Character-specific options reset after server merge - HOW TO RESTORE

[ChadCloman]

With the server merge, character-specific options were reset to default values, including groupfinder role selections. As a result, we have a lot of people queueing on GF with the wrong role because their former 'damage' role selection is now (for example) 'damage' or 'tank'. In master mode flashpoints, having a dps in the tank role will break the group. And this example is just one issue caused by the options reset.

 

The options reset seems important, yet I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere in official BioWare information/documentation on the server merge.

 

Instructions to restore your character-specific settings:

 

EDIT: See this comment for a tool that automates the process.

 

 

1. EDIT: Exit the game completely.
   
2. Open up the Windows File Explorer on your computer.
   
3. Go to: %localappdata%\SWTOR\swtor\settings (yes, type the percent signs as indicated)
   
4. Create a backup copy of the folder.
   
5. You will see a bunch of files that start with 'heXXXX' (e.g., 'he1084' for Jedi Covenant server).
   
6. Rename each of the files so that 'heXXXX' becomes 'he3000' for Star Forge server, 'he3001' for Satele Shan server, or 'he4000' for Darth Malgus server. If it won't let you rename because the destination already exists, delete the destination file then do the rename.
   

 

Other codes: (incomplete, please list more in comments and I will add them)

• he1084 - Jedi Covenant
  
• he1086 - Prophecy of the Five
  
• he1093 - Shadowlands
  
• he1096 - Jung Ma
  
• he1098 - Ebon Hawk
  
• he2000 - The Bastion
  
• he2002 - Harbinger
  
• he2006 - Begeren Colony
  
• he4001 - Tulak Hord
  
• he4002 - The Leviathan
  
• he6124 - The Red Eclipse
  
• he6127 - T3-M4
  
• he6132 - Mantle of the Force
  

 

What I would like to see BioWare do:

 

Create a utility that automatically changes the filenames as needed. You run the utility, and *poof* your settings are restored.

 

-or-

 

Post these instructions (or something similar) in the news feed or dev tracker where more people will see them.

Edited November 11, 2017 by ChadCloman
Rewording of first paragraph

[-Wes-]

This is excellent, Chad. Thanks for sharing!

[DZechman]

I've written a GUI tool that will do this for you.

 

Link to Fortitude Guild Forum Post which explains it.

 

Download Link

 

Unfortunately, I can't post images here, but you can see what it looks like in the post above.

 

If you have any questions or issues, feel free to post here or PM me directly.

 

UPDATE: I've added Progenitor (6131) to the program based on user feedback elsewhere.

UPDATE 2: I've added Battle Meditation (6136) and Darth Nihilus (6135) to the program based on user feedback elsewhere.

Edited November 13, 2017 by DZechman

[-Wes-]

Thanks so much, Dianiss! Edited November 11, 2017 by -Wes-

[Macetheace]

I've written a GUI tool that will do this for you.

 

Link to Fortitude Guild Forum Post which explains it.

 

Download Link

 

Unfortunately, I can't post images here, but you can see what it looks like in the post above.

 

If you have any questions or issues, feel free to post here or PM me directly.

 

UPDATE: I've added Progenitor (6131) to the program based on user feedback elsewhere.

UPDATE 2: I've added Battle Meditation (6136) and Darth Nihilus (6135) to the program based on user feedback elsewhere.

Is the tool or manually transferring the settings supposed to restore your Outfits too?

 

I did do a test transfer using the tool and I didn't notice any change, no outfits too, but I transferred settings from my original server, rather than the merged Starforge server, I don't want to mess things up, so I thought I'd ask first if it is good for transferring outfits.

[Vhaegrant]

Is the tool or manually transferring the settings supposed to restore your Outfits too?

 

I did do a test transfer using the tool and I didn't notice any change, no outfits too, but I transferred settings from my original server, rather than the merged Starforge server, I don't want to mess things up, so I thought I'd ask first if it is good for transferring outfits.

 

I very much doubt it as the file in question only seems to hold GUI options.

 

I had to do a full reinstall of SWTOR recently due to a bad patching experience. I forgot to make backups of my character settings.

In the end I just set up one character, then hopped back into files copy and pasted that characters settings and renamed them to the specific character name. With 39 characters at last count this is far easier than jumping into every character in game to set them up.

Edited November 30, 2017 by Vhaegrant

[ChadCloman]

Is the tool or manually transferring the settings supposed to restore your Outfits too?

 

No, it doesn't restore your outfits. That information isn't stored locally.

 

Here are some examples of character-specific settings:

 

• Groupfinder options and selections
  
• Custom chat colors
  
• UI profile selection
  
• Various options for your health bar
  
• Quickbar locked/unlocked status
  
• Cooldown text on/off
  
• Whether to display certain warnings or confirmations
  

[DZechman]

Is the tool or manually transferring the settings supposed to restore your Outfits too?

No, this tool does not do anything about your Outfit Designer settings (nor could it, nor could any such tool), because that information is stored on the SWTOR servers and not locally on your computer, as others above have said.

 

If you are having an issue with outfits, then you have an entirely different problem and you'll probably need to put in a trouble ticket to get it resolved.

 

ChadCloman's list covers almost everything that is stored locally, with only one thing missing that I noticed: The comments that you put in your Friends Lists are also stored locally.

 

I did do a test transfer using the tool and I didn't notice any change, no outfits too, but I transferred settings from my original server, rather than the merged Starforge server, I don't want to mess things up, so I thought I'd ask first if it is good for transferring outfits.

 

The normal, intended use* of this program is to copy the stored settings from your characters that are still associated with one of the 15 old servers that we had throughout 2016 into a new file that associated with one of the 5 current servers.

 

It sounds like that's what you tried to do, assuming "my original server" means a 2016 server and not one from before the first two rounds of mergers (and technically, that would work too if you still had settings files laying there from way back when).

 

Another thing that could have gone wrong is if you had the game client up and running at the same time you used the tool. The settings get loaded when you launch the game, and get saved when you exit. If you modify those files while the game is running, then the game just re-saves what it originally loaded (before you changed it) and you're back to where you started. I don't know if that's what happened to you, but it is a possible explanation.

 

I actually posted an updated version of the tool that checks to see if the game is running first, and warns you to exit.

 

Another possibility that comes to mind is if you log in to your own computer (when you first power up--I'm not talking about your SWTOR account here) with a different user ID than the one you use to play the game, then the program will by default look in the user profile of the current user ID, and either not find the settings files or find different ones. This is unlikely for most people, but I did account for it with "STEP 1" and confirming that the tool is using the correct profile directory.

 

If you want to PM me (or post again here), I'm happy to help you sort out the issue.

 

--D

 

* Of course, I deliberately wrote it so that it could be used for other things, like copying settings from one character to a different character and/or copying settings from a character on a current server to a same-named character on another. I tried to make the interface as intuitive as I could, but I do get that what's intuitive to me may not be for someone else.

Edited December 1, 2017 by DZechman

[ChadCloman]

ChadCloman's list covers almost everything that is stored locally, with only one thing missing that I noticed: The comments that you put in your Friends Lists are also stored locally.

 

That is true, and the friends list comments are actually stored in a different file. I didn't mention that for the server move because of the large number of name changes. But if you're handy, those files are named heXXXX_<CharacterName>_LocalSocialSettings.ini and can easily be renamed.

[Christie_Swift]

Thank you guys. Awesome and better than waiting for a Dev's response. They should give you a job in BIOWARE. However, that could be a punishment rather than a reward.