Newbie Help. Need some quick pointers/tutorial

[Lextar 0]

I'm a newbie and recently got back into SimCity4 Deluxe and I downloaded a pile of lots and stuff. After a long search for gmax so I could install BAT architecture, I think I got everything working.

Now all I want to really do is tidy up some downloaded lots (update desc, re-order them in the menus etc) as I'm like that.

So first question... How do I put a new line character in the description?

Second question... I downloaded some lots, but in the Plugin manager, they appear in the Lots folder, but some don't appear in the Buildings area for me to change the description. Why is that???

[JakeMD 107]

1. im not sure what you mean.

2. you can only edit things that you have made: sc4 model files. You drag them into the plugin folder you want and edit there properties.

What you want for editing buildings already made is ilives reader, or sc4 tool, or any other modding program, search around the modds and downloads section for the reader, but im not sure where you get sc4tool. There is a tutorial in the omnibus for queries, and jobs for ilives reader.

[BIWDC 2,296]

Heres a link to the sc4 tool :http://kurier.simcityplaza.de/details.php?file=315

you''ll need to copy & paste the link into your browsers search window.

However for editing descriptions,names,ect in examplers ilives reader is the way to go.

[SimRabbit 48]

So first question... How do I put a new line character in the description?quote>

Find the Item Description propierty and write whatever you want there, if there is no Item Description, there should be a LTEXT file (in the middle) of the Reader and a Item Description Key (watch out, most LTEXT don't have anything to do with Lot's description, they are there for something else like query's etc). The text there is the lot description. And finally if there is not a LTEXT file or Item Description Propierty, you can add your self an Item Description or an Item Description Key by yourself, im not 100% sure how to do that though.

Second question... I downloaded some lots, but in the Plugin manager, they appear in the Lots folder, but some don't appear in the Buildings area for me to change the description. Why is that???quote>

Model files (.sc4model) should be directly under your PlugIn folders (no folders or anything).

Tell me if it helped you

[Lextar 0]

hmm... still a bit confused. 

Some downloads are just sc4lot files. Sometimes they appear in the SC4Plugin manager under the buildings folder. These all have attributes where I can change the description and order. But description is one line. So not sure what the control character is for a line break.

Using SC4Tool... I get even more varied things.

Using the Exemplar Editor, I can open sc4lot files. Some has exemplar keys "Item Order" and "item Description" which I can easily edit. but still one liners for Description.

Then there are some sc4lot files with an "item Description" which is multi-lines, but not sure what the # stands for or how to enter the line break.

And then there is a third type which is "Item Description Key" which is three hex values.

Then there is the sc4desc file. Which someone mentioned above. How can I create one and link it to a sc4lot file?

Any good place to show me how I can modify parameters in a downloaded sc4lot file? I found some info on how to create new copies and customise them, but I don't want to do this, just modify downloaded sc4lot files and update the order, correct names and enter more useful description. I think I figured out how to change some of the parameters to less cheating values, only when the exemplar keys are there though.

[Lextar 0]

Downloads from Simcity.ea.com

IonicInfusor... how do I edit the ordering in the menu for this?

Plugin_032_MayflowerPort  the name is something dodgy like 4x6_lot_mayflower which I wanted to correct.

MicrowavePowerplant I downloaded from there too I want to provide the full details as per other power plants, hence wanting the multi-line descriptions.

[Lextar 0]

OK... I'm using Leprop to add the description now, so multiline desc is good. And I understand now that a Description Key? Exemplar is added. So I guess there are different ways of adding Descriptions. As not sure how Ltext fits into it, but Leprop creates this too.

So what is the .desc for? If I can use Leprop to add the Description to the sc4lot file, why do I need a .desc file?

Now the only problem I have now is that Leprop doesnt allow you to edit the order of the item being displayed in the menu.

So I have SC4tool to do this to edit the "Item Order". Only problem is that some of the sc4lot files dont have an "Item Order". Anyone know why and how I would add it?

Thanks

[Sam 163]

Originally posted by: Lextar OK... I'm using Leprop to add the description now, so multiline desc is good. And I understand now that a Description Key? Exemplar is added. So I guess there are different ways of adding Descriptions. As not sure how Ltext fits into it, but Leprop creates this too.

...quote>

See the following links for information on the LTEXT files and their relationships to Item Description and Exemplar Name (the three ways of naming a building - not a lot. (See below for the difference between these two)

How to: Names and descriptions of buildings and props

An oddity with renaming of custom-made lots...

Originally posted by: Lextar ...

So what is the .desc for? If I can use Leprop to add the Description to the sc4lot file, why do I need a .desc file?

...quote>

I think you are getting a bit confused here. An .sc4desc is not the same as a Description that you add in the LEProp.

