"Type Your Name Here"

[Madame Mayor 4]

Hello there! I'm sure this has to have been mentioned before but I couldn't find it, so if it's redundant, I apologize.

When I download a lot here, it has a name, it has a name in the Plugins file, but in the game menu it says "Type Your Name Here" or Landmark item or some such nondescript info with an empty roof that doesn't help me or some other useless icon. My fences even say "Type Your Name Here".

Why would a download change names in the game? Is it something from the lot builder? And is it possible to change those descriptions to what they were originally? It's maddening knowing I downloaded a particular building but can't find it in the menu because all I see is rooftops or grass!  As a matter of fact, some things in the Parks menu just say Open Grass Area instead of what I saw when downloading. That includes the gas station billboards and such that you can't read it in the menu until you drop it.

And since it costs money to plop and doze just to see what it is, that's a sad option. Plop Roulette is expensive, not to mention frustrating. Anybody else wondering this?

Thanks for your help!



 

[Darth Apple 54]

does it happen to every B.A.T.? if its only this one, it is just the maker naming it that way. the only way you can change names is to get teh B.A.T., dont upload(or share.) anything that you changed that was origonally made by another user! you could get into HUGE trouble that way!! I wrote this in my simtropolis blog to help people get the B.A.T., it is kinda complicated, but if its worth it, I tried to make it easy.

I hope that this helps you. -blakesterville.

[Madame Mayor 4]

It's not just one, and it's not just buildings. I happens to about a fifth of my downloads. Opening the side menus to choose a building or park, that's what flies out as the name.

Trolling through the plugin menu outside the game, there's nothing named type your name here, they are all named the way they were when I downloaded them. It's just inside the game they change. The parks say Open Grass area, and the building lots say Type YOur Name Here.

[sithlrd98 66]

Basically, when those creators created the building .Desc , they never filled in what is commonly known as User Visible Name Key (UVNK for short) or they left Item Description blank. You can safely open the lot(s) in Reader and change those yourself.Not that hard of a job!

Jayson

[Madame Mayor 4]

Thank you, can you walk me through that?

I downloaded iLive's reader and when I open it says I need to download Properties.xml file. I don't know what or where that is, but I can't open a file right now. I've never used the Reader before, and I'm reading the tutorials.

[sithlrd98 66]

Ok ,Here is a good starting point. Now, This may be a lot to absorb , but its not as hard as it looks! Once you do it a couple of times , it will become almost automatic!

Jayson

[Madame Mayor 4]

Yes, it's a good starting point, but I still can't seem to get it to work. I'm ready to give up. I think I've got the XML files pointing to the right places, but the first DAT file won't let me stop till I go all the way into the ilive reader folder. I don't know where to stop.

My files are in Robin\Documents\SimCity\Plugins\TOOLS\ilive reader. The tutorial says just to point to the file the reader is installed in. It won't let me. Such a nitpicky thing is keeping me from understanding the workings and the guts of these tools. It seems all I'll ever be able to do is plop a few buildings and be happy with it. Can you tell I'm discouraged? I'm not a computer dummy, I just need help starting something new.

Something else - one click on the exe and I get a dialog saying No Reader.ini detected. Another click goes ahead and opens it up. Mean anything?

Reading your second link. Can I change names in the Plugin Manager?

Another question. If I call up the file in LEProp and type in a Description, will that show up in the flyout in the menu? Like with the gasoline billboards I can't read in the menu. If I write Exxon in the Description will that come out in the menu?

Thanks for your help.

 

[sithlrd98 66]

I would suggest not having Reader in your plugins folder!  I have mine setup this way C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\Reader093

Or you can leave it default C:\Program Files\Ilives\Reader093

Now, as far as your other issue , there are 2 ways to fix this. One way is to click the Options tab in Reader and point it to the needed info.

The other would be to edit the Reader Configuration Settings. This file is in the Reader folder.These are the main entries.

LOCAL=C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\English\SimCityLocale.DAT

LOT=

LASTFILE=

SC4=C:\PROGRA~1\Maxis\SIMCIT~1\

FPRDIR=C:\Program Files\Ilives\Reader093\ (or C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\Reader093...depending on your install location)

DEF_FOLDER=

BUILDING_TWEAKER=blg_prop.xml

PROPERTIES="C:\Program Files\Ilives\Reader093\tropod_Properties.xml"(if you have this one)

Hopefully this helps!

Jayson

[Madame Mayor 4]

I appreciate your patience!  So, I have everything set up like yours now, even the Reader is in Program Files.

When I first open I still see that I have to download the XML file. Will that just always be there?

Now I just need to learn how to use the program. I'm still lost, but I'll keep reading.

Also, I added this to my reply while you were replying, evidently, but if I use LEProp and write a description on a lot, will that description show up in the lot editor or on the menu? Is the LEProp something you would use a lot?

Thanks again!

[sithlrd98 66]

The properties xml file is somewhat important as it allows you to see what each part of the exemplar is...without it most say unknown. LEprop may prove to be a better alternative to you and I apologize for not recommending it sooner. With that , you should be able to create the appropriate info as well as easily mod for other things , IE making police stations, schools , etc. I dont use it as much as reader , but every so often I do use it.

Jayson