Menu Buttons for a Clean FFXIV HUD Using Macros
I like to have a fairly empty display most of the time so I use macros to make custom "collapsing menu" hotbars. This lets me pull up what I need, like to change classes or teleport or have a short list of emotes without needing to look at them all the time. I'll go through them from simplest to most complex.
You'll need to set up your always visible hotbars first.
Set up the hotbars you are going to always have visible. I use Hotbar 1 and Hotbar 2 for my primary job actions and Hotbar 3 for menu buttons, nonbattle actions, and some niche use actions.
Select an empty macro or one you would like to overwrite.
In the opened macro, click the macro icon.
Select an icon to represent this macro. I use card suits for my menu button macros to easily group them together.
Enter a descriptive name in the Name field, like Hide Duty List.
In the main body of the macro, enter the following, making sure each line is its own line:
/hud "Duty List"
/hud "Scenario Guide"
8. Finally, place the macro on one of your visible hotbars. When you click the macro button it will either hide or show both the Duty List and the Scenario Guide. This is nice for when you want to appreciate the scenery.
I tried for many years to keep all my actions on two and a half bars to minimize how many bars I have but then I realized I can toggle those on and off! I personally like keeping my main two battle bars always up in case of accidental aggro, but you could have this toggle off all your job related bars, if you wanted. I toggle this on as soon as I enter a dungeon or raid but otherwise keep it hidden.
I keep my tank specific actions like those related to enmity as well as emergency actions like healing and partywide buffs on this bar.
For healers I keep my raise kit, Esuna, and shield type actions on there as I need to be able to find those quickly but they aren't part of a rotation.
Select an empty macro or one you would like to overwrite.
In the opened macro, click the macro icon.
Select an icon to represent this macro. I use card suits for my menu button macros to easily group them together.
Enter a descriptive name in the Name field, like Situational Actions.
In the main body of the macro, enter the following:
Place the macro on one of your visible hotbars.
Open the HUD Layout interface (System >> HUD Layout) and place Hotbar 6 where you want it. Also adjust the layout and size. I use the 4x3 option for my Situational Actions menu.
Drag actions from the Actions & Traits interface (Character >> Actions & Traits) or other hotbars onto your newly created menu hotbar.
You can also add macros, like a raise macro, from the User Macros interface (System >> User Macros).
You will need to add actions and macros to this menu for each job individually.
This makes an easy to access shortlist of emotes that is often faster than typing the emote in chat or using the Social >> Emotes menu path.
Select an empty macro or one you would like to overwrite.
In the opened macro, click the macro icon.
Select an icon to represent this macro. I use card suits for my menu button macros to easily group them together.
Enter a descriptive name in the Name field, like Emotes.
In the main body of the macro, enter the following, making sure each line is its own line:
/hotbar display 4
/hotbar display 5
Place the macro on one of your visible hotbars.
Open the HUD Layout interface (System >> HUD Layout) and place the hotbars where you want them. Also adjust their layout and size. I use the 2x6 option for both hotbars of my Emotes menu.
Make sure that both hotbars, in this case Hotbar 4 and Hotbar 5, are either both visible or both not visible. If one is visible and one is not the macro button will only switch which is visible, it won't turn them both either on or off.
Drag emotes from the Emotes interface (Social >> Emotes) onto the menu hotbars.
If you use hotbars 4 and 5 you shouldn't need to do this for every job, just the once.
This is the same as the Emotes menu but is instead a menu for macros to change jobs. I also keep my return and teleport buttons here as well. Haven't made job change macros yet? Click this text to view my guide for making job change macros.
Select an empty macro or one you would like to overwrite.
In the opened macro, click the macro icon.
Select an icon to represent this macro. I use card suits for my menu button macros to easily group them together.
Enter a descriptive name in the Name field, like Job Change.
In the main body of the macro, enter the following, making sure each line is its own line:
/hotbar display 7
/hotbar display 8
/hotbar display 9
Place the macro on one of your visible hotbars.
Open the HUD Layout interface (System >> HUD Layout) and place the hotbars where you want them. Also adjust their layout and size. I use the 1x12 option for the 3 hotbars of my Job Change menu.
Make sure that all hotbars, in this case Hotbar 7, Hotbar 8, and Hotbar 9 are either all visible or all not visible. If one is visible and one is not the macro button will only switch which is visible, it won't turn them all either on or off.
Drag your job change macros from the User Macros interface (System >> User Macros) onto the menu hotbars. You can group them together by job type (healer, gatherer, tank, etc.) or keep your main jobs all together.
If you use hotbars 7, 8, and 9 you shouldn't need to do this for every job, just the once.
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