How To: AddOns

[fiere redfern]

This post is designed to help those of us who are having trouble figuring out how to download/install addons and get them to work in WoW. There are a couple fairly simple steps one has to follow, but if you're like me and have looked at a new program and gone "Ummm... oookay, what do I do now?" you know it's also really easy to get confused 

So, without further ado... The Guide!

Step 1. Getting the AddOns

There are a couple different websites out there that offer comprehensive lists of the various AddOns one can choose to use. Shadow does a bang-up job at keeping the guild-listed addons updated (for 2.3, that list can be found in this post.)

As for general sites, http://wow.curse.com/downloads/addons/ is lousy with different AddOns, and it's kept updated on a regular basis. I'll add more once my internet stops being funky and lets me load the other sites >.<

Step 2. A Crash Course in .zip Files and Extracters

When you click the "download" button for any large file (such as an AddOn) it is packed neatly into a .zip file for ease of transport. Before you do ANYTHING, you need to extract the files from the zip file - otherwise you won't be able to use them at all =P In order to extract the files, you need specific extraction software, such as WinZip or WinRAR. WinRAR is NOT freeware, but, however you can still use the evaluation version after the "trial period" has expired. You just have to live with the annoying "Your evaluation period has expired" pop-up every time you go to unzip a file.

The WinRAR evaluation version download can be found here: http://www.download.com/3000-2250-10007677.html

WinZip is the same thing - free to try, but 30 bucks to buy. I use WinRar so I don't know if WinZip is the same in that you can use it after the evaluation period has expired, but for the purposes of this guide I'm assuming that's the case.

The WinZip evaluation version download can be found here: www.download.com/3000-2250-10003164.html

Step 3: Before You Unzip...

After installing one or the other of the extraction programs, find the zipped file for your AddOn. If you're like me, you save it to the desktop every time, but if you aren't and don't know offhand where the actual file is - start a second download and check the "Save In" window to see what the default folder is:



Cancel the second download you opened, since you already have the file - it was just to doublecheck where the file was saved to. I'll be using WinRAR since that's the software I have, but these next steps should be comperable for WinZip and other extraction software.

Right-click on the AddOn. You should see a window similar to this one pop up:



Depending on what programs you use, this window will differ from person to person. On mine, you can see that the default program to open the AddOn is StuffIt, which is a beefier version of WinRAR and WinZip - I use it if I have to send annoyingly large files (in the realm of 100s of megs) to other people. If you've just downloaded WinRAR or WinZip, these programs should be listed instead.

The second thing you'll see is the "Extract files..." option. More about that in a minute.

The third option listed is the "Choose Program..." option. This will allow you to choose from a list of suggested programs to use to open the specified type of file. You'll generally see this window if you've downloaded something that you don't have an application for - such as downloading .m4a files without having iTunes to be able to use them =P

Step 4. Unzipping Your Files

Click on the "Extract files..." option. It (again this is if you're using WinRAR) will bring up this window (unnecessary private crap blacked out =P):



Here you'll see two major things. First is the Destination Path (which is exactly what it says - where the file will end up once you've extracted it). Second is a window similar to the Windows Explorer filepath window. In order to extract a file, you can either type in the final path manually OR select the desired folder from the list, like so:



I got to this window by scrolling through the filepath Program Files\World of Warcraft\Interface and selecting the AddOns folder.

Now that you have your destination path selected, you're ready to extract the zipped files! Click on "OK" to send your files straight to the AddOns folder. Once you've navigated to that folder, you should see the following:



Step 5. Idiot-checking the AddOns

WoW's AddOn system works in a specific manner. In order for the AddOn to work, there must be a .toc file in the first hierarchy of files. Meaning, you should ALWAYS see a .toc file in this filepath:  World of Warcraft\Interface\AddOns\[addon_name] (where [addon_name] is the AddOn you just downloaded)

Example:



This .toc file MUST be present in any AddOn for it to work with WoW.

Step 6. On to the Fun Part!

Now that your AddOns have been downloaded and unzipped to the correct folder, the only thing left to check is that WoW recognizes them and they load correctly =)

Start WoW. After logging in, you will see your character screen with one minor change:



See that little box in the left-hand corner? Those are the AddOns =) Clicking on that will bring up this window:



As you can see here, the AddOns you have downloaded are listed in the large window. If you have any AddOns that are red and have text next to them saying "AddOn out of date" or something similar, click the box in the upper right-hand corner to load them anyway.

Step 7. And Finally...

If you've followed all the above instructions, when you finally enter the game, your AddOn should be in effect. I downloaded the BagNon addon, and logging into Fiere, I saw that my inventory had been collected into a single window of bag spaces.



I hope this has been of at least some help. If anyone has any questions regarding what I've posted or updates for me, feel free to add to it!

[Kothnok]

I don't see any pictures in your post, yet you seem to be referring to something I should be seeing visually.  Maybe I'm just not reading things correctly...

[fiere redfern]

I am >.< I messed up the images - in the process of fixing those now

EDIT: Going to be a bit - have class right now. Will update once I get these things fixed though, sorry about that!

Final EDIT: Win! Got 'em working ^_^

[Nasanna]

This looks great, Fiere Very nice guide and the pictures help a ton!

[herothirtythree]

hey this looks AWESOME.   please please please think about adding directions for addons/uis/compilations that come with WTF folders (those are the hardest to explain)

[un4]

Sexy

[kajunlady]

i tried everythingyou said to do and it says that it cant find the file or something like that when  i try to do the atlas add-on i have spent hours tring so i give up cant do

[Rocknlock]

worldofwar.net, go there and download uicentral. It's a program that lets you search through lots of addons, read discriptions of them and a one click install.