It took quite some time to develop this version, but now it's almost ready: The SC4 Startup Manager v3 (SUM). As with the previous version of this tool, you can create profiles for your regions, and only load the files that are necessary. Depending on the size of your plugins folder, this might speed up the game quite a lot. The old version of the SUM had some drawbacks, though. It was not possible to select individual subfolders, and the files were moved in and out of the plugins folder constantly, making it hard to keep everything in place when installing new content and the like.
The SUM v3 has been reprogrammed from scratch by JeanLucPicard2, one of the programmers of the SFBT. It has an entirely new interface and lots of useful additions for an even better plugin management. The files aren't moved to a "PluginsDisabled" folder anymore, but they are hidden from SimCity (and Windows) while the SUM is running (or better: a special File System Control Server which is running as a Windows service). If the FSCS doesn't work on your system for some reason, the old method of moving the files is used.
But enough explanations, here are some pics. :)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg524.imageshack.us%2Fimg524%2F9305%2Fsum01ek8.gif&hash=ea99d4bbe508e5a16a1b58f9f1889366b341b1e1)
This is the startup screen, featuring a list of your regions. If you hover the mouse cursor over an entry, a region thumbnail is displayed (can be disabled, if desired). You can specify which regions should show up on this screen, so you can hide regions you don't play at the moment to save space.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg524.imageshack.us%2Fimg524%2F5915%2Fsum02ev6.gif&hash=c02aca761a10bef24cef771a19d7df8ffc86d563)
Clicking on a region will give you more details about it. There are three different views in the detail mode, a simple list of your region profiles, which enables you to select different profiles for your region, a city list with additional information about your cities (shown above; similar to the Region Census tool), and a large region image, like the region view in SimCity (shown below).
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg524.imageshack.us%2Fimg524%2F8271%2Fsum03db3.gif&hash=a39905eaa806af20c93fdc8859d8a78949dc79ef)
You can start SimCity with the selected region from all three views (the SUM will remember the last view you selected for each region individually). As I said, you can select an individual profile from the first view, the second and third view will start the game with the profile that you selected as default.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg524.imageshack.us%2Fimg524%2F237%2Fsum04kk4.gif&hash=e5a064d944847d95e9f969894da19e6160036544)
This is the region profile manager window where you have full control over all of your regions. The list in the upper left corner contains the regions that are currently active (the ones that are shown on the startup screen), and the list below show the inactive regions. You can use this list to "park" regions that you don't use at the moment, but don't want to lose your profiles for those. If you select a region from the list, it shows up in the right part of the window, where you can select the default profile, edit the profiles etc. You can use drag & drop for most tasks, such as moving regions, profiles etc.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg524.imageshack.us%2Fimg524%2F8367%2Fsum05cg9.gif&hash=e0c8aa06261c0c9c9611b42cb7bfa74023657ba5)
If you select a profile and click "edit", you'll get the window above. As you can see, it shows you a tree view of your plugins folder with all subfolders. The green arrows indicate the folders that are selected for the current profile, the red arrows show the folder that are unselected. You can select/deselect entire folder structures, or individual folders, just as you like. It doesn't matter how you organized your plugins folder anymore, just pick the folders you need and deactivate the rest!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg524.imageshack.us%2Fimg524%2F5033%2Fsum06eu1.gif&hash=819ccd2e8b24f463f49ff7c315df4f666418303c)
You can also create new regions, and the SUM v3 features an integrated config.bmp editor. Just enter a name for your region, enter a size, and pick one of the predefined city patterns, if you like. Or select a city size by clicking one of the buttons on the right side, and place city squares on the region map (shown below).
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg509.imageshack.us%2Fimg509%2F2032%2Fsum07wu7.gif&hash=42af17e1a1a673e8d872062d910a06f1a8b1ca07)
You can also edit existing regions with the editor, and select between different modes, so you can lock your existing cities in order to prevent any damage. This will make expanding your region a lot easier, and you don't have to mess with a BMP editor anymore in order to get a certain city pattern.
