Bizarre Inconsistencies in Varied Addons

[Durza1315]

So I've got a really bizarre issue and it's so strange to me that I can't even figure out how to troubleshoot it or where to start. Here's the deal:

I manage all Addons through Curse.

I used NameplateCooldowns. NameplateCooldowns worked on one character (my Shaman) briefly, then ceased working for everyone. There was great sorrow and I downloaded OmniCC. Then I noticed NameplateCooldowns had an update available. It worked for all characters after the update, and I assumed that was the problem. I stopped using OmniCC. Then, literally with no warning insofar as I can tell (the only correlated event I can determine is the installation of TidyPlates and then WeakAuras) I got some really strange inconsistencies.

TidyPlates refuses to work for my Warlock (Lyronia-EmeraldDream) at all, and after installing it (as best as I can tell?) my NameplateCooldowns stopped working, as did Auctioneer.

Tidyplates does not work for my Shaman (Zaidelus-EmeraldDream) at all, but NameplateCooldowns continues to work exactly as advertised. Auctioneer likely works fine.

Tidyplates does not work for my primary Mage (Herilor-WyrmrestAccord) and neither does NameplateCooldowns.

Tidyplates works for my Mage (Herilor-Barthilas) and while I haven't tested it yet, I have a suspicion that NameplateCooldowns will as well because every addon I have appears to be working there.

OmniCC continues to work for all three.

To shoot down the obvious: checking the addon list from the logon screen before going in game verifies each addon has a golden tick indicating there is not a difference based on some characters having it enabled and others not.

In fairness, I have yet to try uninstalling TidyPlates or WeakAuras to see if the problem goes away. TidyPlates I could do without, it was a thought when I was looking for ways to streamline my Afflock arena gameplay, but WeakAuras I would like to keep as I'm already having great luck tracking some really sticky things like ICDs on Gladiator trinkets, weapon procs, and Incanter's Flow stacks as well as Capacitor Totem charge time on it.

So, how do I troubleshoot this? Please let me know if there is any more information you need, I want to help you help me.

[Phanx]

Starting with the quickest and least destructive things you can try:

1. Install an error catcher like Bugger or BugSack. By default, the game doesn't show error messages from addons at all, and even if you turn that option on, it still doesn't show you errors that happen during the initial loading sequence, which makes it pretty useless since that's where the errors happen for many types of problems. Restart WoW after installing. If there are errors reported, post them.

2. Delete your Cache folder. This one often gets overlooked when debugging, but it should really be the first thing you try for problems that don't make sense. There's no need to make a backup, as deleting this folder doesn't cause any data to be lost. The only effect you'll probably notice is that the first time you log in afterward might take longer. You must completely exit WoW before doing this.

3. Delete the SavedVariables files for the problem addons. Make a backup first if the addon has settings you don't want to lose. You can do this while WoW is running, but not while you have a character logged in.

3. Delete your whole WTF folder. Make a backup first, as deleting this folder may cause all your keybinds and macros to be lost (in theory these are stored on Blizz servers now, but in practice the sync doesn't always work) and will definitely cause all of your interface, sound, and video settings to be lost. You must completely exit WoW before doing this.

In case you don't know where these folders/files are:

World of Warcraft
   |-- Cache
   |-- Interface
        |-- AddOns
   |-- WTF
        |-- Account
             |-- 123456789#1
                  |-- Blackrock
                  |    |-- Phanx
                  |         |-- SavedVariables
                  |    |-- Othercharacter
                  |         |-- SavedVariables
                  |-- SavedVariables

Note that there are multiple SavedVarables folders -- one for your whole account, and one for each character on each server. Addons can save settings in either of these locations (account or character). The quickest way to delete all the settings for, say, WeakAuras is to go to the WTF folder and search for all files named "WeakAuras.lua". Select all and delete them. (There are also "WeakAuras.lua.bak" files, but WoW never reads these, and very rarely writes to them, so they are useless, as backups or as anything else, and can just be ignored.)

[Durza1315]

I like your thinking. "Quick and least destructive" is something I adore, and I'm grateful for your extremely prompt response. I'll give all that a hand, thanks for not assuming I knew how to perform those actions, saves us both a post.

UPDATE: After deleting the NameplateCooldowns.lua from that folder in case NameplateCooldowns was the problem, NameplateCooldowns ceased to appear at all for Herilor-WyrmrestAccord despite being checked in gold on the addons button in-game. Typing /nc in console or going to interface-addons in-game both failed to make it show despite the addons indicating it was loaded. Unsure if I should put NameplateCooldowns.lua back in the folder or reinstall or what. I don't mind completely rebuilding my saved settings, I just want it to work at all first. Before, Herilor-Barthilas could do /nc to open up the menu, but it would never display correctly in combat.

[Phanx]

As as addendum to #1, if there are multiple errors reported, only post the first one for each addon. Usually multiple errors are just a cascade -- the first error causes the second, which causes the third, and so on -- and fixing the first error will also "fix" all the rest.

[Durza1315]

Originally Posted by Phanx As as addendum to #1, if there are multiple errors reported, only post the first one for each addon. Usually multiple errors are just a cascade -- the first error causes the second, which causes the third, and so on -- and fixing the first error will also "fix" all the rest.

Having installed bugger, the addon list shows it working but /bugger causes nothing, and I'm generally unsure how I should go about 'using' it. I have read the webpage for it.

UPDATE: Having installed !BugCatcher or whatever it's called as per the messages made by Bugger when I logged in subsequent times, no error displays in spite of the correct addons being toggled on. I am leery about deleting .lua as an option because that does not seem to help anything. Will try deleting whole WTF folder now.

UPDATE 2: Having deleted the whole WTF folder, addons which previously were not working now appear to function for my Warlock. I have not had time to test others but will post as soon as I get the chance to, thank you for the excellent advice.