LfgChannelAlways

Description

Automatically keep the LookingForGroup visible and accessible whenever possible. Helps minimize the number of annoying join/leave system messages. Help other addons be able to use the LookingForGroup channel properly. If we manually Lfg, the addon will automatically stop running and not interfere with us. Blizzard's patch 2.1.0 introduced the channel as an upgrade but is hardly one. It is the like pre-BC but more annoying to join/leave all the time. Also worse to lfg/lfm for one thing and not work for every situation, which the patch notes fail to mention. The channel was the last feature I expected to come back, after the complaints of lfg being world spam or 'barrens chat'. If only Blizzard upgraded their interface to be like the addon, Lfgx, then the channel and server would have been safer to use without all the colorful conversations. Instructions on first use to prepare the LookingForGroup channel:

1. Before joining a group, use Blizzard's Lfg interface or other addon to select something to request.
2. Join the channel as usual with, /join lookingforgroup.
3. Cancel the request since it was temporary.
4. The channel is now prepared to automatically join/leave as needed.
5. It is normal when the channel is not always visible and accessible due to restrictions caused by Blizzard, not this addon.
6. It is normal to see one Lfg or Lfm temporarily added by this addon. It is created with an arbitrary type/name, which is the first Zone in the list. Autojoin does not work in Zones, so safe to use. A comment is added so people ignore it, in english, "#54123# (using the lfg channel)".
7. See FAQ/Tutorial file in the addon folder for more info.

Instructions when joining a group:

1. As a courtesy, the party leader should use the Lfm tab even if not joining the channel, so that the channel can be available for other members.
2. If the party leader sees the channel, then it is already available for other members that joined the channel.

OTHER ADDONS COMPATIBILITY:

Blizzard's Lfg interface in the game
Lfgx
CallToArms

Other addons can ignore the dummy Lfg message by ignoring the comment that starts with something between two pounds, e.g. #qwe#.

-- Do not store if a dummy message to access lookingforgroup channel
local startPos, endPos, firstWord, restOfString = string.find( comment, "#(.*)#")
if not startPos then -- not found
elseif endPos == startPos + 1 then -- ##, but not found
else
  isStore = nil
end

Command:

/lca (shows help)
/lca on (turns addon on)
/lca off (turns addon off)
Left click the minimap button to toggle on/off.
See minimap button tooltip for status.
See the Blizzard Lfg interface for status.
See FAQ/Tutorial file in the addon folder for more info.

Localization:

English.
German. Only channel name and Lfg comment.
French. Only channel name and Lfg comment.

Install:

Move the files to the game folder, .\\World of Warcraft\\Interface\\AddOns\\LfgChannelAlways\\*.*
May need to enable the blizzard option for "out-of-date" addons before entering the world. There are too many patches by Blizzard lately to bother updating the toc file.

Uninstall:

Remove the game folder, .\\World of Warcraft\\Interface\\AddOns\\LfgChannelAlways\\*.*
Leave any unused channels, like LookingForGroup.

<small>------------------------------------------------- Todo:

Display information about the status of the channel and Lfg system that is more friendly and not so technical.

Known bugs:

None.

Known limitations:

LookingForGroup channel is public, and no longer private. As of patch 2.1.0, we must lfg for at least one thing on the server to see the LookingForGroup channel. But that does not always work because there are more restrictions caused by Blizzard, not this addon.

ChangeLog: Revision 1.4 (6/5/07)

Bug fix, to reset lfg/lfm when join groups, leave groups or login
Bug fix, when leaving a party, clear lfm
Bug fix, when joining a party, clear lfm to release lfg
Bug fix, party leader can invite members and not loose an existing lfm
Bug fix, login using /console reloadui, will clear lfm from previous session
Turning addon on/off clears lfm to reset interface in emergencies
Localization for some german (thx beutju)
Localization for some french
Yellow button a little more brown and not bright yellow, so less annoying (thx witchdoctor)
Yellow button with a 'X' instead of flashing, so less annoying (thx witchdoctor)
Updated FAQ, section on joining group, wherer party members that joined the channel can see it after asking the party leader to lfm for something, even if the party leader did not join the channel

Revision 1.3 (6/2/07)

Localization, with german channel name, french channel name and Lfg comment
Bug fix, yellow flashes less so not annoying (yellow to 75% yellow) (thx witchdoctor)
Changes to tooltip text
Changes to comment text (clearly indicate to ignore lfg)
Bug fix, leaving channel removes the automated lfg request. Turning the addon off already removes it.
Updated FAQ, sections on joining channel and on leaving channel

Revision 1.2 (5/28/07)

Bug fix, another safety feature to keep any game tooltips open while the channel is scanned, and only update blizzard lfg interface once when absolutely necessary.

Revision 1.1 (5/28/07)

New condition, when channel is blocked, try both lfg and lfm.
New condition, when channel is available, than unknown condition.
Bug fix, game tooltips no longer disappear while the channel is scanned, caused by updating blizzard lfg interface
Bug fix, when off, it only checks once for temporary request to remove
Bug fix, verify flashing yellow icon is visible when channel is blocked, and not hidden by other colors showing at same time
Note that the channel still blocked for other members when a party leader stops lfg/lfm.
Updated FAQ, regarding hiding the lookingforgroup channel temporarily.

Revision 1.0 (5/26/07) First Release version 1.0 (on curse-gaming.com) </small>