Decoder/Guide for the usersettings.txt file

tjbhunter · November 2018

Does anyone know of a recent post or website which explains each of the settings contained in the "UserSettings.txt" file found in the live folder? All I can seem to find is Morrowind and older, and nothing detailing all of the settings in full...

I want to know about many of the settings, and how they have changed over the past year. I did a lot of tinkering back when Morrowind came out, but things have changed and I want to make some adjustments for my new GPU and 4K monitors.

One issue maybe someone can help me with is, I want the game to always load on my second (non-primary) display, but it always loads on the primary... I am guessing there is a setting in the UserSettings file (maybe "SET ACTIVE_DISPLAY"), but I can't find anything to explain if that is what that setting if for, or how to use it.

Anyone have some knowledge they can pass on?

Thank you!

tjbhunter · November 2018

I will also note, that when SET ACTIVE_DISPLAY "0" it says in the UI Video Settings Active Display: Display 1, and when SET ACTIVE_DISPLAY "1", it says Active Display: Display 2 in the UI Video Settings. In both cases, the "Active Display" setting is grayed out in the UI, and regardless of what it says, it's always loading the game on Display 2, which is my "Main Display" in windows, which isn't what I want. I want in Display 1, which is my "extended" display in windows.

However, the UI setting is not Grayed out and works as it should when I go "Fullscreen". I use Windowed Fullscreen though, which I prefer because then I can switch over to my second monitor without the game disappearing. But for some reason, Windowed breaks the whole choosing which display you want to use...

So I guess an alternative fix would be, how can I use Fullscreen, but still be able to mouse over to my second monitor without the game minimizing?

Merlin13KAGL · November 2018

If you're trying to seamlessly mouse out mid game, then FS windowed is your only option I'm aware of, or simply Windowed and drag it to the side, taking up exactly half your screen (one monitor's worth.)

Alt-Enter will swap you back and forth as necessary.

What is it you're trying to do that precludes you from being able to tab out for seconds at a time?

tjbhunter · November 2018

Merlin13KAGL wrote: »

If you're trying to seamlessly mouse out mid game, then FS windowed is your only option I'm aware of, or simply Windowed and drag it to the side, taking up exactly half your screen (one monitor's worth.)

Alt-Enter will swap you back and forth as necessary.

What is it you're trying to do that precludes you from being able to tab out for seconds at a time?

This is what I have always done, and its fine. My issue is that when I am in "FS Windowed", I can't get the game to load onto my non-main display. It always loads onto my primary monitor (windows primary). I have to then switch to Windowed, drag it over, then switch back to FS Windowed, and then it actually keeps the resolution and FPS of the original monitor, instead of the monitor the game is actually displayed on.

Merlin13KAGL · November 2018

You're wanting it to remember your settings, and unfortunately, it will not.

So you'll have to Alt-Enter, drag to side (which should resize, even if not resolve), and Alt-Enter a second time (possibly one more full cycle) should correct the resolution issue.

It's also going to muck up any add on window placement in the process each time.

tjbhunter · November 2018

Merlin13KAGL wrote: »

You're wanting it to remember your settings, and unfortunately, it will not.

So you'll have to Alt-Enter, drag to side (which should resize, even if not resolve), and Alt-Enter a second time (possibly one more full cycle) should correct the resolution issue.

It's also going to muck up any add on window placement in the process each time.

The biggest issue is that my GPU is DP1.2 but HDMI 1.4a... So I game on the monitor with DP, to get 4K 60fps and my primary monitor is HDMI 4K @ 30Hz... Using the method of dragging the game over, for whatever reason its still showing only 30FPS, as if its still using the HDMI Driver even though its displayed on the DP monitor. When I make the DP monitor the primary, and load the game using it, it keeps the 60 fps... Oh well, I guess I can;t have it all... maybe I should just get a new GPU, lol.
Thanks for the advice Merlin!

olmaho123 · May 2021

Go to UserSettings under Documents\Elder Scrolls Online\live

Find SET FULLSCREEN_v5
- Set it to "1" for FS Windowed.

Then right under you have SET ACTIVE_DISPLAY
- Change that number from 0 - 2 (to you have the right screen)