Making LE created files accessable to Reader

[Sorengaard]

Hi all,  I made a Police Station from a commercial building listed in the LE.  This created a SC4Lot.  However I can't access the lot with the Reader or the LEProp and since it is a Lot I can't use the Plugin either.  I have used the Plugin, LE, and Reader to change LM to functional Plops but I don't know how to convert this LE created Lot file into a Bat or whatever else I might need to use the Reader.  So I apparently have a Police Station in name only.  Any tutorials that show how to convert a Lot file to a Bat (if that is what I need?)?
Thanks Steve

[RippleJet]

Any file created in BAT (SC4Model), PIM (SC4Desc) or LE (SC4Lot) can be opened in Reader.

However, I think you've chosen a cumbersome road to take,
if you convert an existing commercial building into a police station in LE and Reader.

The proper way would be this:

• Place the commercial building's model file (SC4Model) in your root plugins folder (My Docs\SimCity 4\Plugins).
• Open Maxis Plugin Manager (PIM).
• Locate the commercial building model (Plug-in) among the Models listed in PIM.
• Select that model and drag it to "Police Station" under Descriptors.
• Edit the properties in the editor that opens up;
  the most important ones being Item Name and Item Description
  (those will appear in the menu when you click the icon in the game).
• Your Police Station "Plug-in" has now been saved in your plugins folder.
  This file has an extension of SC4Desc.

• Open Maxis LotEditor (LE).
• Open an existing Police Station in LE (e.g. one of the in-game ones).
• Replace the building on the lot with the one you just created
  (SC4Desc files are those that will appear as buildings in LE).
• Edit your lot by replacing textures, removing props and adding props as needed.
• Remember to SAVE AS to create a unique custom lot.
  Otherwise you'd be creating a replacement for the police station you started with.
  This will save your lot as a SC4Lot file.
• Exit LE and check your plugins folder.
• You will now see two files, one SC4Desc and one SC4Lot.
  The SC4Desc file is now superfluous and should be deleted
  (the building exemplar that is in the SC4Desc file is now copied into the SC4Lot file).

• Test your police station in the game.
• Smile! You've created a functional police station without using Reader.

[Sorengaard]

Thanks RippleJet,  I now see my problem.  The building that I wanted to use is from the Maxis Bld Prop files.  So my question now, is it possible to access those files to obtain the building's model file (SC4Model) and if so how would I do that?  Thanks again

[RippleJet]

It's a million times easier to do that in PIM-X,
since the alternative would indeed be to use Reader...

Which Maxis building is it?

[Sorengaard]

The Maxis building is:  0x05070000---CO$$$44x26_6ChiOfficeBldg9_0507---Ferrara Inc.

There is nothing particular about this building over any others. I just wanted to see about making something new and thought I could use these buildings that I saw in Reader.  I am guessing that the difficulty of doing this is greater than the potential result.

What is PIM-X?

Thanks again.

[RippleJet]

The Maxis building is:  0x05070000---CO$$$44x26_6ChiOfficeBldg9_0507---Ferrara Inc.

In case you don't want to do it yourself (see below),
I'm enclosing a "LooseDesc" file with the Ferrara building modded with PIM-X as a Police Station.

Place that file in your plugins root folder, and it will appear as a custom Police Station in LE.

There is nothing particular about this building over any others. I just wanted to see about making something new and thought I could use these buildings that I saw in Reader.  I am guessing that the difficulty of doing this is greater than the potential result.

If you'd like to create it yourself, this is probably the easiest way:

• First, since you obviously know how to locate in-game buildings in Reader, open the Ferrara building exemplar in Reader.
• Take a look at the Resource Key Type 1 property in that building exemplar.
  The Resource Key Type 1 is a link (TGI address) to the S3D model (the BAT).
  Copy those numbers (0x5AD0E817,0xBADB57F1,0x05070000), e.g. to Notepad.
• Exit Reader
• Find any custom building model that has roughly the same dimensions as the Ferrara building (44×26 metres).
• Open Maxis PIM and use that custom model to create a police station in PIM.
  Fill in the Item Name and Item Description and save the plugin.
• Exit PIM and open the newly created SC4Desc file in Reader.
• Now, edit the Resource Key Type 1 in this SC4Desc file
  and replace its content with the string you copied from the Ferrara building.
• Save the file and exit Reader.
• Now you can start LE and you will find the Ferrara as a custom Police Station.

Note however, that the property values given by Maxis PIM are static and will not depend on the size of the building.
Ideally you would have given correct values to all properties in PIM,
but often you would have to revert to those and edit them in Reader afterwards.