The new SUM v3 will be available soon, currently in English and German. If you want to translate the language file, please go ahead and do so. The program should run on Windows Vista as well. Before using it, I suggest to make a backup of your plugins and regions folder, just in case. Also, make a backup of the "SimCity 4 StartupManager.cfg" in "My Documents\SimCity 4\Plugins", this is the file where the SUM v2 stores the region profiles. If you don't wan't to use the new version for some reason, you can easily put that file back into the folder and use the old SUM as usual. Detailed information about the SUM can be found in the included help file (both in English and German as well).
Wow this is great! I will definitly download it.
BTW: What typa "inSims-Wettbewerb" was that? As I am moderator on insims.de and registred for nearly 2 years, I should have noted it...
Wow Andreas this is a fantastic tool. I might even use this version of SUM. :D I'm looking forward to it's debut.
---Gaston
Finally! &apls &apls &apls
It looks very good!!! :thumbsup:
Hands up for JeanLucPicard &apls &apls &apls
This is a great improvement over the previous version and makes it much more powerful and useable :thumbsup:
I specially like the region creation functions &apls
Congratulations to JLP and the SFBT Team ¡¡¡
Magnificent. &apls &apls &apls
This looks like a fantastic update of a very handy tool.
I'll join the queue now :D
:satisfied:
TTC
Quote from: FromTheAshes on June 09, 2007, 01:17:51 PM
BTW: What typa "inSims-Wettbewerb" was that? As I am moderator on insims.de and registred for nearly 2 years, I should have noted it...
Oh, that was a competition that took place shortly after the start of InSims, I think - just after Rush Hour was released. The goal was to create a single city, without any neighbors. IIRC, I got the second place. :)
@all: Thanks!
Yet another great tool to make life easier... &apls &apls &apls With thanks to the SFBT Team.
Another fantastic SFBT tool! This looks amazing. :thumbsup:
-Alex
It looks great and much easier to use! like gaston said, I might actually use this version.
The SUM v3 has been uploaded to the SimCityKurier - get it here: http://kurier.simcityplaza.de/details.php?file=311 (don't worry, this is the English version :) )
i would have a heart attack if in a future version a sc4 terrainformer was integrated with this its like having ur cake and eating it too! i cant wait for this now i wont have to keep on destroying unwanted buildings!
That's a wonderful tool! JeanLucPicard has made a great work! :thumbsup:
Yeah, I took the german version, it works perfectly. I like how easy to use it is. Great work. Please deliver JLP, that we love his tool :)
Thank you all for the the kind comments. After a long development and testing period, I'm very glad the tool finds your approval. :)
Thank you Jean Luc and SFBT! &apls &apls We are humbled by your great work.
Nice work Andreas and JLP, if this could work in conjunction with SC4DatPacker, it would be even better. JLP and Woua could join forces together and release a joined version &idea
Thanks guys for creating this. I still think you should call it "SUM for Dummies". LOL This thing seems revolutionary. I am really looking forward to trying it out. (Downloading on a dial up connection. Ver 4 is likely to be available before this finishes downloading. LOL)
Thanks again for making it available to us all.
---Gaston
Sincere condolences, Gaston :D It's just 3mb, took me 4 seconds to download ???
Quote from: Rayden on June 10, 2007, 07:39:16 AM
Nice work Andreas and JLP, if this could work in conjunction with SC4DatPacker, it would be even better. JLP and Woua could join forces together and release a joined version &idea
I think there is no known conflict using SC4SUM and DatPacker. You can build different compressed folders and then use SC4SUM to select the one you want to use ( of course this require more HD space to hold multiple compressed folders )
Good job JLP, especially with the config.bmp maker :thumbsup:
I have downloaded the new startup manager and personally I think its great but (there is always a but) I cannot get it to run the game itself.
I have read the read me ( backed up previous version etc ) and been through the help files but no matter what I do It will not start. Even following your trouble shooter has not helped.
I find the programs hangs while loading. You say to try to "reconfigure the File System Control Manager" by editing the "Sumhkmodule.ini" file _How do you do this and what do you edit it to? When I click the link it gives me the FSCM configuration page. ()what() this stuff goes right over my head ()what()
Quote "If a region profile is selected, SimCity 4 will be started automatically as soon as the appropriate plugin files are hidden.
