to follow/defensive. I think I may do someting like that myself...
Hope this helps...
-V