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Add-Ons
Updated June 26, 2024
UPS, DOWNS, AND IN-BETWEENS CONCERNING ADD-ONS
★ Why bother with add-ons? It is my opinion that Elder Scrolls Online still has many functionalities missing from its game. Add-ons can be used to fill in those holes. So I am here to tell you, if you are running ESO on a PC or Mac, help might be out there for you.
★ Are add-ons safe? If you obtain them from the right source, the answer is yes if the add-on has been approved by Zenimax. The best place that you can go for those is the ESOUI website.
★ Will add-ons cause problems for my game? The short answer is: Maybe. At the time of this writing there are some add-ons that conflict with one another or conflict with the in-game coding, causing their user to experience strange bugs. If you have add-ons installed on your game, the #1 likely cause of your in-game problems is due to an add-on. (Except, of course, in the case of "lag"...which is very likely an issue with your computer itself, your internet signal strength, or your internet service provider). This is not to say that you should not use add-ons at all, however.
★ Can anyone use add-ons? You can use add-ons if your game runs on a PC or Mac. You cannot use add-ons if you are playing on a console.
SYSRESTORE'S RECOMMENDED ADD-ONS
Everyone has their likes and their dislikes... So here are my likes and why!
★ Auto Category - Revised - This was Authored by Shadowfen, crafty35a, RockingDice, and Friday_the13_rus. It allows you to add custom headings in your character, bank, bag, and trunk inventories. You can make them all the same or set them individually. This allows you to place those important things at the top of your inventory and separate out things for easier locating without having to click multiple icons just to find what you're looking for.
★ AwesomeGuildStore - This allows you several functionalities if you are in a trading guild or even if you just visit guild traders a lot. First off, it lists all guild traders you have visited, telling you where they are each week. Second, no more having to click through dialog each time you visit a guild trader. Third, it completely reimagines the buy/sell interface at a guild trader, allowing you to save searches and go much more in-depth with what you want to find. No more having to type out the same thing over and over at each guild trader! There are a couple of other things, but these are the most important ones.
★ CompanionInfo - This is not necessarily a must-have, but it helps you to keep track of what is going on with your companion. At the top right of your screen, when you have a companion out, it will list the companion name, its level, how much Rapport it got or lost for the last thing you did, it's current XP for that level, how much XP is needed for the next level...
★ CraftStore - A wonderful and MUCH needed add-on originally developed by Rhyono. It allows you to see an entire list of recipes in-game and what you do and do nothave, all in ONE place without having to find a crafting station to find out. It will track known traits and styles for you for each character (you do not even have to be on a certain character to see them). It has a custom one-click Enchantment and Provisioning interface! It shows you character stats! It even reminds you to go train your mounts and on which characters! Fantastic!
★ DecoTrack - If you decorate houses and have access to the Essential Housing Tools add-on, this is an absolute must-have. Never lose track of that couch or tree again with this wonderful EHT plug-in by Cardinal04 and Architectura that lets you search your house inventories in a single panel.
★ Essential Housing Tools - This nice add-on offers you some really good tools for housing. That need for a grid the game interface does NOT have so that you can be certain you are lining things up straight? Check! An interface through the Essential Housing Community optional add-on that lets you visit others' open houses easily? Other stuff? Check! A couple of things about this add-on, though:
- This add-on can have a very sharp learning curve and cannot do everything.
- You should never rely on a tool to do all of the work for you in house-building. Also, it is obvious when people use it to build everything for them, which just makes you look lazy.
- This add-on allows you to add effects to your house. DO NOT rely on these. Always design your house with the idea that someone NOT using the EHT add-on is coming to look at it.
★ LoreBooks - This is definitely a must-have if you are hunting down lore books in the game. The add-on places a map pin on your compass and in-game map that shows you where lore books (eidetic memory books, too!) can be found in the zone. This add-on is perfect for completionists.
★ Magic Sorter - Do you have more furniture than you know what to do with? If you are a housing afficianado in ESO, you likely have warehouse houses to store things in. This is where a lovely add-on developed by Architectura comes into play. Just as the name suggests, this add-on will let you sort through furniture inventory, depositing items into designated warehouse homes for you. Please read the instructions carefully before you use it, though, as you must be specific when sorting.
