Console variables

The World of Warcraft game client stores all of its configurations 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 gxResolution for the screen resolution to use and locale for the language.
/console command - Settings can be changed in-game using the /console command, 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 In-game User Interface - Wow's ingame interface - Hit Esc to get to it
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 cameraDistanceMax set 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).

accountList - Saves multiple account names for login screen

accountName - Saves 1 account name for login screen

accounttype - Saves what account type the user is playing on - Wow, BC, LK, CT

checkAddonVersion - Disable loading of out-of-date addons

CinematicJoystick

coresDetected - Number of CPU cores detected

decorateAccountName

expansionMovie - Display Burning Crusade intro at startup (This variable is reset to 0 after the video has been shown)

forceEnglishNames

heapAllocTracking - Enables/disables allocation tracking & dumping in SMemMalloc

installType - Retail/Beta/PTR

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" ...)

movie - Display intro movie at startup (doesn't work in Burning Crusade game client)

movieSubtitle - Display subtitles for intro movies

patchlist - Address of wow patch server

processAffinityMask - Which processor core to start WoW on

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" or "us.logon.worldofwarcraft.com")

realmListbn - Battle.net realm list server to use (default: "") - wow still uses realmList

realmName - Name of most recently used realm (displayed in the lower right corner)

showToolsUI - Enable the WoW Launcher

timingMethod - Sets the CPU timing method used. 0 is none, 1 is normal precision(fps limited to 64), 2 is high precision

Console

These are commands that only affect the drop down menu

bgcolor - Sets the Console Backdrop Color

clear - Clears all console text

closeconsole - Closes console

consolelines - How many lines to display on screen at once

cvar_default - Sets all cvars to their defaults

cvar_reset - Resets config.wtf file to the settings you use when you log in for the first time

cvarlist - Lists all cvars with their current & default settings

default - Returns console to default settings

fontcolor - Sets the Console font Color

fontsize - Sets the Console Font Size

font - Sets the Font to use in console (path must include .ttf)

heapUsage - Displays heaps in use

help - Displays help and information for any command. (Eg. help debug)

highlightcolor - Sets the Console text highlight color

ObjUsage - Displays the Object manager list status

proportionaltext - Spaces text out to cover the entire screen (E x a m p l e !)

repeat - Repeats a command when entered

settings - Lists current console settings

spacing - Specifies inter-character spacing, in pixels

ver - Displays build number and build date

Camera

Note: This list is NOT complete due to the increasing number of cvars for this category. See Console_variables/Complete_list/Character for the full list of camera settings.

cameraBobbing

cameraBobbingFrequency

cameraBobbingLRAmplitude

cameraBobbingSmoothSpeed

cameraBobbingUDAmplitude

cameraCustomViewSmoothing

cameraDistance - Fixed value?

cameraDistanceD - Camera distance (zoom). May or may not show forced camera movements from camera-world collisions (untested).

cameraDistanceMax

cameraDistanceMaxFactor - Sets factor by which cameraDistanceMax is multiplied

cameraDistanceMoveSpeed - Default is 8.33.

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

cameraPitch - Fixed value?

cameraPitchD - Camera pitch. Doesn't seem to take forced camera movements because of camera-world collisions into consideration.

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

cameraYaw - Fixed value?

cameraYawD - Camera yaw. May or may not show forced camera movements from camera-world collisions (untested).

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

AutoInteract - Right-click to move

autoRangedCombat - Automatically switch between ranged and meelee attack

autoSelfCast - Automatic self-casting

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]

deselectOnClick - Sticky targetting

enableWowMouse - Enables the Steelseries Gaming Mouse

Joystick - Enable Joysticks

mouseInvertPitch - Invert up-down mouse motion

mouseInvertYaw - Invert left-right mouse motion

mouseSpeed - Mouse speed

stopAutoAttackOnTargetChange - Stop attacking when switching targets

Engine

asyncHandlerTimeout - A test of the engine - aka you're loading into instance, click out of wow, click back & wow has stopped responding.

asyncThreadSleep - Engine option: Set based on asyncHandlerTimeout

dbCompress - Database compression (?)

