UI interface addon creation helpFollow

Is there a site you guys recommend for learning to write addons?
I've been running Windows 7 since the beta launched, and I've grown quite attatched to the 'aero' interface. I was pondering, and figured I'd like a unit frame addon that simulated the aero features.
For example, you'd have a clear 'glass' that your party and raid frames lay on, then the 'noise' around the frames themselves would be another layer of glass. Same could be done for the bags, the bars, everything.
I've got my UI pretty nailed down, but little things annoy me. I'd like a bag frame that doesn't have either a non-existent border, or a god awful one. My idea would solve that.

I guess what I'm aiming for is little raised 'buttons' for each button or frame.

Does anyone know where I'd start, or an addon that does this already?

WoWinterface.com? Or is it something else?
Thank you ^_^

I used to be quite the XML and C+ junkie (as well as Qbasic), so I'm sure I can make one once I figure out the differences between XML and LUA. The problem is going to be actually getting to to work and look smooth in the UI.

I'm trying to think of a way to describe it. Hmmm.
Ok, give me 20 minutes. I'm gonna fire up 3D Max and make a general idea of what I want, then overlay it onto a screenshot? Maybe that would help.

In text, it's just... ever do one of those glass jigsaw puzzles? Where it's like 1/8" thick pieces of rounded glass? Imagine those as rectangles. Think of, say, raid frames. You'd have one giant block of glass, which you can see the game through. On top of THAT you have smaller 'buttons' of glass which have the health / mana / debuffs on them.



Edited, Nov 22nd 2009 6:13pm by jaysgsl

Ok, made a REALLY sh*tty chop job. Used the first screenshot that popped up without a UI, and just copied an AG_U health bar block onto it, and, I guess you can hardly see it (though that's what I'm aiming for) but I hope you can get the idea from this.

http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/5831/mebbe.jpg

I was debating between clean squares and ugly rounds, but with the way I drew it (3D model overlayed onto 2D image) it just didn't show the squares at all. The final plan would be less rounded corners, or squares if possible and still visible.
Without having delved into the LUA yet, what I'd LIKE to do (though I don't know if it's possible) is have the healthbars look 'etched' in. Semi transparent, and sunk 'in' (as in, the shading would imply a depression rather than a raised bar). The more I put thought into it, the more I realise I'll go mad trying to art it, let alone write it.
Still worth ashot though.

Beating Xperl isn't tough lol.
I'm shocked that there's no layered transparent Unit Frames at all (which I can find). Maybe I can even go simpler and just make layered transparent, but, meh.

Edit: I like your idea about just the numbers, though. I wonder if I couldn't use that, with some kind of modified font, on top of the 'glass' frames.

Edited, Nov 22nd 2009 6:46pm by jaysgsl

I really like the interface of WOW, i put some addons like quest helper and Auctionator but thats it. I don't want to change anything..:)

Thanks for the support guys, I hope to actually get started on learning the code tomorrow.
Before I decide square or round, I have to learn the limitations of what I can actually put in the game :) I know that each frame in the UI has a transparency option, I just don't know how deep those go.

In the meanwhile, if I can get Max to stop being a ***** of a program, I'll dummy up some different designs.
If I can just use an image, along with a transparency / alpha map, I should be able to make it relatively lightweight, too. If this works, bags and bars are next :D