XI Focus

FFXI instance switcher for Windows

Switch focus between multiple Final Fantasy XI game windows using keyboard hotkeys or an Xbox controller - instantly, reliably, from any window.

Features

• Keyboard & controller switching - bind any key or Xbox button to switch instances
• Jump to slot - bind keys/buttons to jump directly to a specific character (up to 6)
• Auto-detection - FFXI windows are detected and named automatically as characters log in
• Slot reordering - arrange your character order however you like
• Named layouts - save and restore window positions for different party configurations (Solo, Full Party, etc.)
• Launch on startup - optional Windows startup via Task Scheduler (no UAC prompt on boot)
• System tray - runs quietly in the background, right-click for quick access

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Requirements

• Windows 10 or Windows 11
• FFXI launched through POL or Ashita
• .NET 9 Runtime (only if using the source build - the release exe is self-contained)
• Xbox controller (optional)

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Installation

Option A - Download the release exe (recommended)

1. Go to the Releases page
2. Download XIFocus.exe
3. Place it anywhere you like - no installer needed
4. Right-click -> Run as administrator

SmartScreen warning: Windows may show "Windows protected your PC" on first launch because the exe is unsigned. Click More info -> Run anyway. This is expected for community tools. You can verify the build hash in the About dialog (right-click tray icon -> About XI Focus).

Option B - Build from source

Requirements: .NET 9 SDK and Git.

git clone https://github.com/HaxPrime/XI-Focus.git
cd XI-Focus
dotnet build

Run the built exe as administrator:

Start-Process "bin\Debug\net9.0-windows\XIFocus.exe" -Verb RunAs

To build a self-contained release exe:

dotnet publish -c Release -r win-x64 --self-contained -p:PublishSingleFile=true

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Why Administrator?

FFXI launched through POL or Ashita runs as an elevated process. Windows UIPI (User Interface Privilege Isolation) silently blocks focus switching from lower-privilege applications - SetForegroundWindow simply does nothing without matching elevation.

XI Focus requests administrator privileges on launch so focus switching works reliably. This is the correct solution, not a workaround.

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First Time Setup

1. Launch your FFXI instances first

Start POL/Ashita and log in your characters before opening XI Focus. The app auto-detects windows as they appear.

2. Run XI Focus as administrator

Right-click the exe -> Run as administrator, or accept the UAC prompt if you have startup configured.

3. Your characters appear automatically

The slot list populates as each character logs in. No manual refresh needed.

4. Configure your bindings

Right-click the tray icon -> Options to bind keys and controller buttons.

Default bindings:

Action	Keyboard	Controller
Focus Next	F11	Start
Focus Prev	F10	Back / Select

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Controller Setup

If all your FFXI instances are receiving controller input simultaneously, you need to disable gamepad passthrough in Ashita/Windower:

Ashita: In your Ashita config, disable gamepad input when the window is not focused.

Windower: Options -> Gamepad -> uncheck "Always Enable Gamepad" and "Enable gamepad when game is inactive".

XI Focus takes exclusive control of the controller for hotkey monitoring - FFXI should not also be reading it simultaneously.

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Saving Window Layouts

1. Arrange your FFXI windows how you want them
2. In XI Focus, select or create a layout in the Layout dropdown
3. Click Save
4. Any time your windows get shuffled, click Restore to snap them back

You can have multiple named layouts - one for solo play, one for full party, etc.

To restore your layout automatically on startup: Options -> Restore window layout on startup.

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Building a Release

dotnet publish -c Release -r win-x64 --self-contained -p:PublishSingleFile=true

Output: bin\Release\net9.0-windows\win-x64\publish\XIFocus.exe

Single file, no .NET runtime required on the target machine.

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Technical Notes

• Detects FFXI windows by Win32 class name FFXiClass - no memory reading, no offset tables
• Character names read from window title - version-agnostic, works on any private server
• Uses AttachThreadInput + SetForegroundWindow for reliable focus switching
• Controller polling via XInput - Xbox and compatible controllers, no DirectInput compatibility issues
• Startup via Windows Task Scheduler (/rl HIGHEST) - elevated at logon without UAC prompt

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License

MIT - see LICENSE for details.

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Author

HaxPrime - github.com/HaxPrime

Built with C# / .NET 9 - SharpDX.XInput - Win32 P/Invoke