Plug-in Manager - Help

[fosterk 4]

Please use this thread as an index to knowledge using the Plug-in manager, or PIM, for short.

If you have any troubles with the program, please post here with information on what's gone wrong, or what you need help with. There is a similar system in the BAT - Workshop forum, so if you need to see a few examples of how to post here, please take a look there at the pinned threads.

These threads will help people have easy access to information, and using them is keeping the forum tidy.

[kingofsimcity 5,739]

Basic plugin manager tips-

 

1. If you want to make a simple SC4Desc file, follow these steps.

 

--------------------------------------

1. Look for the SC4 Model file you saved in the model section of the manager.

2. Now, On the left frame, you should see a DESC +

3. click the DESC and you should get a long list of different SC4 types.

4. Now Drag and drop you model into the group of your liking.

5. Here is the tricky part for some. You look in the section and find you SC4 Desc.

6. click on it and you should see a bunch of different stats.

7. Some, can be hard to understand but for most, its fun and painless.

8. Then, after you've finished with the stats, you click ok or apply and voila!

9. Then, go to the lot editor.

 

Hope that helps!

 

KOSC

[Equinox 1,209]

Here's a tutorial for what values are realistic for giving BAT buildings.  The default plugin manager values are really skewed; I recommend taking a look at this, even if it's just to get an idea of what the values should be.  Over time, I will update it with values for more variations of wealths, occupant types, and growth stages ... plus, I'll probably add more pictures.  This guide is intended for anyone, even people with no previous Plugin Manager experience ... it's a good guide to use when starting out, IMHO.

NDEX Tweaking Tutorial, part 1: using the Plugin Manager to generate an SC4Desc file .

[deadwoods 542]

Great tutorial EQ. The comparison of the standard Plugin Manager figures to a real building is a very effective way to show how far off the PIM is (and the effect on the game as you've highlighted).

One minor suggestion around formatting. The centre-aligned format makes it hard to read in places. I'd suggest left-aligned, perhaps with some sub-headings to break the text up vertically.

But the content is excellent. Thanks for putting this together. It complements SG's one nicely.

[Equinox 1,209]

I will tweak the alignment in the next update I make.    Thanks for the quick feedback!

Another good question to ask here would be one I've had for a long time, and I'm sure many other people have ... How is growth probability controlled, and what is the most effective way of decreasing/increasing the frequency with which certain lots grow, besides altering the growth stage of the lot?

[matthew82475 0]

This is probably going to be a really naive question, but here it goes...

I wanted to be able to open a model that comes with SC4, modify its properties, rename it, use it in a new lot, and save that lot for use in the game.  Is this possible?  The PIM only sees the SC4 Models that come with it as samples.  Can you edit, modify, or otherwise create new models based on exisitng ones in the game?

 

Thanks,

 

Matt

[sloppet 3]

I have a question:

How to change a growable building into a plopable building? What programes do you have to use?

[NicolaiS 8]

This may be the dumbest question ever asked  ... but I have to ask it anyway. I have started fooling around with the LE and ilive reader ... no problem so far.

 

Now I see people talking about the plug-in manager (PIM) ... where can I find the plug-in manager? Is it part of the LE or the reader or a seperate program.

 

Help will be much appreciated as I am taking my very first small steps in the modding world.

[the_SIMtastik_One 3]

The PIM is part of the BAT. You can get it on the official site.

www.simcity.ea.com

 

On the left side of the screen, find cool stuff->tools->building architect tool (BAT).

 

To install the BAT you will also need gmax. There's a link to get gmax on the same page.

[demerson 42]

ok  i downloaded gmax but i cant find the link to download the bat and pim at simcity.com.   where is it????

[NicolaiS 8]

Date: 6/7/2005 6:44:51 PM Author: the_SIMtastik_One

The PIM is part of the BAT. You can get it on the official site.

www.simcity.ea.com

On the left side of the screen, find cool stuff->tools->building architect tool (BAT).

To install the BAT you will also need gmax. There's a link to get gmax on the same page.

quote>

 

Thanks ... found it!!

[mcdrye 104]

I have a major problem with the plugin manager, whenever I run it there are no options to save the rendered model to. All I see are three categories Models, Descriptors and Lots. There are no options for example saving as a Prop or Parking Lot etc. This is really annoying as I cant test any of the models I have made in the game! I would be very grateful for anyone who has a solution to this problem

[zeonadmiral 0]

I am also having this problem. I tried redownloading the Plugin Manager, but the same thing happens each time.

