msw-ui-system
msw-git/msw-ai-coding-plugins-official
MSW `.ui` design, component API, builder, and runtime patterns—single entry point for UI development.
What is msw-ui-system?
Comprehensive UI system for MSW covering `.ui` file design, component APIs, UIBuilder invocation, and Lua runtime patterns. Use this skill for all UI creation, modification, and runtime interaction—from anchor/layout fundamentals to interactive components and client-side Lua bindings.
- Design guide covering RectTransform, anchors, pivot, safe areas, and resolution handling
- Full component API reference (ButtonComponent, TextComponent, SpriteGUIRenderer, ScrollLayoutGroup, GridView, TextInput, Slider, Mask, AvatarGUIRenderer)
- UIBuilder invocation for creating/patching UI nodes with 13 anchor presets and auto-UUID binding injection
- Layout recipes for common patterns (HUD, popup, toast, menu, inventory, scroll-list)
- Runtime Lua patterns for interactive UI (popup open/close, toast fade, HP bar, GridView, drag, tab, cooldown)
- UI-client-only caveats and `.ui`↔`.mlua` binding protocol
How to install msw-ui-system
npx skills add https://github.com/msw-git/msw-ai-coding-plugins-official --skill msw-ui-system- MSW project with `.ui` file support
- Node.js (for UIBuilder script invocation)
- Familiarity with RectTransform and anchor-based layout systems
How to use msw-ui-system
- 1.Clarify your UI intent and sketch the layout (ASCII or verbal description)
- 2.Read the relevant design guide (ui-fundamentals, ui-hierarchy, or component-api) to understand which components and layout approach fit
- 3.Check builder-protocol.md §3 for UIBuilder API and mutation rules
- 4.Select the closest layout recipe from layout-recipes.md or build from scratch
- 5.Invoke UIBuilder via scripts/msw_ui_builder.cjs to create or patch `.ui` nodes (never edit JSON directly)
- 6.Auto-inject `.mlua` property default UUIDs using b.write() with bind parameter or b.injectBindings()
- 7.Verify output with auto-lint (ui_lint.cjs runs on write) and preview via preview_ui_layout.cjs
- 8.For interactive buttons, wire click/hover sound effects using ui-sound.md patterns
Use cases
- Building a HUD with anchored health bar, mana bar, and ability icons
- Creating a popup dialog with buttons that auto-bind to Lua handlers via UUID injection
- Laying out a mobile-safe inventory grid with GridView and touch-friendly button targets
- Implementing a toast notification system with fade-in/fade-out animations
- Wiring a scroll-list menu with dynamic content and drag interactions
- Game UI developers using MSW engine
- Lua scripters building interactive UI systems
- Game designers prototyping layouts and component hierarchies
- Mobile game developers handling safe areas and touch targets
msw-ui-system FAQ
Direct JSON editing breaks UUID, ValueType, and @components consistency, causing silent data loss. Always use UIBuilder.read/write/patch methods to maintain integrity.
Use builder-protocol.md §3.6 Binding Injection: pass { bind: { propertyName: 'uuid' } } to b.write() or call b.injectBindings() to auto-populate .mlua property defaults with generated UUIDs.
UIGroup manages display order and hierarchy; CanvasGroup handles opacity propagation. See ui-hierarchy.md for z-order, displayOrder, Enable vs Visible semantics.
Use ui-fundamentals.md §9: MobileOnly/ActivePlatform for platform-specific layouts, safe-area anchors, and font/touch-target scaling by device.
See component-api.md §Component Selection Guide: use ScrollLayoutGroup for simple lists, GridView for grid layouts. Sprite vs Text vs Button depends on interactivity and visual needs.
