The World of Warcraft game client stores all of its configuration in the so-called Console Variables (CVars). These variables affect many aspects of the game, such as the graphics engine, the interface and the sound system.
There are several ways of setting the configuration variables:
- Config.wtf - The World of Warcraft directory contains a Config.wtf file in the WTF folder, which provides settings mostly relevant to game startup, such as
gxResolutionfor the screen resolution to use andlocalefor the language. - /console command - Settings can be changed in-game using the
/consolecommand, which uses the same syntax as the file Config.wtf described above. Any modifications done using this command will be saved to this file. - WoW.exe -Console - This will allow you to call the debug console ingame by pressing
~. - SetCVar API command - for changing settings using addons
The syntax for the first two ways of changing a variable is:
SET variableName "value"
Manually changing a CVar may permanently override the settings made on the in-game configuration menu. For example, having cameraDistanceMaxset in the file Config.wtf renders the "Max Camera Distance" slider useless. You will have to quit the game and manually remove the CVar line from the file.
List of CVars
This is a categorized list of console variables, along with a short explanation for each CVar.
The list is not complete; for a complete list, see Console variables/Complete list.
Startup
These are general variables that are only relevant for starting the game (or which are only read during startup).
- accountName - Saved account name for login screen
- checkAddonVersion - Disable loading of out-of-date addons
- coresDetected - cores detected
- expansionMovie - Display Burning Crusade intro at startup (This variable is reset to 0 after the video has been shown)
- lastCharacterIndex - Number of last character that was used for logging in (initial selection for character screen)
- locale - Game language code (e.g. "enGB", "enUS", "deDE", "frFR" ...)
- heapAllocTracking - Enables/disables allocation tracking & dumping in SMemMalloc
- movie - Display intro movie at startup (doesn't work in Burning Crusade game client)
- movieSubtitle - Display subtitles for intro movies
- readContest - Whether the user has accepted the PTR contest rules
- readEULA - Whether the user has accepted the EULA
- readScanning - Whether the user has accepted the system scanning terms
- readTOS - Whether the user has accepted the Terms of Use
- realmList - Realm list server to use (e.g. "eu.logon.worldofwarcraft.com")
- realmName - Name of most recently used realm (displayed in the lower right corner)
- showToolsUI - Enable the WoW Launcher
- processAffinityMask - Which processor core to start WoW on
Console
These are commands that only affect the drop down menu
- help - Displays help and information for any command. (Eg. Help debug)
- fontcolor - Console Font Color
- bgcolor - Backdrop color
- highlightcolor - Console text highlight color
- fontsize - Font Size
- font - Name of Font to use in console
- consolelines - How many lines to display on screen at once
- clear - clears all console text
- proportionaltext - Spaces text out to cover the entire screen (E x a m p l e !)
- spacing - specifies inter-character spacing, in pixels
- settings - lists current console settings
- default - returns console to default settings
- closeconsole - closes console
- repeat - repeats a command when entered
Camera
- cameraBobbing
- cameraBobbingFrequency
- cameraBobbingLRAmplitude
- cameraBobbingSmoothSpeed
- cameraBobbingUDAmplitude
- cameraCustomViewSmoothing
- cameraDistanceMax
- cameraDistanceMaxFactor
- cameraDistanceMoveSpeed
- cameraDistanceSmoothSpeed - Default is 8.33. Values range from 0.002778-50. Changes speed at which you scroll-wheel zoom in/out.
- cameraDive - Default is 1.
- cameraFlyingMountHeightSmoothSpeed
- cameraFoVSmoothSpeed
- cameraGroundSmoothSpeed
- cameraHeightIgnoreStandState
- cameraHeightSmoothSpeed
- cameraPitchMoveSpeed
- cameraPitchSmoothSpeed
- cameraPitchSmoothMin
- cameraPitchSmoothMax
- cameraPivot - Default is 1. (no idea what it does)
- cameraPivotDXMax
- cameraPivotDYMin
- camerasmooth
- cameraSmoothPitch
- cameraSmoothStyle - Default is 0. Possible values 0-2.
- cameraSmoothTrackingStyle
- cameraSmoothYaw
- cameraSmoothTimeMin
- cameraSmoothTimeMax
- cameraSubmergeFinalPitch
- cameraSubmergePitch
- cameraSurfacePitch
- cameraSurfaceFinalPitch
- cameraTargetSmoothSpeed
- cameraTerrainTilt
- cameraTerrainTiltTimeMin
- cameraTerrainTiltTimeMax
- cameraView
- cameraViewBlendStyle - Default is 1. Possible values 1-2. Camera moves from saved positions smoothly or instantly.
- cameraWaterCollision
- cameraYawMoveSpeed - Default is 230. Possible values 1-360. Changes the speed at which the camera can spin.
- cameraYawSmoothMax
- cameraYawSmoothMin
- cameraYawSmoothSpeed
Controls
- assistAttack - Start attacking automatically after using /assist
- autoClearAFK - Clear AFK upon movement
- autoDismount - Dismount when trying to use an ability
- autoDismountFlying - ...even when flying
- autoStand - Stand up when trying to use an ability [Introduced in Patch 2.3]
- autoUnshift - Unshift/Unstealth/Leave shadowform when using an ability only usable "unshifted" [Introduced in Patch 2.3]
- AutoInteract - Right-click to move
- automoveturnspeedwide - ?
