SC4Tool - Reference and Visual Editor for BATs and Lots

[Andreas Roth 616]

I don't know how the tool could have any influence on your system, but with the crashes you experienced, maybe Windows got mixed up internally and produced some random errors. I'm really sorry some of you have had so many problems, but remember, the tool is still in beta, so errors are likely. Unfortunately, the reported problems are beyond our control, since the bugs seem to come with some third-party modules that are used for displaying the data. simrolle is a professional programmer and never experienced problems like these when using the mentioned third-party stuff, but every computer in the world is different, so nobody knows what could happen.

Anyway, it seems we cannot use the tab position saving feature, so simrolle created a new version, which should fix the issues eventually. Please remove the old installation of the program, then re-install, but don't start it up yet! Use this patch first and place the SC4Tool.exe in the installation folder, and the Settings.dat and the Settings.xsd in the System subfolder. Now start the program, which should report as v0.4.0 in the About dialogue box.

 

EDIT: Thank you very much for the dutch translation, Thunderman!

 

EDIT

[ScottFTL 29]

Andreas, the new version seems to be working fine for me. I tried all the things that caused errors before, and no problems to report so far. Thanks to SimRolle for the quick patch.

Are the image files available for download yet?

Great work on this! It will be a very useful tool.

[Andreas Roth 616]

I'm glad to hear that it seems to work now. I posted the link of the images installer here .

[brtim2 11]

yessir. I downloaded the first link you posted and it didn't work. The stats would not come up. I uninstalled and said 'Well that's crap' and went about my day. But, an update, well I'm a sucker and will try anything once (or is it twice now?). And lo-and behold! it worked. I get all the stats and the buttons and the colors and the error messages. (only one of those is not true.)

I just want to say thank you for the program. It makes things easier and makes me so much more sure that a well known designer has messed up his capacities. Tsk Tsk.

But seriously, thanks again.

[Thunderman 30]

Date: 7/13/2005 6:48:54 PM Author: Andreas Roth

......

EDIT: Thank you very much for the dutch translation, Thunderman!

 

EDIT

[Andreas Roth 616]

The language file covers the menu entries, buttons, dialogue boxes etc., but not the data that is contained in the database or other reference files, such as the properties.xml, sc4Ref.dat etc. Since we continually added new stuff over the last few weeks, we need to do some clean-up under the hood now, managing and centralising the stuff. The hardest problem was to get it working, and we really tried it a dozen of times, but everytimes it didn't worked for everyone. Hopefully, we are at a state now where everyone can use the tool without those nasty bugs, so the next step would be to do the clean-up, and then adding the stuff that is still planned, such as the transit enabling feature.

[Thunderman 30]

Yes I have noticed that.. it covers indeed the most things on the programs... I have updated the dutch language file from minor corrections and will upload this as soon as I get home.

 

I'm currently working on the dutch translation of the readme file, which will be completed in the next couple of days

 

My version runs smoothly with the dutch translation

 

Ok lets keep this project up and running, let's see what we can add more and make it better!

 

 

Greetz Thunderm@n

 

EDIT: I will also try to look if I can translate some other parts of the programs which still needs to be done, see how that goes...

[Andreas Roth 616]

Yeah, once the language files are registered in the Settings.dat, you can edit and replace them with newer versions without any problems. Translating the properties.xml would be a major task, so maybe that's not necessary, but if you want, you can open the Groups.xml file with Notepad and translate these values (the groupspec ones in particular). They are used for the text strings on the Analyser tabs (the text on the blue bars). I don't know if simrolle planned to include these strings into the language file, but since the program is fully customizable in many aspects, you can do that for yourself anyway, if you want. Just make some backups of the modified files, since they would be overwritten when you install a new version that comes with an installer.

[Thunderman 30]

Ok, thanks for the info on that one Andreas, I'll look into it as soon as I'm done with the readme file.

 

Update:

 

The Dutch language file is now updated to version 0.0.2 !

File is attached to this the next post, so for all the dutchies outthere, grab it while it's hot!

 

 

Greetz Thunderm@n

 

 

edited the correction.

