Guildwars (gw.exe) Switches / Command line options

Guild Wars Command Line Switches 3.1.0
Updated - June 4th, 2011 (Article turning 5+ years old since the original version of this guide)

This is a community project pulling from various source's, especially guildwarsguru.

How to alter the shortcut

1)Right-click the Guild Wars icon.
2)Select 'Properties'.
3)Select the 'Shortcut' tab.
4)In the 'Target' field...

Example
(32bit Versions of Windows) "C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -switch1 -switch2 -switch3
(64bit Versions of Windows) "C:\Program Files (x86)\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -switch1 -switch2 -switch3

Quick Switch List (as of GuildWars Build 33.633)

• authsrv
• bmp
• character
• diag
• dsound
• dx8
• email
• fps
• image
• map
• mce
• password
• perf
• port
• repair
• reset
• map
• noshaders
• nosound
• mute
• noui
• sndasio
• sndfastbuf
• sndwinmm
• uninstall
• update
• windowed
• exit

Switches

-authsrv
Used to change where GW authenticates to / connect to server.
Suspect used by testing of beta / internal anet servers.

Usage: "C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -authsrv xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
Where xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx = the IP address (ex 127.0.0.1)


-bmp
Screen shots will be in the original bit map (higher quality / larger size) instead of jpeg.

Usage: "C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -bmp


-character
Pre-fills in the security question (Name on of your characters).

Usage: "C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -character "First Last"


-diag
Run's anet Diagnostic Utility. Create a log file (NetworkDiag.log) in the same folder where the gw.exe is located.
It runs network connection tests as well as detailed hardware/direct x information.
Very useful for sending to Anet's Support for troubleshooting.

Usage: "C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -diag


-dsound (1st Appeared in April 5th Update)
Uses the older / replaced Microsoft direct sound audio engine.

Usage: "C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -dsound


-dx8
Force the orginal Direct X 8 graphic rendering.
Enabling this an old computer / non-supported video cards may increase performance.

Usage: "C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -dx8


-email
Allows you to specify a specific e-mail address to use.
Easily combined with the password switch.
If you have two account, create two shortcuts, one for each account.

Usage: "C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" [email protected]
([email protected] = e-mail address)


-fps
Frames Per Second Limit - Can limit or cap the max frames per second
Usage: "C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -fps x

Where x = the max frames per second. If you say -fps 10 GW will not render more then 10 frames per second.


-image<----The game will EXIT as soon as it's done checking. Remove switch to make GW playable again.
Downloads all files and Decompresses any compressed files in the gw.dat file. This will improve load time in new area's and get you up to date.
** During this process it may max out your computer (high cpu and memory usage) aka don't multi-tasks during this process **

Usage: "C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe” -image


-map
Unknown Switch


-mce
Windows Media Center
Will launch Media Center after you exit GuildWars

Usage: "C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -mce


-password
Automatically fills in the password

Usage: "C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -password=*****
Where ***** = your password


-perf<--- This is independent of the green/yellow/red dot in the lower right conrer.

Displays the performance statics - Tri, FPS, and Bytes/Sec
(Tri = Triangles, FPS = Frames per second, Bytes/Sec = Transfer Rate)

Usage: "C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -perf


-port
Unknown Switch


-repair
Attempts to run a "repair" GuildWars install files. Suspect this only works if you installed from a CD/DVD, not the download client

Usage: "C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -repair


-reset
Unknown Switch


-noshaders
Disables Pixel and/or Vertex? Shader's (part of Direct X).
Using this with the dx8 switch will help you run GW better on older computer.

Usage: "C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -noshaders


-nosound
No Audio. Same effect as -mute switch. *Suspect* one mutes the volume, where the other disables the sound engine.

Usage: "C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -nosound


-mute
No Audio. Same effect as -mute switch. *Suspect* one mutes the volume, where the other disables the sound engine.

Usage: "C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -mute


-noui
No user interface at all. Disable the user interface.

Usage: "C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -noui


-sndasio
Use the newer (FMOD) sound engine, with ASIO output


-sndfastbuf
Use the newer (FMOD) sound engine, with ? option


-sndwinmm
Use the newer (FMOD) sound engine


-uninstall
This will uninstall guildwars.