ErrorFileLog

ErrorFilter

ErrorLevelMax

ErrorLevelMin

Errors

MemUsage

ShowErrors - Enables/Disables errors from being shown

timingTestError

Graphics

baseMip - base level for mip mapping ("Texture Resolution" slider)

bspcache - Binary Space Partition node caching

componentCompress - Fixes issues with characters being fully black caused by bad/old drivers.

componentTextureLevel - Number of mip levels used for character component textures

componentThread - Multi thread character component processing

DesktopGamma - Matches Windows' Gamma Settings

environmentDetail - Controls model draw distance for doodads (WoW 3.0)

farclip - Sets the view distance of the 3D environment. Anything past this distance will be covered in fog.

ffxDeath - Enable full screen death effect

ffxGlow - Enable full screen glow effect

ffxNetherWorld - Enable full screen "nether world" effect, e.g. for a Mage's

[Invisibility]

ffxRectangle - Enables Widescreen Framebuffer

ffxSpecial - Enables alternative on screen effects (WoW 3.0 File:Wrath-Logo-Small.PNG)

ffx - Enable all pixel shaders

fixedFunction - Force fixed function pixel and vertex processing

Gamma - Gamma level

groundEffectDensity - Set the density of small ground objects.

groundEffectDist - Set the maximum distance from the player at which to render small ground objects.

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

gxRefresh - Refresh rate in Hz

gxResolution - Screen resolution (e.g. "1280x1024")

gxRestart - Restarts the graphics engine

gxTextureCacheSize - Set the cache size

gxTripleBuffer - Enable Triple Buffering

gxVSync - Enable VSync

gxWindow - Windowed mode

hwDetect - Perform hardware detection for best values

hwPCF - Use hardware based Percentage Closer Filtering for shadows (Default on)

M2BatchDoodads - Enable handling of Detail Doodads in batches (combine doodads to reduce batch count)

M2BatchParticles - combine particle emitters to reduce batch count

M2FasterDebug - Enables developer dynamic control (programmer control of scene optimization mode)

M2Faster - end user control of scene optimization mode - (0-3)

M2UseClipPlanes - use clip planes for sorting transparent objects

M2UseThreads - multithread model animations

M2UseZFill - Enabled Z-Fill on transparent objects

mapShadows - Toggle map shadows

MaxFPS - Framerate Limitation

maxFPSBk - Framerate Limitation while Wow isn't in focus

MaxLights - Maximum number of hardware lights

nearclip - Clipping range for small detail doodads

ObjectFadeZFill - Fade objects using ZFill pass

objectFade - Enables the smooth fading of objects after a certain distance

particleDensity - Particle density

shadowcull

shadowinstancing - Shadow optimization which prevents flickering

shadowLOD - Enables or Disables Blob Shadows

shadowscissor - Enables scissoring when rendering shadowmaps

showfootprintparticles - Shows smal dirt particles beneath the player's feet

showfootprints - Enable footprints

SkyCloudLOD - Level of detail for Sky

SkySunGlare - Toggles Sun Glare

SplineOpt - Loading Screen Spline for travel

textureCacheSize - Caches in memory textures when they are not in use for quick loading. (Min: 8388608, Max: 536870912, Default: 33554432)

textureFilteringMode - Texture filtering mode (?)

UIFaster - UI acceleration level

unitHighlights - Enable model highlighting with Interface hidden (Alt-Z)

useWeatherShaders - Enable weather shaders

violenceLevel - Changes the violence level of the game

weatherDensity - Level of weather effects

windowResizeLock - Locks so the game can't be resized while in windowed mode - see gxWindow

Interface

bloatnameplates - Increases size of nameplates based on threat percentage

bloattest - Seems to shrink nameplates for any value greater than zero, probably bugged as of 4.0.3

bloatthreat - Makes nameplates larger depending on gaining/losing threat. Only active when a mob has multiple units on its threat table

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 (?)

flaggedTutorials - Enable/Disable tutorials for new players

gameTip - Determine which Loading Screen tip will display next (increments per character Login)

guildMemberNotify - Display notification when guild members log in or out

maxSpellStartRecoveryoffset - Sets the time in milliseconds before a global cooldown finishes in which a new spell can be queued up (0 - 400)

minimapZoom - The current outdoor minimap zoom level

minimapInsideZoom - Minimap inside zoom level (returns the same zoom level as Minimap:GetZoom() when indoors)

ObjectSelectionCircle - Show the target selection circle underneath the current target

