Many people with large plugin folders (1GB+) are having trouble with the DatPacker when packing their folder. So I have created this quick & dirty tutorial for packing large plugin folders.
So, you have gathered many many MB's of plugins and want to use the DatPacker to speed your loading times. First, organize your plugins folder.
That done, split your plugins folder into folders of 1GB or less. That is the key here.
For example, I have split my plugins folder into 3 folders: A, B, and C.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi234.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee71%2FDragonshardz%2FDPLPF%2520Tutorial%2FDPLPF_tutorial1.jpg&hash=934953856711e40b0cf60b19666f05195f2298cc)
We then move folders B and C to the desktop, in a folder named plugins-protected.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi234.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee71%2FDragonshardz%2FDPLPF%2520Tutorial%2FDPLPF_tutorial2.jpg&hash=c66023617eada69e4ae80aa7852a7e6c6796766d)
Now Folder A is in Documents/SimCity4/Plugins, and Folders B and C are on the Desktop in a folder called plugins-protected.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi234.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee71%2FDragonshardz%2FDPLPF%2520Tutorial%2FDPLPF_tutorial3.jpg&hash=e0719d966a53316b9a7561d05ce31aebfd24170b)
We then DatPack Folder A...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi234.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee71%2FDragonshardz%2FDPLPF%2520Tutorial%2FDPLPF_tutorial4.jpg&hash=be12d7d92325554fc3d8fe765532f86b865840d7)
...wait a bit for it to finish...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi234.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee71%2FDragonshardz%2FDPLPF%2520Tutorial%2FDPLPF_tutorial5.jpg&hash=4a265fcca3374de727bec8be9f3ea8a80e86c024)
And then move folder A out of the Plugins folder and into plugins-protected.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi234.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee71%2FDragonshardz%2FDPLPF%2520Tutorial%2FDPLPF_tutorial6.jpg&hash=c3fd175c58ce82fac4cdd7e9420395feb4961ae8)
Move folder B into plugins, datpack it, and move it out. Then move folder C into your plugins folder, dat pack it, and remove it.
Then load your game and play with your shiny new datpacked plugins.
~~Dragonshardz~~
NOTE: If, when you start the game, the bridge picture comes up and the screen then goes black, DO NOT PANIC! Wait a while. If the game hasn't loaded after 5 mins you then have a problem. Hard-reset your computer (press the reset button) and ask for help.
EDIT: Hmm somehow the pics break the right side in Firefox....interesting...
Not to bad Shardz and pretty useful tut!!!! One thing though you said after 5minutes and nothing happens as that would be a sign of trouble what should be done to correct it??? Overall like I said good tut Though I think this would be better in the Tutorial section...
yeah but since I couldn't find a good place in the tut section for it and most people ask for help packing their large plugin folders in this section of the forums, it's best if this particular tut is where it can be easily found by those needing its help.
Now only if there was a tutorial to datpack already packed files...
That's simple: move your datpacked files from plugins_compressed to another folder, and datpack them again. Note that this is untested and is only a theory.
ive done it, normally i have my core files packed NAM CAM terrain mods etc, then i have everything else packed in groups, usually around 500mb a piece then i mash them into one multigig dat and it works fine.
Daaaaang John you must get pretty good load times then and without many problems either???
Quote from: dragonshardz on June 05, 2008, 08:18:50 PMNote that this is untested and is only a theory.
Tried many times and got messages saying the files weren't compressed...