Making Menu Management Lots

[yoshiisland2]

Well, I've noticed the BSC is very good with menu management lots (great work on those by the way ) so I figured I'd post here.  I'm working on this module mall thing and there will be an overwhelming amount of lots; as a result, I thought I'd make a menu management system.  So would anybody be willing to help me with that?  Or at least, point me in the direction of an already avaliable tutorial explaining it?  Any and all help is appreciated!
-Yoshiisland

[RippleJet]

You should contact Diggis, he's the MML master!
I actually think he at some weak moment promised to make a tutorial as well...

[Diggis]

I've replied to your PM yoshi, but just in case people stumble in here there is a tutorial available in the original download of MML's from Andreas and Daely, and I have put that up at Pegs here (link) and if you go to the second page Mittfh has done a more detailed version.

I'm currently looking over the Modding of the lots themselves in light of some comments from cogeo, and once I figure that out I will possibly put an addendum to the tutorial about how to get the lots nuetral.

[vester]

The tuturial is included in my MML readme file, currently available at the STEX.

Creating your own MML Mod isn't very hard, once you understand the technique. First of all, you have to create a "construction lot". I suggest to use an existing lot of your set, or simply start with an empty grass or cement lot. Add some construction props and save it under a new name. Create a nice icon and import it with LEProp. Add a lot name and description as well by entering them in LEProp and clicking "Apply", then "Save DAT". Don't forget to add a note in the lot description that the construction lot will unhide the other icons of the set.

Now, open an existing MML Mod DAT file in ilive's Reader and copy the LUA script by right-clicking on the file and selecting "Copy file(s)". Paste it to the construction lot with right-clicking and "Paste file(s)". Now, add (or copy) a "Building: Landmark" occupant group to the Building Exemplar file of the construction lot. In the next step, you have to copy all Building Exemplar files from your set of lots to the construction lot as well. Im each of these Building Exemplar files, you have to add a "Conditional Building = True" property (simply copy one from an existing mod file).

Finally, the LUA script needs to be edited. Change the instance ID by clicking on the "File Info" button and then the "Edit" button in the window that shows up. Enter the same IID as the Building Exemplar file of the construction lot has, but change the first number to "0". Click "OK" and then right-click in the file list and select "ReIndex". Now open the LUA script, hit "Edit" and change the package ID so it matches the IID of the LUA script. Scroll down to the list of IDs and change the first one (the one of the construction lot) to the Building Exemplar file instance ID. Look up the IIDs of the other lots (usually they are identical with the numbers in the file name, as the Lot Editor saves them). It can't hurt to add the lot names behind the "--", the green texts are only comments and won't be used by the script.

In addition, change the array variable (it shows up three times in front of the "=" in the first three rows and once between the "( )" in the last row) to a unique name (attention, use only capital letters and underscores!). Now, save the script by clicking "Apply", and then save the lot file. I suggest to rename it and place it in the "\zz_BSC_MML" folder, so it's loaded last when starting the game.

[Diggis]

Cheers vester.  There is one thing missing from that tutorial that I discovered (after much wailing) and that is that the file needs to be a *.Dat file to work. 

[vester]

Well, before I found the the MML, I received a PM from Andrea from which the quote are from.

Glad it could help even you. 

[yoshiisland2]

Thanks for everyone's help!  I'll get started as soon as I can!
-yoshiisland2