SSPTool

[dragonshardz]

(Install Directory)\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\(Your Language).

[City Builder]

Quick Question that I think I know the correct answer but want to make sure...

Does the plugins that I download that I am going to add to DAMN through the SSPTool need to be in the normal plugin location in the my documents\simcity4\plugins folder?

My thoughts on this is that the plugins that I add to DAMN through SSPTool can be anywhere on my hard drive since SSPTool makes them available to DAMN in the location it needs to be but wanted to make sure.

I would assume that if I put them into the my documents simcity 4 plugins folder and add them to damn, then they will simply show up in both locations, (in DAMN and in the in game menus).

[dragonshardz]

Your plugins need to be either in the Maxis/SimCity 4/Plugins folder or the My Documents/Simcity 4/Plugins folder. They will not load into the game  if they are placed anywhere else, unless you use the -userdir: argument in your shortcut to the game.

[City Builder]

Hi,
Im having an issue with DAMN that I installed through SSPTool

When I run SC4 and open the news windows I see the following image:


It used to work fine, however I wasn't sure how to remove all the entries that I had done already, because I miscatagorized many items so I simply deleted the DAMN folder and used SSPTool to install DAMN again.

Any clues if the error about the text in the image above is an issue with DAMN and the SSPTool installer of DAMN, and more importantly (for me anyway) how to go about fixing it so that I don't lose the hours of work that I spent entering items into the DAMN system through the SSPTool?

Thanks

[z]

Have you tried rerunning the DAMN-Indexer.cmd file?

[City Builder]

Yes I've run the indexer again and it still produces that error message now when I open up the DAMN menu.

EDIT:  Apparently this happens even when I don't enter any data.  I just did another clean install of DAMN using the DAMN installer, opened up SSPTool and went to the DAMN Installer button and configured it to be 2 columns and well actually just left it at it's default sizes, and clicked the yes button at the bottom.  SSPTool said that it was udpated and then ran the indexer.  I started SC4 and brought up the DAMN menu and sure as rice is white, the error message came up again even though the DAMN was empty of my own entries.

However, removing the folder named zzz_damnremove (or something like that) seems to have cleared up this issue for now, I'm not going to spend some more time inputting more plugins into the system and not use the hide function and see what happens, perhaps it's the hide function that needs some more work or maybe I need better training on how to use the checkbox to hide menu items

DOUBLE EDIT:
Okay, I added back in a few hundred plugins (hmmm, only another 3GB worth of plugins to go I guess, lol) and this time I didn't make any of them hidden, and the DAMN opens fine in SC4 making me believe that there may be an issue with the hide function of SSPTool and or the way that I'm using it or not using it.

I tried first with random plugins, only one at a time, and hiding them in SSPTool, and would then start the game and try to open the DAMN menu and it would come up with the error I showed earlier for every plugin that I tried to make hidden.

Is there anything I can do about this so that I can hide the plugins that I put into the DAMN menu?

[Stefan79]

Hi together,

after I have implement another tool for the Z-Simulator, I'm back to
improve my SSPTool and DAMN. I'm working on a newly DAMN Manager,
which will simplify the DAMN Management: add, remove and hide lots from
menu as you want. But it will take a little more time to finish and test it,
so please wait.

@CityBuilder: Which OS do you use? Look at the "app/SimCity4/Plugins/DAMN/root"
folder: Are there a "damnControl.dat" and "damnDesign.dat" file?
I will look at the Hide option soon and tell, if I find the problem/bug.

Stefan

[City Builder]

Hi,
I use windows 7 64bit.

Neither of the files you mentioned reside in the folder you said to look in.

I certainly look forward to what you come up with for the simplification of the DAMN Management.

Personally, I'd love to see a tool that can just traverse the plugins folder (let's say at 100 (or whatever amount a user sets) plugins at a time) and then let's me select what menu category to put each one that SSPTool can find into a DAMN category, one by one.  Would be hugely faster than having to load up the individual files ourselves.  But anyway, im sure you have it all planned out already anyway to make it faster and more convenient.  Thanks for producing this program.

[City Builder]

I've run into another snag that I'd really like help with so that I don't loose the 548 lots that I've added with SSPTool to the DAMN system if at all possible.

I just added more items to my damn menus using the ssptool and did Not hide any menus as I didn't want to have the same issue that I had before, unfortunately, I've got the same issue that I had before where when I try to open the damn menu it tells me the following:

***_NOT_IN_TEXT_DATABASE_***text@dae1e774

Could somebody tell me how to fix this so that I don't loose all the time I've spent over the past several weeks adding lots to the damn menu through SSPTool please.


