Conflicting plug-ins. Need help.

[legoman786]

Hey guys, I was wondering if there is a software available to detect any and all conflicting plugins.

The reason being, that I just pulled my copy out of a deep dark damp cavern and started getting mods/plugins like no tomorrow and now it's crashing.

I wouldn't mind using the process of elimination (which I have been doing so far), except for the fact that I have to RESTART SC4 EVERY TIME. >_<

I'm sure somebody out there has a solution.

Many thanks.

EDIT: This thread is relevant: http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=13061.0

[Gringamuyloca]

Now that would be a tool we all would love!!! 

Unfortunately... the process of elimination or starting from scratch... reading the readmes, are the only 2 solutions known to cure 'downloaditis'! 

[Lowkee33]

DatPacker can find conflicting plugins.  It will make one (or more) large files out of your many, many files.  At the same time it ignores images and will also superseed conflicting files.

Though, not sure conflicting plugins will cause a crash. (nor do I know exactly what causes your crash, do you have any file with the word "erosion" in it?)

[legoman786]

DatPacker can find conflicting plugins.  It will make one (or more) large files out of your many, many files.  At the same time it ignores images and will also superseed conflicting files.

Though, not sure conflicting plugins will cause a crash. (nor do I know exactly what causes your crash, do you have any file with the word "erosion" in it?)

If I only have the NAM/RHW/SAM installed, it runs fine. When I start adding lots, that's when it starts crashing.

I'll look into the DATPacker. Thanks.

EDIT: I don't have a file with 'erosion' in it.

EDIT2: Does this help?

[jmyers2043]

A couple of things to look for.

conflicting seaports can cause a CDT (Peg and BSC are not compatible) or - if you have a seaport in a city and you then delete the seaport from your plugins before deleting it from your city. The game will crash when trying to open that city until you put the seaport back in your plugins. I'm always very careful with that sort of civic lot. 

If you have two terrain controllers loaded simultaneously - such as Cycledog Missouri Breaks AND Cycledogs Meadowshire terrain mod loaded. Now these two can actually be buried inside the BSC.dat ... Two tree controllers simultaneously too.

There are probably other things but I know these two will cause a crash.

I also have a question. When does the game crash? Sometime during gameplay? When you try to open a city? What happens if you start a new region - will it crash then too?

- Jim

[sim_vern]

It looks like you have the NAM dat packed.  I believe the standard recommendations is for it not be dat-packed. There are people who dat-pack it but since we are troubleshooting at the moment lets follow the recommendations. Those recommendations are in the documentation for NAM.

[legoman786]

A couple of things to look for.

conflicting seaports can cause a CDT (Peg and BSC are not compatible) or - if you have a seaport in a city and you then delete the seaport from your plugins before deleting it from your city. The game will crash when trying to open that city until you put the seaport back in your plugins. I'm always very careful with that sort of civic lot. 

If you have two terrain controllers loaded simultaneously - such as Cycledog Missouri Breaks AND Cycledogs Meadowshire terrain mod loaded. Now these two can actually be buried inside the BSC.dat ... Two tree controllers simultaneously too.

There are probably other things but I know these two will cause a crash.

I also have a question. When does the game crash? Sometime during gameplay? When you try to open a city? What happens if you start a new region - will it crash then too?

- Jim

I've installed a fresh copy, and all the mods you see are what I have gotten thus far.

It only crashes when starting up a new city. I will update this thread once I find the incompatible mod/plug-in.

I've actually decided to start fresh, install only the NAM/RHW/SAM and possibly CAM (never used the CAM before) mod/plug-ins.

Also, I am aware that the CAM plug-in is incompatible with industry/farming enhancers. Those will not be added to the list of plug-ins/mods that I need to go through.

Actually, I won't install the CAM, until I've gone through what I have. Will give us an idea of which one it is.

I'll probably do it tomorrow, as wife will be at work all day.

@sim_vern: Thanks for the heads up.

EDIT: I just remembered something... I got the Cleanitol files. I'll just run that every time I add something new. I should have just done that in the first place. >_<

[sim_vern]

Yes, run the cleanitol whenever you add something new.  It really makes it easy to remove files that are known to cause conflict or are no longer needed.

Its really easy to get caught up in downloading tons of plugins.  Download as much as you want but add them to the game one at at time.  I'm sure you already know that by now.

SC4 is fun and hopefully it will find long life on your hard drive.  Take a look at the MDs/CJs when you get a chance. Maybe create one yourself.  They are very inspiring.  Have fun!

[legoman786]

Yes, run the cleanitol whenever you add something new.  It really makes it easy to remove files that are known to cause conflict or are no longer needed.

