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

[Jonathan]

As I have said I run Vista and have got no problems at all with UAC turned on.

Might be a stupid idea but could be to do with the brackets () in the index file?

[z]

Another possibility:  Since I run Vista x64, my Program Files folder is actually named "Program Files (x86)".  You don't have this folder name hardwired anywhere, do you?  Also, in the installation script, I saw that you used 8-character DOS names for folders.  Since I have both "Program Files (x86)" and "Program Files" (for 64-bit programs), this could be another source of confusion.  (By default, DAMN installs in "Program Files (x86)", where it should.)

[daeley]

Another possibility:  Since I run Vista x64, my Program Files folder is actually named "Program Files (x86)".  You don't have this folder name hardwired anywhere, do you?  Also, in the installation script, I saw that you used 8-character DOS names for folders.  Since I have both "Program Files (x86)" and "Program Files" (for 64-bit programs), this could be another source of confusion.  (By default, DAMN installs in "Program Files (x86)", where it should.)

no, the "program files" is not hardcoded. Also, the installer doesn't use 8-byte names, the name you saw was retrieved from windows registry. There should be no conflict anyway, since both names would probably by translated to something like "PROGRA~1" and "PROGRA~2" in 8-byte names.

[z]

Some more data:  I moved all my plugins out of the way, so that DAMN was the only plugin on my system.  I also reinstalled DAMN from scratch when I did this, and recreated the index file.  There was no change in my problem. 

[z]

I found the problem.  Although Warrior had no problems running DAMN on Vista with UAC turned on, I run it with UAC turned off, as it really breaks some thing if I leave it turned on.  So I loaded up my spare XP partition, which is quite clean, having only a few test programs installed, started up my spare version of SC4, and installed DAMN.  I got the same problem exactly on XP.

Now at this point, my spare version of SC4, like my SC4 on Vista, had no plugins other than DAMN.  There was only one thing the two had in common that was different from a typical installation:  I had specified my own install path.  Instead of having the game installed under Program Files\Maxis, I had it installed under Program Files\Games.  I figured that had to be it - there was nothing else left.  So I uninstalled SC4, reinstalled it in the standard path, added the patches, and installed DAMN.  Sure enough, it worked perfectly.

So that's it.  Somewhere in DAMN, or in something it calls, is something that's hardwired to believe that the game is installed under Program Files\Maxis.

Before I tried this, I had guessed this was the problem, and I had simply tried copying the Support folder to Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN (both with and without the "(x86)" on my Vista machine), but that didn't work.

So I look forward to the fixing of this bug, as RTMT plans to make extensive use of DAMN.   

[jeronij]

Hello D,

Excellent progress with this project 

I have pinned the topic, so the first post shows in every page. I did that because this way you can edit your first post and add some usefuls links and pictures, which will be seen in every thread's page, making it much more useful. If you have the time, o course 

Thanks for this big step forward 

[City Builder]

Just for information, SC4 on my Vista machine is Not installed in a program files folder, it is installed on my D drive as such: D:\Vista Games\Simcity 4 Deluxe

[daeley]

on one of my machines it's installed on "D:\Simcity 4", so the Program files should not be the issue.

hmmm... I vaguely remember something here... on your other installations, did you create the desktop SC4 icon yourself, or did you use the default installed one? I remember the regional tracking mod had a similar problem where the path would be incorrectly read with a custon icon because it would use "... \Simcity 4\Apps" as base directory instead of "... \Simcity 4". If this is the case, go to the properties of your SC4 icon and add your path to simcity (the full path, like "C:\Program Files\Simcity 4") in the "Start in" box.

I'd test it, but I'm not at home at the moment.

[z]

That did it!  I use a hotkey manager, so when I created the hotkey for SC4, it used the Apps directory for a starting directory.  I never noticed this, as everything else worked.  But changing this as you suggested fixed the problem.  Thanks!

[Jonathan]

Great you found the problem, I have been using object dock, which goes directly to the EXE with (apparently) no "Start In" path.

And because of what you found I think I found a way around having the DAMN in the Program files (Helpful if you don't have access to there because of UAC) I haven't found any side effects [yet].

Simply move the DAMN folder to your My Docs plugins and in your shortcut,  change your start-in location to "C:\Users\Username\Documents\SimCity 4" (or wherever you documents plugins folder is)

Jonathan

[City Builder]

Maybe I do something wrong...

1. I put the DAMN folder and subfolders into my F:\Docs\Simcity4\Plugins\    folder (cut and paste)

2. I create a new shortcut on my desktop with the following attributes:
Target: "D:\Vista Games\Simcity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe"
Start in: "F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins"  (this is where my Simcity 4 plugins are located)

I start the game with this shortcut and open the menu, but still nothing is available in it.

[Diggis]

Did you redo the index file?

[City Builder]

Did you redo the index file?

Doh!  No I didn't.  I'll try that now and report back.