If a development profile is selected, SimCity 4 will not be started. Instead there is button (between the buttons ,,change to main window..." and ,,minimize to system tray..."), which can be used to run any development application." unquote
This is as far as I get. If I close this window which seems to be loading the "Development " profile even though I have not activated it There is another one running "behind it" . It is as if I have to close it twice.
Any help wold be appreciated
regards
:satisfied:
TTC
The "Sumhkmodule.ini" can be found in the installation folder of the SUM. Just double-click the file and it will open with Notepad. You will find several settings, which are explained in the readme file. Mine looks like this, for instance:
[sumfcserver]
FileControlMethod=sumnjserver, sumfmserver
You can try to change the order of the method (put "sumfmserver" in front of "sumnjserver") and start the SUM again, this might fix the issue.
This looks great Andreas, and I will install it. Thanks for your work and helping out making our lives (playing Simcity) that little easier.
Someone in the French Forum is having problems so I have translated his post and would be grateful if someone can answer his problem:
QuoteI installed the last version of the SUM but it is impossible to launch the game. I saw that there is a subject devoted on Devotion there but I do not speak English well enough to explain my problem.
When I try to launch the play starting from the bar of my region, I obtain the following window (that where there are three possible views). But when I click on the bar of a profile or a city (in the other views), my computer crashed and I obtained a blue screen. I tested with the option mode window checked and and not checked, with and without plugins, but I always obtain the same result.
I also tried to change the order of the "FileControlMethod" in the "sumhkmodule.ini". In this case, I do not have a crash and I obtain the window "File System Control Server". But, although the green arrow indicates "running" and that my plugins is also marked by arrows in my explorer, nothing other occurs.
Having used the preceding version of the SUM, I hope that somebody will be able to help me to solve this problem to be able to use this version which seems me to be a small jewel.
Thank you Barby. I didn't look into the French forum. I hope I've answered understandable.
It seems clear enough to me, but then I am English ;D The translation works, though.
Thanks.
no skyscrapers in rural areas! nice! I'll use this on my other computer. pretty much devoted to jsut sc4
MY antivirus just went nuts regarding a file MadCHook.DLL during the install of SUM3. Is this normal, my searches on google allude to spyware risks. Please advise.
I don't know about the internal DLLs of the SUM, but most likely, this file is part of the System File Control Manager (SFCM) that hides the files from SC4 (and Windows) before the SC4 Startup. Apparently, your Antivirus software assumes this is a threat to the system. You don't need have to worry, though, the files are hidden only when the SFCM is running, and even if the service crashes for some reason, they should be unlocked again after restarting Windows.
As Andreas wrote, the "File System Control Manager" hides the deselected files (this is how the individual folder selection works). The DLL you refer to is one of the core modules that are responsible for this hiding process.
And according to McAfee Antivirus' library:
QuoteThe AFXrootkit trojan uses a third party library to achieve its stealthing. The 4382 DATs incorrectly identify a legitimate DLL (madCHook.dll 108,544 bytes) as trojan or variant AFXrootkit.dll.gen . This will be suppressed in the 4383 DAT release.
Source: AFXrootkit.dll.gen (http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_127138.htm)
I was wondering if there is a way to copy profiles??? I want to use a major profile for a region, but change it slightly city to city. Can this be done, or do I have to check all those checks endlessly?????
Yes, you can copy profiles. Please refer to the included help file, which should explain the process.
Andreas, is the SUM compatible with windows vista? when i put in my new puter it crashes the windows explorer when i use it to run te game.
It should be compatible; however, I don't have Vista, so I can't tell it for sure. There's a troubleshooting guide in the help file as well, try the suggestions that are mentioned there.
Hi there! This seems to be a bit off the grid topic, but still, I managed to ignore this tool until today. But now, I'm given no choice but to use it. =) Here's another but. It won't start. It says SC4 is not installed, now I'm not, that much of a dummy that I wouldn't know the problem is in the instalation (I instaled it a while back on a seperate disk partition and another OS). I know the sollution of this problem (reinstaling thegame) but does someone know if I can make the tool or the game find themselves, so that I would ''trick'' the tool that I ''installed'' the game, eventhough I don't and evethoguh I already have it installed.
Thank you for the reply!
The SUM reads the SC4 path from the registry, so apparently, it's missing in your installation. Usually, reinstalling SC4 is the best way to fix that.