Edit Ok, I think the most important thing to report to you Stefan, is that when I reinstall DAMN using SSPTool, and add back in all the files that I exported, it produces that error above.  However, when I install DAMN using DAMN (and not your SSPTool) and then add back in all the files that were exported using your tool, DAMN works the way it should and doesn't produce those error messages, however as you must know, it loses the extra formatting that you have added to DAMN like the width and columns etc.  But it does seem that there is a bug in SSPTool with regards to DAMN since DAMN works fine with all the files that I had exported using your tool after installing DAMN from the LEX download instead of through your tool.

[Stefan79]

Hi CityBuilder,

thanks for your Bug report. I will check this when implementing the new DAMN Management.
My idea is, it has something to do with the permissions under Windows 7, because with the install from SSPTool,
there will be two files which are used for DAMN not only one. This may prevent SC4 from loading the second file
which has the text informations. But I will check this and if this is the problem, I will combine these files for Win7 users.
For now, I will lock the SSPTool on LEX but I can say, new new DAMN Management will soon be finish.

Stefan

[Myself.or.?]

Hi Stefan,

you just don't know how I can't wait to see the new version. Ever since I switched to Win7 64 the SSP doesn't work.

P.S.: Beeil dich bitte, hab 6GB plugs und dreh langsam durch ohne SSP...   

[z]

I have Windows 7 x64 with 6 GB of memory, and the SSPTool works fine for me.  What doesn't work for you?

[Myself.or.?]

It's just the same old problem others had, only that I didn't get it fixed.

1) When updating Java the answer is: Not a valid comand
2) When trying to save SSP it kicked me out, apparently I'm not Admin (and yes, I ran it as Admin, checked that all files were there, created the root folder before making menus,...)

Now I just gave it a kick in the lower back and turned to becoming slightly more crazy than usual. 

Now I guess all help is lost on me, didn't expect the file to get locked... 

[Superduperbuilder]

Do anybody know where I can get the latest SSPTool version ?

[Myself.or.?]

Looks like Version 1.4 isn't out yet 

Version 1.3.3 is here: https://sourceforge.net/projects/ssptool/

[Stefan79]

Hi together,

I locked the last version of SSPTool cause of a bug with hiding items.
But I'm currently working on the next new version with easier DAMN Management.
So please wait a little more time and it will be finished.

But for those who can't wait, I will unlock the old version at LEX but warn about the bug, so everybody can decide, if he wants to use it.

Regards,
Stefan

[shanghai kid]

Stefan79
When the new SSPTool is released do i've to re DAMN all my folders again as i've been doing it about 3 - 6 hours for 3 - 4 days this week, and i hope i don't have to do it again.
(It's taken me that long as i've DAMN'd a folder then checked if it's hidden and then either had do re-do it or go to next folder, after removing the first folder plus the hidden files out of pluggins folder(a positiv outcome of this is that i've found lots/bats that i don't use, so i've deleted them now)).

I'm gonna test today i hope, to see when all folders is moved back(& DatPacked(not hidden files folder)) that they're still hidden... crossing fingers 

Geir

EDIT: most lots/bats or hidden but some are still there(which is ok, as is not many), one thing though now if i Datpack the the folders the lots/bats won't stay hidden but if i leave the folders un-datpacked they are hidden.
Could this be another bug in the latest released SSPTool?

[Superduperbuilder]

Allready got that one, but I have some problems hiding some of the lots. Its a bite slow doing it manually for every exemplar file in iReader. Is it possible to delete the "lot ressource key" property for all exemplarfiles in a file simultaneously ?

[thingfishs]

can I create menus for items from NAM etc that are usually accessed via TAB, for eg. mountain trail pedmalls? If so how/where are they?
thanks

[Stefan79]

Hi thingfishs and other,

yes, you can create menus for items from the NAM, but this is a little bit difficult.
Its hidden with the expert mode, so the normal user won't see it.
You have to know the id of the button and this is not the only thing you have to know.
But if you can wait, I will implement this in a more easier way in the new DAMN management.

@shanghai kid: The new SSPTool will taken the previous menus and hopefully correct any bugs.

I'm still working on this new management and I hope to finish it in the next two weeks.
So, to save time, I will not look at bugs in the old DAMN Creator and try to finish the new Manager instead.

Stefan