DAMN Development Thread (formerly known as "Custom Submenus")

[Diggis]

OK, sorry about the delay on replying.  Was drinking in the sun yesterday. (hey, I live in London, you take it when you can.  )

edit: i think this is some kind of bug: the browser loses its focus when you click the text instead of the arrow ... weird ...
also, all entries are duplicated ... some BSC Paths won't plop (the 1x1 narrow with bench - probly added wrongly), others however will. You can also only plop one, and then you'll need to restart the browser (luckily it remembers its last position)...

Not sure about the loses focus comment, can you please provide more info and a pic.
Can you also provide a list of all lots you have a problem with.  I thought I had got most of the kinks out of the paths.
With the only being able to plop one at a time, you still have an MML installed.  That will remove the icons from the menu but will also stop multiple plops.

i can't plop anything, but besides that, its gorgeous

Do you have the lots installed?  These are just the menu files.

SNM Health and Safety.dat
SNM Utilities.dat

I broke the SNM lots into what their function is, rather than what their download it.  If you have the other SNM stuff, you will have these.  I'm not sure the SNM utilities will work.  I have had some problems with it so don't be surprised if they don't show up.

Now my question: would it be possible to later the size of the messaging window? Alternatively, would it make sense, as the submenu's grow, to use custom UI based on, let's say, a commonly used lot?

Huh?  Sorry, not sure what you mean there.  More info please?

Finally, because I had already DAT-packed my entire folder only moments before, the originals of the menu icons were, of course, still in place. But I presume they will disappear next time I pack the menu, too?!

OK Did I screw something up here cause I thought this was supposed to remove the lots from the menu and be in this... IE jeronij's zoo is still in my rewards.... Other then that the program works wonderful and is looking fantastic!!!!

No, to both of those.  This is just a menu browser really.  To remove the lots from the normal menus we have to use the same trick as the MML's which will mean only being able to plop a single instance.  Once we have these working I will release a set which will have a option to hide them and you can pick which you want installed.

[HandsOn]

Ok, let's go into details. A priori: I had just dat-packed, so I installed the custom_menu mod outside the plug-ins compressed folder. Sorry 'bout the rambling - had an all-nighter.. 

When I found it, it worked: used tha park path's and plopped them. Once. After that clicking on any of the menu icons did nothing for a while, and then it disappeared.
Next I started getting odd crashes: scrolling through a city froze the game; coming out to the region after a save & exit crashed SC4; opening a city crashed. Removed the menu folder: no more crashes. Will try it dat-packed next.

I don't have any SNM stuff, because all I found on the LEX was his/hers/their military stuff - am too much of an armed pacifist for that. No utilities or health I could see. What I do have is the trails and the parks, and they worked one time - and that's inconclusive.

Since the menu comes in the same "window" as the in-game messages, I was wondering if that UI box could be made bigger so you see more of your submenus.

The "?" icons did not do anything for me - maybe you'd be better off without them since they surely add to the mod's payload.

If the lots stay in the standard menu, that's not an issue really if the sub-menu get's there quicker. The clincher would be if you could select - during the installation - which lots you want to see in the menus. Because not everyone will have what you have or what everyone else has. One way to start might be to take all the Maxis Rewards, Landmarks, Parks into a submenu (tiered perhaps?), that way you could use mods like the "Maxis Parks at the Bottom" to move them out of the way (or take them out of the menu's altogether???).

The back button did not work here; nor did the home button; I then clicked it "away" - when it came back the menu opened again as it should.

Search - neat idea but is it really necessary? And what will it search for: filename, description, menu "text"? And it needs a "Cancel Search" - I think (might have missed that).

Hope I am not being a spoilsport here.. 

[Diggis]

When I found it, it worked: used tha park path's and plopped them. Once. After that clicking on any of the menu icons did nothing for a while, and then it disappeared.
Next I started getting odd crashes: scrolling through a city froze the game; coming out to the region after a save & exit crashed SC4; opening a city crashed. Removed the menu folder: no more crashes. Will try it dat-packed next.

Not sure why this is as no one else has had this problem with the mod.  I also wouldn't recomment DAT packing it.

I don't have any SNM stuff, because all I found on the LEX was his/hers/their military stuff - am too much of an armed pacifist for that. No utilities or health I could see. What I do have is the trails and the parks, and they worked one time - and that's inconclusive.

SNM - Sim Nation Military.     There are health and utilities lots included in the base set.

To choose which sets are installed you just need to choose which DAT's to install.  They are usually broken into sets, much like the MMLs.  If you don't have the set, don't install that DAT.

I don't remember what the ? did, I'll take another look tonight if I'm not drunk. 

[HandsOn]

I don't remember what the ? did, I'll take another look tonight if I'm not drunk. 