PetMeleeDamage - Show pet meelee damage

PetSpellDamage - Show pet spell damage

predictedHealth - Whether or not to use predicted health values in the UI

predictedPower - Whether or not to use predicted power values in the UI

profanityFilter - Enables chat profanity filter

reducedLagTolerance - Enables the use of a user-defined value for the spell queuing system introduced in 4.0.3

rotateMinimap - Rotate minimap with the character's orientation

screenshotFormat - Screenshot format (png | tga | jpeg)

screenshotQuality - Screenshot quality (0-10)

scriptErrors - Enables the display of LUA errors ingame

scriptProfile - Enables CPU profiling for lua scripts, needs a UI reload to take effect

secureAbilityToggle - Keeps players from accidentally toggling off by hitting the button more than once in a short (~1 sec) period of time

showGameTips - Toggles displaying of loading screen game tips

showLootSpam - Show a message in the combat log with the amount of money looted when auto-looting

showNewbieTips - Toggles the display of simplified ability tooltips

ShowTargetCastbar - Show your target's cast bar

ShowVKeyCastbar - Show target's cast bar under nameplates

spamFilter - Enable spam filter

spreadnameplates - Animates nameplate movement on screen when multiple nameplates collide. Enabling this setting removes the ability for nameplates to overlap

statusBarText - Show the Player status bar values as text on top of the normal HP/MP/Energy/Rage bars

synchronizeBindings - Toggles the saving of key bindings to the server

synchronizeConfig -- Toggles the saving of CVars to the server (?)

synchronizeMacros - Toggles the saving of macros to the server

synchronizeSettings - Toggles the saving of UI settings to the server

UberTooltips - Show enhanced spell tooltips

uiScale - User Interface scale, only works when useUiScale is enabled

UnitNameCompanionName - Toggle Companion Names

UnitNameEnemyCreationName - Toggle Enemy Creation Names

UnitNameEnemyPetName - Toggle Enemy Pet Names

UnitNameEnemyPlayerName - Toggle Enemy Player Names

UnitNameFriendlyCreationName - Toggle Friendly Creation Names

UnitNameFriendlyPetName - Toggle Friendly Pet Names

UnitNameFriendlyPlayerName - Toggle Friendly Player Names

UnitNameNPC - Toggle NPC Name

UnitNameOwn - Toggle Own Name

UnitNamePlayerGuild - Toggle Guild Tags

UnitNamePlayerPVPTitle - Toggle Titles

UnitNameRenderMode

useUiScale - Enable interface scaling

Sound

ChatAmbienceVolume - Volume setting for surroundings while in voice chat

ChatMusicVolume - Volume setting for game music while in voice chat

ChatSoundVolume - Volume setting for voice chat

EnableMicrophone - Enables the Microphone

EnableVoiceChat - Enables Voice Chat

FootstepSounds - Enables/Disables footstep sound

InboundChatVolume

OutboundChatVolume

Sound_ChaosMode - Plays random sounds depending on what it is set to (needs to be enabled)

Sound_DSPBufferSize - Sound buffer size

Sound_EnableAllSound - Enables All Sound

Sound_EnableArmorFoleySoundForOthers - Enable armor damage sounds for NPCs and other PCs

Sound_EnableArmorFoleySoundForSelf - Enable armor damage sounds for player

Sound_EnableEmoteSounds - Enable emote voices

Sound_EnableErrorSpeech - Enable error sounds ("Can't cast that yet!")

Sound_EnableHardware - Enable Audio Hardware Acceleration

Sound_EnableMixMode2 - Enables and controls PCM Audio Quality

Sound_EnableMode2 - Enables Alternate sound processing

Sound_EnableMusic - Enables Music

Sound_EnableSFX - Enables SoundFX

Sound_EnableSoftwareHRTF - Enables headphone designed sound subsystem

Sound_ListenerAtCharacter - Set sound center to player

Sound_MaxCacheableSizeInBytes - Max sound size that will be cached, larger files will be streamed instead

Sound_OutputDriverIndex - Audio Device Selected

Sound_VoiceChatInputDriverIndex - Device for voice input (Microphone)

Sound_VoiceChatOutputDriverIndex - Device for voice output (Headset or secondary speakers)

SoundMemoryCache - Sound cache memory size in MB

useEnglishAudio - override the locale and use English audio

Deprecated/Removed

Please see Category:Console variables/Removed CVars for the deprecated/removed cvars.

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