★ Quest Map - Are you a completionist that feels the need to complete every single quest in every single zone? This add-on is perfect for you if you fall into this category. It will place a map pin on your in-game map showing you where all of the quests are. Even better, the pins are colored to differentiate what type of quest it is, and you can change the colors as you see fit.
★ Votan's Minimap - Are you constantly getting lost in-game when trying to find places? Do you have trouble using the compass at the top of the UI? Would you just prefer a mini-map so that you do not have to constantly look at the large in-game map to see where you are going? This add-on will place a resizable minimap on your UI so that you no longer have to keep swapping back and forth from the game to the map.
OBTAINING ADD-ONS
You must be using a PC or Mac to install add-ons.
To find an appropriate and approved add-on, you will want to use a site where add-ons that have been approved by Zenimax are hosted.
For that, go to ESOUI.
You do not need an account to download an add-on from the site and all add-ons are free of charge.
THE DOWNSIDE TO ADD-ONS
Add-ons are not available on consoles.
Whenever there is a new patch or content installed to the game your add-on may "break" temporarily until its author can fix the code so that it works again.
Add-ons can cause conflicts with things in-game, including with other add-ons. If you are suddenly experiencing bugs that not many or no one else seems to be experiencing... Chances are that you have a conflict with an add-on.
INSTALLING ADD-ONS
★ Installing Add-Ons General Information: In order to install an add-on, there are two ways to go about this: Manually or via a program called MINION. If you are not sure what you are doing, Minion is the way to go. There are a couple of things to keep in mind:
- Large game updates (and sometimes the smaller ones) may break your add-on. Even if the add-on is still working after an update, check for an update after every patch. You may need to check now and then because add-on authors cannot always get their updates out immediately.
- Regardless of how you install add-ons, ensure that both the game and the launcher are turned off before installing/updating an add-on.
- Many add-ons require other add-ons in order to function properly. You may have to download and install several files. The other add-on requirements needed for each add-on can be found on the add-on page on the ESOUI website.
- Always look at the information for the add-on via the ESOUI website. It is there that you will find commands for the add-on, important need-to-know information, a list of required support add-ons, current listed bugs with the add-on (if the author updates it), update notes, and screenshots of the add-on you want to install.
- After you install an add-on you must enable it in-game. Launch the game, log in, and select ADD-ONS on the left side. At the top of the window is a drop-down with the option to enable/disable add-ons for one or all characters. The default is set to All Characters. Make your selection or leave it as is. Locate the name of the add-on in your list and click the checkmark box beside it to enable the add-on in-game. If the add-on is colored red you can click the arrow beside its name to find out what you are missing to be able to enable the add-on. You will need to enable any required add-ons as well. Example: The Auto Category - Revised 7.1.5 add-on requires that you also install and enable LibSFUtils, LibAddonMenu-2.0, LibMediaProvider-1.0, and LibDebugLogger.
- If add-on requirements are changed (and they do change) -- such as LibSFUtils in the example above no longer being needed -- you may not receive a notice. The add-on will disable and turn red in your add-on list on the login screen if a new required file is needed. However, if a file is no longer needed, the only place the change will be notated is on the ESOUI page for the add-on itself. For this reason it does not hurt to keep a list of which add-ons require which files. After all, why keep an add-on file that nothing uses?
★ Installing Add-Ons Manually: Unfortunately, add-ons do not typically update themselves when new patches or content releases are put into ESO. If you manually install add-ons you will have to watch for updates to be released, download the new version, and install it in the same fashion as the original program. Regardless, the steps to do both are identical.
- Download the file of the add-on that you want to install. It will come in a ZIP file.
- Extract the add-on file to your desktop.
- Ensure that the game and the launcher both are shut down. If your game or the launcher are not completely turned off, you will need to restart them for changes to take effect and you may experience problems with your game until you do so.
- PC User: Open your ESO Folder at: C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Elder Scrolls Online\live\AddOns
- Mac User: Open your ESO Folder at: ~/Documents/Elder Scrolls Online/live/AddOns/
- Drag and drop the entire add-on file into your ESO AddOns file. If you were to download the Auto Category - Revised 7.1.5 add-on, for example, you would see: C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Elder Scrolls Online\live\AddOns\AutoCategory\<the add-on files>. If you are updating an add-on instead of installing it fresh, click YES if your computer asks if you want to replace files.
