Editing WildStar:AddOn loading process (section)

== General steps ==
# Initial Load - When the WS client first starts, a smaller list of ''PreGame'' files and ''PreGame'' AddOn dependencies is built and loaded which run the pre-game UI.
# Game Load -  After the player selects a character and chooses to enter the world, general [[AddOn]]s and dependencies are found and loaded, and code is executed.
# Saved variables - After all AddOns have been loaded, the saved variables are loaded. ''OnRestore'' event fires for each AddOn, offering saved variables as tables.

=== Initial Load ===
* PreGame - First, the WS client loads a few pre-game UI AddOn components for the login, and other pre-game screens, from the same sets of UI files used for general AddOns, which are located in both "[usersettings]\NCSOFT\WildStar\AddOns" directory and the game data files in the asset path "UI". 

* Discovery - In the load process for any AddOn, the client looks for sub-folders containing a valid [[TOC file]]s, with a 'toc.xml' name and opens and executes the file to load the AddOn.  For a user AddOn to be considered valid, it must have a single word folder somewhere inside the "[usersettings]\...\AddOns" folder, and must have a file named 'toc.xml', such as a 'MyAddon' folder with a valid 'toc.xml' file underneath.  That is all that is required.

* Reload - During any load or reload of the UI, TOC files will be searched for again and AddOns or files that didn't exist during initial load, can be loaded by the game later on. This makes it possible to install additional AddOns, or load updated TOC files, without restarting the client.

=== Game Load ===
* Game - General AddOn loading, which includes all AddOns, occurs when the player enters the game world. The game world is loaded and AddOns are "delay loaded" afterward, where the loading of the playable world does not depend on the UI or AddOn process.

* Load Order - The scan and load process is opaque and should be considered indeterminate, however AddOns are generally loaded in the order they are found, where  first game data "UI" folder is scanned, and then the "[usersettings]\...\AddOns" folder is scanned for valid AddOns. Each AddOn gets its name from the ''Name'' setting in its TOC file, which is used as to uniquely identify a given AddOn in the process.

* Dependencies - Any dependency information resides in the AddOn [[Lua]] code itself and not in TOC files. AddOns should '''not''' assume other AddOns or Packages (library AddOns) will be loaded first. Each AddOn must in code explicitly declare itself as a dependent, and later ask for reference, for other AddOns. WS will load dependencies requested before the AddOns OnLoad event fires.

=== Saved Variables ===
* Post AddOn load - After an AddOns and all of its dependencies are completely loaded, settings are loaded. Settings are passed as in table structures to and from the AddOn for load and save, using event handlers on the AddOn, and are stored in ''General'', ''Account'', ''Realm'', and ''Character'' specific sets, in that order.  Settings are stored in settings files in "[usersettings]\...\WildStar" folder. AddOns choose which sets of setting types they will load and save.

* On Load - Each AddOn with an OnRestore() event handler, where a table is passed each time with the settings for each settings type. It is up to the AddOn to determine how to use the passed table and how to update state or refresh UI display. AddOns are expected to be able to load any settings they use, at any time, and still operate correctly. 

* On Save - Before or during reload or game world exit (player camp), settings are saved where each AddOn with an OnSave() event handler can submit a single table for each settings type for each specific event. If the game crashes during play or before these events are run, any new settings will be lost.