Editing WoW:UI FAQ/AddOns (section)

== How do I... ==

=== Fix my UI when something breaks? ===

{{faqq}}'''I really fudged up my interface! How can I reset everything to the defaults?'''
{{faqa}}Delete the Cache\WDB and WTF folders from your World of Warcraft directory, and rename the "Interface" folder to something else, e.g. "Interface Backup". Log back into the game. Your UI, keybindings, and chat settings should now be reset to the default settings. Log out and move your Interface folder back into your WoW directory. Now you should be able to log back into the game and reconfigure all of your AddOns, etc.

* NOTE: It is generally an excellent idea to maintain regular backups of the Interface folder (which contains the code for all your AddOns) and the WTF folder (which contains all your custom configurations and keybindings).



{{faqq}}'''I lost all my addon data! Is it possible to retrieve it somehow?'''
{{faqa}}Unless you've made a backup of all of your SavedVariables/''AddOnName''.lua files, no, sorry, it's not.

If you *have* made a backup, you should be able to simply overwrite your current SavedVariables/''AddOnName''.lua files with the old (backup) version.

However, there's a tool that exists to make this process easier, AND it will allow you to MERGE (rather than overwrite) your new data with your old. That tool is called SVEdit, and it can be found here: http://www.wowinterface.com/downloads/fileinfo.php?id=4047



{{faqq}}'''My UI is all messed up. My bag slots don't line up properly with the bag themselves, how do I fix it?'''
{{faqq}}'''I dragged X thing off the screen, how do I get it back?'''
{{faqq}}'''I dragged X and dropped it on Y. Now Y is on top of X and I can't move either. What do I do?'''
{{faqa}}Go to your <code>../World of Warcraft/WTF/Account/(Account Name)/(Character Name)</code> folder and delete your <code>layout-cache.txt</code> file.

That will reset all visible UI elements to the default Blizzard locations. A bit of a pain, as you'll have to set your layout back up the way you want, but at least your immediate problem will be fixed.

{{faqq}}'''I messed up my chat settings, I can't see X messages any more, my channels are all messed up. How do I fix it?'''
Go to your <code>../World of Warcraft/WTF/Account/(Account Name)/(Character Name)</code> folder. Delete the <code>chat-cache.txt</code> file.

That will reset all chat windows, channels & chat options to the default Blizzard setup. You'll have to re-do any changes you made to layout and channels that you want to keep.


=== Backups and copying settings ===
{{faqq}}I want to copy my settings over from one account/computer to another. What is saved where?

Macros for all characters:
* <code>../World of Warcraft/WTF/Account/(Account Name)/macros-cache.txt</code> and
* <code>../World of Warcraft/WTF/Account/(Account Name)/macros-local.txt</code>

Macros for specific characters:
* <code>../World of Warcraft/WTF/Account/(Account Name)/(Realm)/(Character Name)/macros-cache.txt</code>
* <code>../World of Warcraft/WTF/Account/(Account Name)/(Realm)/(Character Name)/macros-local.txt</code>

Various standard UI parameters:
* <code>../World of Warcraft/WTF/Config.wtf</code>
* <code>../World of Warcraft/WTF/Account/(Account Name)/SavedVariables.lua</code>

AddOn configuration:
* <code> ../World of Warcraft/WTF/Account/(Account Name)/SavedVariables/''AddOnName''.lua</code> and
* <code> ../World of Warcraft/WTF/Account/(Account Name)/(Realm)/(Charname)/SavedVariables/''AddOnName''.lua</code>

The on-screen layout of visible UI elements:
* <code>../World of Warcraft/WTF/Account/(Account Name)/(Realm)/(Character Name)/layout-cache.txt</code>

Your chat settings:
* <code>../World of Warcraft/WTF/Account/(Account Name)/(Realm)/(Character Name)/chat-cache.txt</code>

Your key bindings:
* <code>../World of Warcraft/WTF/Account/(Account Name)/bindings-cache.wtf</code>

Your character specific keybindings:
* <code>../World of Warcraft/WTF/Account/(Account Name)/(Realm)/(Character Name)/bindings-cache.wtf</code>

=== Other UI-related stuff ===
{{faqq}}How do I make it so I can see both my chat and my combat window at the same time?

{{faqa}}Go to the main in-game menu (hit [Esc] or the little computer icon). Go to Interface Options. Click "Simple Chat".

{{faqq}}How do I make a new chat window?

{{faqa}}Go to the main in-game menu (hit [Esc] or the little computer icon). Go to Interface Options. Make sure "Lock Chat Settings" is turned off. Make sure "Simple Chat" is turned off. Go back to the main game window. Hover your mouse over your chat window. A tab will appear at the top of your window. Right click on it and select "Create New Window".

For more Chat Information and Troubleshooting, see [[Chat]].

{{faqq}}How do I connect to our guild's website in an addon (to get DKP info/access guild rosters/Thottbot/etc)?

{{faqa}}The user interface Lua environment is "sandboxed" and it is not possible to get data in or out of the game in realtime while the game is playing. The only method of getting data in or out is through the SavedVariables/''AddOnName''.lua files, which are only updated/read on logout/login or when the interface is reloaded. There is no way to directly access web site information from within the game. The best you can do is have a separate .exe file monitoring your SavedVariables files and watch for changes and act on them.

{{faqq}}How do I extract information from WoW to an outside source?  

{{faqa}}This can't be done directly. For example, let us say you want to make an AddOn that updates your guild roster, and posts the name/lvl/class of each member on your web site. The only way to do this is to write an AddOn that will save the name/lvl/class of each guild member in a SavedVariables/''AddOnName''.lua file, close WoW and extract the info to your guild web site either manually, or with a program which would do it for you.

You may not extract information about anything in the WoW environment by "leeching" the information that passes between you and the server. Or, rather, with a lot of work, it's possible to write a program that monitors network traffic, but '''that is against Blizzard's Terms of Service'''. We strongly suggest you do '''not''' do it.
[[Category:UI]]
[[Category:FAQs]]