Usage: "C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -uninstall


-windowed
Start GuildWars in a window mode vs Full screen on start up.

Usage: "C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -windowed


-exit
Game doesn't launch... suspect it invokes.. exit?


Removed Switches

-heapsize
Allows you to specify / limit memory that guildwars uses.
This trick could make the game run better or worse depending on if you set it correctly/incorrect.
I suspect due to the complex nature of this switch, it was removed.

-newsound
(Suspect it enabled the FMOD sound engine for testing before it went live in the game)

-sndmultispk
Use the newer (FMOD) sound engine, with ? multi-speaker output ? option

If you find more, figure out how to use above, find error's, please post

How to find switches in exe file

I use this freeware hex editor - http://www.chmaas.handshake.de/delph...vi32/xvi32.htm

When you Search (menu) -> Find in the exe dialog box, make sure you:
Checkmark "as Unicode Latin (UTF-16LE)
Uncheck case senstive
Do a search for any of the known strings (dx8, nosound, etc)


Sources:
This Thread
Old Thread
The Great GW Guru Community
Some external Sites Info

"- perf" is enough to show fps

Excerpt from SoF forum:
http://forum.sof-guild.com/index.php?showtopic=841

Additional switches available for the GW.exe command :
-update
-uninstall
-noui
-nosound
-noshaders
-repair
-port
-perf
-password
-map
-fps
-email

huh for some reason I cant get the -email to work
the -password works and auto logs in IF it had the address rembered in there; I want to setup 2 shortcuts but

this is how I got it...
"C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -email=****@***.com -password=*** -heapsize 128000 -nosound -perf

It will tell me "" is not a vailed email address...
so far I'v tried
-email=***
-emal ***
-emal:***
-email***

I think my firewall is stoping code injections when I run the shortcut...

nope.

I'm not sure if I'm imagining things, but... it looks like the graphics got 'clearer' after increasing heapsize?
It's like the contrast increased or the LOD bias was changed or something. Can't put my finger on it, but the graphics just look... crisper.

Anyone else notice anything?

hmmm I found this forum when i googled "guild was auto login"
http://forums.gwonline.net/showthread.php?t=378602

seems that -email was disabled...

dangit

I tired other various searches..
Guild Wars Command Line
Gw.exe -perf
Gw.exe -email
Gw.exe -password

but most of them said what you did; in french and spanish also...

What's that map switch?

Heapsize doesn't do much for me with 1.5GB of RAM>

for some reason i can only get the first switch to work. When i try to put more than one the following ones dont work.

try doing the same things for setting up 2 accounts to run at the same time and have a shortcut for each and run them one at a time using the shortcut for auto log in for the one you want

I tried the FPS and Speedier map loading... the map loading seemed to work, though minimally. The FPS still won't show though.

for me they seem to work if you only put one on. But if you use more than one, it only uses the first one.

Been testing some of the options

-nosound = No Sound

-noui = No user interface (I think this invokes the same effect when you do screenshot without gui but it's on all the time) note you can not select character with this switch let alone log in.

-noshaders = Tried this and things (graphics) looked diffrent.. but can't place it. I *think* it disable GW pixel/vetrix shader support. If this is true, may be a nice mod for lower end cards that can almost play gw like intel.

I almost want to think there has to be a switch in reguards to DirectSound.
-nodirectsound or -nods did NOT work on disabling direct sound.

Also, it appears that -heapsize has to be at the end, be the last switch

Also found this threed
http://www.gwrage.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=653
-fps x = Where x is a numerical value, you limit the game to that many FPS

(I did try this, set it to 10 fps, and was very jerky - wonder if setting this higher then 60 will give you faster refresh rate?)

I fixed it... accidentaly had the original target in there twice.

Is there one to open two clients on the same computer without changing user in Windows?

