City won't load

[jonno]

OK, so I have a city that won't load.  I know what is causing it, but I don't know how to fix it.  I have the SimGoober Heliport and I accidentally put a curve in the attached train tracks which caused the building to turn semi-clear and it wouldn't query.  I assumed SC4 was gonna crash so I saved and exited.  Now I can't load the city because it will crash to desktop a few seconds after clicking on load city.  Does anyone know if there is anything I can do to let me load the city?  I don't want to lose it because I've spent so much time on it.

[frdrcklim]

So uhmmm, you knew what the problem was, I think you should not have saved it. Usually,  the CTD happens mostly on saving or when you did something on your plugins folder but the first one is more dangerous and that's why you here people here saying that you need to create back-ups. It happened to me a long time ago . I loved that city even if it didn't have any custom content. If you did not save it, you'll just go back to the previous saved city. So if you know what's wrong, don't save it  .

I'm no techie or expert  , but I'm pretty hopeful about your problem. The guys here might be able to find a way around your problem. Good Luck  !

[jonno]

I crash to desktop so often I just assume that's what it was.  It was only after saving that I realized what I had done.  And stupidly enough, I last backed up just before starting this city.

[RippleJet]

Is the SimGoober heliport the one that's included in AC Functional Airports 1.0, or is it an earlier version downloaded from STEX?

[jonno]

I'm quite positive that it's the one in AC Functional Airports.  I downloaded it about 3-4 months ago.  I had no problems with it until I accidentally messed up the attached train tracks.

[RippleJet]

Just to rule out the possibility of a conflicting airport controller,
could you search your complete plugins folder for the occurrence of any of the following files:

• Airport_Terminals_AirportDeveloperType.dat
• Airport_Terminals_AirportDeveloperTypes.dat
• z_Airport_Terminals_AirportDeveloperTypes.dat
• z_SW77-AirportSupport.dat
• A_SW77-Airport_Terminals_Support.dat
• TAC_Aviation_1.dat
• TAC_Aviation_2.dat
• TAC_Aviation_3.dat
• TAC_Aviation_4.dat

[jonno]

no, I can't find any of these files in my plugins folder.

[RippleJet]

no, I can't find any of these files in my plugins folder.

That's a pity, because that would then indicate that it is indeed the curved railroad puzzle piece laid over a TE lot that would be the culprit.

As we know puzzle pieces laid over TE stations always lead to CTD's.
The fact that you didn't get a CTD right when laying down the rail curve puzzles me though...

And I cannot come up with any ideas on how to correct it afterwards...

[wouanagaine]

Maybe open the savegame in reader and delete all 'Examplar', it may or may not help

[jonno]

I tried recreating it in other cities, (the train track over the heliport) and it won't crash the system at all.  I just realized though that it wasn't a curved track I laid over it, it was a ramp to raised railroad, if that makes a difference. 

I wouldn't have any idea how to delete the exemplar.

[RippleJet]

I tried recreating it in other cities, (the train track over the heliport) and it won't crash the system at all.  I just realized though that it wasn't a curved track I laid over it, it was a ramp to raised railroad, if that makes a difference. 

Are you able to hover with that ramp above the heliport without getting a CTD?

[jonno]

Yep.  It runs just fine.  The only way I could get it to crash was to I bulldozed the building.

[RippleJet]

Yep.  It runs just fine.

Yes, of course... silly me...
that ramp isn't even a puzzle piece (like the curved rail), it's another transit enabled lot.

The only way I could get it to crash was to I bulldozed the building.

Which once again would indeed suggest that you do have
either a conflicting functional airport or a conflicting airport controller in your plugins.

I'd ask you to do two things in order to get any further:

• Query the heliport and take a snapshot of that query in the game and post it here

• Search both your plugins folders (My Docs and Program Files) and their subfolders
  for all files including either helip or rport in the filename, and post the listing here

[jonno]

Ok, so I searched those folders and this is what I found"

BSC MEGA Props - SG Heliport
Enable MOG Helipad
Enable SG Heliport
Install_BSC_MEGA_Props_SG_Heliport
Install_BSC_MEGA_Props_SG_Heliport.exe


Enable MOG Helipad and Enable SG Heliport both came up twice in these two different locations:

C:\Users\Jonathan\Documents\SimCity 4\Plugins\X-Ports\Airports
C:\Users\Jonathan\Documents\SimCity 4\LEX_Downloads\X-Ports\Airports\Blockers and Enablers

I also took a picture of the query screen of the messed up heliport:

[RippleJet]

I also took a picture of the query screen of the messed up heliport:

That picture reveals quite a lot...
Since there are no capacity figures, you're obviously lacking the airport controller,
which would reside in the file AC Functional Airports, Version 1.0.dat,
located in C:\Users\Jonathan\Documents\SimCity 4\Plugins\X-Ports\Airports

I'd recommend that you reinstall AC Functional Airports 1.0,
and then do not remove AC Functional Airports, Version 1.0.dat.
Only enablers and/or disablers may be moved in and out of that folder.

Also be sure to thoroughly read the Readme if you want to avoid CTD's.

Enable MOG Helipad and Enable SG Heliport both came up twice in these two different locations:

C:\Users\Jonathan\Documents\SimCity 4\Plugins\X-Ports\Airports
C:\Users\Jonathan\Documents\SimCity 4\LEX_Downloads\X-Ports\Airports\Blockers and Enablers

Yes, that's how they should be. The enablers located in
C:\Users\Jonathan\Documents\SimCity 4\LEX_Downloads\X-Ports\Airports\Blockers and Enablers
are available in that folder as a backup for you, in case you want to enable them later on
(by copying them into C:\Users\Jonathan\Documents\SimCity 4\Plugins\X-Ports\Airports).

[jonno]

This picture shows the heliport after I lay the rail over it and it gets screwed up.  The query comes up with numbers and stuff, like it should, before I lay the rail over it. 

[RippleJet]

That doesn't make sense at all...

Just to be sure, could you list all files you've got in
C:\Users\Jonathan\Documents\SimCity 4\Plugins\X-Ports\Airports,
with filenames, creation dates and filesizes visible in that listing as well?

[jonno]

Here is the contents of that folder:

AC Airport Sounds.dat;                            created may-17-08;       313KB
AC Airport Textures.dat;                          created may-17-08;       332KB
AC Functional Airports, Version 1.0.dat;      created may-17-08;       447KB
Enable BLS Airport Shuttle.dat;                 created may-17-08;       776 Bytes
Enable Modern ATCT by Muzzy.dat;           created june-15-08;       739 Bytes
Enable MOG Helipad.dat;                          created june-15-08,       780 Bytes
Enable RT CdS Island Air.dat;                    created june-15-08,       724 Bytes
Enable SG Heliport.dat;                             created june-15-08,       784 Bytes
Enable SWAP Airport Tram.dat;                   created june-15-08,       570 Bytes
Enable SWAP Airports by Thalassicus.dat;     created june-15-08,       3.36KB
Enable SWAP Airports by Xiziz.dat;              created june-15-08,       1.33KB
Enable SWAP Package Loading Center.dat;    created june-15-08,      745 Bytes

There is also another 2 folders inside:

Props
SWAP Eyecandy

[RippleJet]

No errors among those files...

Could you take a snapshot of the heliport's query before dragging that railroad?
And does the same thing happen to the heliport, if you drag the avenue through it?

[jonno]

here's the normal query picture.



No, nothing happens to it if I drag an avenue through it.  Only thing that causes it is to put a rail puzzle piece over the attached railroad tracks.