An example of the “Found” alert button for Fumblub Gearwind.
This warning appears when searched-for mobs are already cached at log in.
The options window with a list of all mobs currently being searched for.
NPCScan
_NPCScan tracks seldom-seen rare mobs by proximity alone, making the old “/targetexact …” macros obsolete. It has the same range as those targeting macros, but you won't have to mash any buttons. Just go about your business and let _NPCScan alert you when it finds something.
Details
The Cache
This addon doesn't use nameplates or mouseover units to find rares. Instead, it checks your creature cache for the moment a rare mob is found. There is one catch to this technique however: Once a mob is “found”, _NPCScan won't be able to find it again until your cache is cleared. If you find a rare mob's corpse—Dirkee for example—you would have to clear your cache before _NPCScan would find Dirkee again. Thankfully, clearing your cache is a safe and simple matter.
Clearing Your Cache
To clear your cache, follow these straightforward steps:
Exit World of Warcraft.
Delete the “Cache” sub-directory inside your World of Warcraft folder. For example on a standard Windows XP installation, you would delete the folder “C:\Program Files\World of Warcraft\Cache”.
Note: Windows Vista and Windows 7 users see this info to find your Cache folder in WoW's Virtual Store.
That's it. Log in after you've done that and you'd be able to find Dirkee a second time. It's completely safe because WoW will recreate your Cache folder after you log in again.
Cache Warning
If a rare mob is already cached when you log in, _NPCScan will print a warning message with the names of those mobs. If you see this message but still want to find the listed NPCs again, it's time to clear your cache by following the above procedure. Otherwise, you can quit searching for those mobs using the Search options window detailed below. You can suppress this log-in message using the main options pane, as well.
“Found” Alert
When a rare mob is found, _NPCScan alerts you by playing a loud and distinctive sound, making your screen pulse red, and displaying an animated targeting button. To get a feel for what this alert looks and sounds like, try the “Test Found Alert” button in the addon's main Interface Options panel. (See the Options section below.)
Targeting Button
When clicked, the targeting button tries to target the most-recently-found mob. You can also bind a key to hit this button. If the default button position isn't to your liking, you can move it while holding your <CTRL> key.
Note: The button cannot be shown during combat. In the unlikely case that you do find a rare while fighting, the button will appear after you leave combat. You will still hear the alert however, and the name of the mob will appear in your chat log.
Options
_NPCScan's main options window can be accessed from the Interface Options menu. This panel includes a “Test Found Alert” button, various ways to customize the alert sound, and an option to suppress cache warning messages on log-in.
New sounds can be added to the alert sound dropdown menu by installing SharedMedia-type addons.
Search List
The list of mobs that _NPCScan searches for can be modified easily through the Interface Options panel, however it comes pre-configured with most rare Outlands and Northrend mobs. To access the mob list, type “/npcscan”.
Grayed out NPCs in a list aren't being searched for, either because they're cached, a pet, or not needed for their achievement.
The first tab available lists Custom NPCs that you can enter or remove manually. NPCs that are already cached show a red “X” in the first column. You can add or remove Custom NPCs with the [+] and [-] buttons at the bottom right.
All other tabs control achievements like Bloody Rare and Frostbitten. These tabs show an additional column on the right with green check marks for completed achievement mobs. You may enable or disable tracking each achievement with its tab's checkbox.
The two checkboxes at the top left of the pane allow greater control over which mobs to search for. “Search for tamable NPCs” controls searching for mobs tamable by hunters (to avoid the issues detailed in the “Limitations” section below). “Search for completed Achievement NPCs” allows you to keep looking for mobs you no longer need for achievements.
Finding NPC IDs
A mob's NPC ID is its unique identification number, and it can be found on sites like WowHead or WowDB. For example, search for the mob “Dirkee” on WowHead and go to the mob's page. That page's URL will look like “http://www.wowhead.com/?npc=32500”; 32500 is Dirkee's NPC ID.
Limitations
The only problem mobs for _NPCScan are tamable beasts. Even when you run across the tamed version, _NPCScan gets tricked into thinking that mob is nearby. In order to prevent those false positives, _NPCScan only shows alerts for tamable mobs in their original zones. That is, if you spot Loque'nahak in Dalaran instead of Sholazar Basin where it usually patrols, _NPCScan would ignore it. When one of these tamable mob false-alarms happens, you'll see a message in your chat window explaining why it got ignored.
Since this makes tamable mobs are so difficult to track, I suggest you fly to the tamable mob's zone first, clear your cache, and then search for it. Any time you pass through a populated area like Dalaran, you risk filling your cache with popular rare pets.
Originally posted by IRID1UM So, I've added (while leveling in these zones) the rare spawns of some zones in Azeroth to the search engine. But, it seems as if those are only saved on a per character basis and can't be exported to others, except for manually copying the savedvariables file. Any plans on adding an import feature or is the addon feature complete?
Thanks,
IRID1UM
For now, copying the saved variables file will have to be the only way to do that. I would have to rewrite a bit of the addon to allow for "profiles", and I (just now) thought of a reasonable way to do it, but it probably won't be ready until after patch 3.3.
So, I've added (while leveling in these zones) the rare spawns of some zones in Azeroth to the search engine. But, it seems as if those are only saved on a per character basis and can't be exported to others, except for manually copying the savedvariables file. Any plans on adding an import feature or is the addon feature complete?