[Thunderman 30]

Oops forgot to attach the file DO'h!

File is now attached!

 

Dutch language file version 0.0.2

 

 

Greetz Thunderm@n

[simrolle 18]

Date: 7/14/2005 4:16:57 AM Author: thunderman

Date: 7/13/2005 6:48:54 PM Author:

Yes I noticed those errors too when trying to use the dutch file, but the workaround works also

I have also noticed that there are quite a few words needs to be translated, especially in the 'properties editor' but somehow I don't know how to acces that part. Noticed that not everything is being translated automaticly, sow I think we'd have to look further into that.

I will take further translation on my behalf, so if anyone needs to have some translation from english to dutch, just contact me about it.

Greetz Thunderm@n

I fixed this. With the next version you can save the file directly to the Language-Subfolder.

In the properties editor 2 Tags will not change dynamicly; I#ve fixed that as well. Meanwhile you have to restart

the editor to see your changes.

 

THX for translating!

 

Greetz

simrolle

 

[Thunderman 30]

Thanx simrolle! And I'm glad I can do something for the community!

 

I've just finished the dutch translation of the readme file, which is also attached to this post!

And I took the liberty to add myself to the credits

 

Now going to translate the rest of the files

 

If you've got questions or request about Dutch translation, feel free to contact me anytime...

 

 

 

Greetz Thunderm@n

[Andreas Roth 616]

Ah, nice work with the readme (I don't speak dutch, but since it's kinda similar to German I can understand what's been said in General - well, and I know the text anyway ). Hint: If you want, translate also the tutorial. It's a HTML file, so it's easier to do it in a proper HTML editor, but Notepad will work as well. I also could send you the screenshots with the text labels on separate layers for Photoshop or Fireworks, if you have one of these programs.

[Thunderman 30]

I work with photoshop, so if you would send me those pictures for photoshop, then I can easily change those text into dutch.

 

I know how to change an html file, and have seen the tutorial, but I guess it is gonna take a while before I have translated that... But will start on that one somewhere in this weekend...

 

 

 

Greetz Thunderm@n

 

[Andreas Roth 616]

Ok, I uploaded the templates - the labels are in German, but that shouldn't be a problem, I guess. Look at the English ones provided with SC4Tool when you're in doubt. I created them in Fireworks, so Photoshop may have to convert the Fireworks objects into Photoshop layers first - just click ok or update if you are asked. Most labels have white, translucent rectangles below the text, you may have to adapt the size of these. When you're done, save the images as GIF (I used Websnap 128 Colors in Fireworks, Photoshop should offer something similar) and name them in a scheme sc4db_#x.gif, where # is a number (currently 1 to 9), and the x is a letter code for the country. I used d (for deutsch) and e (for english) so far, so maybe use nl or something like this.

Download Photoshop templates  (2,4 MB)

[Thunderman 30]

Thanks Andreas, I will try my very best to make it work, if not, then you'll hear from me again. Und mir Deutsch ist nicht so gutt aber ich probierre das (translation: my german language is not so good but I will try).

 

I got also start working on the groups.xml which is nearly finished it's work.

 

 

Greetz Thunderm@n

 

EDIT: I have just finished my work on the dutch tutorial! I got 3 zips included in the next posts!

Only I couldn't add the images to the tutorial file, sow that has yet to be done!  

[Thunderman 30]

Attached Dutch Tutorial...

[Thunderman 30]

Attached Dutch Tutorial Images part 1

[Thunderman 30]

Attached the last part of Dutch Images Tutorial

 

Greetz Thunderm@n

[Andreas Roth 616]

Wow, someone was busy! Of course, the dutch stuff will find it's way right into the next release. Good work!

[Thunderman 30]

Haha, Yes it is a lot of work translating everything but last night I woke up early (3 o'clock! And had to go to work about 7:30 so I had my time ) and made huge progress while working on those files...

Also have another finished file for you, just finished work on the groups.xml (& attached! )

Now going to start working on the properties.xml.

