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World of Warcraft macros guides → #showtooltip macro usage and how to make your own Wow macros with dynamic, changing icons

Posted on: 09-10-2012 - Updated on: 09-27-2012

In this Wow macro guide, I’ll explain to you the syntax and proper usage for the #showtooltip macro command, what it does, how to write it, and how to incorporate it when making Wow macros. Its super easy to use #showtooltip and it really makes your macro functionality shine. It is very important that you always use the “?” icon when saving macros that utilize #showtooltip. If you don’t, you run the risk of your macro not showing the proper spell, object or item icon.

You can simply just type #showtooltip and nothing else and World of Warcraft UI will do most of the work for you. However, when working on complex and customized macros, you will need the additional functionality as shown below. First, the proper syntax for #showtooltip is:

#showtooltip [conditionals] thingtoshow; [conditionals] thingtoshow

Next, we’ll show you the different icons that #showtooltip macro will display manually and how you can set your own icons.

A spellname, like Flash of Light. The proper syntax for this is:

#showtooltip Flash of Light

An item name, like Big Ass Sword. The proper syntax for this is:

#showtooltip Big Ass Sword

An item in your backpacks in a specific location in a bag, like this will use an item in slot 4 of your backpack (bagid 0)

#showtooltip 0 4

Next, we’ll look at using conditionals with the #showtooltip macro command. You can use conditionals just like you can with /cast command. Here’s a look at the proper syntax for conditionals and the /cast command. Refer to that article for more tips.

In the following Wow macro example, we are telling the #showtooltip command to show the Big Ass Sword icon unless I hold down the shift button, then show Bright Ass Spell icon.

#showtooltip [nomod] Big Ass Sword; [mod:shift] Bright Ass Spell

Typically Wow does this for you, but there are times when you need complicated spells that you want to show specific icons and this is when explicit #showtooltip commands are important. Please comment below.

3 responses to “#showtooltip macro usage and how to make your own Wow macros with dynamic, changing icons”

  1. Pedrõ says:

    Is there a way to make a macro where it will cast spells for me, like:
    Casting Spells in this order, then repeating it (x) amount of times?
    Incinerate, Incinerate, Fel Flame, Incinerate, Incinerate

    And! Is there a way I can make a macro to cast both Curse of the Elements and Immolate together, im sick of having to click one, spam other, or interupt my rotation to refresh one.

  2. Matthieu says:

    Is there a way to make a #showtooltip that changes his appearance based on what is the next spell casted in a /castsequence macro?
    Thanks.

    • Connor says:

      yes, you can show the next spell in a cast sequence macro. Simplest is just
      #showtooltip
      /castsequence [reset:??] spell 1,spell 2
      This is one I use on my ele shaman:
      #showtooltip
      /cast [mod:ctrl] Flametongue Weapon
      /castsequence reset=5 !Lightning Shield, !Flametongue Weapon

      If I press control it shows Flametongue Weapon, otherwise it shows the next spell and it resets to Lightning shield after 5 seconds. Hope that helps.

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