SC4Tool - Reference and Visual Editor for BATs and Lots

[Andreas Roth 616]

Do you have Microsoft Access for Mac, or a program that can read MS Access files? Attached is the file on what the first versions of SC4Tool were based on.

sc4_building_database_access.zip

[festdave 0]

I don't think I have something that can read MDBs, but I'll give it a shot.

[aldara6166 109]

Have you tried FileJuicer to extract the .EXE file yet?  FileJuicer is a program that extracts the files out of an .EXE file for you Mac folks...you can use this to "undo" the .EXE so to speak and then put the program on a Mac...as long as your OS supports running Windows applications.

Hope that helps...

[Andreas Roth 616]

@aldara: Well, the current version of SC4Tool is a .NET program, I'm not sure if a Mac is capable of running it. With a Windows emulator maybe, but I don't know anything about Macs, so I have no clue.

@festdave: I exported the data from the MDB to an Excel file, and finally made a PDF out of it. Attached is a ZIP with both the XLS and the PDF files. It should print well when you use "Landscape" and mark "Fit to page" (or whatever it's called in English).

sc4_building_database_excel_pdf.zip

[MarcosMX 222]

I want to know how to TE (transit enable) some lots with this tool, but I have no idea what to do?

Does anyone knows that can tell me?

Thanks

[aldara6166 109]

Originally posted by: MarcosMX I want to know how to TE (transit enable) some lots with this tool, but I have no idea what to do?

Does anyone knows that can tell me?

Thanksquote>

 

There is a tutorial with the program that is very good at explaining what to do...it is very easy, just point and click essentially...

Good luck... 

[MarcosMX 222]

ahh I forgot that tutorial thing, thanks

Aldara6166

[Running Naked in the Snow 2]

I have to ask this, since I apparently cannot save an lot I am transit-enabling. So, was wondering if anyone can help me with this.--

I am currently replacing the old airport trams in the airport packs, and i have difficulty in saving transit-enabled lots. It just plainly refuses to let me save it.

Is it because it is an airport lot? or is there ssometrhing else?

Here's to hoping for a quick reply!

-RNITS

[BarbyW 40]

The simple answer is yes it is because it is an airport lot. There is a limitation with the airport and seaport lots that require a workaround such as that done by Swamper77 inhis support files.

[Running Naked in the Snow 2]

So i'm plain out of luck? Or I gotta ask Swamper77 for assistance with that?

-RNITS

[MarcosMX 222]

Can the SC4Tool merge pictures? If so how?

-please note that I have read the Tutorials that come with this tool-

[Andreas Roth 616]

What do you mean with "merge pictures"? You can merge the content of any SC4 files (*.SC4Model, *.SC4Desc, *.SC4Lot, *.dat) into a new file, including all pictures (menu icons etc.) with the File Merger.

[MarcosMX 222]

no I mean, if you want to create a new texture you need to hace those in a .dat.

[Andreas Roth 616]

When creating new textures, you can either place them in an existing DAT, or create a new one. Then import your image with the desired texture (several file formats are supported), copy it to all zoom levels, adjust the IDs and click "OK". The necessary FSH files will be created automatically and placed inside the existing or new DAT.

[MarcosMX 222]

Thanks, but Im trying to create a new .DAT by clicking on the start icon, but a window pops up like if Im going to open a DAT. Kinda of confusing.

[Andreas Roth 616]

Yeah, that could be confusing, but I guess it's by design. Just type in a name, i. e. "my_textures.dat" and click "open". This will create a new file that is opened by SC4Tool. Once you add your images for the textures, the FSHs will be saved automatically to this file.

[MarcosMX 222]

It worked, thank you very much Andreas.

[LowRider0123 0]

Ok, Im having trouble getting this program up and running. I downloaded the SC4 Tool and everytime I run it it says Application Error: Application failed to initialize properly. Any suggestions?

[Andreas Roth 616]

Is the Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 properly installed?

[shanghai kid 6]

@Andreas

I was wondering why i can't get a picture on some lots but other lots shows up in "TE".

This is a little problem as without a picture(only white squares with the text "not found"), it's a little difficult to get the "TE" correctly placed on the lots.

ps: do you now how it's going with frimi2's "Path Maker Tool", as i've not seen any updating info sins november last year.

[Andreas Roth 616]

The textures should show up in the Transit Enabling Editor window, at least when they are inside the plugins folder. Maybe you moved them out temporarily with the Startup Manager? In this case, SC4Tool can't read them, obviously. If you can't get working, try replacing the "missing" textures with some standard Maxis ones, then place the TE tiles in SC4Tool, save the lot, load it in the Lot Editor again and replace the textures with the ones that are supposed to be there.

