Re: Chat channels. I need help in a big way.

[Freddy101]

<p>Ever since the wife and I started playing eq2 we have had a very very very very annoying issue with the chat channels. I asked about this in the newbie forums before but perhaps being new I didn't articulate it well enough so I need to ask again. </p><p>Everytime I log into eq2 for a new day of playing I must right click my main chat window and deselect the two channels I like to have in a chat tab that is not the main one I have up front at all times. </p><p>I Right click main chat window deselect channels lvls 40-whatever and qeynos or freeport crafting. Then I go to the third tab I think it's one I created called everything or test or whatever can't recall. I tell it to listen to channels levels blah - blah and qeynos or freeport crafting. Then I go back to main chat tab again and see they are once again checked and I have to once again de select those two channels. Then finally it sticks and I have it the way I want which is ></p><p>My main chat tab not showing any of the joined channels and my third and self created tab showing them. That way if I want to ask a question in crafting or not have spam in my face 24/7 I can refer to that tab see the spam and or ask my questions then go back to my main chat tab that doesn't have those spammy channels. </p><p> I have to go through this process each day I log in and I find it incredibly silly. I played at least 7 mmporgs including eq1 and I've never had this problem. I've put up with it for now but there is no way that I will ever raid or see any busy activity in eq2 if I must forever at end game shuffle 10-20 channels 2-4 times each day I log in.</p><p>I've tried many things to make it so this doesn't have to happen but it does. It's been like this for the wife and I since day 1 by default. I can't see how it's something I'd be doing differently I mean wouldn't most experienced gamers shove spammy channels to a tab that isn't up all the time so they can see them if they want but not be forced to at all times?  Why do I have to go back and forth 2-4 times between the two tabs each new day I play eq2 to get it how I left it?</p><p> Any help here would be greatly appreciated we cannot be the only people with this issue as it's been this way out of the box for us. Two things that are definately pushing and screaming at us to quit eq2 are this annoying issue and lack of character slots so please. Someone must be aware of this and have found a solution? Thanks!</p>

[Seagoat]

<p>Have you tried deleting your UI settings files and reorganizing your UI from scratch?  Those files can become corrupted, and it could cause the behavior you're experiencing.</p><p>Look in your EverQuest II folder; you should see files named "servername_charactername_eq2_uisettings.ini."  You can safely delete those files, and the next time you login to the game world, your UI will be set to the default layout.  Rearrange your UI however you want it, then logout and back in to see if the changes "stick" this time.</p><p>If they do, you can use the "/load_uisettings" command in-game to copy the UI to other characters.</p><p>I suppose you could also have problems if you're using a custom UI piece that's conflicting with other pieces, or one that's broken.  If you use a custom UI, disable it before deleting your UI settings files.</p>

[Freddy101]

<p>I don't have custom mods. This is how it was on both game copies [2 totally different boxes] for the wife and I from day of install and nothing has changed since and it effects both characters and no amount of ui resetting fixes this issue. Does anyone even understand what issue I am referencing?</p><p>This line is in my eq ini file </p><p>chat_allowduplicatechannels 1</p><p> is there a way to make it so channels can only exist in one tab at a time? this might fix it if there is. THis is how stuff was set by default though which is odd. Anyway any idea what numbers might effect that command line?</p>

[Seagoat]

<p>Yep, I do.  <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />  The majority of my above post outlines steps that I think might fix it for you.  Your chat channels and which tabs they appear in are saved in those UI settings files, and I think yours may be corrupted.  Deleting them and resetting your UI may solve your problem.</p><p>There was a big issue a couple months ago with a lot of people's UI settings files being corrupted every time they logged in.  Your issue may or may not be a remnant of that, but the only way to know for sure is to delete those files and start over.</p><p>If it makes you feel better, you can save a copy of your UI settings files in another location on your hard drive; if the reset doesn't solve your problem, you can always move it back into your EQ2 directory and get your old UI layout back.</p>

[Seagoat]

<p>Something else to try, if you don't think a UI reset will work...</p><p>Have you used the "/leaveall" command in-game?  It will remove you from all chat channels in all tabs/windows.  Login, type "/leaveall," and logout...when you login again, reorganize your chat channels into their various locations, then logout again.  Login once more to make sure the changes "stuck."</p>

