Profiles

Profiles

A profile is a named set of your client's local UI files, saved into the snapshot store and applied back through the write gate. Use it to switch between setups like raid, clean or gamepad, with undo.

Warning

Read this before you apply a profile. A profile covers every account and every character folder that existed when it was saved, not only the character you play. Applying it writes the saved bytes back and deletes files created in those places since the save. wowlab profile apply NAME --dry-run shows exactly what would happen; use it first.

What a profile can hold

Choose one or more presets (repeat --preset):

Preset	Files
ui	Config.wtf (machine-wide, so it also holds graphics, sound, locale and the last account), account and character config-cache.wtf, the edit-mode caches, layout-local.txt, chat-cache.txt
bindings	account and character bindings-cache.wtf, click-bindings-cache.txt
macros	account and character macros-cache.txt
addons	Interface/AddOns/ as saved, AddOns.txt, and addon SavedVariables

Or name exact files or folders with --subtree PATH (relative to the flavor folder, under WTF/, Interface/ or Fonts/, and narrower than WTF/Account/; for a whole area use snap create and snap restore).

Never included: the lab-addon (Interface/AddOns/WowLab/ and its WowLab.lua) is always left alone, by presets and subtrees alike.

Not in any profile: action-bar contents and talents. The server keeps them (not yet verified on this client), so they are not in these files.

Commands

uv run wowlab profile save raid --preset ui --preset bindings
uv run wowlab profile list
uv run wowlab profile show raid
uv run wowlab profile apply raid --dry-run
uv run wowlab profile apply raid
uv run wowlab profile delete raid

Command	Notes
profile save NAME	Reads your install; writes only a labelled snapshot into wowlab's store.
profile list	Oldest first; names any damaged manifest and exits 1.
profile show NAME	The profile and every file in it, plus the notes save gave (for example, a saved subtree that was itself a link is held as the link).
profile apply NAME	Through the write gate: game closed, pre-write snapshot, journaled. wowlab undo reverses it.
profile delete NAME	Removes the profile. Its snapshot stays in the store, relabelled deleted-profile:NAME. Nothing in your install changes.

What apply does, exactly

• Writes every saved file back to its saved bytes.
• Deletes files under the profile's recorded places that did not exist at save time. For example: a macro file or character-specific key bindings created since, on any of those characters.
• With the addons preset: addons installed since are removed (code and settings), and addons updated since go back to the saved version, which an addon manager will not know about.
• Leaves alone any file the file map marks as "leave alone" (client-written backups, Blizzard_* folders, file-browser metadata), and anything the gate will not write or delete (an executable). Both are listed.
• Lists every *-cache* file it writes. The server may replace these at your next login, so the result is proven only by logging in.
• A very large apply is refused with a count and a pointer to snap restore or a narrower profile (the plan sets the ceiling at 2,000 files).

A character folder created after a preset save is not part of that profile and is not touched.

Tips

• Take a manual snapshot before your first apply: uv run wowlab snap create -m "before profiles".
• Keep presets small. A bindings profile only touches bindings; an addons profile is a big hammer.
• Check wowlab doctor for server-sync settings. With synchronizeBindings on, the server may write your bindings again at login.
• Macro buttons may point at a macro by its position in the list. After applying a macros profile, check your action bars.