A Lot and a Building are different things. Both have what is called an  exemplar (a set of properties that provide information to the game).

Lots have Lot Exemplars which describe the size of the lot, what props and textures are on it and where they are on the lot, as well as other things such as type of lot and network enabling information, and most importantly, a pointer to the building exemplar that it uses. You probably won't have to do much with Lot exemplars except tell them apart from building exemplars.

Buildings have Building Exemplars. The Building Exemplar specifies properties such as Name, Description, icon, Number of residents or jobs, monthly cost or income, pollution values etc according to what type of building it is (eg park, civic, transit, R$$$ etc). It also has a pointer to the Model file that it uses. The building exemplar contains the properties you are most likely interested in, and is what you were editing in LEProp (to a limited extent).

A Lot has one and only one building exemplar at any one time (so for any Lot that you see in game it will have a Lot Exemplar and a Building Exemplar). A building exemplar can be used on more than one lot at any time.

Sometimes the lot exemplar and building exemplar are both contained in the .sc4lot file. Sometimes only the Lot exemplar is in there and the Building Exemplar is somewhere else, eg in a .dat or a .sc4desc file. Ploppables usually have a new copy of the building exemplar automatically added to the .sc4lot file when the lot file is created in the Lot Editor. So those lots usually have a building exemplar and a lot exemplar inside the .sc4lot file. Growables, when made in teh LE do not get their Building Exemplar automatically put in the .sc4lot file. It only references the building exemplar which is usually kept elsewhere, unless the modder manually puts the building exemplar in teh .sc4 lot file.

The .sc4desc file is a container file made by the PIM. Inside it is a Building Exemplar. Then when you go and make a lot in the LE and put your building on it (the exemplar of which is contained in the .sc4desc file) the lot exemplar is pointed to building exemplar it needs. The extension .sc4desc does not mean it is a "Description" property like you make in the LEProp. It is a Descriptor file, ie it contains a building exemplar which describes the building to the game.

Originally posted by: Lextar ...

Now the only problem I have now is that Leprop doesnt allow you to edit the order of the item being displayed in the menu.

So I have SC4tool to do this to edit the "Item Order". Only problem is that some of the sc4lot files dont have an "Item Order". Anyone know why and how I would add it?

...quote>

I use Ilive's Reader to alter Item Order properties.

Item order is a property that if present, is found in the building exemplar. It applies only to plopables and indicates a broad order that the item appears in teh menu. The items are sorted by first item order, then by plop cost in teh menu. If there is no item order for a plopabble then it is shown in the default order, ie with Maxis items orderd by cost within those.

If it is not present for a plopable, then you can add it in the Reader by right clicking in the right pane, then choosing Add Property (or something like that) Then you have to pick the property you want to add (make sure you pick the right one) and then you have to set the right parameters for it. For the item order there is one rep which represents the item order in hex. Negative numbers (in hex) put the item before the maxis icons, postive numbers put it after the maxis items. (note a negative hex number does not have a negative sign).

[Lextar 0]

Thanks Sam for the info and the links. The description info is very useful and I understand it all. Looks like I'm going to have a lot of work ahead to include the naming oddity problem

I still probably need some time to absorb the info on the sc4lot and building stuff. But I think I just need to re-read it and play about.

As for the numbering, after a bit of play, I'm getting more familiar with iLive... I've tracked down the Exemplar file within the sc4lot with the type building, but when I'm adding the "Item Order", I'm not quite sure what I should be entering. And once I added the "Item Order", I can't see it in SC4Tool, but I presume that is because iLive drills down deeper into the file than SC4Tool.

So... if the standard value I wanted to enter into this is 1000, what would I put via iLive? So that in hex 3E8 would go where? In the "Rep" box? Or click the Add button and enter it in the values box? but would that be 0x000003E8, is the 0x the negative value?

[Lextar 0]

OK... thanks again, I've figured the Item Order. I just didn't apply the value All sorted.. now to align all the 100+ lots I downloaded

[Sam 163]

I think there is a limit of +/- 255 (not sure of the values) on the Item order, ie up to 000000ff or to ffffff00. Anything outside that range might be ignored or treated as 255. When I organised mine I used a combination of Item Order and Plop Cost to order them the way I wanted.

[Lextar 0]

according to SC4tool, its +/- 2147483647

[Sam 163]

That may be the technical limit imposed by the eight digit hex number, but I think I read in a few places some things that made me think only the last two digits of the number were actually used. And its probably not terribly practical to give things an item order of 10 000 or something.

[Lextar 0]

I ended up using item orders of 6000 and they appear the way I want it to be in the menu. I tend to make this large numbers so I can easily slot new downloads in between existing ones without having to re-number existing ones.

Also if you check the monorail order, that's quite high.