Links to seperate texture packs leading to one texture pack

[Mr_Pooter]

Ok, so I need to download BSC Texture Pack Vol 4 for a building, so I look through the dependency list and click on the correct link for it. However, I end up at the download page for BSC Textures Vol 1. I tried clicking on the links for Vol 2, Vol 3, BSC Textures MEGA Pack, and BSC Textures SG Vol 1, and they all lead me to BSC Textures Vol 1.

Also, the links for BSC Texture Pack Jes Vol 1 and Vol 2 both lead me to BSC Texture Pack Vol 2...

So, why is this happening? 

[geoffhaw]

This is happening because we have combined several (and I mean loads) of separate Texture Packs into two (so far) far larger packs for general ease of use, and to cut down on the dependencies.  However, this does somtimes lead to problems if the dependency lists for older lots point to Texture Packs that have been combined.  We try to update the links so that the user does get pointed to the updated pack, and it seems this has happened in your case.

The redirections you quote in your post are correct.  The old BSC Texture Packs 1, 2, 3 and 4, BSC Textures MEGA Pack and BSC Textures SG Vol 1 are all in BSC Textures Vol 01.  BSC Texture Pack Jes Vols 1 and 2 (and 3, come to that) are in BSC Textures Vol 02.  So if you download these two, you will have all the textures you need from those old packs you quoted.

In the early days (and I'm only talking 3 or 4 years ago!) download speeds were nothing like they are now (no or little Broadband then), and smaller packs were the only real option.  Now most users can download a 10MB pack in the same time that we used to take to download 1MB.  Also, experiments have shown that the game handles bigger dat files in a much more efficient way than the same content in several smaller dats.

If anyone has any trouble in finding old Texture or Prop Packs, we are always here to try and help!

[BarbyW]

If you checked the Looking for a Dependency link at the bottom of the page you would find that BSC Textures Vol04 has been combined with others to make a mega pack called BSC Textures Vol01.

[Mr_Pooter]

Ok, thank you 

[Sapphire Blue]

What do you do if you do not know which mega pack contains the particular texture or prop you need.  I have over twenty BSC mega prop packs in my plugin folder now, but am still getting brown boxes and missing parts in some of the BSC Parks.  Specifically the Gazebo is missing in the path end in the BSC Parks base set, I have water spouting out of thin air in the fountain park and statues and other bits missing from other parks. I also now have two versions of the Pagoda park in my park menu but am not sure where they are coming from.  I have spent hours searching through all the dependancy lists in the readme files and down loading all the mega packs I can find but I still have things missing from the parks.  Can anyone please help.

[BarbyW]

The Gazebo in the base set is a Maxis prop. It owuld help if you posted some pictures of the lots that have the problems as there are several fountain park lots and several with statues.

[Sapphire Blue]

Hi BarbyW,
I have attached a photo showing the Fountain Place, Carousel and Guardian Angel all from the BSC BLS Park set 3 as well as the Gazebo trail end minus the gazebo from the BSC base set.  I will try and get photos of some of the others so you can see what is missing.
Thanks

[Sapphire Blue]

Hi again BarbyW
This second photo shows the RT Heladeria Farggi, RT Cantina del Toros, and RT Galleria Artista all from the BLS park pack 3 and Avalon Ripptide.  I have downloaded all the dependancies listed with these parks but obviously I am missing something.  Your help is much appreciated.  Thanks

[xxdita]

Sapphire Blue, I'm attatching a Cleanitol file to help you find what you're missing. Let us know if you still have any problems.

[SC4BOY]

Just a note: I used your cleanitol file just to check my (I thought up to date) files with this.

When I do this I find the deadwood files ANGLEDBRICK through SANDTEXTURES (7 textures) shown as "missing dependencies". I am not sure about the details, but those are exactly 7 textures that I removed because they were reported by DATPACKER as "superceed" files. This means that those actually duplicate textures contained in another pack.

Do you know the source of this issue? Should I put those back in and somehow find the original ones? I know that they are in some kind of texture pack as if I do a search for those files in my plugins, they are not found. If I should put them back in, which pack should I take out?'

