Perpetually rebuilding your Plugins folder!

[SeanSC4]

ARGH! Who else is prone to creating yet another fresh Plugins folder devoted to creating a certain type of city? I just counted and I'm up to 16 of them! 

I might actually get a city built if I stuck with a specific style for longer than a week.

It really doesn't help that I keep finding new sources for quality custom content which sets me off on another grand plan.

/endrant

[rooker1]

 This is the game we play and all the work that goes along with it.  I sometimes find that creating my plugins folder is alomost as much fun as playing the game.  With the amount of custom content out there, it's just incredible.
Anyways you should stop by my MD and read the last couple of pages about how I organise my plugins folder and my work around for the need for soo many different plugin folder.  You just need to have and know how to use PIM_X.

Robin 

[SeanSC4]

I agree with everything you said Robin and have gradually evolved my own Plugins folder layout to more or less mirror yours. It's one of the reasons I find myself disliking auto-installers for custom content these days.

The 16 folders is partly a result of my finding it fun to build a specific styled Plugins folder from scratch and then never going back to the older ones (disk space is cheap after all). It's also a result of me always adding TOO many lots to my Plugins folder in a frenzy and being too lazy to go in and delete some content which starts the itch for yet another Plugins folder. I'm also keen on using as much growable content as possible and find myself converting non-growables into growable versions (thank god for iLive's Reader and PIM-X  ).

There really is a need for separate Plugins folders though. If you're trying to grow an American rural-themed tile at one point and later on an Asian urban-themed CBD then they really can't coexist in the same Plugins folder.

I love your MD btw! 

[rooker1]

You can easily by pass the auto installer by pushing the small square on the top right hand side, you than can navagate to where you want the file to go.  I redid my entire plugins this way and by passed every auto installer.  But from time to time you still need to go into your plugins just to double check that it did truly go where you wanted it to. 
If you were to remod your files to take advantage of the four different styles of growth, I'm positive you caould cut down the number of needed plugins you are refering to.

Anyways....in the end we need to be comfortable on how we think the game needs to be played and organized. 

Robin 

[SeanSC4]

If you were to remod your files to take advantage of the four different styles of growth, I'm positive you caould cut down the number of needed plugins you are refering to.

Guilty as charged when it comes to not taking advantage of the 4 styles of growth. It's always one of those details I mean to rectify and never do.

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing too when it comes to iLive's Reader and PIM-X because I like to CAMify custom content from outside sources in a variety of ways to fit in with development ideas I have for content as a whole based on the spectrum of buildings I'm of a mind to use.

[SeanSC4]

Robin-
I'm trying to bring some order to my plugins folder in a fashion similar to what you've outlined in your MD and was wondering how you deal with the following:

1) Residential and commercial versions of the same model
2) Residential/commercial and Landmark versions of the same model
3) A family of lots based on the same set of models where some models are used in multiple lots

[rooker1]

Along the line I have had to make some special rules and to be honest I was waiting for some one to ask me this.

First off, I have very few Landmarks at all because I would like to see everything grow in my CAM Cities.  And the ones that I do have go into a Landmark folder because there is no growable version (yet....I say this becasue I usually PIM_X them so they can be growable  )  All other landmark or ploppable versions I delete as I build my Plugins folder.

Second, I have no doubles of any models, where there are two (or more) versions (Res or Comm) for a model I choice one or the other for the model to go into but I do keep the lots in the right categories (Res or Comm).

For me the important thing is that I have a visual of the LOTs in the right author and in the right stage and in the right categories.  It's my opinion that now everything is clearly visible and easy to find.  It's also easy to see where you need more custom content and where you may have too much.

I hope this helps you out.
Robin 

[Rady]

May I just ask a few questions since I'm busy with thinking about how to orgnaize my plugins folder right now (done that severeal times already, but after some time I find it again unsuitable for me ..)

@ rooker1: where would I find your MD? I searched the three categories but didn't find a MD from you?

Where can I find the PIM_X tool? i searched SC4dev but didn't find it?

Thanks!

[SeanSC4]

MD: http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=601.0

PIM: http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=2260

[rooker1]

Thanks Sean.

[Rady]

Thanks!