Full instructions (SKILL.md)
Source of truth, from msw-git/msw-ai-coding-plugins-official.
name: msw-ui-system
description: "MSW .ui single entry point — design + component API + builder + runtime. Anchor/pivot/RectTransform, UIGroup/CanvasGroup hierarchy, layout recipes (HUD/popup/toast/menu/inventory/scroll-list), full API tables for ButtonComponent/TextComponent/SpriteGUIRendererComponent/ScrollLayoutGroup/GridView/TextInput/Slider/Mask/AvatarGUIRenderer + UI enums (AlignmentType/OverflowType/ImageType/FillAmount), .mlua runtime patterns (popup open-close, toast, HP bar, GridView, drag, tab, cooldown, world nametag), UI-client-only caveats (nil on server, no RPC), .ui↔.mlua UUID auto-binding (write+injectBindings), resolution/safe-area/touch. UIBuilder (msw_ui_builder.cjs): all node types (panel/text/sprite/button/slider/scrollLayout/textInput/group/mask/gridView/avatar/skeleton etc.), component add/replace/patch/remove, 13 anchor presets+stretch, auto-inject .mlua UUID bindings after write."
msw-ui-system
MSW .ui single entry point — design guide + component API + builder invocation + runtime patterns bundled into one skill.
Role division with existing skills:
| Skill | Responsibility |
|---|---|
msw-ui-system (this skill) | Everything .ui — design (which/when/why), component API/enum (what), builder invocation (how to mutate), runtime mlua patterns. .ui mutations must always go through this skill's builder |
references/templates/ | Pre-built style bundles — .ui + ruid-map + button handler packages |
0. Routing
Branch to sub-references based on request keywords.
| Trigger | Reference Document |
|---|---|
| "anchor/pivot/coordinates/why is the position wrong", "RectTransform", "stretch" | references/ui-fundamentals.md §1–§8 |
| "mobile", "safe area", "1920", "MobileOnly", "ActivePlatform", "touch size", "PC reserved zone", "font size by device" | references/ui-fundamentals.md §9 |
| "UIGroup", "above popup", "z-order", "displayOrder", "CanvasGroup", "opacity propagation", "Enable vs Visible" | references/ui-hierarchy.md; for runtime sibling reorder also read references/runtime-patterns.md §7 |
| "which component", "Sprite vs Text vs Button", "9-slice", "scroll list", "GridView vs ScrollLayoutGroup" | references/component-api.md §"Component Selection Guide" |
| "make a HUD", "popup placement", "toast", "menu", "inventory grid", "scroll list" | references/layout-recipes.md |
| "connect .mlua after building with .ui builder", "property default UUID", "binding without drag" | ../msw-general/references/builder-protocol.md §3.6 Binding Injection (unified entry point) |
Runtime UI component field read/write, component property name/type (ButtonComponent.Colors, TextComponent.Overflow, SpriteGUIRendererComponent.FillAmount…) | references/component-api.md required before every .mlua access to UI component fields |
Enum values (AlignmentType, OverflowType, ImageType, UIBasicParticleType…) | references/component-api.md §Enums |
| Runtime mlua patterns (popup open/close, toast fade, HP bar, GridView, drag, tab, cooldown), Runtime UI Caveats (client-only, server-side nil, etc.) | references/runtime-patterns.md |
.ui builder invocation methods (UIBuilder API, anchor presets, write auto-lint, component add/patch/remove) | ../msw-general/references/builder-protocol.md §3 UIBuilder (unified entry point — same document as .map MapBuilder / .model ModelBuilder) |
| "sound", "sfx", "click sound", "hover sound", "button audio", "PlaySound" | references/ui-sound.md |
1. Basic Workflow
(1) Clarify intent Layout sketch (ASCII or verbal) + which group to attach to
(2) Check design guide Match at least one of ui-fundamentals / ui-hierarchy / component-api §Component Selection Guide
(3) Builder Preflight Read ../msw-general/references/builder-protocol.md §3 (unified call-protocol entry point)
(4) Match recipe Select the closest template from layout-recipes.md
(5) Invoke builder Create/patch via scripts/msw_ui_builder.cjs (protocol: builder-protocol.md §3)
(6) Inject bindings Auto-inject .mlua property default UUIDs via b.write(path, { bind: {...} }) or b.injectBindings(...) (builder-protocol.md §3.6 Binding Injection)
(7) Self-verify write() auto-runs scripts/ui_lint.cjs (strict ON by default)
(8) Preview Visual check via scripts/preview_ui_layout.cjs
(9) Sound pass For any interactive button, offer click/hover SFX wiring (references/ui-sound.md)
(10) Maker Refresh Apply to engine
2. Global Rules
NEVER
- Do not directly edit
.uiJSON —.uicreation/modification must go throughscripts/msw_ui_builder.cjs. Manual editing breaks UUID·ValueType·@componentsconsistency and causes silent drops. - Read existing
.uifiles through the builder too — Query viaUIBuilder.read(filepath)/.find()/.listEntities(). Do not directly grep/parse raw JSON..uidirectReadand shell commands such ascat/type/Get-Content/rg/grep/sed/awk/cp/mvare blocked by the registered guard. UseUIBuilder.read/load/snapshotfor reads andb.write()for writes. Deleting an entire.uifile is a separate explicit deletion action, not a builder mutation.