There also is an error in the file as it says I am missing BSC Essentials, but I have it. The reason is the proper file name is "BSC_Essentials"

Also, I appologize, but I am missing the RT "Juarez" sc4lot, and the BLSGA "Tholos" [maybe in BSC_Swi21_UniversityOfAthens? or Observatory of Athens_SWI21? or the Vallianios Library of Athens_SWI21?] sc4lot, and the SG_Pagoda .dat files and can't seem to locate them as they are specific files. If you know a link for them as part of a pack or something, please let me know.

Let me know if you need more info from me. Thanks

[wouanagaine]

When I do this I find the deadwood files ANGLEDBRICK through SANDTEXTURES (7 textures) shown as "missing dependencies". I am not sure about the details, but those are exactly 7 textures that I removed because they were reported by DATPACKER as "superceed" files. This means that those actually duplicate textures contained in another pack.

Do you know the source of this issue? Should I put those back in and somehow find the original ones? I know that they are in some kind of texture pack as if I do a search for those files in my plugins, they are not found. If I should put them back in, which pack should I take out?'

You should only have one if you want alternate texture path.
xxdita made the cleanitol that way because there is no way for specifiying 'optionnal' dependancies in cleanitol

There also is an error in the file as it says I am missing BSC Essentials, but I have it. The reason is the proper file name is "BSC_Essentials"

Thanks for noting

Also, I appologize, but I am missing the RT "Juarez" sc4lot, and the BLSGA "Tholos" [maybe in BSC_Swi21_UniversityOfAthens? or Observatory of Athens_SWI21? or the Vallianios Library of Athens_SWI21?] sc4lot, and the SG_Pagoda .dat files and can't seem to locate them as they are specific files. If you know a link for them as part of a pack or something, please let me know.

Don't know, I leave this to more informed people

[SC4BOY]

You should only have one if you want alternate texture path.
xxdita made the cleanitol that way because there is no way for specifiying 'optionnal' dependancies in cleanitol

I understand your english, but I'm afraid I don't understand what you really mean.
Are you saying there are like 7 "optional textures" and I should put in the one I want to use?
If they are already in another megapack, how would this work with these individual files?
Sorry if I seem a bit dull here.. 

If this is in a thread somewhere, just show me where to go.. not trying to be diffucult and I'm afraid I'm not too familiar with BSC parks.. or any parks for that matter.. there seems to be hundreds of them.. hehe

Thanks for noting

np

Don't know, I leave this to more informed people

[BarbyW]

RT Teatro Juarez
Tholos of Delphi
BSC Pagoda Park SG BLS

Are you saying there are like 7 "optional textures" and I should put in the one I want to use?
If they are already in another megapack, how would this work with these individual files?

The varable park textures are ONLY in the BSC Parks - Texture Set and if you read the instructions you will see that only one should be in use at one time. As Cleanitol has no way of specifying optional files xxdita had included all the variable texture names in the file. As this Cleanitol file was made for a specific purpose, ie to try to help SapphireBlue track down problems, there is no need to use it unless you have the same problem.

[SC4BOY]

if you read the instructions you will see that only one should be in use at one time. As Cleanitol has no way of specifying optional files xxdita had included all the variable texture names in the file. As this Cleanitol file was made for a specific purpose, ie to try to help SapphireBlue track down problems, there is no need to use it unless you have the same problem.

Well I know this will shock you, but I did read the instructions. I understand that only one set will be used and that the instructions saw "only the last set loaded will be used". Here is my problem. If they are showing as "superceed" by Datpacker, this means that those textures have already been loaded if I understand that correctly. My problem is that I don't know HOW TO TAKE THE ORIGINAL TEXTURES out. The ones that were superceeded.. or are you saying that is automatically taken care of? You should know by now that I ALWAYS read the instructions. Obviously there is something here that I Don't Understand, even though I am capable of reading.

I have the same problem only in that I don't have the props dependencies AND I don't understand, obviously how it works.. not that I have to I suppose.. are you saying that if I just leave one of the seven textures in that it is automatically taken care of? Since they have the same ID maybe I'm just seeing 6 of the 7 lots showing as "superceeded" but I thought I had all 7. If only 6 then that would explain it..

oh.. thanks for the links..

[wouanagaine]

yes it is automatically taken care, if the additional textures are installed in their default paths, due to load order

[SC4BOY]

haha.. I was editing while you were typing, but I think it's dawning on my tiny brain slowly.. lol

The original file loads A TEXTURE.. the follow-on 7 files each are capable of replacing that ORIGINAL TEXTURE.. and it doesn't matter which it is.. Then if ONE is put in the proper location (the install path for the texture set) THAT TEXTURE will over write? Is that approximately correct?

