Sentinel + instructions for dummies needed.

[HEATSTROKE]

I am about as basic a computer person as you will ever meet. I am going to save this on my PC

I would like to save all my character info in case the game is saved or Plan Z comes to fruition.

I am not sure I know how to download the file into a directory. is that when you right click and tell it which folder you want to save it into ?

Also once I download it.. how do I get it to work..

and silly question as I have never done it.. how do you get CoH into Windows mode ??

Please give me a help.. thank you..

[Coulomb]

I'll try to help you out here...

Yes, 'download a file into a directory' is when you tell it which folder you want it downloaded into.

To use it, you'll need to log into CoH with whatever character you want to 'save.'  Once online with the character, open up the character's Personal Information window (the option for this is actually under Menu).

Then, while CoH is still running and your character is still online, run the extractor.  (For example, alt-tab out of CoH, and double click the icon for the extractor.)  The extractor will pop up a window that (basically) tells you that it saved the data for your character.  (I believe the data file will end up in the same folder you put the extractor in.)

To save additional characters, just log out with your current character, log on with whatever character you want to save next, and just run the extractor again.

Hopefully that helps.

[Victoria Victrix]

Make a folder for where you want to put Sentinel + and all your saved characters.
Download Sentinal + and install it in that folder.
Log into the game.

Repeatable instructions: 
Open the folder where you put Sentinel +  (Note: the real name is SentinelPlus.exe)
Log into your character.
In the chat bar enter /info_self
Move to the window where you have the folder open
Doubleclick on SentinelPlus.exe to run it
(Your computer may complain that it doesn't recognize this program as coming from a trusted source and ask if you are sure you want to run it.  If it does, click Run)
A command window will open in the game screen that ends with "press any key to continue"
Press any key to continue
The window will go away and a new file with the form globalname.server.charactername.xml will appear in the Sentinel + folder.  That is your saved character. 
Log into a new character and repeat

[OzonePrime]

Yes, 'download a file into a directory' is when you tell it which folder you want it downloaded into.

To use it, you'll need to log into CoH with whatever character you want to 'save.'  Once online with the character, open up the character's Personal Information window (the option for this is actually under Menu). You might want to put a shortcut to the folder on your desktop.

Hit your windows key and you should be able to get to your folder from there. Will bring up your start menu.

[Osborn]

Is it possible to get this thread stickied? This question comes up semi-regularly.

1) On PC, on your Desktop, Right Mouse Button Click any empty space on the Desktop.

2) When that Menu appears, go to New, then Folder.

3) This should create a new folder. Rename it by Right Mouse Button clicking the folder icon.

4) When that Menu appears, hit 'Rename'. Then type in something like "Sentinel" or "City of Heroes Characters". Whatever that will cause you to remember what this folder is in the future.

5) Open your preferred Web Browser (such as Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Netscape, etc.)

6) Visit http://cit.cohtitan.com/sentinelplus/

7) Right Mouse Button Click the Link that says "Download" with the Operating System you're using. (For PC, that would mean 'Windows'). Or just right mouse button click This Link for PC or This Link for Mac

8) When that menu appears, hit Save Link As. Save this File (SentinelPlus.exe) to the folder you just made on the Desktop. If you have trouble finding your Desktop, please ask.

9) Open this Folder. Inside should be SentinelPlus.exe

10) Follow Victoria Victrix's repeatable instructions to extract your characters. Check the folder each time to ensure your character has actually been saved! If they're not, please ask about it here.

Edit: Argh, smilies made number 8 too cool for school.

Edit 2: Forgive me if my instructions seemed patronizing. It's not my intention.