It would help to transfer stuff from 2 different accounts.

i thouhgt the title said emote line up, but im confused

Do they all have to have equal signs?

like -password=******** and -heapsize=******?

say i have 512 ram(its a laptop...gimme a break)....when you do the heapsiz thingy, and i set it to 128000(256ram) will that make things better, or is my laptop probably be using more then 256 already?

anyone?

its to allocate memory on demand (always); typing in -heapsize 128000 would allocate 128mb of ram to process (gw.exe) typing in heapsize -256000 would be 256mb of ram; the guy above recommends allocating half your ram to it; so 256000 would be your number.

its good for comps with low ram.

Why would you want to do this, if your screen refreshe s at 60fps. It may refresh quicker, but you'll never notice because your monitor itself isn't refreshing any faster (unless your monitor doesn't refresh at 60fps, like most do.)

Um monitors refresh at a frequency not Frames Per Second, I.e. 60hz, 75hz 125hz. Fps is affected only by your systems ability to render frames. The slower the speed, the lower the Frames Per Second, adding the FPS switch forces your system to use a certain FPS, while this over rides the normal rates, it does not guarantee nor mean your system can and is producing that number of Frames Per Second. Monitor Refresh rates while syncable are very different.

well according to his post, allocating 256 ram would mean typing 128000.
which doent make sence

IC, thanks

Also... is there any way to show ping? like the fps display? fps is somewhat nice but i'd much rather have it show me the ping...

No...

If you have 512 MB, you allocate half, thus -heapsize 256000

ah. i c. ty

Has anyone been able to get the -port switch to work? I am guessing you would use it so the GW connects on the port you specify instead of port 6112???

Well? Anybody?

Because I've set half my ram in heapsize and I don't notice any difference.

They don't have "=" signs, here's my shortcut

"C:\Program Files\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -password blahblah -perf -heapsize 512000

Imporant, heapsize has to be last switch no matter what switches you use.

And I do notice a map loading is a bit better over all and no my password is not blahblah

I did it as a test and it appears to be valid switch but other then what someone else mentioned about limiting it to your refresh rate, I don't see a need for this.

If you want to limit the FPS of the game, set your video card properties to enable v-sync. That way the game frame rate will never exceed what the refresh rate of the monitor is. It's also a stupid thing to do, IMO.

You could say monitor refreshes at FPS, since it draws the screen x times per second.. But what I wanted to really say, is that if your monitor screen is refreshing at 60Hz, assuming it's a CRT-type and not LCD, you are having one major eye strain. Suppose that varies from person to person, but when working on a CRT, 85Hz is minimum for me, any lower and I'll be having a headache for rest of the day. 75Hz goes in small doses tho

thanks, that's what I was trying to get at. I am using LCD though.

Ok, well none of this is working for me.

I also cant find a "target" or "shortcut" tab/field anywhere in my GW.exe's properties.

once i click on properties, the tab options at the top of the window are:
General; Version; Compatibilty; Summary;

The only place i can think of putting the switches in are the "Comments" field under Summary.

But this doesnt work.... can any1 post some screenshots of where they put their switches at!!??

That's really odd, because my password switch is working fine. iow I have -password=blahblah

and when i open the shortcut it auto-logs in.

So if password also works, does heapsize as well? I'll try it without the equals sign just in case.


ANd Lambent - You need to modify the shortcut path. If you don't already have a shortcut to Gw.exe, you'll need to make one. Right-click on Gw.exe and click "Create Shortcut". When the shortcut pops up in the folder, right click _that_ and modify its properties.

Ahh thanks. Now it works.

I thought i was using the shortcuts' properties but it was actually the main program, just saved to my desktop.

nice cool things, tried most of tyhem out

thzx

any solution that i can use more then one switch?
cause when i set -heapsize and after that -password, it does not autologin any more

If you readup, someone mentioned heapsize has to be at the end for other switches to work..

you got to check the properties of the shortcut, not the actual exe

Here is a new one since the graphics update

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s....php?t=3007612

This may work to allow Geforce 4 users to default back to DX8 to get AA back.

Note: I found heapsize has to be last. All are command lines for gw.exe but heapsize is a windows "trick".

if you dont use any switches... use -perf display fps

if you use other switches use -perf...

mine is... "E:\Guild Wars\Gw.exe" -password=***** -perf -heapsize 512000

that shows the FPS.... you MUST have -heapsize AFTER -perf if you wish to use heapsize...