- automoveturnspeednarrow - ?
- autoRangedCombat - Automatically switch between ranged and meelee attack
- autoSelfCast - Automatic self-casting
- deselectOnClick - Sticky targetting
- Joystick - Enable Joysticks
- mouseInvertYaw - Invert left-right mouse motion
- mouseInvertPitch - Invert up-down mouse motion
- mouseSpeed - Mouse speed
- stopAutoAttackOnTargetChange - Stop attacking when switching targets
- targetNearestDistance - Tab targetting distance in front of you, default 41, max 50
- targetNearestDistanceRadius - ?
Graphics
- anisotropic - Anisotropic filtering
- baseMip - base level for mip mapping
- bspcache - Binary Space Partition Caching
- characterAmbient - Set the ambient value for characters.
- DesktopGamma - Matches Windows' Gamma Settings
- DistCull - Sets distance for culling of objects near farclip
- doodadAnim - Toggle animated geometry
- extShadowQuality - Enables Dynamic Shadows (WoW 3.0)
- farclip - Set detailed draw distance; sets the fog distance. Only terrain will be visible past this distance.
- farclipoverride - Allows overriding of preset limit for farclip (WoW 3.0)
- ffx - Enable all pixel shaders
- ffxDeath - Enable full screen death effect
- ffxGlow - Enable full screen glow effect
- ffxSpecial - Enables alternative on screen effects. (WoW 3.0
) - ffxNetherWorld - Enable full screen "nether world" effect, e.g. for a Mage's Invisibility
- ffxRectangle - Enables Widescreen Framebuffer
- footstepBias - ?
- fullAlpha - Enable full alpha on terrain doodads
- Gamma - Gamma level
- gxApi - Graphics API to use
- gxAspect - Preserve aspect ratio for windowed mode
- gxColorBits - Color bits
- gxCursor - Enable hardware cursors
- gxDepthBits - Depth bits
- gxFixLag - Smooth mouse cursor
- gxMaximize - When using windowed mode, maximize the window
- gxMultisample - Enable anti-aliasing (e.g. "4" for 4x multisampling)
- gxMultisampleQuality - Quality for anti-aliasing (?)
- gxOverride - ?
- gxResolution - Screen resolution (e.g. "1280x1024")
- gxRefresh - Refresh rate in Hz
- gxTripleBuffer - Enable Triple Buffering
- gxVSync - Enable VSync
- gxWindow - Windowed mode
- horizonfarclip - Set draw distance for the horizon (terrain). When larger than farclip, will show 'shadows' of terrain in the distance.
- hwDetect - Perform hardware detection for best values
- mapObjOverbright - Enables Color Bleeding for Bright Lights
- mapObjLightLOD - ?
- mapShadows - Toggle map shadows
- MaxLights - Maximum number of hardware lights
- MaxFPS - Framerate Limitation
- M2UseZFill - Enabled Z-Fill on transparent objects
- M2UseClipPlanes - ?
- M2UseThreads - Use multiple threads
- M2UsePixelShaders - Enable pixel shaders for models
- M2BatchDoodads - Enable handling of Detail Doodads in batches
- M2UseShaders - Enable vertex shaders for models
- M2Faster - Optimization level
- M2FasterDebug - Enables developer dynamic control
- UIFaster - UI acceleration level
- nearclip - Clipping range for small detail doodads
- occlusion - Disables rendering of objects that are entirely blocked by other graphics
- particleDensity - Particle density
- pixelShaders - Enable pixel shaders
- PlayerFadeInRate - fade in rate for player mouseover
- PlayerFadeOutAlpha - min fade out alpha for player mouseover
- PlayerFadeOutRate - fade out rate for player mouseover
- shadowBias - Blob Shadow transparency levels
- shadowLevel - Level of detail for shadow mip maps
- shadowLOD - Enables or Disables Blob Shadows
- showfootprints - Enable footprints
- showsmartrects - Deprecated in WoW 3.0
- SkyCloudLOD - Level of detail for Sky
- SmallCull - Affects the hiding ('culling') of small objects. Setting to 0 disables.
- specular - Enable specular shading
- spellEffectLevel - Spell Effect level
- SplineOpt - Loading Screen Spline for travel
- texLodBias - Texture Level of Detail Bias (?)
- triangleStrips - Deprecated in WoW 3.0
- trilinear - Enable trilinear filtering
- unitDrawDist - Unit draw distance
- useWeatherShaders - Enable weather shaders
- violenceLevel - Changes the violence level of the game
- waterLOD - Level of Detail for water (Locked)
- weatherDensity - Level of weather effects
- lod - Level of detail, toggles the level of detail option in the graphics menu
Interface
- BlockTrades - Block trade requests
- ChatBubbles - Enable chat bubbles
- ChatBubblesParty - Enable party chat bubbles
- CombatDamage - Enable damage display over target
- CombatHealing - Enable healing display over target
- combatLogOn - Enable combat log (?)