- Set
Positiondirectly — Use onlyanchoredPosition(Position is engine-managed) - Express size via OffsetMin/Max on fixed anchors (AnchorsMin == AnchorsMax) while also using
anchoredPosition— Do not mix the two modes - Builder creates new UUIDs but
.mluaproperty defaults are not updated — Binding breaks
ALWAYS
- Builder Protocol Preflight — read
../msw-general/references/builder-protocol.md§3 every turn before any.uimutation (UIBuilder API, write auto-lint, pos / anchor rules, binding injection, coverage gaps). It lives in the same document as.mapMapBuilder /.modelModelBuilder — a unified entry point because the cross-flow is interlocked. - Check at least one design guide before invoking the builder (
ui-fundamentals/ui-hierarchy/component-api§Component Selection Guide) - Match a recipe first; build from scratch only as a last resort
- For edge placement use the formula:
pos = ±(margin + size/2) - Separate popups and toasts into their own UIGroup, standalone show/hide
- Verify text
Alignmentdefault isUpperLeft(0)— 95% of "I centered it but it sticks to the left" issues - Button touch target ≥ 88×88 (mobile support)
- After creating any interactive button — proactively suggest wiring click/hover SFX via
references/ui-sound.md(default UI SFX RUIDs available). Skip only if the user explicitly opts out or the button is purely decorative.
3. Sub-documents
references/ui-fundamentals.md— Coordinate system, RectTransform 3 elements, anchor mode determination (§1–§8) + Resolution·safe area·PC reserved zones·touch targets·font sizes·platform separation (§9)references/ui-hierarchy.md— UIGroup / displayOrder / CanvasGroup / Enable vs Visiblereferences/component-api.md— §"Component Selection Guide" (which/when/why) + full component property/method/event tables (what) + all UI-related enum values (§Enums)references/layout-recipes.md— Layout template collectionreferences/runtime-patterns.md—.mluaruntime patterns (popup/toast/HP/grid/drag…) + Runtime UI Caveatsreferences/ui-sound.md— UI sound integration (_SoundService:PlaySound, click/hover hook, default UI SFX RUIDs)../msw-general/references/builder-protocol.md§3 —.uiCJS builder call protocol (unified entry point) — same document as.mapMapBuilder /.modelModelBuilder. panel / text / sprite / button / slider / scroll / script / group / mask / grid / avatar / touchReceive / skeleton / areaParticle / basicParticle, component CRUD, anchor presets, write auto-lint, and.mluaproperty UUID auto-binding all live in §3 + §3.6.references/templates/templates.md— Pre-built style bundle index (style-N-*.ui,ruid-map.md,Popupbutton.mlua)
4. Scripts
scripts/msw_ui_builder.cjs—.uibuilder core (UIBuilder class). Read../msw-general/references/builder-protocol.md§3 (unified entry point) before use.scripts/preview_ui_layout.cjs—.uilayout visual check + touch target warningsscripts/ui_lint.cjs—.uifile self-verification (auto-called bywrite())scripts/ui_recipe.cjs— Recipe-based scaffolding
Out of Scope
.map/.model/.tilesetbuilders — Outside this skill's scope.uiJSON schema (raw field shapes,@type/@componentswrapping, AlignmentOption 0–15 mapping, etc.) — Handled internally by the builder. Users/AI do not need to know directly- Accessibility patterns (alt text, screen-reader hints, focus order) — Not covered
- Error-state UI patterns (disabled-button styling beyond
Transition.Disabled, validation messages, loading spinners) — Not covered; design ad-hoc per project - Automated UI testing / layout assertions beyond
ui_lint.cjsandpreview_ui_layout.cjs— Not provided - Custom shader materials (
MaterialId) — Field is exposed but authoring shaders is outside this skill's scope
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