file question

[deu58]

Hello to all

I have some file questions and I will start with this one. I hope this is the correct forum for this thread and if not I apologize and hope a senior member will point me in the right direction. I have downloaded a couple buildings where the .dat files are not in their own folder. I am under the impression from some threads that I can just make my own folder and the game will read it?

For example I just down loaded Lyre Tower which is 3 separate dat files. Can I make a folder named Lyre Tower and put the loose files in there and it will still be read? Most games I have modded myself require a specific designated file path from file A to file B if you want to the game to read it. Not so with Sims?

Thanks for your time.

deu58

[NCGAIO]

Details about the load order of the folders.


Link - http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=10473.msg317118#msg317118

[deu58]

Thank you for the link

Well, it appears that you can. I should mention that I have only had this game about a week and I have the Steam version. I noticed in that old thread that a couple people mentioned they "tested the load order" to make sure all the plugs loaded. Is there some kind of debugger or some other tool for this? I have wanted to look more into tools and see what the console commands maybe if they have any but I am buried in CAM dependencies as down loading the bazillion files to get it all to run right.

 deu58

[FrankU]

Sim City will read all files in your Plugins folder. No matter in which subdirectory or sub of subdirectory they are in. The loading order is just important for some certain files. In the readme of these files is information about this.
Most files like buildings, lots, prop packs don't matter where you put them.
Most of us do have a certain system in folders and files in order to be able to find something back. If you put everything just into your plugins you will get confused within two weeks.

So think of a system you like. Some people have discussed about this and you might find it interesting to read these discussions.

[deu58]

Thanks Frank.

I have been up to my neck in read me's and the only thing I noticed was put this in the plug ins. I have been focusing mainly on the dependencies sections of the read me though so I may have missed something. One of the things that threw me was I finally got the SC4 Pim to work and the only files it would read in the plug in folder was the loose files. But then again I am just getting started with that to. I did find  the manual that was written for it and all the new XML etc. Not sure if I have the most recent but it was all I could find at the LEX on it. Google search did not seem to show anything newer. Trying to find the multiarray.pyd patch had me running in circles for awhile. I saw the post for the fix here but did not realize you had to be a member to down load the file so it really had me scratching my head trying to figure out where the link in the post went to. I have found a series of Ilive tools but have not really had time to go through all read me's for that but the reader does seem to work.

I am running windows 7 64 bit so trying to find all the files and get all the tools working for a ten year old game three OS upgrades below this one has been quite a chore. I am far from up to speed on all this but once everything is copacetic I will have more time to dig deeper into the inner workings of the game.

 deu58

[jmyers2043]

down loading the bazillion files to get it all to run right.

My advice may be late coming but I started with only the industrial CAMeLOTs. Those will be the first to grow in your region/city if you're starting fresh. Played the game normally. I installed some stage 9 and 10 buildings when I saw the first stage 8 skyscrappers grow. Then installed some 11 and 12 stage skyscrappers when I saw the 9 and 10's grow. That broke the chore into smaller more manageable chunks.

plug in folder was the loose files.

Loose DESC files? That is an oversight. Looks like someone was working too quickly. You can safely delete those. Loose DESC files are normally associated with plop lots such as park, landmark, or civic. The real desc file is normally embedded into the lot file making the loose files unnecessary and somewhat of a nuisance when working in the lot editor.

- Jim

[whatevermind]

For the vast majority of plugins, all that matters is that they're in the Plugins folder (or subfolders).  A handful of them are designed to override other plugins, and must therefore be loaded after whatever they're supposed to override, but these will usually tell you so very clearly in the Readme, and usually have names beginning with a string of z's.

PIM-X can read files located in subfolders.  When you get the window during startup with all the checkboxes, just make sure to check the subfolders you want loaded, and it'll do it.

Important thing is to stay organized, read your readme's, and you'll eventually get it all up and running correctly.

[FrankU]

For the vast majority of plugins, all that matters is that they're in the Plugins folder (or subfolders).  A handful of them are designed to override other plugins, and must therefore be loaded after whatever they're supposed to override, but these will usually tell you so very clearly in the Readme, and usually have names beginning with a string of z's.

Yes. And those are mainly the files associated with NAM, CAM, some traffic things and not to be overlooked: the Airport and Seaport controller stuff. But these files all contain explicit readme's with all information.
The rest of the files may be dumped in any subfolder you like.

[deu58]

Great info. Thank you for all the help.

deu