You can set the keybind to toggle the layout lock to anything you like in OPTIONS->KEY MAPPING. I think the default is control-\ (that is control-backslash and yes, backslash is the key directly under the big delete or backspace key on many modern keyboards). The first thing I do when I create a new character or enter a session play is load my normal layout. Makes it much faster to get a new character going and makes session plays that involve combat easier to manage. The layout file even includes some (but not all) of the settings from OPTIONS->UI SETTINGS so it also saves you from having to hunt around in that panel to check and un-check a bunch of things each time you get a new toon going. Also, please note that I didn't develop this procedure or "discover" it. It's one of a number of really useful command line features that is poorly documented by SSG but detailed on the wiki and in other places - if you know to look for it, which I can't imagine a new player would. Layout files and the ability to create skill buttons with macro-like arbitrary commands such as /pet dismiss are features that, for me at least, are hard to play without.
Can this be used to keep a customized master for all my Options? As a big Alt creator, each time I start a new character I have to spend 5 minutes changing my UI, Combat and Social Options. Never understood why it couldn't be done account wide. On main page, some Options can be locked account wide such as Music, Graphics, etc.
@@Altario Any setting you can configure using the in-game options panel at the character creation/selection screen is specific to that installation of LOTRO on that computer with that specific user account of that computer. It is not account-wide (account in this case meaning a LOTRO account): If you were to use some other computer to play LOTRO those options would be however they were set by the last person to play LOTRO on that computer using that specific user account of that computer. Those settings are saved locally, not server-side. You can find most of them in your ~/Documents/The Lord of the Rings Online/UserPreferences.ini and ~/Documents/The Lord of the Rings Online/UserPreferences64.ini files and the ~/Documents/The Lord of the Rings Online/lotro.keymap file. Any setting you can configure using the in-game options panel when logged in to a character in a game world but not accessible at the character creation/selection screen is specific to that character, not account-wide nor saved locally for that computer and active computer user account. You can log in to that character from any computer in the world that can run LOTRO and those settings will "stick" because they are stored server-side with your other character data, not via the client or in any local file. Note that the layout file saves server-side settings locally in the layout file but those are not read by the client except with the /ui layout load command, which then loads those settings into the client and saves them server-side. The layout file only needs to exist at the moment its settings are loaded manually by the player, the file does not need to be stored locally after that because all those settings are preserved server-side, not by the client or via a local file. The layout stores some settings from OPTIONS->UI SETTINGS and other panels including COMBAT OPTIONS, SOCIAL OPTIONS, and QUICKSLOTS but not all settings. I have not created a list of which setting elements are stored in the file and which are ignored; sounds like a good project for a rainy day, will be tedious to do but maybe worth it for a post on the LOTRO forums. I have requested through posts on the LOTRO forums and via feature request tickets that the layout save all character-specific settings but have not received a response from SSG beyond an automated "Thank you for your suggestion!" message. Chat settings other than the location and size of the chat window (or windows) are not stored in the layout file nor can they be set via LUA commands because exposing those settings to automation would make spamming and botting easier for those who would abuse the in-game chat system. But you can use the layout commands to save a lot of time when starting new characters. Almost every character-specific setting other than chat stuff will be saved/loaded, there will be a few that you will still have to do manually in addition to all your chat settings (channels, filters, tabs, tab names, etc.). Pick one character as your "master" and set everything up the way you want on that character. Then run the /ui layout save X command. Then each time you start a new character, run the /ui layout load X command and 99% of your initial setup changes will be taken care of for you.
@@JohnMHammer Wow, thank you for such a comprehensive answer. I'll have to read it a couple times to comprehend it all, cuz I'm not the brightest bulb on the tree, but want to thank you for the thought and effort in answering my query. Much appreciated.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Love the layout tip! That is a HUGE time saver!
You can set the keybind to toggle the layout lock to anything you like in OPTIONS->KEY MAPPING. I think the default is control-\ (that is control-backslash and yes, backslash is the key directly under the big delete or backspace key on many modern keyboards).