[Freddy101]

<p>Ok thanks but it has been this way since 2 seconds after original install and effects all characters I create. I could create a new character now and it will do that. So either ui files are corrupt by default or it's somethign else. </p><p>Any idea what value would effect that command line I saw? it's defaulted to value 1 i'd like to force it to not allow chat channels in more then one tab at once. something tells me if I do that it will stick to the one chat tab i've allotted it to. </p><p>chat_allowduplicatechannels 1</p><p>Thanks again.</p>

[Confuzzeled]

<p>Hey, </p><p>Not to interrupt in the posting. But I have been having the exact same issue as Freddy, ever since I started playing. So, not to put down your fixes, but I think it actually may be the game that is doing this. As I just created a new character not long ago, and it still does the chat channel thing. I also have made my own "Chat" tab for these channels, but each time I log in I have to go through the same process as Freddy. I hope there is a definite fix for this. Keep coming with help everyone. I really appreciate the help you've been providing. </p><p>Thanks again, and I hope this can be fixed.</p><p>PS - Maybe I or Freddy could post this in the tech forum. A GM or something might be able to help. But I once again, thank the players that are helping. Just saying, that a GM might know the definite issue <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Haruk]

<cite>Freddy101 wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Ok thanks but it has been this way since 2 seconds after original install and effects all characters I create. I could create a new character now and it will do that. So either ui files are corrupt by default or it's somethign else. </p><p>Any idea what value would effect that command line I saw? it's defaulted to value 1 i'd like to force it to not allow chat channels in more then one tab at once. something tells me if I do that it will stick to the one chat tab i've allotted it to. </p><p>chat_allowduplicatechannels 1</p><p>Thanks again.</p></blockquote>You can just delete that command from your eq2.ini file and it'll stop, or you can add a # before it if you'd like to toggle it later on. #chat_allowduplicatechannels 1 would work <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Freddy101]

<cite>Confuzzeled wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Hey, </p><p>Not to interrupt in the posting. But I have been having the exact same issue as Freddy, ever since I started playing. So, not to put down your fixes, but I think it actually may be the game that is doing this. As I just created a new character not long ago, and it still does the chat channel thing. I also have made my own "Chat" tab for these channels, but each time I log in I have to go through the same process as Freddy. I hope there is a definite fix for this. Keep coming with help everyone. I really appreciate the help you've been providing. </p><p>Thanks again, and I hope this can be fixed.</p><p>PS - Maybe I or Freddy could post this in the tech forum. A GM or something might be able to help. But I once again, thank the players that are helping. Just saying, that a GM might know the definite issue <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p></blockquote>Yes, it's a super pain in the butt. I will try cancelling that chat_allowduplicatechannels 1 line in my ini and if that doesnt solve the issue I am going to try assuming that the main chat window MUST have all channels showing and then create my main chat tab as a new tab I'll keep up alll the time minus the crafting channel etc. It could be that everyone but us in all of eq2 use the default main as a secondary tab and create a new tab for their custom main chat box. To me that seems awfully strange but if I fix it by doing this then that is exactly what people appear to be doing. Eq 2 has a couple of really strange game features like this that are wonky imho. Like rolling on loot. I finally found out today [I am always only grouped with the wife and we have been trying to grasp loot rolls before we group with people and get accused of being ninja's] that you don't ever say what you don't want to roll on but what you DO want to roll on. I couldn't understand how if I chose decline this it would decline on all things. I am in fact only able to decide I want to roll on this ]push select button] but not on this ]do nothing and whatever you do don't hit decline]. So ironic seeing has how important rolling is and it just seems so weird this way. 7 Other mmporgs and 5 years in eq1 and this is just so weird the way it's handled by default.

[Freddy101]

Btw I still have this issue. Nothing fixes it still and all 3 friends I had who bought the game to come play with me all have the same issue. They are even less patient with it then I am hehe. Guess I'll catch up eventually.

[firexcracker]

I had this problem too, and posted it in the tech help forums.  I was told it's a known issue with the game, and sooner or later will probably be addressed.  Don't hold your breath, though.

[s]

I have the exact same problem and brought it up in the tech forum a month or two ago. I got told to suck it up and live with it by a TSR guy or something. Lovely isn't it?