[the_SIMtastik_One 3]

mcdyre and zeonadmiral,

I think your problem might be that you're not opening the discriptors in the PIM. In the left side window of the PIM are the tree categories. Next to descriptors (to the left of it) you should see a plus sign (+). click on it. Click on the plus sign next to all. And keep clicking on plus signs until you run out of them. Now the left window should be full of descriptor categories( college, elementry school, high school, etc.). Go back up to the top of the left window and highlight models. The right window should now be full of all the model files in your plugins folder. Remember, the PIM only finds models in you MyDocs/.../Plugins, not in ProgamFiles/.../Pluigns. Also, if a model is in a subfolder of the plugins folder the PIM will not find it.

 

Hope this helps. Good luck with your creations!!

[zeonadmiral 0]

There are no plus signs in my plugin manager. That is the problem.

[the_SIMtastik_One 3]

Well I'm sorry that I couldn't help. The only other thing I can think of is that you might need the PIM update from the official SC4 site.

http://simcity.ea.com/coolstuff/bat/index.php

[zeonadmiral 0]

I downloaded the updated version thrice and all three did not work. I think I will send EA an email or four.

[mcdrye 104]

Ive used plugin manager for ages and it worked until Simcity decided to crash every time I loaded it so i reinstalled and now there are no descriptors to choose from.

[mcdrye 104]

EDIT I have solved the problem!! After unistalling and deleting the Maxis folder the SC4 Exemplar and PLugin Manger help file are deleted. When I reinstalled and placed the PLugin Manager.exe in the Apps folders of course it would not work. Then I released I hadnt reinstalled one major thing, Simcity 4 BAT installer! Of course I realised plugin manager comes with it. After reinstalling that I loaded it up and it worked.

So anyone who has deleted the Maxis folder to reinstall a fresh copy, make sure you reinstall ALL the tools even if you think you already have them!

[NSCC 0]

NO + item on the left side.....
Me too i have removed and reinstalled SC4 few time ago...but i have already reinstalled the BAT, lot editor and the two sc4 updete for BAT. What does i must to have in the SC4 of more for that my plugin manager works?

[Feyerin 0]

The problem I'm having has to do with farm fields. In the plugin manager, the field lot section of properties won't let me type in any custom field lot IDs; it only provides a pull down list of the original SC4 fields. I'd like to make some farm lots that use fields I've downloaded. Am I missing the obvious here?

[BarbyW 40]

You need to use the Reader to change the default fields to custom fields after making your lot.

Barby

[TheCrybKeeper 278]

I see one repeated trend around the BAT,LE and PIM forums:

Yes, a lot of these questions are coming from folks, who do not realize how big a chunk of info, they are asking for. BUT, generally these poor ones are ignored or looked over, for some un-apparent reason?

Me also. After MANY days of asking a few specifics, I have gotten Zilch in responses. I just asked for a link to the right info, then waited for a day or two........no response, not even a Modd would at least come and say, stop wasting our time. That would have been a response at least.

 Do not get me wrong; I understand the Modders viewpoint here. This stuff takes time and patience and 100's of hours oogling the screen. After such a job to figure this stuff out, many do not wish to just give the info away for free.

Still, this appears in black and white, to other forum readers as, rude looking.

Barbyw: I love your STEX contributions! Fantastic farms too! Thank you very very much for responding and helping us with solid advice.

[lakeyboy 12]

Hey guys,

Just wondering, I can't get my plug-in manager to work while it's in the APPS folder. The help file and the SC4 exempler are in there. Also, when I copy those files including the plugin manager exe file to the desktop, it works when I open it but no models show. It even created a plugins folder on my desktop so I copied the model I made from the plugins folder to the desktop plugins folder, started it up again but still nothing. No models showing?

And also, do you have to use the Plugin Manager or can you skip straight to the Lot Editor from Gmax.

Thanks in advance. I'm currently making my own freeway signs and would like to get them in the game.

[lakeyboy 12]

Just to add that there is also no buttons which expand the menus. I have reinstalled it with the BAT installer and have again tried both versions. The unicode and the non-unicode.

Now I can hopefully get an answer to my problems with more than 150 members online at the moment.

[TwinPineapples 0]

Why won't LE recognize my models made
in BAT? I used the PIM just as
instructed, but when I do replace
building all I see are the buildings
that came with the game. My models are
nowhere to be found.

Any ideas?

[BarbyW 40]

Two possibilities come to mind initially, TwinPineapples. One is that you have not started with the correct typeof lot for the descriptor file you made in PIM. In other words if you make a Landmark in PIM then you must start with a Landmark lot in LE.

The second possibility is that your building is too big for the lot you have chosen. If the building is too big it will not show in LE. Try making the lot bigger in Le then try to find your building.

 

Barby

[TwinPineapples 0]

How can I tell if the object is too big?

What should the max dimensions be in BAT
for a 3x3 lot?

[BarbyW 40]

The max should be slightly less than 48x48. You can make a lot bigger though in LE.

Barby

[weill 0]

I am new here, and I would like to know how you get everything started, help would be appriecated, thanks!