The first thing I do when I create a new character or enter a session play is load my normal layout. Makes it much faster to get a new character going and makes session plays that involve combat easier to manage. The layout file even includes some (but not all) of the settings from OPTIONS->UI SETTINGS so it also saves you from having to hunt around in that panel to check and un-check a bunch of things each time you get a new toon going.
Also, please note that I didn't develop this procedure or "discover" it. It's one of a number of really useful command line features that is poorly documented by SSG but detailed on the wiki and in other places - if you know to look for it, which I can't imagine a new player would. Layout files and the ability to create skill buttons with macro-like arbitrary commands such as /pet dismiss are features that, for me at least, are hard to play without.
I cannot count the number of times the pet "rename" has to be shared. :)
I still struggle with macros. I will get there one day!
Can this be used to keep a customized master for all my Options? As a big Alt creator, each time I start a new character I have to spend 5 minutes changing my UI, Combat and Social Options. Never understood why it couldn't be done account wide. On main page, some Options can be locked account wide such as Music, Graphics, etc.
@@Altario Any setting you can configure using the in-game options panel at the character creation/selection screen is specific to that installation of LOTRO on that computer with that specific user account of that computer. It is not account-wide (account in this case meaning a LOTRO account): If you were to use some other computer to play LOTRO those options would be however they were set by the last person to play LOTRO on that computer using that specific user account of that computer. Those settings are saved locally, not server-side. You can find most of them in your ~/Documents/The Lord of the Rings Online/UserPreferences.ini and ~/Documents/The Lord of the Rings Online/UserPreferences64.ini files and the ~/Documents/The Lord of the Rings Online/lotro.keymap file.
Any setting you can configure using the in-game options panel when logged in to a character in a game world but not accessible at the character creation/selection screen is specific to that character, not account-wide nor saved locally for that computer and active computer user account. You can log in to that character from any computer in the world that can run LOTRO and those settings will "stick" because they are stored server-side with your other character data, not via the client or in any local file.
Note that the layout file saves server-side settings locally in the layout file but those are not read by the client except with the /ui layout load command, which then loads those settings into the client and saves them server-side. The layout file only needs to exist at the moment its settings are loaded manually by the player, the file does not need to be stored locally after that because all those settings are preserved server-side, not by the client or via a local file.
The layout stores some settings from OPTIONS->UI SETTINGS and other panels including COMBAT OPTIONS, SOCIAL OPTIONS, and QUICKSLOTS but not all settings. I have not created a list of which setting elements are stored in the file and which are ignored; sounds like a good project for a rainy day, will be tedious to do but maybe worth it for a post on the LOTRO forums. I have requested through posts on the LOTRO forums and via feature request tickets that the layout save all character-specific settings but have not received a response from SSG beyond an automated "Thank you for your suggestion!" message.
Chat settings other than the location and size of the chat window (or windows) are not stored in the layout file nor can they be set via LUA commands because exposing those settings to automation would make spamming and botting easier for those who would abuse the in-game chat system.
But you can use the layout commands to save a lot of time when starting new characters. Almost every character-specific setting other than chat stuff will be saved/loaded, there will be a few that you will still have to do manually in addition to all your chat settings (channels, filters, tabs, tab names, etc.). Pick one character as your "master" and set everything up the way you want on that character. Then run the /ui layout save X command. Then each time you start a new character, run the /ui layout load X command and 99% of your initial setup changes will be taken care of for you.
@@JohnMHammer Wow, thank you for such a comprehensive answer. I'll have to read it a couple times to comprehend it all, cuz I'm not the brightest bulb on the tree, but want to thank you for the thought and effort in answering my query. Much appreciated.
Really love your entertaining and instructional LOTRO guide videos, thank you! Sharing on our kin's discord!
Awesome tip! Thank you and John Hammer!
Do you think it is worth starting playing this game in 2022 ? And is the game still supported ?
Yes, in fact they plan on doing a visual update this year. I still love the game. They have doing little updates to things alot of the years too.
@@VoiceoftheRings nice I just downloaded and i am starting as a dwarf at the loney Mountain