Thanks,
IRID1UM
Originally posted by Veyska Of curiosity, where *does* this add-on store zone info for the built-in NPCs? Been poking at a lowbie Horde alt lately and I always check for the Dalaran Spellscribe when I'm in the neighborhood and this time around that got me thinking. Went and added in all the classic mobs that drop something of interest (blues and the black tabby, for the most part) but I can't figure out where the zone info's hiding at. Not critical by any means, just curious.
_NPCScan only has the locations of tamable rare mobs (in _NPCScan.TamableIDs.lua). Each entry there is formatted like [ 8660 ] = "Aszhara"; -- The Evalcharr (note the typo in the zone name; It's actually the name of the map file used for that zone, which itself was spelled wrong by Blizzard).
Of curiosity, where *does* this add-on store zone info for the built-in NPCs? Been poking at a lowbie Horde alt lately and I always check for the Dalaran Spellscribe when I'm in the neighborhood and this time around that got me thinking. Went and added in all the classic mobs that drop something of interest (blues and the black tabby, for the most part) but I can't figure out where the zone info's hiding at. Not critical by any means, just curious.
Originally posted by eternalglory is there a way to reset the database instead going out of WoW and delete the cache ??? is so annoying when you are in the city and someone have this pet. Then when you see this pet in pve but it never announced .
No, the only way to clear it is to quit WoW and delete that file.
is there a way to reset the database instead going out of WoW and delete the cache ??? is so annoying when you are in the city and someone have this pet. Then when you see this pet in pve but it never announced .
Originally posted by Rhylli Hey! I love this mod, but the strangest thing happened to me today.
By default, when I downloaded this, the tamable mobs was on by default, instead of off as it is said to be. I got this with the intention of hunting rare spirit beasts, being a hunter. I cleared my cache as it triggered Gondria and Skoll and I wanted to be able to see them when they come up in the wilds. When I logged back on, I also checked to make sure that mobs continued to show up even after I see them so in case I see another hunter, I'll still be able to get the pop up.
Background aside, I was leveling this morning. Hit 76, found King Krush. It worked perfectly and I got a nice achievement. Hit 77, went to look for Gondria, but it didn't flash up when I passed over her. No damage done, I tamed her quickly, but when I checked /npcscan, she was crossed out, but she hadn't been before I saw her. Bug?
I think IRID1UM is right; If you saw another hunter's pet Gondia while in Dalaran (or any zone besides Zul'drak), _NPCScan would only have printed a chat message about it.
About the "Search for Tamable NPCs" option, I made it the default a version or two ago (but forgot to update the description). Thanks for the reminder.
Originally posted by Rhylli Hey! I love this mod, but the strangest thing happened to me today.
By default, when I downloaded this, the tamable mobs was [...] to look for Gondria, but it didn't flash up when I passed over her. No damage done, I tamed her quickly, but when I checked /npcscan, she was crossed out, but she hadn't been before I saw her. Bug?
You probably came across someones tamed version of this mob while hunting, thus caching it before you found the real one. It's easy to not see the message in the chat.
Hey! I love this mod, but the strangest thing happened to me today.
By default, when I downloaded this, the tamable mobs was on by default, instead of off as it is said to be. I got this with the intention of hunting rare spirit beasts, being a hunter. I cleared my cache as it triggered Gondria and Skoll and I wanted to be able to see them when they come up in the wilds. When I logged back on, I also checked to make sure that mobs continued to show up even after I see them so in case I see another hunter, I'll still be able to get the pop up.
Background aside, I was leveling this morning. Hit 76, found King Krush. It worked perfectly and I got a nice achievement. Hit 77, went to look for Gondria, but it didn't flash up when I passed over her. No damage done, I tamed her quickly, but when I checked /npcscan, she was crossed out, but she hadn't been before I saw her. Bug?
Ah, many thanks for clarifying that. The only other addon that I know of that uses screen flashes would be Omen, maybe that breaks it, not always though...
Cheers!
Originally posted by IRID1UM may this error be related to npcscan? got it after killing icehorn in borean tundra and it occurs thousands of times!
Code:
Message: Interface\FrameXML\UIParent.lua:2522: attempt to compare nil with number
Time: 10/02/09 11:24:46
Count: 8194
Stack: [string "Interface\FrameXML\BasicControls.xml:<Scrip..."]:18: in function <[string "Interface\FrameXML\BasicControls.xml:<Scrip..."]:4>
[C]: ?
Interface\FrameXML\UIParent.lua:2522: in function <Interface\FrameXML\UIParent.lua:2514>
Locals: self = <unnamed> {
0 = <userdata>
}
elapsed = 0.016000000759959
frame = LowHealthFrame {
fadeInTime = 0.7
0 = <userdata>
fadeOutTime = 0.7
flashDurationTimer = 23.306001037359
fadeInfo = <table> {
}
flashMode = "OUT"
showWhenDone = false
flashTimer = 74.833003435284
}
index = 1
fadeInfo = nil
(*temporary) = 74.833003435284
(*temporary) = nil
(*temporary) = nil
(*temporary) = nil
(*temporary) = "attempt to compare nil with number"
That's the flashing screen border breaking. I think it's a conflict with another mod, but I'm going to rewrite the flashing effect for the next version since this isn't the first time I've heard of the error.
Originally posted by Zveroboi Ok, then how can i reset cache? (and wtf this "cache" is?)
Check out the section "Clearing Your Cache" in the mod's description. The cache is just a list of all the NPCs WoW has seen recently. WoW will make a new once once you delete it.
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question?