 

While I was translating everything, I noticed that Maxis uses strange cryptic sentences into the game and to find a right (and as short as possible offcourse) translation for it was very hard work and not easy. So it can happen that someone can find strange dutch sentences/words in the translation, because I couldn't make a right sentenctes or word for it due to those strange Maxis cryptic use of it.

 

Greetz Thunderm@n

[aldara6166 109]

I have downloaded this program and it's updates and will be trying it soon.  I think it will make things especially easy for those of us that haven't really had the time or patience to try and learn iLive or DatGen yet.  It will especially make transit enabling easier as well...think I might just start doing that for some of the stuff I've downloaded...just to see if I can really do it.

 

One question though...mainly for eddiem since he is our Japanese liason...since a TON of us download alot of the Japanese BATs...especially from the Massively Gigantic Japanese BAT thread...is it possible to work on a Japanese translation next, so that we can get those lots to show up with the proper text in game?  I know it is a lot of work, but I trust you guys will work it out.  Glad to have people like you guys/gals working here (for free of course )...it definitely makes a mediocre game totally awesome!

 

The updates... well ... keep em coming...

[eddiem 2]

I'm afraid the type of translation which you mean isn't possible. What is being discussed here is the translation of the program interface. As for the SC4tool itself, I will let Andreas explain further on that but basically it is still at a fairly early stage of its potential.

Eddie

[aldara6166 109]

Date: 7/16/2005 1:35:53 PM Author: eddiem

I'm afraid the type of translation which you mean isn't possible. What is being discussed here is the translation of the program interface. As for the SC4tool itself, I will let Andreas explain further on that but basically it is still at a fairly early stage of its potential.

Eddie

 

Sorry, guess I misunderstood.  So, what you are saying is the translations are for the game menus, descriptions, etc.  I got it now.  Yeah, hopefully in the future we will be able to convert the descriptions at the touch of a button...that would be nice.

 

Thanks Eddie...as always.

[Andreas Roth 616]

As Eddie pointed out, the current discussion is about translating the program itself. We try to make the program as versatile as possible - nearly all aspects could be changed and adapted to the user's desire. Currently, it's not possible to actually edit SC4 files, but it is planned for future versions. We are not trying to copy LeProp, the Reader or DatGen, but more or less filling the gaps that are still open (such as the transit enabling by mouseclick). A comprehensive building reference was desperately needed, since a lot of BATters doesn't seem to know what they should enter in the Plugin Manager - with our reference list, this will be a piece of cake. Anyway, at the moment we're taking a short break, since the last few weeks were hard work to get everything right (on some days, simrolle sent me three new versions with bugfixes), but for now, the program seems to work for everyone - time for some cleanup and additions like the mentioned language files etc.

[simrolle 18]

The transit enabling feature is ready for testing. After passing the tests and bugfixing i think we'll release it

next weekend. This tool allows you to enable Lot-Tiles for all kind of transit by clicking on them.

 

Additional to that we've made some small changes to the analyser e.g. saving different files with same exemplar name and fixed some small bugs as well.

 

The new version will include the dutch language pack made by Thunderman (THX again for your great work! Watch the credits section in the next version!). I hope some more translations will come.

 

Next step will be saving modified Exemplar values back to file. I've planned this for August.

 

 

[simrolle 18]

As i said, the Transit Enabling Tool will go in beta.
The mayor work is done and we can hopefully present it this weekend.

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Pic1.JPG align=baseline>

[Thunderman 30]

That looks really great Simrolle Can't wait to get my hands on the new version

 

Greetz Thunderm@n

[brtim2 11]

That looks really good. And using the Database Tool is real easy and makes for custom LOTS and BATS a real ease. I can't wait for the transit enabling though, for once I'll be able to make something transit enabled.

[ardecila 125]

Andreas - I cannot get the program to display stats on the RCI lots. I've tried everything, including restarting both the program and my computer.

Oddly enough, the Civic buildings show up fine, but the RCI buildings do not show up when clicked. The explorer list shows up fine, but when you select a building, the right side of the window remains blank.

Is there a fix for this? Did I miss something in the thread here?