Custom building names not working.

[idahospud 0]

Hey guys,

I've made quite a few custom lots for myself but I am running into a problem in game. The lots (mostly civic buildings) all function correctly but when I name them in game (left click and enter at the top of the dialog) the name works until I exit the game. When I load it back up the lot building reverts back to saying "custom ploppable." I am sure I am forgetting to change something in the exemplar or something minor but any help would be appreciated. Thx in advance.

[Silur 3,301]

My mind - get only 1 or 2 civic - see - and try create it ... All problems with Your SC4 - in Your Plugins folder ... No more ...

Or You can create all Your OBJECTS (from simple R$ to HD$$$ with IliveReader or SCTool).

[ArchangelMichael 51]

The building name will only be saved with the city if you have a User Visible Name Key property in the lot's building exemplar and it is pointing to a valid LTEXT file. Right now your lot is using the Item Name property. Here's the difference: for a lot whose building exemplar is using the Item Name property, when you change the name of a building in-game via the query dialog, every instance of that building will automatically adopt that name, and it will appear with that name in the budget details (if it is a civic building or landmark with a monthly cost), but the name change will not survive past the current session in that city; for a lot whose building exemplar contains a User Visible Name Key property and no Item Name property (you must use the Reader or SC4Tool to remove the Item Name property for this to work), you can change the name of each individual instance of that building within the same city to a different name (such as adding the year each one was plopped, or to denote various police precincts or subway lines, for example) and the name changes will be maintained after saving and re-entering the city, but the building's original name (the one in the UVNK) will appear in the budget.

The easiest way to add a User Visible Name Key and a corresponding LTEXT file is with Open your lot in LEProp and change the name to something appropriate (a name you'll recognize in the budget even if you change the names of every one of them in the city), click Apply, then click Save Dat and close the program. Next open the lot in SC4Tool or iLive's Reader and access the building exemplar to remove the Item Name property, then save the lot, fire up SC4 and test it. Your new building name should appear in the menu, in the hover query, and in the query dialog; multiple plops of the same building should each be able to be renamed differently and those unique custom names should remain after saving and re-entering the city. The game prioritizes the Item Name over the UVNK, which is why the Item Name property must be removed -- if it is present, the UVNK will be ignored.

I suggest you register for the forums at sc4devotion.com and bookmark the following topics (only registered users can see the first three):

Names and descriptions of buildings and props

LTEXT Files - Definition and Tutorial

Crime Bug in Megalots (how to properly mod police & fire stations)

Transit Switch Entry Costs and Station Capacities (how to properly mod transit stations)

List of Plugin-Lists (Need to download a lot or mod? Find it here.)

These are, in my opinion, some of the most useful information sources for someone just getting into modding SC4, especially the one about transit stations. The default transit stations are woefully inadequate for use with NAM and modern custom content that offers huge numbers of jobs or residents, but most of the custom transit stations are not adequate, either. This is because they were produced before the most recent research into the traffic simulator or because their creators were just lazy. So, I'm sure that you'll soon be modding the bus stops and rail stations you've downloaded -- they definitely need it!

One last thing: to download from the sc4devotion lot exchange (the LEX), you must register separately from the forum, which is a little weird, but you are free to use the same username and password if you wish.

Have fun!

[idahospud 0]

Fantastic arch, second time you've helped me. Keep up the good work.

Just tried it had a question... when you mentioned removing the item name property you mean right click and tell it to delete it correct?

  Edited April 29, 2012 by idahospud  

[ArchangelMichael 51]

Yes, that's correct.

[idahospud 0]

Yes, that's correct.

Again you rock! read over the links great info.. thx a bunch.

[T Wrecks 10,209]

Epic post, ArchangelMichael! Good job.