XIPivot/release/docs/XIPivot

## About



XIPivot is an addon that allows to dynamically override parts of the DAT / sound files

of your FFXI client without touching the actual files (just like Dats but with extras).



It provides support for multiple overlay directories as well as runtime controls

of which overlays are loaded and used by the game.



The goals behind XIPivot are simple:



- no modifications to the original DAT / spw / bgw files

- no more huge folder with thousands of anonymous files

- the ability to sort Mods into separate folders for each mod

- the ability to control which Mods take precedence



## Setup



- 1) Copy `XIPivot.sample.xml` to Ashita's `config/` directory and rename it to `XIPivot.xml`

- 2) Create a directory called `DATs/` inside Ashita's `plugins/` directory.

- 3) Create a subdirectory inside the `DATs/` folder for each overlay you want to use

- 4) -- manual approach -- see 6 for in-game GUI version

   - Edit `XIPivot.xml`:

   - add the directory names from 3) for each overlay that should be enabled, separated by comma ','

   - *order matters* - overlays will be used in order, with the first hit for a file being used.

- 5) Add `/load xipivot` as the first line to your setup script (before any /wait or other lines)

- 6) -- OPTIONAL --

   - Instead of following 4) you can use the command `/pivot` in-game to open the configuration GUI

   - all available overlays as well ass all active overlays will be listed

   - click the plus '+' to activate an overlay

   - click the minus '-' to deactivate an active overlay



### Example - XI-View, XI-Vision and Ammelila's HD-Remake:



Directory structure:



```

<Ashita Install>

   +-- config/

   |    +-- XIPivot.xml

   |

   +-- plugins/

        +-- XIPivot.dll

        +-- DATs/

             +-- README.txt

             +-- XI-View/

             |    +-- ROM/

             |

             +-- XI-Vision/

             |    +-- ROM/

             |    +-- ROM2/

             |    +-- ROM3/

             |    +-- ROM4/

             |    +-- ROM4/

             |

             +-- FFXI-HD/

                  +-- ROM/

                  +-- ROM2/

                  +-- ROM3/

```



XIPivot.xml:



```xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<settings>

    <setting name="overlays">XI-Vision,XI-View,FFXI-HD</setting>

</settings>

```



XIPivot defaults to look for your overlays inside the `DATs/` directory next to the `XIPivot.dll`.

If you prefer a different path you can add the key `'root_path'` to `XIPivot.xml` like so:



```xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<settings>

    <setting name="root_path">C:/my/awesome/addons</setting>

    <setting name="overlays">XI-Vision,XI-View,FFXI-HD</setting>

</settings>

```



This instructs to XIPivot to search for overlays inside `"C:\my\awesome\addons"` instead.

(If you're unsure **don't set this parameter** and things should just work).



## In-Game commands



XIPivot makes the in-game command `/pivot` available to load and unload overlays at runtime.

If the command `/pivot` is used without parameters it will open an in-game GUI for configuration.



The following parameters are supported:



- a/add overlay_path     -- will load 'overlay_name' as last entry to the overlay list

- r/remove overlay_path  -- will unload 'overlay_name' and remove it from the overlay list

- h/help                 -- print this text



These commands all support a short first letter version (a/r/s/h).

Changes made with add / remove will be reflected in `XIPivot.xml`.





Please note that adding and removing overlays way after the game launches can have side effects.

XI will load some DAT files right at the start and then never look at them again (some menu and landscape textures)

other DAT files are loaded on-demand and overlay changes are visible once that happens (maps, some menu icons, Mog House and a few other locations)



## Overlays with sound files / music



XI is pretty unforgiving when replacing BGW music files at runtime and will crash if you do something stupid.



**It is not advised to change sound Mods at runtime**

**Support for sound / music overlays is considered EXPERIMENTAL**



## Limitations



Currently none known



## Disclaimer



I tested XIPivot to the best of my capabilities but I can not guarantee that it works without bugs for 100% of the time.

Use at your own discretion, I take no responsibility for any client crashes or data loss.