[Jrral]

It seems to be a deliberate behavior of the client: when you log in, all subscribed chat channels get added to the first tag in the first chat window. If you have the allow-duplicate-channels setting turned on you can also have chat channels selected in other tabs and the system won't mess with those settings, it's just the first tab that's affected. I worked around it by creating an "A" tab on the very left to hold all chat channels, then select the chat channels I want on all the other tabs and ignore that "A" tab. The behavior's consistent in both the default UI and ProfitUI 3.2 and 3.3, so I think it's the client itself and not the UI doing it. Another glitch: when you uncheck a channel on any tab, the client completely unsubscribes you from that channel even if it's selected on other tabs.

[s]

<p>I really wouldn't mind a fix to this.. seriously how difficult can it be? It's pretty [Removed for Content] annoying. Started around GU31 (or 30, 32, can't remember exactly) and hasn't left since.</p><p>Anyway, for the sake of getting this fixed I'll list whatever I've tried to fix this yet again (nothing worked):</p><p>- reinstall the complete game, downloading every single patch, expansion etc.</p><p>- delete the UI / UI folder or any UI-related files</p><p>- default UI doesn't work, custom UI doesn't work</p><p>- other toons have the same problem regardless of what UI / UI-settings they use</p><p>- tried the allow duplicated channels setting off/on/completely removed but doesn't work</p><p>- tried the game running from nothing more than fresh newly downloaded files - nothing customized, and with current customized settings</p><p>Running on WinXP SP2, single core, 2gigs ram</p><p>But I'll just continue sucking it up again.. <img src="/smilies/136dd33cba83140c7ce38db096d05aed.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[Kirianna1]

Where in your settings does it determine which chat channels you want to join? I have it trying to join the same channel twice and get an error whenever I login. I've tried to /leave all and it still tries to log me into the same channels every time I login. <img src="/smilies/9d71f0541cff0a302a0309c5079e8dee.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Jrral]

If you select a tab and then right-click on it and select "Chat options", it'll show in the middle and right sections the channels you've subscribed (or are eligible to subscribe) to with checkmarks by the ones selected on that tab. Doing a /channellist will output a list of all the channels you're currently subscribed to and their numbers. After your first login session, all subscribed channels will be selected in the first tab. The error you're getting is probably from a channel imported from another character's UI settings that you don't have permission to subscribe to. It occupies a channel number but doesn't appear in the list and can't be unsubscribed from. The only fix to this is to delete your UI settings file (where the channel subscriptions and numbers are stored) and reset everything from scratch. Because of this, I've started doing my UI arrangement experimentation on a scratch toon with no channels whatsoever subscribed, and renaming the resulting UI settings file once I've got things where I want them. Then I can simply reinitialize any toon using that set of settings without picking up any excess channels. The filename convention, BTW, is "<i>server</i>_<i>name</i>_eq2_uisettings.ini", so my basic settings are "Profit33_1280x1024_eq2_uisettings.ini".

[Kirianna1]

<p>It's actually not a preset channel. It's a player created channel. What happened was I tried to join it manually by doing /join chatchannel:password</p><p>That put me in a channel called "chatchannel:password" with no one in it. So I went to my chat settings (right click chat window) and joined it from there. All was fine till I logged out. Now whenever I login, I successfully join the channel I set up in the chat window, and then it tries to put me in: "chatchannel:password" and says "you're already in chatchannel:password". </p><p>I've tried to manually leave it the duplicate channel. I've gone into the chat channel window and unchecked everything there. I've done /leave all. Camped, and that darn "chatchannel:password" will not go away. Even if I totally leave everything, next time I login to the game, I'm logged into that chat channel.</p><p>Maybe I'm thinking of EQ1 but I remember a file you could go edit that determine which channels you'd be logged into but I can't find it. </p>

[Jrral]

Channel subscriptions are currently stored in your UI settings file. That'd be in the EQ2 program directory, filenames of the form "<i>server</i>_<i>charname</i>_eq2_uisettings.ini". They're binary and not directly editable, but if you delete it for a character you get to reset from the very beginning (including all window positioning and sizing <img src="/smilies/9d71f0541cff0a302a0309c5079e8dee.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />). Drastic, but it'll get you out of all chat channels.