Its really easy to get caught up in downloading tons of plugins.  Download as much as you want but add them to the game one at at time.  I'm sure you already know that by now.

SC4 is fun and hopefully it will find long life on your hard drive.  Take a look at the MDs/CJs when you get a chance. Maybe create one yourself.  They are very inspiring.  Have fun!

I don't know if you know, however, I've been a long time player. Just put up my copy and let it collect dust, while my ~1.5GB worth of downloads were wiped. GG

[sim_vern]

Thats very surprising to hear and sorry to hear that.  I've been using Cleanitol for awhile but never ran into this problem. The good side of this is that you can start from fresh.

[legoman786]

I found the first set in "Crash to Desktop" mod/plug-in.

It's a set of diagonal walls in a folder called, Diagonal Jagged Edges Mod. There are 5 files, all of them with the DAT extension.

CP_DiagonalFix_SNOWCAPPED
CP_DiagonalFix_SNOWCAPPED_LOW
CP_DiagonalFix_SNOWCAPPED_LOWER
CP_DiagonalFix_STANDARD
Maxis_DiagonalFix

For some reason, now that I look at the files... I think I am only supposed to have one of the aforementioned files in the Plugins folder.

EDIT: None of those files are good. Just tried each and every one. What sucks even more, I can't remember where I got the files.

EDIT 2: I've finally got through all the mods/plugins pictured above and it was only these files that were causing the CTD. I now have another problem of lots not showing up in the menus, however, I can find the author and ask him/her directly.

[Lowkee33]

Yep, you've got The Terrain INI without the textures.  The one with Maxis in the name should work though.  The other ones require a custom terrain mod.

If you use the Lex power search for the author "c.p." you will find a host of terrain mods and the required files.

[Shark7]

I've found a bigger problem is that I will often have duplicates due to not being able to remember if I already downloaded/installed a bat.  This is a problem for me because I always install new new content to its own separate folder with a letter followed by the install date on it (Ex, content I install today will go into folder: N05072011).  This makes it simple to remove anything that doesn't work or to locate any file that I am missing dependencies for.  The problem is that sometimes I will download a file that I've already installed and install it into said new folder.

The LEX has actually helped in this matter considerably, since it has a nice message on each file I've downloaded that says 'You already have this one".  However, other sites don't have this feature...and not all creators include cleanitol files to search if the content is already installed.

There is the option of a duplicate file locating program, but doesn't always work out the way you planned.  Many of files are similar enough that they get purged even though they were not true duplicates.

So while duplicates will not necessarily cause a crash or a conflict, they do slow loading times.  A program to find both conflicts and duplicates would be a very welcome addition to the community IMO.

[sim_vern]

I've found a bigger problem is that I will often have duplicates due to not being able to remember if I already downloaded/installed a bat.  This is a problem for me because I always install new new content to its own separate folder with a letter followed by the install date on it (Ex, content I install today will go into folder: N05072011).  This makes it simple to remove anything that doesn't work or to locate any file that I am missing dependencies for.  The problem is that sometimes I will download a file that I've already installed and install it into said new folder.

The LEX has actually helped in this matter considerably, since it has a nice message on each file I've downloaded that says 'You already have this one".  However, other sites don't have this feature...and not all creators include cleanitol files to search if the content is already installed.

There is the option of a duplicate file locating program, but doesn't always work out the way you planned.  Many of files are similar enough that they get purged even though they were not true duplicates.

So while duplicates will not necessarily cause a crash or a conflict, they do slow loading times.  A program to find both conflicts and duplicates would be a very welcome addition to the community IMO.

Have you tried using the DIC by Working Man Productions (DocRorlach)?

http://www.sc4tools.co.uk/sc4t_downloads.asp

It does an excellent job tracking what you have installed, among other things.

[sim_vern]

EDIT 2: I've finally got through all the mods/plugins pictured above and it was only these files that were causing the CTD. I now have another problem of lots not showing up in the menus, however, I can find the author and ask him/her directly.

When this happens to me its because the lots are growables and not ploppables. 

[Shark7]

Have you tried using the DIC by Working Man Productions (DocRorlach)?

http://www.sc4tools.co.uk/sc4t_downloads.asp

It does an excellent job tracking what you have installed, among other things.

Thanks for the tip, I'll give that one a try.

[dahemac]

Shark7 :

I've found a bigger problem is that I will often have duplicates due to not being able to remember if I already downloaded/installed a bat.

Every time I have new files to add to my plugins I search the plugins folder for files with the same names before moving the new files in. Also, i ffiles are organized by content type ie. ~/residential/CSX/ then any new files would go into the same logical folder and therefore overwrite the older files of the same name.

I keep track of installations by keeping the installers in dated folders.