diff --git a/gameview.py b/gameview.py
index 5dd75d0..8c2730f 100644
--- a/gameview.py
+++ b/gameview.py
@@ -1091,6 +1091,7 @@ class gui(QtGui.QWidget):
         self.charemotes = []
         self.selectedemote = 0
         self.charname = ''
+        self.charshowname = ''
         self.charside = 'def'
         self.lastmsg = ''
         self.msgqueue = []
@@ -1359,6 +1360,9 @@ class gui(QtGui.QWidget):
             charname = unicode(charname.toLower())
         
         self.charname = ini.read_ini(AOpath + 'characters/' + charname + '/char.ini', "options", "name", charname).decode('utf-8').lower()
+        self.charshowname = ini.read_ini(AOpath + 'characters/' + charname + '/char.ini', "options", "showname")
+        if not self.charshowname == "":
+            self.charshowname = self.charshowname.decode('utf-8')
         self.charside = ini.read_ini(AOpath + 'characters/' + charname + '/char.ini', "options", "side", "def")
         
         self.posdropdown.setCurrentIndex(self.posdropdown.findText(self.charside))
@@ -1623,7 +1627,10 @@ class gui(QtGui.QWidget):
             text = mockStr(text)
         if self.autocaps.isChecked():
             l = list(text)
-            l[0] = l[0].upper()
+            if isinstance(l[0], QtCore.QString):
+                l[0] = l[0].toUpper()
+            else:
+                l[0] = l[0].upper()
             if l[-1] != ".":
                 l.append(".")
             text = "".join(l).replace(" i ", " I ").replace("i'm", "I'm").replace("it's", "It's")
@@ -1714,7 +1721,10 @@ class gui(QtGui.QWidget):
         msg += str(self.mychatcolor)+"#"
         
         if "cccc_ic_support" in self.features:
-            msg += self.showname+"#" # custom showname
+            showname = self.showname
+            if self.showname == "" and not self.charshowname == "":
+                showname = self.charshowname
+            msg += showname+"#" # custom showname
             if self.paircheckbox.isChecked():
                 msg += str(self.pairdropdown.currentIndex()) # pair charID
                 if "effects" in self.features: