Lot Editor - Help

[Mr_Maison 2,426]

I moved the original custom cruise ship file from the plugins...turns out I had both the downloaded one and the one I saved in my plugins folder. I left only 1 file (with rewards you can only save, not save-as) in the plugins, I started the game and plopped the cruise ship reward showing the flora I chose in the Lot Editor. I put palm trees just to get my feet wet (I'm very new at this). The palm trees were as though I planted them, so I guess they will grow in time. I thoght I would see fully grown trees, but I'm guessing that would be from "props not "flora.....am I right? I now will see about the monorail shops.

[tungston 19]

There are some palm tree props that come with other lots, some are custom lots, that will show immediately.

[CDI_spy 5]

Hey all.

I'm currently lotting one of my own BATs, so I took a BSC technician's advice and moved my whole plugins folder except for bldgprop vols 1 and 2, as well as my BAT's SC4 model and DESC file.  This made LE considerably faster, and will prevent me from using anything but SC props and textures (no dependencies).

The only thing is that there are no props!  Well, that isn't entirely true... there are the SC4 buildings as props available (bldgprop vols 1 and 2), but no props like people, cars, lights, or other objects.  The base and overlay and textures are still there, though.

Upon futher investigation, I can't see any of SC4's lots in the "Open" screen.

Did I move something from my Plugins I shouldn't have?  Or is it a problem with the program?  Can anybody help me?

Thank you for any help in advance

P.S. I might of come up with a cause.  Are my problems related to the fact that I've edited my Simcity_1.dat?  I can't see the lots in the Reader anymore, either.

[tungston 19]

It sounds like that may be the case, what did you edit in the simcity dat file? If you did mess it up, backup the present file, and copy the file from the install disc to find out.

[CDI_spy 5]

I edited civic properties to extend buildings' coverage radiuses... they were to small for my taste.

I'll copy it and see what happens.  Thanks.

[Sam 163]

If you are going to get into lot making and/or modding, a word of advice: Never, ever, alter the core dat files (simcity_1.dat etc). There is no need and it leads to lots of problems as you have found. One problem is that it prevents you applying official updates to your game. The changes are also irreversible if you can't remember exactly what you did (and lets face it who can remember 6 months later what modifications they made).

If you want to alter the properties of any file in the core dats, then copy only the files you need to a new dat but make sure they keep the same TGI. ie if you want to change the police station radius, open the simcity_1.dat, locate all the police station exemplar files, then copy those files to a new dat file, ensuring you don't change any of their TGIs. Then make your modifications to the files in the new dat file.

If you do this the game will use your modified police station as it will overide the one in the simcity_1.dat file. If you need to uninstall it, you just remove the custom dat file you made, you don't need to reinstall the game to fix your simcity_1.dat.

[CDI_spy 5]

Well,  I replaced my DAT file with the original, but it didn't work in the Reader nor in the Lot Editor.  Then, I tried re-installing the game (backing up my Documents/Simcity folder before hand), still to no avail.

But then it came to me... Vista has really weird administrator permissions and such.  I ran both the LE and Reader as "run administrator" and it worked!  I have access to all the files in both programs!  Thanks for you guys' help in stimulating the solution!

Sam: You needn't worry, for I always copy my original simcity_1.dat file into a Backup folder.  If I were to apply an official update, I would use the original and re-make my changes after.  But your method will save me lots of time... I didn't even know you could do that.  It's a brilliant idea, and I thank you.

[dosomthin90210 0]

i have a quick question that is probablly going to sound stupid, but how do you rotate buildings? in lot editor?

thanks for all the help!

[Sam 163]

Try the page up or page down key.

By the way, there is a Lot Editor Manual that comes with it. You can find it using the start menu: Start>Programs>Maxis>SimCity 4>Lot Editor Manual. It lists among other things all the shortcuts you can use, as well as other useful information on how to use the program.

[Sam 163]

Page flip

[dosomthin90210 0]

oh, duh *slaps head* should have known it would be similar to the controls in sc4

and thank you for the manual link

[exeva 0]

I think this is a stupid question but:

How to turn things in LotEditor???

[SC4BOY 20]

Originally posted by: BarbyW There is no way to make a growable larger than 6x6 in Lot Editor alone but there is a way using LE and iLive's Reader. If you download my tutorial here: https://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?id=14016 you can make growable lots whatever size you wish.

If you use the Reader to modify properties on a lot you make then it will not interfere with any of the in game lots.quote>

 

This link mentioned here doesn't seem to exist.

[Sam 163]

SC4Boy: try at SC4 Devotion here: https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=18.0

[Psycho_Teddy 25]

I am having problems with the LE/PM.

When I go into the plugin manager, after having completed my lot in the LE, I find the descriptor file.

I don't, however, know if it is the right descriptor file, as it appears that it came from one of the buildings that is in my lot. The plugin name is from the building, but the file name is from the lot. When I go to edit the descriptor, I go through every single setting, nothing is left the way it was. When I hit apply, and then, ok, it says 'you must set all required properties before being able to save this plugin'. I don't quite understand what I'm doing wrong, here. Is there a way to make a new descriptor file for this lot?

[tungston 19]

I am not sure how you made the lot. With a model [building] in the Plugin Manager, the parameters are set, this makes the desc file. That file is used in the Lot Editor to make the lot.

You can make a new desc file by dragging the model to one of the categories in the Plugin Manager. You can then use the two files [model, desc] in the Lot Editor to make a new lot, by editing an exsisting lot.

That being said, I am not sure what you are doing to get the error message. Once you have the files, you should be able to edit the parameters in the Plugin Manager. Is it possible you have set one or more of the parameters to an unacceptable number?

[SC4BOY 20]

I don't know if this is an appropriate place to post this, but I'm thinking of using the LE to try to fix an issue that I've come across because I can't track down all the dependencies on a dl'd file by Fukuda "Harbor Set"

Without all the dependencies, I get a pic like this. I've "red lined" the areas where I think it's miss-behaving.. Is this an appropriate kind of thing I might attack with LE?

Here's what it looks like in the post on the DL.. I note it is pretty close except for the items. I think also that an error was made on the original because of the lack of rail texture on the lot with the 3 white containers at the front.. seems a texture like the other lots should have been put there.. anyways.. any thoughts?

[Sam 163]

Psycho_Teddy I assume your lot is a ploppable by the description of your problem?

When you make a "descriptor" file in the PIM (ie a .sc4desc) by dragging your model onto the type of building you want, what its doing is making a building exemplar. This carries the values of some of the important properties (these are the ones you can edit in the PIM).

The PIM then puts that exemplar file inside the .sc4desc file (which is a container, like a zip). It also puts in there an XML file and a DIR file.

When you make a ploppable and you choose to put your building on the lot, the Lot Editor actually makes a new copy of the exemplar file inside the .sc4lot file.

I don't know why its not letting you apply the changes though, unless you have set something outside of its allowable value. The PIM doesn't seem to care if its an exemplar in a lot or a descriptor file, as long as there is an XML file (if there wasn't one, it wouldn't even show in the PIM)

A picture would make it a lot easier to see what is going on, as well as some more information on what kind of lot it is you are making, and what changes you tried to make to it.

Edit: SC4Boy, you could try going into the LE and removing any props and textures that you don't have dependencies for. In the LE the missing props may show up as a rectangle with no text in the info line on the right hand image. You also wont see any visible prop for them in the left image. Just select these problem rectangles and delete them.

Do the same for any missing or conflicting textures and replace them with something you do have. If they are missing they may show as white in the LE.

[SC4BOY 20]

Edit: SC4Boy, you could try going into the LE and removing any props and textures that you don't have dependencies for. In the LE the missing props may show up as a rectangle with no text in the info line on the right hand image. You also wont see any visible prop for them in the left image. Just select these problem rectangles and delete them.

Do the same for any missing or conflicting textures and replace them with something you do have. If they are missing they may show as white in the LE.quote>

 

Thanks kindly. I don't know my way around these things very well, and was wondering how "risky" doing that would be.. hehe... Maybe I'll actually venture in to the LE domain..

Appreciate your taking time to help.

[SC4BOY 20]

He's BAAAAAAACK!!

Welp now I have another question that MAY be LE related.. refer me elsewhere if it isn't

I have a pretty nice lot from a Japanese site that .. no matter how I work to level the lot a bit higher, a bit lower, real high.. whatever.. even if I try to lock the level with road tiles.. when I place the lot it sinks to almost sea level (even below the "semi standard" 0.5m above sea level..) The lot looks ok, but take a look at the ship!! it always looks like it is sinking.. is there anything that can be done about that?

DA PIC

Notice also that the rails can't connect either (yes I know they are 'fake') but they don't look right..    For this reason, just raising the ship would not really be best, tho it would look better.. after all who wants an LPG carrier going down in their port?

If it were at the level of the container port lot, it probably would be perfect. Any ideas? The other lots in the pack seem to be right

[Sam 163]

Actually I suspect its just a positioning problem. I think you may have to move the lot back a tile or two. The ship is supposed to overhang, I don't think you are supposted to try to put the lot itself in the water.

Any lots that are part land part water will level to sea level if they aren't set to be terrain conforming. It depends on the Foundation Threshold and Min/Max Elevation Settings. Normally for such lots the entire thing has to be BATted and the Foundation Threshold and Min/Max Elevation Settings set appropriately.

But its really hard to tell from that picture which lot you are talking about, as you have a mixture there. A link to the particular file would be helpful too.

[SC4BOY 20]

Originally posted by: sam Actually I suspect its just a positioning problem. I think you may have to move the lot back a tile or two. The ship is supposed to overhang, I don't think you are supposted to try to put the lot itself in the water. .quote>

 

Dunno .. it may relate to the shape of my shore, but it will only place exactly with 2 tiles on land.. no options.. I dont try to place it in water.. it places itself there. I've placed it on 20m cliffs and it drops to that same place.

.

Any lots that are part land part water will level to sea level if they aren't set to be terrain conforming. It depends on the Foundation Threshold and Min/Max Elevation Settings. Normally for such lots the entire thing has to be BATted and the Foundation Threshold and Min/Max Elevation Settings set appropriately.

But its really hard to tell from that picture which lot you are talking about, as you have a mixture there. A link to the particular file would be helpful too.quote>

 

don't have a ready link.. its part of a Fukuda set as I recall but as its in a group I don't recall the exact link.. perhaps I can dig it up. I've had it for sometime.. it's always leveled itself with the ship half submerged like that.. (and the one I'm talking about is the one with the LNG ship sunken offshore..   I think it's part of THIS set. There are 5 or 6 lots in the set and this one is the only one that exhibits this issue.

[Sam 163]

Try querying the lot to get a name for it.

[SC4BOY 20]

it is a modified Park lot labeled "Chemical Harbor" with a monthly cost of 15 per mo..no other data

[Sam 163]

Well I tried installing the pack, but I can't even find that particular lot in the menu. (I found all the others just not that one)

[BarbyW 40]

I downloaded the pack and checked that lot - puerto8 - in LE. That lot and all that I looked at have water tiles set for the row furthest away from the road. You need to remove them in LE or the Reader and then they should work better.

[jugioh1012 2]

How do you turn or move something higher?

[jugioh1012 2]

How do transit enable a lot?

[SC4BOY 20]

Originally posted by: BarbyW I downloaded the pack and checked that lot - puerto8 - in LE. That lot and all that I looked at have water tiles set for the row furthest away from the road. You need to remove them in LE or the Reader and then they should work better.quote>

 

Sweeet, BarbyW, sounds like you know where the handle is on this one... 

I DL'd a lot of harbor items following a nice "tutorial" on harbors that I was looking at HERE .. I did check out each of the packs and sandlotted all of them. I noted the "sunking feeling" on the lot when I first put it in, but it didn't really start bugging me until later.. hehe. 

Looks like BarbyW is familiar with the lot. SURPRISE!

sam, here is further detail on the lot and where to get it.. can't help you a lot with dependencies, as I have mentioned I'm having trouble finding all of them.

The pic is actually posted ABOVE from my 11/08 post here.. Its the lot about in the middle left of the pic on the right side. It isn't "sunken" there and the only thing I note is that there is a water mod. Do you suppose that may be part of it? I have my map sealevel set at 250 m which is pretty standard, isn't it?

I'm afraid I don't even know what a "water tile" is (in the LE), but I'd be happy to give the LE a try.. I've actually used it a couple of times over the years, even tho it isn't "my thing". What kind of correction should I make? What is a "water tile"? If all this is too elementary, ya don't have to bother.. but thanks for adding some direction. I'm kind of annoyed with this set of lots anyways since tracking down the dependencies has been a PITA.. they used to all be linked on ST, but all are "being removed" or whatever and I only have like 6 of 8 or so..

[tungston 19]

SC4BOY, when the LE is install it also adds a Lot Editor Manual in Start menu, and the htm file in the main Simcity program folder, if not on the menu. That manual has a explaination of the land, and water tags.