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PIMX Official support thread

Started by wouanagaine, November 04, 2009, 12:56:55 PM

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jaredh

Thanks!  I think you just explained all of what I'm seeing in regards to the models not showing anything when the lots do...

I went through and looked at 3-4 of the ones I've encountered so far and they all either have blank lots or buildings that are 1x1x1 in size.

Maybe I need to just drop all these 2003-2006 mods and just get newer ones.  The community back then was raging with blank lots for ploppables, and as I posted in the other thread....that's a LOT of work to change them to growables.

BarbyW

I would strongly suggest that you dump anything from 2003-2006 that uses blank lots for ploppables. Read the SC4PIM Guide and make your own ploppables and growables from whatever models you wish to use. That way you will get reliable working lots.
Inside every old person is a young person wondering what happened. TP



Barbypedia: More alive than the original

rkelly17

I have used PIM-X to build some train/bus/subway stations in the past and everything worked appropriately (Win 7 64 bit). It has been about 3-4 months since I last used it and today when I started working on a new lot I got this error message when I tried to drag a building to the "ploppable" section:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "SC4PIMApp.pyo", line 3136, in OnBeginDrag
  File "SC4Data.pyo", line 50, in __getitem__
KeyError

I couldn't drag anything anywhere.

Thanks for any help.

vortext

Hm, maybe there was a recent update to Win 7 which broke a library? Just a guess though as I'm on Vista.
time flies like a bird
fruit flies like a banana

docj101

#304
Quote from: rkelly17 on May 10, 2013, 09:43:03 AM
I have used PIM-X to build some train/bus/subway stations in the past and everything worked appropriately (Win 7 64 bit). It has been about 3-4 months since I last used it and today when I started working on a new lot I got this error message when I tried to drag a building to the "ploppable" section:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "SC4PIMApp.pyo", line 3136, in OnBeginDrag
  File "SC4Data.pyo", line 50, in __getitem__
KeyError

I couldn't drag anything anywhere.

Thanks for any help.

That error you are getting is what you see when you try to drag a descriptor file onto another descriptor file.  You didn't choose an appropriate model file from the resources list to drag onto the descriptors.  You chose a .dat file that appears in the right side list when you have highlighted a descriptor type on the left.  Make sure on the left hand side you have selected "standard models" first, then choose a model from the right hand side to drag back onto a descriptor.  Of course you have to have models to choose from in your plugins folder before you even open PIMx.

If you are trying to create a new buildings from an existing building, then you don't want to drag anything.  What you do is: i.e. Select "Bus Stop" from the left side, then highlight the "Ut12x4_BusStation_035A" result in the right side panel.  This will open the properties of that building in the lower right panel.  In that panel you would want to right-click and select "create a ploppable lot using this building".  Select a lot size that you want to work with and click OK.  Your done.  The resulting bus stop is now in your plugins folder and you can edit it's values in reader and it's looks in lot editor.

rkelly17

Thank you, docj101, that is precisely what I was doing. It had been long enough since I had used PIM-X that I forgot the "Standard Models" bit. I decided that the smart thing to do was open up the really excellent User's Guide and re-read it. I'm back in business.

Jasoncw

I've had a problem where things lotted/modded with PIMX, and one or more other programs, causes the building to disappear in the game when zooming or rotating.

So, for example, if I make the desc and generate a lot with PIMX, and then use the lot editor to edit the lot.  Or if I use LE Prop to add a menu icon.  Or I think even if I use the reader to change a value, this bug happens.  If I use the reader to add something, but not replace existing files.  For example, inserting a png for a menu icon, changing the ids, and then deleting the old png does not cause this problem.

When in the game, and the building is on screen, zooming in or rotating causes the building to glitch and then disappear.  Sometimes it first becomes weird and pixelated, and then upon rotating or zooming again it entirely disappears.  And also, sometimes when you rotate or zoom it happens and sometimes it doesn't.  I know this problem happens with the BATs that I've modded this way, and I've reproduced the problem, but at the same time when I'm playing the game a lot (maybe even most) of the time everything displays just fine.

And, importantly, the problem is not with the .SC4Model file.  If the BAT is remodded/lotted using the standard maxis programs, or remodded/lotted using ONLY PIMX, then it works fine.

An example is http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/27924-sturgeon-building/

I'm not sure what computer specs might be helpful for this, but I'm using 64 bit windows 7.

Thank you   :)

docj101

#307
Jason,

I'm pretty sure what is happening to you is that you are making changes with Reader v1.4 and upon saving those changes it is corrupting it's output file.  I myself have noticed v1.4 corrupts several things I save, immediately upon saving.  I haven't personally had it mess up a builing visually in game for me, however I have had pollution properties erased, and I have had .png preview files corrupted, among other things.

I could be wrong and perhaps your problem does lie with PIMx somehow, but if you are using Reader v1.4, try using the old version, Reader v.0.9.3 to do your changes and saves.  v1.4 is great for "looking at stuff".  Not so great for modifying.  Keep in mind the one main difference between the versions is with v.0.9.3 you will need to convert hexadecimal to decimal (and vice-versa) numbers manually with a calculator like the one at the following link: http://www.unitconversion.org/numbers/base-10-to-base-16-conversion.html.