Sorry if I'm slow..
_________________________________________________________________________________
edit: OK!! I think it has finally sunken in! I have a thick head sometimes.. lol

After putting the "BSC_Park_BaseSet_commonfiles.dat" in the BSC Parks AND removing the "BSC_Park_Textures_zDefault.dat" file as required, THEN picking one texture.. (I arbitrarily chose the BSC_Park_Textures_GreyPavers.dat but any would be ok) I then ran DatPacker. From this I received the following message:

"Warning: Every entries in BSC/BSC Parks/BSC Parks (1 of 7)/BSC_Park_BaseSet_commonfiles.dat were
superseed"
(pardon my odd folder name, but I do that to remind me that this is an "option set" which I have to track. Various people have provided several set that work along these lines)

This is NORMAL AND SHOULD NOT BE CORRECTED.

Pardon my taking all this space, but this is in part to CLARIFY MY THOUGHTS and REMIND ME what is done, and MAYBE save the next person who may be as slow as I am from going through this same exercise.. LOL
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

This is in retrospect exactly as it is documented to do, but the above DATPACKER message combined with the Cleanitol file (and other files besides the one in this thread give the same message.. as Wou mentioned due to the fact that there is no method for handling the "pick one of these" structures) confused me. This lead me to in effect undo a correct install. But now I have it right and know to ignore the cleanitol message and the datpacker message.. Live and learn.. haha



Oh I just thought of another thing related. Certain designers are offering optional "BSC TYPE" sets which are alternate to their "original" sets.. for example MAS71.. Do they use the same "overlay method" and is it important that they also be placed sequentially ABOVE (or before) the "option choose one texture" of this set?

Thanks again to Barby and Wou   

[wouanagaine]

Yes I think you're right ( if I translate correctly )

About MAS71 additional textures, yes they use the same overriding method, they should be placed after ( ie in a folder after the BSC one ) or deeper ( in a subfolder of the BSC additional textures )

[SC4BOY]

( if I translate correctly )

Sorry my friend.. I'm sure my "literary style" such as it is makes it hard for non-english folk.. I should try to make simple, short sentences. My English teachers were never successful at getting me to do that, but I will start trying harder in the future.

Thanks.. I do have one comment which is not important I guess, but the message that DATPACKER gives above suggests that the entire file BSC_Park_Baseset_Commonfiles.dat was replaced. But that file is 668Kb while the other file is about 10Kb. This is misleading to the end user, but I understand why it says it that way (I think)

edit: WOOOHOOOO. just loaded it all up and it was soooo sweet to see those nice parks with the alternate textures. THANKS to all (and I know ideas like this are built on the shoulders of many people) who contributed to this nice approach and its flexibility!!

Wou.. maybe this would be a feature to consider adding to the NEXT VERSION of Cleanitol.. a method of entering and reporting "option files". I mean so many people have found such nice uses for cleanitol and this just extends its uses even more..   Lucky for me I have all this time to think up things for you to do! HAHA

[xxdita]

Cleanitol can already report optional files, it's just a matter of the person making the txt to do it. I was tired.

[Sapphire Blue]

Hi BarbyW,
As you can see from the attached photo I am pleased to say I have finally managed to find all the props for the parks with the help of the park dependancy list provided by xxdita.  I am not sure how to use the cleanitol feature but I checked all the mega prop files in my plugin folder again against the dependancy list and found I had the wrong BSC Mega Props RT Vol 1, I had a file called 'BSC Mega Props RT WFK vol 1' (not sure what the WFK stands for) and after a long time searching I found the bldgprop_vol1.dat on the simcity4 official site for the gazebo.  It was not easy to find and I only found it by accident while reading through the info on the Lot editor and Building Architech tools.  Anyway I got there in the end.  Thanks to both you and xxdita.

I still have two versions of the SG Pagoda park, but I think I can sort that out by moving one of the pagoda files out of the plugins folder and see which version disappears from the game.  However, I have noticed that the colours of the small square gardens in both versions of the pagoda park, changes everytime you plop another one (see second attached photo, the three at the top are your BSC version), is this a deliberate feature of the park design?  I did not notice it before, I suppose because I was only ever plopping one at a time.

Once again many thanks for your help and I love the parks.