Regarding Path Maker: Both frimi2 and simrolle are currently very busy, that's why there aren't any updates at the moment. Path Maker is supposed to be integrated in SC4Tool, but most likely, this won't happen before july/august. Over the last few months, simrolle changed lots of internal code, so SC4Tool will run a lot faster. If you encounter any bugs or oddities, please report them as detailed as possible. This is the only way for simrolle to know what needs to be fixed or improved.

[shanghai kid 6]

thanks, i'll try that.

ps. they are in the pluggins folder as i havn't started to use Startup Manager yet.

Looking forward to the update of SC4Tool with the Path Maker later this year.

[LowRider0123 0]

Originally posted by: Andreas Roth Is the Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 properly installed?quote>

 

What do you mean? Im not that computer literate.

[greyveil 37]

Originally posted by: LowRider0123

Originally posted by: Andreas Roth Is the Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 properly installed?quote>

 

What do you mean? Im not that computer literate.quote>

 

Then maybe you need to hold off using SCtool until you get a little more literate, making the wrong changes with this tool can really be detrimental to your game!

[Andreas Roth 616]

@LowRider: Please refer to the ReadMe file for a download link to the Microsoft .NET Framework. It's an addon for Windows, allowing it to run .NET Framework programs (this is some kind of programming language) - if you don't have installed it, SC4Tool will not work. And as greyveil said, SC4Tool is a modding program, mainly intended for serious players who really know what they do. Although the program constantly checks if the settings you're making are within the parameters, it's quite easy to screw up the game. Even I made a mistake today, while transit enabling a new GLR station, I must have chosen the wrong settings, so it didn't work at all.

[fightcancer 0]

Is there any way to find a list of lot sizes (e.g. 3x3, 4x4, etc.)?

Thanks!

[Andreas Roth 616]

Unfortunately, there is no easy way to extract the lot sizes manually (as I did with the building values to create my building database, that was before SC4Tool was invented), since they are scattered throughout hundreds of lot exemplar files. Even worse, every (growable) lot that is included in the game references to several buildings, and every building references to several lots. Maxis did a pretty good job to create a good amount of variety without the need to create a huge number of lots. I'm aware that many people would like a list like this (myself included), and it's definitely planned for the next version of SC4Tool. But as I explained above, it will take some time until the development starts again.

[fightcancer 0]

Danke schoen for the prompt response. I am mainly interested, and have been interested for about 17 months now, because I want to find out which buildings are the most efficient in terms of space usage. For example, the Ong Condos may be the most efficient Residential building as it holds the most people when when stressed 2 levels (I can't remember the correct word) even though it uses 16 tiles (4x4). In terms of industry, I believe one of the burners (from Dirty industry) provides 76 jobs and uses only 2 squares (2x1).  However, its air pollution and AP radius are huge detractors.  So maybe a HT Progen building would be better, but it provides far fewer jobs per tile.

In my subway city, I'm trying to maximize population. So finding this list is very important.

Thanks again for bringing us SC4Tool and for the prompt support, and thanks to Simrolle (?) as well.

Sincerely,

FC

[brtim2 11]

I'm encountering a problem with the texture editor, perhaps someone here could help me. I made a few base textures per the readme, and they show up fine, all 5 of them. Then I got smart and requested my own texture range through Barbyw and was given 0xd4d00000. I then made a base texture that looks like jeronij's sidewalks, and a set of three base textures that act as retaining walls (straight rock, half rock half grass, half grass half rock). However, when I place in game the sidewalk texture shows up for all three of the retaining walls. I thought maybe it was me, so I went into the LE and made sure the base textures are there, and they were. Then I went into SC4Tool to check my file that has all of the textures and they are all different. So SC4Tool sees them different, the Lot Editor sees them different, but SimCity itself thinks all four of the textures are the same texture. Any ideas?

The textures are id'd as follows:

Sidewalk

Group 0xD4D00000

Instance 0xD4D00004

Rock Wall Diagonal Bottom

Group 0xD4D00005

Instance 0xD4D00009

Rock Wall Diagonal Top

Group 0xD4D0000A

Instance 0xD4D0000E

Rock Wall Straight

Group 0xD4D00010

Instance 0xD4D00014

(The base textures are down in the 0xFF range and are not affected. I do plan on changing them at some point.)

These 4 base textures along with one overlay and 6 other base textures are all packaged together in one .dat file. The .sav file has been removed as I thought that was the cause of the problem. It wasn't. So I'm stuck at the moment. Thanks.

[brtim2 11]

Ok, I'm assuming it's cause the thread isn't bumped to the top cause it's stickied, not that i've asked an unanswerable.

I just deleted the texture that was overriding each texture...

and it still showed up in game, yet that texture no longer exists in the Tool nor in the LE.

Now I'm really lost.