XML elements history The current documentation is in XML elements , this page is for historical purposes only and is an old copy . " This page is for historical reference for the XML elements property source . In The source was to note where the old automatic process found an element in the actual WoW game resources . This old process is no longer being used . In the interest of clarity and page load speed , those notes are removed from XML elements . This page has been created to preserve those notes , for whoever may still find them useful or for general learning . " Old Annotated XML elements Below . This is a reference for the XML elements of the WoW XML Ui hieracry . Elements have XML attributes and are defined by XML types . This reference covers only the major WoW UI elements , see XML attributes and XML types for the rest . Summary . XML elements are used to define WoW User Interface elements . These elements are placed in the FrameXML ' . xml ' files loaded by WoW . When a FrameXML file is loaded by WoW , it processes the file ' s XML , and from it ' s XML elements generates the actual UIObjects used by the WoW Lua game runtime . The root element of the WoW XML hierarcy is the Ui element . See XML UI for a general overview . Reference . Curly braces { } are used to indicate when other inheriting element types maybe substituted . See XML inheritance for an explanation of WoW UI XML inheritance relationships . " Note : Most of the information here is extracted from UI . xsd . It is by no means complete , and can change any time . All this information is taken from default interface , and should be updated with patch changes . All non - default properties you know are working should be added here with a link to a source and name of element . " Layer Elements ( LayoutFrames ) . FontString . Displays text that can ' t be edited . attributies : elements : Texture . Used for drawing textures in a frame . Is a LayoutFrame type attributies : elements : Widgets ( Frames ) . Button . It ' s just a button you can click with mouse . Common use - executing some scripts when pressed ( show / hide frame , accept quests or trades , accept or cancel changes in options etc . attributies : elements : CheckButton . Click adds or remove check mark . Common use for options of any kind attributies : elements : ColorSelect . Allows you to choose a color . Used rarely for customizing addons appearance attributies : elements : Cooldown . Used for spell and action buttons to show it ' s cooldown state attributies : elements : DressUpModel . Used for checking how some linked item will look on character . attributies : elements : EditBox . Used to type in any kind of text . attributies : elements : Frame . A clean window to put any kind of widgets inside . attributies : elements : GameTooltip . Probably shows up a frame depending what ' s under cursor ( player name , item etc . ) attributies : elements : MessageFrame . A window like a frame , but for storing messages . attributies : elements : Minimap . This is specific element for a radar showing you detailed map with units / resources on it attributies : elements : Model . Real purpose unknown . Probably allows to show up some 3D object inside attributies : elements : PlayerModel . Real purpose unknown . Probably for showing 3D portrait . attributies : elements : ScrollFrame . Window that allows to scroll in up / down to show more info ( As example - quest log ) attributies : elements : ScrollingMessageFrame . Same as scrollframe but for messages only attributies : elements : SimpleHTML . Shows up a window with content organized as in html file . Still only some common tags of html are supported , so it ' s impossible to load html pages inside it . attributies : elements : Slider . A scroll bar for scrolling elements . attributies : elements : StatusBar . Used in casing bar . attributies : elements : TabardModel . Showing up tabard . attributies : elements : TaxiRouteFrame . Probably for showing up fly routes . attributies : elements : WorldFrame . A layout frame type that holds a 3D view of the world . This type is not nomrally very useful for AddOn development , and is used by the system for displaying the world view and related . AddOns should use the UIParent as their topmost parent and not any frames derrived from this type . attributies : elements : UIParent . This is not actually a Frame type , but a named instance of Frame , named " UIParent " . Whats special about this system frame is that every addon you use loaded by default inside it ( if parent attribute not defined ) . Also it ' s important that when you toggle addons visibility to take screenshot this frame becomes hidden , so any of its content not drawn . If you put your upmost addon frame outside of this frame , your addon will be visible always . For example when a user toggles UI visibility , its toggling the visibility of UIParent . To be a good citizen always use UIParent as your topmost parent , which can be done by leaving the parent of your topmost parents blank . Animation Elements . Elements that help define animations for the WoW UI animation system . Both Animation and AnimationGroup can have scripts just like Frames do . Added in 3 . 1 . 0 . Blue posts . AnimationGroup . Groups animation elements into a list for a Frame . Animation elements are added to an AnimationGroup , or under Ui . Animation . Base type for all animation elements . Actual funcitonal animation elements must be one of the derrived types . Can also be defined in Ui as base for other animations . Translation . Animation element type that moves its target . Scale . Animation element type that scales or stretches its target . Rotation . Animation element type that rotates its target . Alpha . Animation element type that changes the alpha of its target . Path . Animation element type that defines a traditional animation path for its target using ControlPoints . Other Elements . Include . This tag contains only one attribute file , which refers to another . xml source file to load . Script . This tag can have attribute tag file witch refers to a script ( . lua ) file to be loaded . Other way script just putted inside tag as a plain text . Font . Defines a complete font for use in other elements . attributies : elements :