Don't search: the "?" might have been "I"'s - icons on the right - I'm no longer all that awake. Am about to restart the game with the CM's packed, to see what it does or not does..will report back shortly (with screenshots)..and have one (or more) on me..

Edit: CM worked even dat-packed, albeit with considerable delay. In fact I only got the trails menu after I did as search for "park" (found the parking lot - very good), closed it & re-opened it. From then on everything installed worked, including info. Only the "Home" button seemed somewhat reluctant but that may have been my installation ..\plugins\custom_menu\..
So far so good.

But I still wonder if it would not be possible to combine MML & custom menu via the mml lot's UI: thus your idea in the "message window" but in a customizable UI window. This would give you more space and be specific to the selected group. Just an idea, mind you - I'll accept any solution to the current mess in the Maxis menus.

Thanks for providing it.

[Diggis]

Sorry, your use of UI is confusing me.  UI means user interface.  The whole screen is basically the UI.  You might need to be more specific.  Do you mean the query? I'm not sure this method is that efficient as it would require you to plop a construction lot, then query it to get the other lots.  The way it is now you just open the window, go to the submenu you want and pick the lot you need. I have a sneaky suspicion we are stuck with the size of the window as is.

You made a comment about not being able to use the ?/i.  Which is it? As I see both on the screen.

What happens when you use the home button?

[HandsOn]

Sorry, your use of UI is confusing me.  UI means user interface.  The whole screen is basically the UI.  You might need to be more specific.  Do you mean the query? I'm not sure this method is that efficient as it would require you to plop a construction lot, then query it to get the other lots.  The way it is now you just open the window, go to the submenu you want and pick the lot you need. I have a sneaky suspicion we are stuck with the size of the window as is.

You made a comment about not being able to use the ?/i.  Which is it? As I see both on the screen.

What happens when you use the home button?

Home: a few times, nothing happend; once it worked.

Back: always worked;

Dat Packing: your advice is correct inasfar that packed it takes a lot longer for the menu (not the start-up links) to be useable;

The "I"'s have it: I meant the Info icons. They work now (did not last test) but I just wondered if they are really needed, and if they add to the payload of the sytem.

UI: Yes, I meant the queries, simply because they can be customized. But you're right, that would simply make it another form of MML. Don't mind me.. 

Final Release: how will you go about it? Will it be user-updateable or will you be required to furnish endless updates whenever a new set of parks comes out? Or can it actually read what one has installed, maybe from the start-up manager's config files? Again, don't mind me; am simply stabbing in the dark here..

Altogether a brilliant start, even if I am not the first to say so.. 

[daeley]

do you have news popups turned off? Please turn them on the full functionality of this mod is only available as popup. From the small news window, some buttons will not work (which is exactly what you are reporting).

Unfortunatly, while the looks of query windows can be customized far more then news messages, there is no way to add LUA functionality to query buttons, which is needed for this mod.

[Diggis]

I like the info behind the 'i's as it gives you a small pic, which can be helpful in more complex lots like the SNM stuff.  I'll have to let Daeley answer the question on the resources.

There should be no reason why DAT packing slows it down that I know of.  

UI: Yes, I meant the queries, simply because they can be customized. But you're right, that would simply make it another form of MML. Don't mind me.. 

They queries work differently from the advisor windows.  I think the answer there is it doesn't work.


Beat me to it.

Final Release: how will you go about it? Will it be user-updateable or will you be required to furnish endless updates whenever a new set of parks comes out? Or can it actually read what one has installed, maybe from the start-up manager's config files? Again, don't mind me; am simply stabbing in the dark here..

If you look at the files you downloaded you will see a seperate DAT file for each of the sets added.  Plus a custom menus file that makes it all work.  We just need to release a DAT for the set and you can add it.

[HandsOn]

If you look at the files you downloaded you will see a seperate DAT file for each of the sets added.  Plus a custom menus file that makes it all work.  We just need to release a DAT for the set and you can add it.

This you'll have to detail a bit: let me guess - for every set (like trails, park pieces, etc.) eventually there'll be a combined DAT. We download it and then edit the menu file - which is another DAT. Thus if you don't know how to edit the menu DAT, you're stuck. Won't there be some kind of congif file, or is it going to be the reader? Now I am really worried I'll never be able to use it.

Edit: Forgot to explain about the speed thingy: I've put it into "Custom Menu", then zapped it with DT, thus it loads right after all the BSC & CAM stuff. It then took its time to recognize who's in charge here. Unzapped, I had stuffed it into z_Custom, thus loading it after plugins_compressed - it came up way faster. By that I mean the icons reacting to a click - under z_Custom (unzapped) they were clickable after ten seconds or so. Zapped it took more than two minutes before I could click anything. Not that big a deal, though.

Edit #2: I just opend the .dat with the reader and lo & behold - it's "just a script".. 