Also remember that if you have saved the game with a messed up building in it, it won't be corrected until the file is fixed and it is bulldozed and grows/plopped again.

Jasoncw

Thanks!   :)

Someone had PMed me the answer as well.

Thanks a ton to both of you, I'm glad that it's only a matter of switching back to the old reader, and not a problem with PIMX.   :)

whatevermind

Is there any way to have PIM-X remake a menu icon? What I'm running into is that it makes the menu icon during the initial lot creation, and what I really want is an icon of the finished lot. I know I can slap together a custom icon in Photoshop, but I'd really prefer if I could just retake the picture.

On a similar note, is there any way to control what the menu icon camera is pointing at? Many of the icons seem to be pointing to random corners of the lot, or are zoomed in/out too far to get a decent picture of the building.

Any help would be appreciated!

FrankU

It is quite simple to make a new icon.
The way I do it:
1. I make an image of the lot in game (use the buildingplop cheat if it's a growable one).
2. Then I take a 88x88 pixel image out of it (the icons are 44x44, but in my experience an original 88x88 gives better results).
Pim-X
3. I save this image.
4. I start Pim-X and look for the lot. I open the lot.
5. I right click on the lower right square in the Pim-X menu, where you see the properties of the lot.
6. A menu appears, I select "Change Icon". Then I select the 88x88 image I have made.
7. Pim-X now takes care of the whole iconbusiness. You are set.

Questions anyone?

whatevermind

Thanks Frank! I hadn't realized that PIM-X would do the icon-making if you gave it a single image. The manual is a little...vague about how that tool works.  ::)

Not quite as simple as just resnapping the icon image, but certainly a lot faster than crafting the full four-part icon by hand, which is what I was really hoping to avoid doing. Besides, another opportunity to test the lot in game is always a good thing!  :)

whatevermind

Solved it. To retake an icon picture in PIM-X, open the lot editor, and use pan/zoom to get the look you want. Then press Ctrl + I. Give it a second to compute, then close the lot editor and save. (I don't know if saving is necessary, but it can't hurt, right?) PIM-X makes the new icon from the view in the 3D lot editor screen. If you then open up the change icon dialogue, you'll see your new icon that was just made. Of course, you don't get any background or custom graphics this way, but its good to know that PIM-X can do it.

By the way, the secret was buried as a one-liner in the LE-X commands.  $%#Ninj2

I know, I know, should have read the manual more carefully. I'll have it memorized one of these days.  ::)

FrankU

Hmmm, interesting.
I did read the read me, but not in detail.... Didn't know about this option too.
Thanks.
But of course I am one of those guys who wants the icon to have some kind of additional info, like text or a flag (in my case). So I need to do it the way I explained.

MandelSoft

My copy of the SC4PIM-X doesn't work anymore since I restored my PC after a malfunction. So I tried to download it again from SC4D, but it turns out that the PIM-X is infected by malware, so Avast blocks it. I've checked the other downloads and it's only the PIM-X that causes the problem.

So, could a proper version be restored to remove the malware infection?
Lurk mode: ACTIVE

CasperVg

I've just checked it and found no issues. Also checked the zip at  virustotal.com, which checks it against 36 virus scanners and found no problems.

https://www.virustotal.com/nl/file/1bfa9f6b3d940ae9dd69662ae5947171e6c5cc57597b1eaf29801a9cbf407d0e/analysis/

So it's probably just a false positive from Avast. You'll have to turn it off somehow to reinstall.
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MandelSoft

Odd... the Avast-check at Virus total did not see anything wrong with the file. Wonder why it red-flags on me...

... and now I've reached my daily quota for the file. So I have to wait for tomorrow...
Lurk mode: ACTIVE

maxxxsmooth

I've been using PIM-X for a very long time, with no problems. Yesterday, I tried to fire it up, and this is what I get:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "SC4PIMApp.pyo", line 3454, in OnClose
  File "SC4PIMApp.pyo", line 3457, in ShowMain
  File "SC4PIMApp.pyo", line 2883, in __init__
  File "SC4PIMApp.pyo", line 3253, in LoadDatas
  File "SC4LotPreview.pyo", line 2894, in Draw
  File "S3DViewer.pyo", line 35, in InitGL
NameError: global name 'glClearColor' is not defined
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "SC4OpenGL.pyo", line 77, in OnPaint
  File "S3DViewer.pyo", line 35, in InitGL
NameError: global name 'glClearColor' is not defined

I have XP SP3, and is up to date. Last time I successfully used PIM-X was Friday evening. Haven't updated anything. I've tried to uninstall it, and re-install several times, no joy. Even tried to find a registry entry for it, no joy. Thanks in advance for your response. 

sdc16064

I'm starting to have trouble with the PIM-X. It seems to load correctly, but I can't access the Lot Editor or Building Exemplar portion correctly. (In the LE-X, the building is missing, and when I click "Access building" or something similar, nothing happens) Is it because I have a lot of plugins in the folder (Program Files\Maxis\..., NOT Documents\...)?

Swordmaster

Well, if you don't deselect those folders in the startup window, they will load, which may be the reason indeed. I suggest only selecting what you need.


Cheers
Willy