★ Installing Add-Ons with Minion: I very strongly recommend using the ESOUI website for searching out new add-ons and viewing their requirements before you pull them on Minion for installation. Why? Minion's interface does not give you all of the information that ESOUI does on the add-on.
- You will not need to download the file manually from the ESOUI website.
- Once you have the name of your add-on, launch Minion and go to the Find More tab at the top.
- Type the name of the add-on into the search bar at the top right corner of the tab. This search bar is very particular, and sometimes there may be a space between words on the website but not in Minion. Keep that in mind if you do not find any results for the add-on in Minion. You do not need to press Enter, as the program begins to search with each letter you enter into the search bar.
- Locate the add-on that you want and click the Install button.
- If you want to ensure the add-on you found is the same one you are looking for, the author's name is listed. Additionally, you can click the add-on to get more information. Remember, it is not going to show you all information in that panel -- just most of it.
UPDATING ADD-ONS
★ Updating Add-Ons General Information: In order to install an add-on, there are two ways to go about this: Manually or via a program called MINION. If you are not sure what you are doing, Minion is the way to go. There are a couple of things to keep in mind:
- Large game updates (and sometimes the smaller ones) may break your add-on. Even if the add-on is still working after an update, check for an update after every patch. You may need to check now and then because add-on authors cannot always get their updates out immediately.
- Regardless of how you install add-ons, ensure that both the game and the launcher are turned off before installing/updating an add-on.
- Many add-ons require other add-ons in order to function properly. You may have to download and install several files. The other add-on requirements needed for each add-on can be found on the add-on page on the ESOUI website.
- Always look at the information for the add-on via the ESOUI website. It is there that you will find commands for the add-on, important need-to-know information, a list of required support add-ons, current listed bugs with the add-on (if the author updates it), update notes, and screenshots of the add-on you want to install.
- After you install an add-on you must enable it in-game. Launch the game, log in, and select ADD-ONS on the left side. At the top of the window is a drop-down with the option to enable/disable add-ons for one or all characters. The default is set to All Characters. Make your selection or leave it as is. Locate the name of the add-on in your list and click the checkmark box beside it to enable the add-on in-game. If the add-on is colored red you can click the arrow beside its name to find out what you are missing to be able to enable the add-on. You will need to enable any required add-ons as well. Example: The Auto Category - Revised 7.1.5 add-on requires that you also install and enable LibSFUtils, LibAddonMenu-2.0, LibMediaProvider-1.0, and LibDebugLogger.
- If add-on requirements are changed (and they do change) -- such as LibSFUtils in the example above no longer being needed -- you may not receive a notice. The add-on will disable and turn red in your add-on list on the login screen if a new required file is needed. However, if a file is no longer needed, the only place the change will be notated is on the ESOUI page for the add-on itself. For this reason it does not hurt to keep a list of which add-ons require which files. After all, why keep an add-on file that nothing uses?
★ Updating Add-Ons Manually: Unfortunately, add-ons do not typically update themselves when new patches or content releases are put into ESO. If you manually install add-ons you will have to watch for updates to be released, download the new version, and install it in the same fashion as the original program. Regardless, the steps to do both are identical.
- Check the version number of the latest add-on file to ensure it is up to date.
- Download the latest file of the add-on that you want to update. It will come in a ZIP file.
- Extract the add-on file to your desktop.
- Ensure that the game and the launcher both are shut down. If your game or the launcher are not completely turned off, you will need to restart them for changes to take effect and you may experience problems with your game until you do so.
- PC User: Open your ESO Folder at: C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Elder Scrolls Online\live\AddOns
- Mac User: Open your ESO Folder at: ~/Documents/Elder Scrolls Online/live/AddOns/
- Drag and drop the entire add-on file into your ESO AddOns file. If you were to download the Auto Category - Revised 7.1.5 add-on, for example, you would see: C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Elder Scrolls Online\live\AddOns\AutoCategory\<the add-on files>. If you are updating an add-on instead of installing it fresh, click YES if your computer asks if you want to replace files.
★ Updating Add-Ons with Minion:
- Open Minion after ensuring your game and launcher are shut down. If your game or the launcher are not completely turned off, you will need to restart them for changes to take effect and you may experience problems with your game until you do so.
