Question regarding dependencies and lots of custom content

[castironpigeon 1]

Hey everyone. I've been downloading a couple of the custom lots and they work really nicely in my cities, but as I download more I'm finding my plugins folder is getting really messy. I've read that some people have upwards of 500 custom lots...how do you keep track of them all?

Also, is it ok to just download every dependency in the world and let them all install over one another or will there be issues with that? There just seem to be so many that it's hard to keep it straight. Thanks! -CIP

[DFire870 2]

I organize my plugin folder by author name, and I think a lot of other people do that too. It makes it a lot easier to keep track of plugins.

As for the dependencies, I would download them as you need them, because there's the possibility of duplicates if you download every single one.

[Frigid 6]

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[castironpigeon 1]

Is it a bad thing to have duplicates? All the installers say to delete older versions etc...but is that just for neatness' sake?

[Andreas Roth 632]

Generally speaking, duplicates don't hurt, since the game always uses the last instance it finds in the plugins folder, overriding the previous ones (they are loaded folder by folder, alphabetically-wise). But with some mods, duplicates will have side-effects, like doubled menu icons. In that case, getting rid of them would be a good idea.

Now, talking about your original question: There is no ultimate way how to organize your plugins folder. Many people sort the downloads by creator, and that's how almost all installers (typically used by the BSC members, the SFBT and Pegasus, but also others) are working. I suggest not to install too many items at once. If you only add, say, one or two per day, or a dozen of them every sunday, but not more, you'll get familar with them better than installing hundreds of them at the same time.

Always make sure to read the included readme file, and install dependencies right away if the readme tells you to do so. Make yourself familiar with the contents of the BSC Mega Prop Packs, for instance, since they replace dozens of individual dependency files (there's always a readme file included that tells you which files were replaced). If you're doing this step by step, you can keep track of the stuff that's installed, and you will be able to name everything from memory.

[castironpigeon 1]

Ok I'll try that thanks!

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

I do something a little different, probably because I download from a lot of places.  I have a folder on my Desktop called My Downloads.  Inside that, I have a folder for each source (site) from which I download.  In My Downloads\Simtropolis folder, I have it organized mostly by author for lots and modds, but I have a few special items there as well having to do with being a moderator.

My plugins structure is the same as my organiztion in the My Documents\Simtropolis folder with the exception of the special items.

When I download something, I examine it, and if it is in multiple parts I generally convert all this to a single .dat file using Ilive's file2dat program.  This reduces the number of items in my plugins, and saves some space due to the small amount of packing that occurs.

[smokr 0]

Text file in plugins folder. Each lot with dependencies, I copy/paste the dependency list from the readme into this text file by the mod name in alpha order.

Then a folder in the plugins folder called Depends.....

When I tire of or just remove a mod, read this text file for it, remove the listed dependencies from the folder, comment in text file, done.

Occasionally I check the list for dupe names, and when the rare ones occur, I note it so I don't remove it unless I remove both/all mods that depend on it.

Dupe files are impossible. They all go into the Dupes folder, and when one by that name already exists, I check them and keep the newest if one is.

Works so far.

New to SC4 and all this online forums stuff for it, but I've been messing around since SC2000.

[castironpigeon 1]

Has anybody made some sort of database program to snoop through your sc4 folder for you and tell you what you've got in there? Maybe I'm just extremely disorganized but I can't seem to keep track of more than a dozen or so plugins..

Every contributor has their own scheme in creating installers. If you let them pick the default path your directory gets disorganized. (One example being BSC Essentials which throws things into 6 different directories...try getting a newbie to organize that.) Also sometimes a contributor puts something under another name, or things can be connected like a contributor making a lot file based on somebody else's dat files.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Download the SC4Tool.  It has a lot of capability in this regard.

[Neddiggis 1]

Generally speaking with groups like BSC it's best to leave it as it is. They organise it that way for a reason, and it makes it easier to update a file.

Basically with an installer, run with the auto folder, unless they are getting really messy. With zip files put them where you think the fit best.

I keep a list of all files I install, plus a list of all the dependencies so I can check to see if I have them when I download something new. It's rare that I need to download dependencies now as I have most of the new ones.

There is a list on STEX (done by me) with a list of (almost) all of the prop packs available on STEX and PLEX with links to the files which is what i use to keep track of them. On Pegs site is this same list which will be kept up to date by the developers with the latest packs.

[castironpigeon 1]

I've figured out a good way to keep track of my files finally. What I've decided on is to keep two versions of my plugins folder. One is the installed folder in my docs, the other is full of all the downloaded files. Since each modder likes to stick stuff in different places, I'll let them do that and the folder in my docs can take whatever form it likes. On the other hand I'll still know what's in there because I can keep my zip folder nice and tidy. Hopefully this helps others with the same dilemma. Thanks to all who responded with suggestions they helped!