- CombatLogPeriodicSpells - Enable periodic spells in combat log (?)
- gameTip - ?
- guildMemberNotify - Display notification when guild members log in or out
- minimapZoom - Minimap zoom level (?)
- minimapInsideZoom - Minimap inside zoom level (return the same zoom level as Minimap:GetZoom() when in indoors)
- ObjectSelectionCircle - Size of the targeting circle ('0' disables)
- PetMeleeDamage - Show pet meelee damage
- PetSpellDamage - Show pet spell damage
- profanityFilter - Enable profanity filter
- rotateMinimap - Rotate minimap
- secureAbilityToggle - Keeps players from accidentally toggling off by hitting the button more than once in a short (3 sec?) period of time
- spamFilter - Enable spam filter
- screenshotFormat - Screenshot format
- screenshotQuality - Screenshot quality (0-10)
- showGameTips - ?
- showLootSpam - Show a message in the combat log with the amount of money looted when auto-looting
- ShowTargetCastbar - Show your target's cast bar
- ShowVKeyCastbar - Show target's cast bar under nameplates
- scriptErrors - Show script errors (?)
- scriptProfile - ?
- statusBarText - Show the Player status bar values as text on top of the normal HP/MP/Energy/Rage bars
- UberTooltips - Show "extended" tooltips
- uiScale - Interface scale
- UnitNameRenderMode - ?
- UnitNameNPC - Show NPC names
- UnitNameOwn - Show player name
- UnitNamePlayer - Show other players' names
- UnitNamePlayerGuild - Show guild tags
- UnitNamePlayerPVPTitle - Show PvP ranks before player names
- useUiScale - Enable interface scaling
Sound
- Sound_EnableSoftwareHRTF - Enables headphone designed sound subsystem
- Sound_VoiceChatInputDriverIndex - Device for voice input (Microphone)
- Sound_VoiceChatOutputDriverIndex - Device for voice output (Headset or secondary speakers)
- Sound_OutputDriverIndex - Audio Device Selected
- Sound_DSPBufferSize - Sound buffer size
- Sound_EnableSFX - Enables SoundFX
- Sound_EnableErrorSpeech - Enable error sounds ("Can't cast that yet!")
- Sound_EnableMusic - Enables Music
- Sound_EnableAllSound - Enables All Sound
- Sound_ListenerAtCharacter - Set sound center to player
- Sound_EnableEmoteSounds - Enable emote voices
- Sound_EnableArmorFoleySoundForSelf - Enable armor damage sounds for player
- Sound_EnableArmorFoleySoundForOthers - Enable armor damage sounds for NPCs and other PCs
- Sound_MaxCacheableSizeInBytes - Max sound size that will be cached, larger files will be streamed instead
- SoundMemoryCache - Sound cache memory size in MB
- Sound_EnableMode2 - Enables Alternate sound processing
- Sound_EnableMixMode2 - Enables and controls PCM Audio Quality
- Sound_EnableHardware - Enable Audio Hardware Acceleration
Combat Log
- CombatDeathLogRange - Defines the range in which players/mobs dying will be recorded in the combat log or not
Battle.net
- decorateAccountName - ? (0 or 1)
- realmListbn - Battle.net realm list server to use (default: "beta.logon.battle.net")
Unknown
It is unknown what these settings do and which category they would belong to. They have not been tested and might be variables for internal/debugging use only.
- CombatModeMaxDistance - Range for combat auto target
- Errors - ?
- ErrorLevelMin - ?
- ErrorLevelMax - ?
- ErrorFilter - ?
- PlayerAnim - ?
- ShowErrors - ?
- TargetAnim - ?
- timingTestError - ?
- timingMethod - ?
Deprecated
- frillDensity - Replaced by groundeffectdensity
- frilldistance - Replaced by groundeffectdist
- AmbienceVolume - Ambience volume
- ChatAmbienceVolume - ?
- ChatMusicVolume - ?
- ChatSoundVolume - ?
- EmoteSounds - Replaced by :Sound_EnableEmoteSounds
- EnableAmbience - Enable ambient sounds
- EnableGroupSpeech - Enable voice emotes (?)
- EnableErrorSpeech - Replaced by :Sound_EnableErrorSpeech
- EnableMusic - Enable music
- EnableSoundWhenGameIsInBG - Enable sound while the game is minimized
- FootstepSounds - Enable footstep sounds
- MapWaterSounds - Enable water sounds
- MasterVolume - Master volume
- MasterSoundEffects - ?
- MusicVolume - Music volume
- SoundBufferSize - Sound buffer size
- SoundDriver - Sound driver
- SoundInitFlags - Initialization flags for sound system (?)
- SoundListenerAtCharacter - Play sounds at character
- SoundMixer - Sound mixer to use
- SoundMixRate - Sound mix rate
- SoundNumChannels - Number of sound channels
- SoundOutputSystem - Sound system
- SoundReverb - Enables sound reflections depending on room size
- SoundRolloffFactor - Sound rolloff factor (?)
- SoundUseHardware - Enable hardware acceleration
- SoundVolume - Sound volume
- SoundZoneMusicNoDelay - Enables music looping