CatsEyeXI Tech Document

General

Installation

The CatsEyeXI client installer is distributed as a single executable file at the following location: Here.

After launching setup, you will be prompted to install several pre-requisites, these are all required for proper operation. The pre-requisites consist of Visual Studio runtimes (required for Final Fantasy XI), .NET 3.1 runtime (required for Launcher) and Git for Windows (the heart of the client).

It is strongly recommended that your installation path does not include any spaces (i.e., Program Files). It is recommended that the user installs the software to the root of an SSD hard drive (i.e., C:, D:, etc.) Following a successful installation, a shortcut to the Launcher will be created on the user’s desktop for ease of access.

Game Launcher

The CatsEyeXI Client is built from the ground up using the Git protocol and broken up into 2 separate repositories:

• 1. The “main” game installation, located in ‘catseyexi-client’. This covers both Ashita and the sandbox deployment of Final Fantasy XI.
• 2. The optional “FFXI-HD” repository in ‘catseyexi-client\Ashita\polplugins\DATs\ffxi-hd’, which is downloaded only when checking the HD checkbox.

Automatic Updates

The Launcher checks for application updates each time it is launched, this is different from game updates, and the update mechanism is different as well. While the game updates are handled via Git, the Launcher checks a predefined CSV/TXT file stored on the CatsEyeXI server which will contain the latest version number, and the URL of the patch file. Text file location: Here.

• If the Launcher application’s current version is lower than the version advertised in the above text file, the app will attempt to download the patch from the URL in the first field of this text file.

Launcher will then call an external application, “Launcher-Helper.exe” from the root of the Installation directory, attempt to extract the zip file, and restart the Launcher application.

Launcher version can always be viewed by opening the log window which is accessed by clicking on the progress bar of the main Launcher window.

Full documentation as well as troubleshooting procedures can be found here: Launcher.pdf

Legacy Ashita v3 & Windower Setup

Please be aware that CatsEyeXI now has a one-step Launcher available at www.catseyexi.com/install. Windower is not supported. You are on your own.

Configuring Your Launcher

Note: Both Ashita and Windower launchers have some pretty cool bells and whistles available to you. Use caution in enabling these as many of them will get you banned as they are basically cheats. Best rule of thumb is, when in doubt, don't do it.

Note: Regarding plugins add-ons and other 3rd party tools: There is a list of approved addons/plugins at the Main CatsEyeXI Page. If it is not mentioned then it is not allowed. If it seems like cheating it probably is. "I didn't know" is not a valid defense if what you are doing impacts server stability or alters the gameplay experience of others. Forcing doors open in the client is allowed with this drawback: if you sequence break you do so at your own risk.

• Staff will NOT assist you if the reason you are stuck is you skipped something.

Using Ashita

For CatsEyeXI and other private servers, you will need some way to connect to the private server. Ashita is one of these configurable game client launchers.

Where can I get it, or what is Ashita all about? You can download the Ashita 3 client from here.

Note: the link above will start the exe download, so if your browser doesn't like it, or if you would like more information about Ashita itself, please visit Atom0s.com or you can visit this post Bluegartr forum post by Atom0s

To configure Ashita 3 to connect to CatsEyeXI, please take these steps:

• Note: Note: Windows users, you will likely be prompted by UAC (user account controller) when you open the file. It's in your best interest to always r-click the shortcut and run as an administrator to make sure your settings are saved.

1. Click on the + icon at the bottom of the loaded Ashita window.
2. Click on the gear icon to the left to access the configuration settings.
3. Name the configuration something like CatsEyeXI, or something that will help you remember what you are connecting to.
4. The file setting should be .\ffxi-bootmod\pol.exe
5. The Command settings should be --server server.catseyexi.com
6. Leave the script setting alone.
7. The checkboxes can be left unchecked
8. At the bottom locate the checkmark at the bottom to save your settings.

Using Windower

Using Windower is allowed but not supported. Venture at your own risk. Do not open GM tickets for anything but addons approval.