- Click the Update All button (if available) on the Installed tab at the top.
- Alternatively, you can tell Minion to automatically update everything. How? Inside the Minion interface click the Gear icon labeled Options at the top. On the right side you will see a checkmark box labeled Automatic AddOn Update. Click that box to put a checkmark in it. Your settings will automatically save. Easy! As of this writing I do not believe you will get a notification when an add-on is automatically updated, however, so if you suddenly start to experience problems in-game such as add-ons not working properly... Try closing down the game and launcher and restarting them.
UNINSTALLING ADD-ONS
★ Uninstalling Add-Ons Manually:
- Ensure both the game and the launcher are turned off. If your game or the launcher are not completely turned off, you will need to restart them for changes to take effect and you may experience problems with your game until you do so.
- PC User: Open your ESO Folder at: C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Elder Scrolls Online\live\AddOns
- Mac User: Open your ESO Folder at: ~/Documents/Elder Scrolls Online/live/AddOns/
- Delete the folder named for the add-on.
★ Uninstalling Add-Ons with Minion:
- Ensure both the game and the launcher are turned off. If your game or the launcher are not completely turned off, you will need to restart them for changes to take effect and you may experience problems with your game until you do so.
- Launch Minion.
- Locate the add-on you wish to remove on the Installed tab at the top.
- Right-click on the add-on listing and select Uninstall.
- In the pop-up that appears, put a checkmark in Delete saved variables.
- Click the Delete button on the pop-up box.
TROUBLESHOOTING ADD-ONS
Help! My game is acting funny! Things are not working correctly! I am getting weird error messages while in-game!
Did you know that add-ons are the number one cause of issues in-game? Even issues that do not seem like they are caused by add-ons can still be caused by add-ons, and Zenimax has echoed this sentiment on multiple occasions.
A large box appears on your screen with what looks like a lot of code. Your EHT program is not placing house items correctly. Every time you try to view your bank, it closes right away.
These are just some of the clear indicators that you have an add-on issue, especially if there are people stating that they are not having the problem(s) you are. Not all indicators are so clear, however. Which add-on is causing problems? How do you fix it?
★ The fastest way to fix errors: Update, Update, Update!
- Chances are very good that an out-of-date add-on is the cause of your problems. Check for updates for all add-ons and update any that need it.
★ My add-ons are updated but I am still getting an error message. I think I know which add-on is causing the problem.
- Sometimes error message boxes will only appear when you perform certain actions.
- Do you have an add-on that affects the function you are trying to perform?
- Example: AutoCategory Revised affects how your inventory displays. Getting an error message when you open your inventory is a good indicator that your AutoCategory Revised add-on is having problems.
- No Minion program: If the add-on is up-to-date but you are positive it is that add-on with the problem, try uninstalling it and re-installing it.
- Using Minion: If the add-on is up-to-date but you are positive it is that add-on with the problem, locate the add-on in Minion, right-click, Delete Saved Variables, and do a Reinstall. If this does not work, completely uninstall the add-on and install it fresh.
★ I do not know which add-on is the problem! Finding the add-on problem and solution when all else fails:
- This might be a somewhat tedious step, but it is very necessary if you wish to fix your problem. Do not skip it if you have come to this point.
- On the Character Selection screen, click Add-Ons on the left. In the drop-down at the top of the box ensure that All Characters is selected.
- You will see a checkmark box beside each add-on you have installed. Uncheck every single one of them by clicking the box. A filled box that does not have a checkmark means that at least one of your characters has it enabled. Click it twice to disable it completely. You should not need to disable any Library files.
- Choose one add-on that is not a Library file to start with. Turn only that add-on on by putting a checkmark back into its box.
- If you had to disable Library files, click the arrow beside the add-on name to see what Library files are required to run the add-on. Only enable the required Library files for that add-on.
- Log into the game with a character and check to see if you are still having the problem.
- When you are done checking for the issue, log out and go to the next file. If you experienced no issues with the add-on you do not need to disable it nor its Library files again.
- You need to check every add-on you have to see which one(s) are causing the problem.
- Once you have isolated the problem add-on(s), leave them disabled until an update is issued for it and/or its files.