The file attached to this post was modded with PIM-X,
and that gives all properties proper values right from the beginning.

What is PIM-X?

That's the PIM part of Wouanagaine's "X Tool"

[Sorengaard]

I greatly appreciate all the help you have offered.  I guess I am somewhat over my head with all of this.  I created a SCLot in LE using a building located in LE.  When I opened it in Reader all I could open was a "LotConfigurations" Exemplar file, not the Building Exemplar file.  That is my main problem.  I don't know how to open a Maxis building in Reader's Building Exemplar file.  I had planned to cut and paste from a police file to change what I created.  But in talking with you I need to get to the building file and the one I created doesn't show up in Reader and I have no idea what else to do to have it show up.

Secondly, I guess this truly shows the depth of what I need to know.  I couldn't open the file you sent to me with any of the tools I have:  LE, Reader, LEProp, or PIM.  I don't know what I am doing wrong.

Finally is the "X-Tool" something that is available for general use.

Once again Thanks for all of your help.   Steve

[Sorengaard]

After getting through banging my head against the wall, I now can open the file in both Reader and LE.  I must have gremlins.  So thanks again for the file and all the help.

Steve

[RippleJet]

I created a SCLot in LE using a building located in LE.  When I opened it in Reader all I could open was a "LotConfigurations" Exemplar file, not the Building Exemplar file.  That is my main problem.

Yes, that's how LE makes a growable lot. Only the LotConfiguration exemplar is needed for that.
The building exemplar is always in a separate SC4Desc file (if it's a custom building),
or (if it's an in-game building) still residing in SimCity_1.dat.

A ploppable custom lot always includes both the LotConfiguration exemplar and the Building exemplar.

I don't know how to open a Maxis building in Reader's Building Exemplar file.  I had planned to cut and paste from a police file to change what I created.  But in talking with you I need to get to the building file and the one I created doesn't show up in Reader and I have no idea what else to do to have it show up.

To find the in-game building exemplar for the Ferrara:

• Click the Simcity DAT panel in the lower lefthand corner of Reader
• Select the first file in the list, simcity_1.dat
• Click the Analyser button on top
• Click the Tree button on top
• Click the Search button on top
• Click the + to the left of Commercial Offices $$$
• Click the + to the left of Buildings
• Click Ferrara Inc., which will open its building exemplar to the right
• Now you can see a few properties, among them the Resource Key Type 1

Finally is the "X-Tool" something that is available for general use.

Not yet...
Wouanagaine has been teasing us with it here since June last year though...

[Sorengaard]

Thanks again for all you help.  Things are slowly coming together.  So at least I can keep plugging along.  Thanks again.   Steve

[Sorengaard]

I hate to keep pounding sand and maybe I need to switch to a Reader site now but I :

Click the Simcity DAT panel in the lower lefthand corner of Reader
Select the first file in the list, simcity_1.dat
Click the Analyser button on top
Click the Tree button on top
Click the Search button on top ( a Building Exemplar List box flashes)
Click the + to the left of Commercial Offices $$$

Lot and Building drop down but no + sign to the left and clicking on them does nothing either.

Any more suggestions?   And as always thanks again  Steve

[BarbyW]

Make sure you have clicked the simcity_1.dat before clicking the Analyser button. It is easy to think you have selected it when in fact you haven't - I know I have done it
Ijust followed your instructions and can see all the building exemplars so would suggest that you haven't actually clicked simcity_1.dat

[Sorengaard]

Tis rather frustrating and I don't mean to monopolize the forum.  I click the simcity_1.dat button.  The top of the window reads simcity_1 - Reader so I am assuming it has been clicked.  Then I do as I mentioned before and the the Lot and Building listing in the tree drop but there is no + and nothing opens.

However, while the Reader left hand column is set at SimCity Dat I hit the open button and go to the bldgprop_vol1 file and there is a listing of 579 Exemplar files.  If I double click one of the files the Exemplar Analyser opens and list all 579 files by name.  They are not sorted like the tree but it seems they are all there.  The Ferrara file is number 251.  So it seems I got there but the tree would be so much nicer because it is sorted and this list isn't.

Why I can't open the tree I don't know.  If there are any additional suggestion it would be appreciated.  Other wise I can do it this other way. 

Thanks again.  Steve

[Sorengaard]

I reloaded the Reader program and now all seems to work as you layed out.  So time to bring this thread to a much needed end.  Thanks once again for all your time and help.  Steve