Read this first

The following items will require constant upkeep:

• CatsEyeXI trails Retail by at least 1 version update and as such your installation cannot be shared for both.
• Windower automatic updates will overwrite changes to your resources files.
• XiPivot setup is required to use CatsEyeXI custom DATs.
• Custom DATs will need to be synchronized from the main Ashita installation after every update.
• XiPivot for Windower is incapable of loading the custom icons and spells DAT
  • See below for workarounds
• Renamed items will not be equippable by Gearswap out of the box. You must use the original item name.
  • For example, Bagua Sash item name is Gishdubar Sash.
  • In a similar vein, findall will only return items under their original name.
• Items that were originally above level 75 will not be equippable by Gearswap out of the box.
  • You must edit the res/items.xml file and change the minimum level for the appropriate items.
• Items with custom jobs (for example, Joyeuse for BLU), will not be equippable by Gearswap.
  • You must edit the res/items.lua file and change the job mask for the appropriate items.
• Not all approved Ashita addons have an equivalent approved Windower addon.
  • Open a GM ticket for approval
• Spells originally above level 75 will not be cast-able from the menu.
  • Shorthand will however allow you to cast them.
• BLU spells originally above level 75 will not be able to be set from the BLU magic menu
  • Use azuresets or equivalent to set them.

If you're not capable of running batch scripts and using a text editor to edit XML files, turn around now and use the official Launcher.

Obtaining Windower

You can download the latest Windower client from here.

Note: The link above will start the exe download, so if your browser doesn't like it, or if you would like more information about Windower itself, please visit Windower.net.

Configuring Windower

After installing the executable from the last step, ensure Windower runs as Administrator. You will likely be prompted by UAC (User Account Controller) when you open the file. It's in your best interest to always r-click the shortcut and run as an administrator to make sure your settings are saved. You may also edit the executable properties to ensure it is always run as Administrator.

Creating a profile

• Open the folder where Windower is installed and locate the settings.xml file

<profile name="CatsEyeXI">
  <consolekey>Insert</consolekey>
  <windowmode>Window</windowmode>
  <width>1280</width>
  <height>720</height>
  <uiscale>1</uiscale>
  <args>--server server.catseyexi.com</args>
  <executable>..\..\xiloader\pol.exe</executable>
</profile>

• args:
  • --server server.catseyexi.com is required
  • --user my_username is optional
    • Failure to set it will cause XiLoader to prompt for username and password on every launch
  • --password my_password is optional
    • Failure to set it will cause XiLoader to prompt for username and password on every launch

• executable should point to the pol.exe from the CatsEyeXi launcher installation
  • Default: C:\catseyexi\catseyexi-client\Ashita\bootloader\pol.exe

Dealing with the registry

At that point, launching Windower and using the profile you just created will likely result in one of two things:

• Windower will appear to freeze and quit
• Windower will launch a console window (pol.exe) that exits promptly after displaying a red colored message
  • Failed to initialize instance of polcore!
  • Failed to initialize instance of FFxi!
    • Occasionally the process may exit without any error message but still fail to launch the game
    • Try launching pol.exe from a Powershell prompt to obtain the actual error message

These issues are all caused by the Windows Registry not being correctly setup.

Before following the next steps, it is highly suggested you run the game through the CatsEyeXI launcher at least once.

• Download this batch script
• Save it in the Game folder of your CatsEyeXI installation
  • Default: C:\catseyexi\catseyexi-client\Game\CEXI.bat
• Right click the script and Run it as Administrator
• Press Enter

After it has executed, try running Windower again. If it's still not working at this point, you will need to toy with the Windows Registry on your own.

Next steps

XiPivot

At that point, the first order of business should be to install [XiPivot].

It is possible to play without it but a lot of custom items will not appear correctly. If you're seeing level 99 items, crafting kits 60+ or MMM items then your pivots are not correctly setup.

The files you will want to copy over are located in the catseyexi-client\Ashita\polplugins\DATs folder. Remember that they must be kept synchronized after each update.

Resources files

Next, you will need to edit files in the res folder in your Windower folder.

• For addons to properly recognize item jobs and levels, edit res/items.lua
  • This resolves Gearswap not equipping certain items
  • This can also be used so that findall returns the appropriate item names.
• For addons to properly recognize spells, edit res/spells.lua
  • Do this if Gearswap says you don't have access to a spell
• For addons to properly recognize abilities, edit res/job_abilities.lua/ability_recasts.lua
  • Do this if Gearswap says you don't have access to an ability

Controller Setup

The controller can easily be setup via the launcher.

General Troubleshooting

Please see the CatsEyeXI General Troubleshooting for possible help with issues you may be having in game.