Binary Search for Plugins Conflicts

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

First of all, let me say that this method assumes you have only one bad plugin that is causing trouble and that your test when you installed it didn't find the problem and you accepted it not knowing that there would be trouble later.

Start:

Save your entire plugins folder to some safe folder.

Divide your plugins into approximately two equal halves.

Put one of the halves into your Plugins folder

Test the game, thoroughly to provoke the problem

If the problem does not occur, this set is safe. It remains in your plugins folder.

If not swap the two halves and test again.

If this set is OK, it becomes your first safe set and stays in the plugins folder.

If not, you are outside this algorithm because you have more than one bad plugin. You will have to seek other solutions.

Point X:

From this point we assume that you have a safe set of plugins in the Plugins folder and the remaining set elsewhere.

Divide the remaining set into halves.

Put one of them in the Plugins folder being sure you can get them out easily (use a folder)

Test the game.

If all is well, go to Point X:

If this set now fails, remove the last set and replace it with the other half.

Test again.

This should be OK, but if not, you have more than one problem, so exit.

Otherwise go to Point X:

Continue dividing until you have a set of only one plugin that tests bad. This is the culprit.

You can then restore your saved plugins suite, and remove the guilty party.

End:

[ProcessGamer 3]

what happens when the first halves crashes the game, do i have to divide it again? 

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Well, yes.  But first I'd try the second half to see if it is OK.  If so, this releases the second half into the plugins suite to make the testing more thorough.  If not, you have two problems.  The whole thing is binary, and you keep halving until you find your problem.  If you have 1000 plugins you only need a maximum of nine tries.

[ProcessGamer 3]

Thanks for the help!

[platinumranger 18]

What about when the game says plugin 123456789 is missing, is there a tool out that has a database to id a plugin by number when the game gives a complaint on the city loading screen with a code for a specific missing dependancy and not a name for it?

[Tarkus 6,932]

What about when the game says plugin 123456789 is missing, is there a tool out that has a database to id a plugin by number when the game gives a complaint on the city loading screen with a code for a specific missing dependancy and not a name for it?

That particular number is basically a decimal representation of the hexadecimal Instance ID (IID) of the exemplar that refers to a prop or building model that happens to be missing in that city.  There's no database--let alone a tool--out there with that information, and for all intents and purposes, that number is not remotely useful in diagnosing issues.

 

-Tarkus

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

The only recourse is after the city is open.  Look for brown boxes and use the query operator to find out what the lot is.  You can then either delete it, or fix the plugin.

[sachizm 65]

I am just starting this process hooray.

I assume its a single plug in effectinjg me now. I can start a new reigon and grow it out with no hassles. I have two maps that if I let run for 10 seconds they crash. I assume it's because its about to build a building that will kill it.

[AdoxxBE 289]

3.84GB Plugins, 2 that gave a crash. This method took me only 25 mins. 

 

Thank you again!

[Mister Giggles 310]

3.84GB Plugins, 2 that gave a crash. This method took me only 25 mins. 

 

Thank you again!

 

Could you name them, please? If they're available on Simtropolis, it may behoove us all that they not be. If not, perhaps someone will have an easier time identifying their crash.

[AdoxxBE 289]

 

3.84GB Plugins, 2 that gave a crash. This method took me only 25 mins. 

 

Thank you again!

 

Could you name them, please? If they're available on Simtropolis, it may behoove us all that they not be. If not, perhaps someone will have an easier time identifying their crash.

 

 

One of them was a terrain mod which bugged out with another terrain mod. Obvious conflict.

The other one is SHK HD Rock mod, still figuring out what the problem is with this one.

[Cyclone Boom 16,836]

One of them was a terrain mod which bugged out with another terrain mod. Obvious conflict.

The other one is SHK HD Rock mod, still figuring out what the problem is with this one.

 

Seeing as the rock mod uses HD textures, it'd require hardware rendering to work. If you're using software rendering, it would trigger a crash to desktop.

[AdoxxBE 289]

 

One of them was a terrain mod which bugged out with another terrain mod. Obvious conflict.

The other one is SHK HD Rock mod, still figuring out what the problem is with this one.

 

Seeing as the rock mod uses HD textures, it'd require hardware rendering to work. If you're using software rendering, it would trigger a crash to desktop.

 

 

Yes, Nonny told me too. My game crashes when I use hardware..

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

 

One of them was a terrain mod which bugged out with another terrain mod. Obvious conflict.

The other one is SHK HD Rock mod, still figuring out what the problem is with this one.

 

Seeing as the rock mod uses HD textures, it'd require hardware rendering to work. If you're using software rendering, it would trigger a crash to desktop.

 

Just a quick note.  Running HD textures in software mode on my system does not trigger a CTD.  The objects do look funny though.  Windoze is obviously too delicate.

[CorinaMarie 29,561]

As part of our ongoing reorganization, this topic has been unpinned. You can still post in it and the master list is the Crashes and Problems - Look Here First thread.

-Cori

[nos.17 5,112]

Just a quick update this thread with a new flowchart based on @A Nonny Moose's instructions in the first post.