Okay I ran the indexer and tried again, still nothing shows up.

My index text file now shows:
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Civic\Amusement\PLACEHOLDER
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Civic\Amusement\Jeronij's Modular Zoo\JRJ Modular Zoo.dat
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Civic\Education\PLACEHOLDER
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Civic\Health\PLACEHOLDER
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Civic\Security\PLACEHOLDER
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Culture\Cultural\PLACEHOLDER
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Culture\Religion\PLACEHOLDER
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Inland Waterways\Canal\PLACEHOLDER
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Inland Waterways\Canal\Simgoobers Canals\Base Set\BSC Goobers Canals Base Set.dat
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Inland Waterways\River\PLACEHOLDER
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Inland Waterways\Stream\PLACEHOLDER
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Military\PLACEHOLDER
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Military\SNM Accomodation\SNM Accomodation.dat
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Military\SNM Health and Safety\SNM Health and Safety.dat
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Military\SNM Motorpool\SNM Motorpool.dat
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Military\SNM Offices\SNM Offices.dat
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Military\SNM Training\SNM Training.dat
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Military\SNM Utilities\SNM Utilities.dat
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Recreation\Fun and Sports\PLACEHOLDER
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Recreation\Paths And Trails\BSC Forest Tracks\BSC Forest Tracks.dat
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Recreation\Paths And Trails\BSC Trails\BSC Park Trails.dat
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Recreation\Woods and Green\PLACEHOLDER
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Transport\Other\PLACEHOLDER
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Transport\Other\Jeronij New Walls Set 1\JRJ New Walls Set 1.dat
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Transport\Other\Jeronij New Walls Set 2\JRJ New Walls Set 2.dat
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Transport\Other\Jeronij New Walls Set 3\JRJ New Walls Set 3.dat
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Transport\Other\Jeronij New Walls Set 4\JRJ New Walls Set 4.dat
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Transport\Other\Jeronij New Walls Set 5\JRJ New Walls Set 5.dat
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Transport\Public Transport\PLACEHOLDER
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Utility\PLACEHOLDER
F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Waterfront\PLACEHOLDER

[JoeST]

what does the index file contain? is it not just a plain text recursive directory structure of the Root/ directory? cause I doubt linux can use the indexer.cmd and I seem to be missing it. Maybe I am using an old version of DAMN, i cant remember

[Jonathan]

Maybe I do something wrong...

1. I put the DAMN folder and subfolders into my F:\Docs\Simcity4\Plugins\    folder (cut and paste)

2. I create a new shortcut on my desktop with the following attributes:
Target: "D:\Vista Games\Simcity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe"
Start in: "F:\Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins"  (this is where my Simcity 4 plugins are located)

I start the game with this shortcut and open the menu, but still nothing is available in it.

You should just put "F:\Docs\SimCity 4" so without the plugins.Although I'd suggest using he Program Files plugins folder, unless you really can't like if you don't have the password for UAC.

Joe: yes it is a text directory structure of the root folder

Jonathan

[daeley]

Great you found the problem, I have been using object dock, which goes directly to the EXE with (apparently) no "Start In" path.

And because of what you found I think I found a way around having the DAMN in the Program files (Helpful if you don't have access to there because of UAC) I haven't found any side effects [yet].

Simply move the DAMN folder to your My Docs plugins and in your shortcut,  change your start-in location to "C:\Users\Username\Documents\SimCity 4" (or wherever you documents plugins folder is)

Jonathan

sounds like a good idea, but there's a few of my other mods that would get broken by this. It also requires most users to do some additional work after the installation, which is something I'd rather avoid as much as possible.

[City Builder]

You should just put "F:\Docs\SimCity 4" so without the plugins.Although I'd suggest using he Program Files plugins folder, unless you really can't like if you don't have the password for UAC.

Jonathan

Thanks, works properly now.

[Jonathan]

Daeley, I knew it might have some side effects, but I suggested it just for people who can't use the Program Files folder. It is much better to install it where it should go, I don't see why City Builder you should put it in the Documents plugins folder.

[City Builder]

I dont know why either, however it works this way but refused to work the in the games installation plugins folder even though it's not in the Program folder.

[Jonathan]

on one of my machines it's installed on "D:\Simcity 4", so the Program files should not be the issue.

hmmm... I vaguely remember something here... on your other installations, did you create the desktop SC4 icon yourself, or did you use the default installed one? I remember the regional tracking mod had a similar problem where the path would be incorrectly read with a custon icon because it would use "... \Simcity 4\Apps" as base directory instead of "... \Simcity 4". If this is the case, go to the properties of your SC4 icon and add your path to simcity (the full path, like "C:\Program Files\Simcity 4") in the "Start in" box.

I'd test it, but I'm not at home at the moment.

As Daeley said remove the "\Apps" from the start in box in your shortcut properties.

Jonathan