Patch 4.3: Addon survival guide
by Mathew McCurley 
Nov 28th 2011 at 11:00PM
Every patch is coupled with potential problems for all of our favorite addons and utilities we've added to our game throughout the years. With a few simple precautions, you can be relatively free of addon issues on patch day. Here's a quick checklist that you should follow in order to be ready for patch 4.3 with as few problems as possible.
- Back up your interface folders. Copy your interface and WTF folder in the WoW directory somewhere safe outside of the WoW directory itself. Just make a folder somewhere on your hard drive called WoW Interface Backups and copy and paste in your interface and WTF folders. Don't move anything -- just copy. Backups are always good to have.
- Update your addons to alpha or beta versions. Many addons allow you to download alpha or beta versions that aren't release versions but have had work done on the PTR to make them patch-ready. If you use an addon updater like the Curse client, right-click on an addon to select the release you prefer. I prefer alpha or beta releases, since they're the most up to date. They are potentially unstable, however. For patch days, you'll want the newest versions. Upgrade to those alpha or beta versions, but be sure to have a backup!
- Did I mention backing up your interface folder? Do it.
- On patch day, remember to hit "Load out-of-date addons." Loading out-of-date addons is a big deal. While some of your outdated addons will need updating, some of them might still work. If one of your addons hasn't been updated on Curse or WoW Interface, it might not have needed an update at all.
Addons are what we do on Addon Spotlight. If you're new to mods, Addons 101 will walk you through the basics; see what other players are doing at Reader UI of the Week. If there's a mod you think Addon Spotlight should take a look at, email mat@wowinsider.com.
Filed under: Add-Ons, AddOn Spotlight, Cataclysm
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Docseuzz Nov 28th 2011 11:03PM
Any word on a fix for the new raid button for bartender?
Mathew McCurley Nov 28th 2011 11:09PM
Sadly, I have no idea. I want to know myself.
MysticalOS Nov 28th 2011 11:25PM
One thing you forgot to mention in your article. make sure "Display LUA errors" is turned on. One commin problem with patch days is people have their errors off, and don't know WHAT mods are tanking their FPS. The error reports might be annoying if a mod is broken, but they tell you what mods are broken and need to be updated, disabled, or replaced with an alternate mod that does same thing that does work with that patch. you don't take the bulb out of your check engine light in car and drive it still all busted up (well, some do, but ther car doesn't last long).
Wow is same concept. Use your errors to eliminate problems, not ignore them then wonder why the patch dropped your fps in raids to 4ps, not realizing your out of date recount or something is generating 10000 errors per minute.
CollinBPage Nov 29th 2011 12:04AM
I usually just 7zip the interface/wtf folder for new patches.. Same deal pretty much
meezyfuh Nov 29th 2011 2:14AM
It's "preventive."
Cerf Nov 29th 2011 2:50AM
From recent patch notes my main advice: disable Recount.
Ez Nov 29th 2011 5:17AM
If you have Curse remember to disable automatic backup. Do it manually before you log in to the game. That way if you have to clear the cache or anything like that your addon settings will be saved.
Hyacintha Nov 29th 2011 8:07AM
It's a good idea to back up your UI on a semi-regular basis anyway, even when you're not preparing for a patch. You never know when something could go wrong and obliterate your hours of hard work (it happened to my husband). That is not a good feeling.
Scotepi Nov 29th 2011 11:32AM
I've had it happen a few times to me, its normally one addon but its always the big overall addon the gets messed up.
bluespacecow Nov 29th 2011 8:50AM
I would also advocate the use of an addon loader like ACP or LoadIT that allow you to create sets of addons.
That way you can save your addon UI set up and also have a set of addons that are working.
Over time you want to move or replace as many addons that aren't working until both sets become the same eventually.
alvl Nov 29th 2011 9:22AM
Since this is about addons, there is an exe that's been around 4 ever, "know" that backs up your saved var and if you want, interface and appends a date etc
Berna Nov 29th 2011 10:55AM
I second the recommendation for ACP! It lets you enable and disable addons and reload the UI without having to go back to the login screen. But I'm sure I won't have any real problems on patch day. I do use a shedload of addons, but if I have to, I can play without using any addons at all, because I never made any major changes in the UI.
DrKwang Nov 29th 2011 2:29PM
I have a WoW folder set up in my Dropbox folder. Every Tuesday at 3am (I know I'm not playing then :) ), my computer runs a batch file that copies WTF and Interface\Addons to that folder. I use my Dropbox folder so I can have an offsite backup and in case I want to bring my addons and settings to a second PC for some reason.
Here's my batch file. Each folder has two lines. The first line deletes the previous backup and the second line creates the new backup.
if exist \WTFBackup\ rd /s/q \WTFBackup\
xcopy /y /s /e \WTF \WTFBackup\
if exist \AddonBackup\ rd /s/g \AddonBackup\
xcopy /y /s /e \Interface\Addons \AddonBackup\
DrKwang Nov 29th 2011 2:31PM
(editing or preview would be nice features....)
Here's that batch file again:
if exist [WoW Backup]\WTFBackup\ rd /s/q [WoW Backup]\WTFBackup\
xcopy /y /s /e [WoW Folder]\WTF [WoW Backup]\WTFBackup\
if exist [WoW Backup]\AddonBackup\ rd /s/g [WoW Backup]\AddonBackup\
xcopy /y /s /e [WoW Folder]\Interface\Addons [WoW Backup]\AddonBackup\
Curokk Nov 29th 2011 2:56PM
Wow, anyone else have whole addons vanish from there interface folders?
Iain Nov 30th 2011 10:34AM
Does there currently exist an addon updater that pulls from both curse and wowinterface? Either one's specific client seems to either ignore or sometimes install massively outdated versions.
In fact, if there was a bare-bones utility that just gave me links to updated addons that I had to manually click through (thus loading ads for the sites) that'd be an improvement on trying to remember what works where.
Nick Dec 1st 2011 2:31AM
I've been a fan of Automaton since forever, but it appears to have been abandoned. Anyone have any suggestions for a replacement?
goldeneye Dec 1st 2011 1:04PM
Auctioneer is late... again