[High5Tower]

A big congragulations on a fine job here. Have tried it out and like where your heading with this. I am a big MML user and have every MML that I know of and this is defitnitely the next step. I notice it works even with the MML's in place so no problems there. Will have to get used to the news guy again but he's easy to turn off if your no going to be using any of the new files, lifes little ajustments. Have been follwing the threads so no questions at this time. Thank you for your great work.

[Diggis]

This you'll have to detail a bit: let me guess - for every set (like trails, park pieces, etc.) eventually there'll be a combined DAT. We download it and then edit the menu file - which is another DAT. Thus if you don't know how to edit the menu DAT, you're stuck. Won't there be some kind of congif file, or is it going to be the reader? Now I am really worried I'll never be able to use it.

Huh?  You've lost me more than anything.

A creator of a set of lots like the park paths will also create a DAT file for their paths which will add them to the DAMN.  Then you install it and it works.  Simple.

[HandsOn]

Huh?  You've lost me more than anything.

A creator of a set of lots like the park paths will also create a DAT file for their paths which will add them to the DAMN.  Then you install it and it works.  Simple.

That's what I wanted to hear. I've noticed the LUA and the programming therein and can see how The Man did it. Clever & effective. Misunderstood your last message -thought we'd have to do the configuring. Much better that way.

Thanks again.

[Diggis]

That's what I wanted to hear. I've noticed the LUA and the programming therein and can see how The Man did it. Clever & effective. Misunderstood your last message -thought we'd have to do the configuring. Much better that way.

Thanks again.

Daeley has a package which he is putting together which makes the creation much easier.  So you could do it yourself.

[HandsOn]

Daeley has a package which he is putting together which makes the creation much easier.  So you could do it yourself.

Gee, that'll be swll (said the B-movie actor). Truly, I'd love to have a go at it. Daely's code is clear and consise and easy to comprehend, I am just a bit unclear which lingo it is. Looks like C#, but also looks a bit like advancaed JavaScript without the curlies. Maybe this is Python, ja?!

Definitely want to try & do it myself and finally, finally get order into the house that Maxis built (German genetic fault - we always need order, ja?)

Thanks, Diggis

[catty]

Initial Testing Report

Having been trying this out since downloading yesterday, I do not DatPack my Plugins folder which is 3GB in size (consisting of AAA-ZZZ (26 folders), 1-9 (1 folder), Network Addon Mod and the "SimCity 4 Extra Cheats Plugin.dll", so the ...

customMenu.dat (CCC folder)
BSC Forest Tracks beta.dat, BSC Goobers Canals Base Set.dat, BSC Park Trails beta.dat (BBB folder)
JRJ Modular Zoo.dat (JJJ folder)
SNM Health and Safety.dat, SNM Utilities.dat (SSS folder)

The "Open Additional Submenus" menu is available in the News window and even when you close it down, it will pop back up a couple of minutes later in the same location.

I have no problems selecting anything from this Menu and all the buttons (Home, Back, etc) all work correctly even when you are running at Cheetah speed.

The only problem as such is after selecting something from (as an example) the BSC Forest Tracks a second Menu will appear called "Menu Browser - BSC Forest Tracks" and while you can see everything that shows up in the "Open Additional Submenus" you cannot select anything from this menu, if you want to select a different track you have to go back to the "Open Additional Submenus" to do so, its a minor thing as I am now just ignoring the "Menu Browser" when it pops up.

Its great work and its so much easier to select something from this Custom Menu than the games default menu 

Thank You Cathy

[Diggis]

Hands-On.  To create a new set you don't need to do any programming.  You don't need to look at the customMenu.dat file at all.  Take a look at the other DAT files, thats what you will be creating.

Catty:  Thank for the report.  To plop the lot from the menu, whithout going to the info page, click on the lot icon on the left.

Once tip on your file structure. Personally I would keep all the menu.dat files in the same place.  Then you can easily check what is installed in there.

[jaxom101]

   I tried it with the Zoo and BSC Parks and everything seemed to work just fine. I did notice the 1x1 Trail Narrow with Bench was the only Lot that didnt work.

   I also think we need a MML to hide that Lots that are in the Menu. I have other lots with the BSC Park set and it would be nice to hide the lots that can be found in the Menus.

   Other then that I belive this is an awsome thing right up there with the Startup Manager.

Great Job

[HandsOn]

Hands-On.  To create a new set you don't need to do any programming.  You don't need to look at the customMenu.dat file at all.  Take a look at the other DAT files, thats what you will be creating.

Great - so, when can I start? And what exactly do I have to do to create the necessary menu files (got lots of candidates for it)?

[SC4BOY]

Well in spite of all the "it works for me" notes, I still cannot access the link. Is there some security setting I need to open? Any other ideas. This is the page I get directly from the link provided in Daely's message.

[BarbyW]

SC4BOY: you don't actually access the page but if you click the link you can download the zip directly.