How to download and install items from the STEX

[JakeMD 107]

How to download and 

install a file from the STEX

If you have any questions about this tutorial please pm swat-medic.

This tutorial is all for the new users of the STEX and SimCity4.  If you already know how to install files and put them in the correct files, this tutorial is not for you.

Now then, lets get started.  As you can see (see pic below) I have opened the STEX.  Go to the file you wish to download and select the "download" button.

The particular file i would be downloading is the Guangzhou Twin Tower V2.

Click on the title, that is a link to the download page.  You can also click on the name of the creator to view more of that persons

creations on the STEX.

Now then, once your on the download page, it should look like this.

(two picture mosaic, google advertisements taken out)

Now, you can post a comment by clicking on the "comments" tab, or you can just download it.

This is the normal size for a BAT of this nature, they usualy range from 6-15 mb.

Click save.

I save all of my .zip files (reacieved file from the STEX server) to a .zip file folder, instead of my plugins to reduce cludder.

Part TWO!

Now, to get started on installing

Find your .zip file, should be right in the folder that you downloaded to.

Unzip: just unzip right to the folder your in, you can move it later.

Now, once the contents of the folder is extracted, enter the folder.

Now, if your lucky, there will be no installer, just a bunch of files that are DAT's, sc4 modefiles, lot files, or .desc files, or a mixture of all of them.  

If the uploader was nice and already compacted the files to a DAT file, this is all that should be in there unless some images are included.

DAT FILE

If the uploader created the building, the following files must be included:

SC4 MODEL FILE

SC4 LOT FILE

SC4 DESC FILE

If the uploader was generous and included a couple images, this is what should be included:

JPEG IMAGE

For some and mostly all modifications (known as mods) there is an installer included.  Double click the installer and follow the installation wizard, making sure the path for the instalation is C:\mydocuments\simcity4\plugins .

The most common installer I have seen is the following:

Now, once you have got all of the files and information in the folder, copy and paste the folder into C:\mydocuments\simcity4\plugins

You can create individual subfolders for the folders you put in, i.e., "mods" "bat's" "textures" 

Once you have done all on this tutorial, you should see your download in the game!

In the words of High5flyier:

One more step that I do is to create a read me file since a lot of downloads do not include pictures or a descrptive text file. But they really don't have to since its right in front of you.

Step one: I do a save Image as... the picture of the building and save it the the desk top.

Step two: scroll down to the description part of the page and also save that to the desk top.

I then do the download and then all the process listed in the above tutorial.

Then my last step is to creat a file for the picture and description and include it in my own Master readme file.

This way I have a reference file I every thing I have downloaded and since the picture save also shows where it came from, the stex or the lex or wherever its easy to retrace my tracks if I need to.

I also have a Master file of all the saved zip files.

thanks, 

swat-medic.

[Silur 3,306]

Great work, SWAT-MEDIC !

Very helpful for some new Simtropolians !

I think this is a good theme for OMNIBUS !!!

[High5flyier 7]

One more step that I do is to create a read me file since a lot of downloads do not include pictures or a descrptive text file. But they really don't have to since its right in front of you.

Step one: I do a save Image as... the picture of the building and save it the the desk top.

Step two: scroll down to the description part of the page and also save that to the desk top.

I then do the download and then all the process listed in the above tutorial.

Then my last step is to creat a file for the picture and description and include it in my own Master readme file.

This way I have a reference file I every thing I have downloaded and since the picture save also shows where it came from, the stex or the lex or wherever its easy to retrace my tracks if I need to.

I also have a Master file of all the saved zip files.

[SimRabbit 48]

This should be pinned or atleast posted in the Omnibus, great info for new users. Thanks you Swat Medic

[Kevin 101]

I think I may have asked this before... but would you like me to put this into the Omnibus Swat-Medic?

[JakeMD 107]

Yes i would that would be awsome if you would do that!

[Jazzmaster 716]

A very useful tutorial indeed! Great job fellow FBC member!

-Yoshiisland

[Cleaner475 150]

great to see someone has actually taken the time to write a tutorial that explains what many new users need to know

great work swat-medic

[sammerhammer747 0]

um one problem!!

i downloaded a BAT and did everything you said, i put it in a folder called GLR station1, which is in a folder called BATs and that folder is in Plugins, which is in Simcity 4 in my docs. i open the game and i place it and when i do, it looks like a present with brown wrapping paper on it and says simcity.com on it.

is this supposed to happen?

[Sam 163]

Originally posted by: sammerhammer747 um one problem!!

i downloaded a BAT and did everything you said, i put it in a folder called GLR station1, which is in a folder called BATs and that folder is in Plugins, which is in Simcity 4 in my docs. i open the game and i place it and when i do, it looks like a present with brown wrapping paper on it and says simcity.com on it.

is this supposed to happen?quote>

Yes. The game is trying to tell you that you are missing a necessary file (dependency). Read the readme or STEX description of the item you downloaded to find out what other files you also need to download to get the plugin working (these are called dependencies).

If you look at the tutorial Swat-Medic posted, you will see the third image is the STEX description. If you look part way down the description there is a section titled Dependencies. These are files you also need to download, in order to make the plugin work.

[sammerhammer747 0]

thanks!! worked great