Needs to be a new way to switch between toons.

Discussion in 'The Veterans' Lounge' started by Veteran_BetaTester, May 10, 2023.

  1. Veteran_BetaTester PIZZA!

    Instead of using some 3rd party program you will get suspended/banned for, we players need a better way to switch between toons. 3 boxing (alt tabbing) and having youtube going isn't fun expecially one instance of EQ. I was told if having 3 instances of EQ on your hard drive you get a separate icon for each instance open, but it would also be nice if we could name the icon or something...
    This is holding me back of having 4 accounts +.

    This is not played on a 50" TV where I can see 4 accounts easilly on the TV in some 4 square.. this is a 15" display.
  2. Zarkdon Augur

  3. Tatanka Joe Schmo

    There are two main utilities people use. One will get you banned, one won't. Learn which is which (the one supporting automation is the one which will get you banned), and you're all set.

    You can name icons on the desktop whatever you wish. Click the icon on your desktop, so that it's highlighted. Now click again on the name portion of the icon. Viola! You can now rename the icon.

    Pro-tip: If you use the utility which will not get you banned, you don't even need to have multiple installs of EQ.
  4. bobbin Elder

    They should monetize the bannable utility. Wanna use it? It'll cost you $5 extra per account per month, gotta be subbed with a credit/debit card, no Korno.
    Micker99 likes this.
  5. Kaenneth [You require Gold access to view this title]

    In windows registry [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\eqgame.exe]

    Add the value "IsHostApp" with an empty value ""

    makes each instance of Everquest appear as a separate taskbar button, instead of all stacked into one.
  6. CatsPaws No response to your post cause your on ignore

    Icons are easy to rename just like any folder on your desktop. Right click it and select "rename" on the drop down and then name it.

    I have 7 different icons just because I don't like using the same icon for each sign in. I prefer an order so its always account #1 then #2 then #3 or whatever order I am playing that day. That way they are lined up accordingly in the game so I can easily move from one to the other. Usually I just use the minimize - in the upper right

    This is not holding you back from having 4 accounts - you just don't want to admit your addiction. I was the same way and you are right. Once I got over the 4th account hump I just went on and on and made more and more. :D

    Edit after seeing the post above mine, I did not make any changes to my registry and all the icons are separated along the bottom toolbar, not stacked
  7. Bernel Augur

    Is there a way to change the text of the taskbar button? I can have multiple buttons, but each one is named "Everquest". Is there a utility or something where I can tell a taskbar button to have custom text, like "EQ-Bernel"?
    Veteran_BetaTester likes this.
  8. Kaenneth [You require Gold access to view this title]


    I just drag the taskbar item for each account into a specific order.

    It would be easy to do from within the EverQuest process, but doing that yourself would be tampering with the EQ client and possibly bannable. If DGB added an option to set the window title to the account and/or character name that would be easy and helpful.
  9. Veteran_BetaTester PIZZA!

    Not listed.
    Perhaps because my EQ is on a spare drive.
  10. Kaenneth [You require Gold access to view this title]

    You probably have to add the eqgame.exe key first.

    you should be able to paste the below into notepad, then save it as "something.reg" then double click it.

    Code:
    Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
     
    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Applications\eqgame.exe]
    "IsHostApp"=""
  11. aozs Augur

    This sounds more like a Windows operating system request than EQ itself.

    I guess EQ could add a persistent host process which can launch multiple copies of the game much the same way 3p software does it, then add hotkeying functionality in the host process to let you switch between windows easily. They would need to implement a priority system that prevents the window-switching hotkeys from reaching your individual EQ clients. This is something that feels like the devs don't have the capacity to develop at this time.

    There's some free 3p software that'll let you assign hotkeys to each EQ window (no broadcasting or automation or anything), I doubt it's bannable but that's what I'd use if I wanted to avoid heavier solutions.

    The janky way I did it in the past was to have cascading windows stacked bottom-left to top-right on one monitor, then precisely click the top left corner of each window to switch to each character because it's guaranteed not to overlap. Worked just fine up to 4 boxes but did require fairly precise clicking, and also might be too small on a 15" screen (my monitor was around 27" at the time).
    Rijacki likes this.
  12. atchoom Lorekeeper

    HOT KEYS :
    i am using the numbers on the right of the keyboard , for my assist dps , heal ect. i saved at least 50% time doing this ( same computer and screen and no 3rd party softwares.

    all my 6 EQ icons ( 6 accounts ) are on my taskbar , and in the past i was with my mouse, clicking the eq icon i wanted the toon to use , then moving the mouse over the hotkey to click , and on each toons.

    now since my mouse is already down there at the taskbar i just have to click the toon i want to use ( eq icon ) and i hit the right number on the right of the keyboard .
    for me #1 is my assist key...#2 is my mage alliance , #3 is my dps, #5 is my heal ect, so i have minimal mouse movement to do while switching toons.

    what i did :: for me the hotbar 4 was the one i had all my hotkeys { from option / keys , hotbar 4 } and for me the hot button 5 was my assist ( number one key on the right of the keyboard for me ) so under * keypress * , * alternate * i pressed the #1 key on the right of the keyboard ( so under keypress / alternate i can see npad 1 ).

    same for the other number my # 3 is my chain cast dd , so under keypress / alternate i have there NPAD 3 , so when i click #3 key it fire my 5 dd's or dots , ect .

    so now i can play 6 toons as fast as i was palying 3 in the past .and just need some little mouse movement while switching toons,
  13. Angahran Augur

    Isn't there a taskbar setting to not stack icons ?
  14. Angahran Augur


    FYI, the one that will not get you banned -
    [IMG]
  15. Bernel Augur

    You can use the Windows setting to not group icons. Right click in the taskbar for Taskbar Settings and set "Combine taskbar buttons" to "When taskbar is full". This will affect all applications on the taskbar.

    [IMG]
    Angahran likes this.
  16. Metanis Bad Company

    That option is no longer available when you have Windows 11.

    A free work-around in 11 is to download and install something called ExplorerPatcher which then exposes all the old Windows 10 settings that Micro$haft hid.
    Dre. and Rijacki like this.
  17. Rijacki Just a rare RPer on FV and Oakwynd

    Bless you. Microsoft upgraded a computer I used for work and the Win 11 UI is horrible. Everything that you use in Win10 is 'artfully' rearranged and totally hidden or jump through 10 hoops to find it. Only MS applications are presented to you if you click on the new start button that's now in the middle of the screen vs the side. You have to wade through to find anything else you have installed. Very very very annoying.
    </rant>
    Metanis likes this.
  18. Drencrom Beimeith's Supervisor

    You can move the start button and icons to the left (or right) if you want. Right click the taskbar and go into the settings. You're stuck with the rest of the "user friendly" stuff unfortunately.
    Rijacki likes this.
  19. Themono New Member

    Did you ever find a solution for this? I think I am looking for the same thing. Specifically a way to rename each EQ window so that I can have a mouse button assigned to make it the active window. Bannable or not, I dont really want or need all that comes with one of the well known 3rd party programs. If those programs have the ability to rename the windows then youd think there is a way to do it yourself.
  20. Ankarv Harbinger of Nightmares

    Wow, im suprised they came out saying it was allowed. I dont have the post, but a while back they said they would never tell you if a 3rd party program was allowed due to programs changing over time and they would have to review the software to approve it.