Tidy Files - An intermediate modding tutorial

[BarbyW]

Many times when opening a zip from the STEX I notice that there are several desc files in the package. Often these are not necessary or can be tidied to leave less files and thus less chance of problems.
I am using as an example Jasoncw's Pearl Place only because it is one I downloaded today and I can show clearly what I mean by tidying. This zip contains the following files:



There are three R$$ descriptor files included. As all three have the same properties and IID only one is actually needed anyway but there is an even better way of modding the lot files to eliminate even the need for the one loose desc file.

First of all open one lot file in the Reader and then open one desc file in another instance of the Reader. In the desc file, right click on the Exemplar line in the centre window, select Copy File. Then go to the lot file, in the centre panel right click and select Paste File. This puts a copy of the desc into the lot file.


There are now two Exemplars in the lot file. One is the LotConfig Exemplar and has a lot of numbers, the other is the Building Exemplar which contains the properties for the building.


Now for the tricky bit. This needs a lot of care otherwise you can end up with a crashing building. Select the LotConfig Exemplar and click on File Info on the menu bar and Edit. This will bring up the following screen:



Place your cursor in the Instance box and highlight then Copy the IID. Close the box and look in the LotConfig Exemplar for a line that begins with all 0s. Double click on that line to get the following box:




Look at the last line and first of all check that the IID is the same as the IID for the Building Exemplar. If it isn't stop here and close the Reader without making any changes. Find the correct Building Exemplar before starting from the top again.

Providing the IIDs match you now need to do two things. First highlight the bottom line in the above and Paste the IID – making sure you keep the 0x in front of the IID. Then click Apply.




Now you need to Reindex the LotConfig Exemplar by right clicking anywhere in the right hand window and selecting that from the pop up.

The second thing to do is to change the IID for the Building Exemplar. Select this and click on File Info and Edit. Change the Instance by pasting the IID of the LotConfig Exemplar into the box.

Now you should have the following:



Both exemplars have the same IID now. Finally Reindex, Rebuild Directory file and Save.

Repeat this for each of the lots and the final contents for the zip will look like this:




By doing this it makes it less likely that a desc goes missing or is not installed and makes the whole thing much tidier and a smaller file.

Please don't think I am picking on Jasoncw. This is something I have intended to write up for some time and it was just the zip I downloaded last. If you do not understand what is written here you should not be trying this as it is for intermediate to advanced modders.