Lag and lockup problems with UI's with movebale windows(READ)

[BloodEagle]

There is a problem with any UI that has moveable windows, and Blizzard is going to be fixing it in the next patch.

Simply what happens is that your windows framelevel layers keep getting higher and higher until your game lags to the point of locking up.

Here is a thread about it if you would like to read it all:
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/th...mp=1#post74462

Here is the way to temporarily fix it until Blizzard comes through with the patch.

1.) Go to World of Warcraft->WTF->Account name->character's name->layout-cache.txt

2.) Open with WORDPAD(Do not open with notepad as it does not show the formula correctly) or some application that will allow you to edit text.

3.) Find every parameter that says "FrameLevel: ####" Ctrl-F might help if you have a ton of frames to sift through. Yes, some of the values will be as high as 20000. Set them to 2. Set them all to 2. Don't mess with your X and Y values, as those determine the placement of your windows on the screen. Yes, I know this can be tedious, but I can almost guarantee you that you will love me forever afterwards.

4.) Save and backup.

5.) Log into the particular character experiencing problems. If your lag is gone, thank me profusely and shower me in gifts and love. If it's not gone, make SURE you got all framelevel parameters and haven't missed any. And if your lag persists after that, I cry for you.

6.) In case you see the framelevels creeping up again, just overwrite the tainted file with your nice, pristine, delicious, sparkly backup file.


EXAMPLE of Problem numbers:

Frame: BibActionBar1DragButton
FrameLevel: 1975
X: 490
Y: -1039
Frame: BibActionBar2DragButton
FrameLevel: 20000000
X: 490
Y: -1077
Frame: BibActionBar3DragButton
FrameLevel: 168
X: 1339
Y: -625


EXAMPLE of problem fixed:

Frame: BibActionBar1DragButton
FrameLevel: 2
X: 490
Y: -1039
Frame: BibActionBar2DragButton
FrameLevel: 2
X: 490
Y: -1077
Frame: BibActionBar3DragButton
FrameLevel: 2
X: 1339
Y: -625

[Cairenn]

Thanks BloodEagle, I was just coming here to post this info (been out and about all morning).

[tralkar]

mine werent that high and wasnt locking up.. But i tryed what you said anyway and the game runs alot smoother.. good post hope it helps alot of ppl out..

Edit: helps with the lag in I.F even if it isnt the weekend theres usealy lag there, now nothing.. we will see when the weekend comes around again..

[Lokklyn]

I've asked this on the WoW forums too, but I was wondering if there's a particular reason you chose "2" instead of "1"?

I realize that the post is essentially a cut and paste of my own on the Hellscream server forum, and I'm not sure how many copies of it might be floating around:

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/th...ThreadID=10227

But I am a little curious as to why "1" as the replacement number is not suitable? Is 2 an arbitrary number or is there an actual reason behind it?

[Cairenn]

Originally Posted by Lokklyn I've asked this on the WoW forums too, but I was wondering if there's a particular reason you chose "2" instead of "1"? I realize that the post is essentially a cut and paste of my own on the Hellscream server forum, and I'm not sure how many copies of it might be floating around: http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/th...ThreadID=10227 But I am a little curious as to why "1" as the replacement number is not suitable? Is 2 an arbitrary number or is there an actual reason behind it?

1 is the level of the UIParent itself. 2 is the number that Frames start at by default. Setting them all to 1 will make you crash.

[Lokklyn]

Ahh, thanks very much for the quick reply! I had no idea. I'll have to edit my post then. I hope I haven't caused too many peoples' clients to crash (although mine has been stable). Wee!

[Cairenn]

BTW, my apologies for not crediting it back to you, as I said, I was just passing along info, and thus far yours has been the most comprehensive yet understandable in layman terms that I've seen (as posted by BloodEagle as the original post in this thread). No slight intended whatsoever, sorry.

[Lokklyn]

It's quite alright! I'm really happy the info is getting out there, and hopefully the patch will come soon so we don't have to worry about any of it.

[Mulsiphix]

To anybody using an editor that supports regular expression find and replace functionality you can easily replace all the frames at once by using the following:

Find: FrameLevel:*$
Replace: FrameLevel: 2

I am quite partial to UltraEdit myself.

[BloodEagle]

Here is what the author says:

This addon helps to remove the lag caused when mods that use moveable frames overlap, and try and try to be the "top" frame. The addon changes the frame levels of known problem mods on startup and on a UI reload.

It is bundled with Jooky's Startup mod, so that the command line it requires, automatically loads.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Instructions-

Check your layout-cache.txt file for FrameLevel statements. Those which are over 1000, and part of a mod that allows you to move around a window on the screen. Note the Frame: "name" just above it. Then add this to the PROBLEMFRAMES=["name","anothername","andanother"] inside FrameLevelFix.lua

If you are suffering from lag after startup after joining a party or entering an instance, try typing /script ReloadUI()
It will reload the fix.


And here is where you can download it:
http://www.curse-gaming.com/mod.php?addid=557


I installed it in my recomp, configured it to work with my UI, and tested it, and it works wonderfully.

I will be uploading it this eve to this website and Curse-gaming.com.
While you are playing the game, just simply type /script ReloadUI() and hit enter, and any frames that are more than 20 will be set at 2. Makes all the problems go away, and the game is fun again till Blizzard releases the patch that fixes it permanatly.