NPC Scan: Auto-Clearing Cache How-to

[Kurasu]

I happened to see this trick on NPCScan's 'comments' section. It works like a charm!

Note: this doesn't actually make an 'auto-clearing cache'. However, what it does is essentially the same thing. You must still log out for it to be 'cleared', but you don't need to go in and manually do it. Just log out and log back in.

First, browse to your WoW Cache folder. Then, go to here (on XP; I'm not sure if it's different on other Windows, Macs, whatever):

Cache -> WDB -> enGB (or whatever your localization is) -> creaturecache.wdb

Take that 'creaturecache' and open it in a text program. Don't worry. This won't harm it! There'll be a lot of gobbledygook in there. Just delete it all and save. Make *sure* you save it as the exact same file: creaturecache.wdb. It should now be 0 KB. Right-click on that file. Go to 'Properties'. Set as 'Read only'.

What this does is allows WoW to read what is in that file, and recognize that there is a cache there. Therefore, it won't try and create another one. However, it can no longer write to it. What this means is that when you log out, the 'internal game cache', which would usually write to that file, will instead just be purged. Your creature cache will stay at 0 K. You still need to close the program, since the game has an 'internal cache' while you play, but it should be a lot faster. Plus, I'm sure there's a way to write-and-purge the cache while you play... I just don't know what it would be. Maybe an AddOn developer can help.

If you are annoyed by the constant loss of your pet images and growing-shrinking pets on logging in, then clear your cache normally (delete it), log in, preferably somewhere that there won't be other people around, and open your stable. Shuffle around in it so that your pets are all cached. Then quit and set your present creaturecache file to read-only. That way, you can't add new creatures to it, but the old stable information will always be there.

Note: if you upload to Wowhead, I would suggest thinking about this before you do it. Wowhead uploads the information from your creaturecache.wdb to get some of their information. This means that you'll no longer be uploading creature information to them since your database will always be empty. It doesn't break anything, but if you're a stickler for making sure they get all the info, this will remove some of it. Fortunately, if you want to turn off the 'read-only', say once you've found that rare you've been camping for, then just right-click on it, uncheck 'read-only', and apply. That will instantly make it able to be written to again, even if you are presently in-game!

[Anyia]

Note that when you have your cache file marked as Read-only, the wow launcher/patcher will complain about "internal error" and exit. Simply restarting will allow it to continue however.

[Kurasu]

Note that when you have your cache file marked as Read-only, the wow launcher/patcher will complain about "internal error" and exit. Simply restarting will allow it to continue however.

Interestingly enough, I didn't have this happen to me at all. Not even once! That said, I haven't had it on for too long.

[Lisaara]

oooh....I like!

[Anyia]

Note that when you have your cache file marked as Read-only, the wow launcher/patcher will complain about "internal error" and exit. Simply restarting will allow it to continue however.

Interestingly enough, I didn't have this happen to me at all. Not even once! That said, I haven't had it on for too long.

It only happens when it's trying to patch. I should probably have mentioned that in my first comment!

[Worba]

Personally I embed the wow launcher in a DOS batch file which first deletes the cache, so it's out of sight / out of mind.

Although, you do get the pet shrinking / blank icons initially - I've just gotten so used to those effects that I barely even notice them now.

[Ponderance]

I just use a batch file. Automatically deletes the cache before loading the game. Just in case it hasn't been posted here before (and is immune to patches, unless they change the cache location which I'm unaware of ever happening)


http://www.wowhead.com/guide=375/batch- ... or-npcscan


though i edited it so it launches WoW directly since I like to open multiple WoWs and sometimes the launcher screws that up.

.... and I see someone commented this already after posting WOOO, RESURRECTING A MULTIPLE YEAR OLD THREAD! <3

[Tahlian]

Sadly, I've been trying to use the read-only file trick for some time now...and somehow, the game is still able to write to that damned file, no matter how many times I flag it as "read only." It's been very, very frustrating for me.

[Lisaara]

I've honestly not needed to do this. One reason or another, NPCScan has been clearing itself...I mean stuff says it's cached but it still goes off.

[Tahlian]

I just can't keep creaturecache flagged as "read only" for some weird reason. I blank the file out so it shows nothing in it, I flag it read only and apply, then save the file. Everything's great for a few days...then somehow, the read only designation gets removed, and the addon starts caching rares again. I wish I could figure out what's doing it, so it wouldn't keep caching things to that file when I don't want it to, so my NPCScan will actually go off reliably.

[Kurasu]

Probably what's happening is that it's getting cleared when a patch hits. Caches are automatically getting cleaned out when new data comes in nowadays. I've noticed that.

[Saanlem]

I went for SilverDragon, as this addon has an option to clear cache. The feature I like is that once the scanner has found a beast, that beast ID is kept "live". I can look for the beast again, without clearing caches and whatnot.

[Danielfboone]

I'll stick with using my batch file to delete the cache before I enter the game. It seems safer.