Tutorial on the use and organization of the Plugins folders

[gbasalmon 0]

OK, I figured this was good a place as any for my first post. Should the NAM still go in the main directory as per the instructions enclosed with it?

[Cjah 15]

Yeah KISS is what everyone used to say,but now a days people go way to indept with there instrutions.Keep it simple.

But hey I honor the work you guys are doing to help the noobs with questions.

[GrampaAl 76]

Date:1/10/2005 3:47:53 AM
Author:gbasalmon

OK, I figured this was good a place as any for my first post.  Should the NAM still go in the main directory as per the instructions enclosed with it?

quote> 

Yes!

[wild_horse_in_the_sky 2]

Barby or Grandpa Al,
Question is it possible when the props packs are brought out to mark the one lot test and one props. That away a person knows which lot can be delete so that it doesn't show in the parks menu. Thanks

Wild....

[BarbyW 40]

The prop pack will always be a .dat file and the testlot will always be a .sc4lot file so the .sc4lot is the one that can always be deleted.

We shall try in future to name the lot something like xxteslot.sc4 for the ones that we do but cannot guarantee that everyone will follow suit

Barby

[Big_Baazzoo 0]

Okay...this might explain why some downloads never show up in the game, and some appear twice in the menus. but does it account for the unlabelled items that show up in a game? I have a perhaps bad habit...in between playing sessions, I DL a handful of cool lots, or props or whatever, then unzip them and put them all in the My Doc/plugins folder. I'm a little lazy to add one lot, boot up the game, see if it works, shut down the game, load one more, ad infinitum. So by the time I play again, I see a lot that is new, and the icon does not mean anything for me, and I hover over it and it says landmark lot or small park green or your name here so I use one city in my region with the mega-simoleon tree to just plop stuff and query it. sometimes that tells me what it is. Some DLs never even show up at all. I'm still looking for the truckstop. My hiways need a truckstop.

here's the big question...can I just save the region I'm working on now somewhere safe and uninstall SC4 and re-install fresh and re-unzip all the goodies i saved from downloading but do it the way you suggest and put my already saved region back in and continue playing it?

Even though I was doing it wrong alot of stuff did work. Obviously, all the BSC and PEG and ... how shall I say... accomplished lot designers stuff worked as advertised. Even the complicated ones like the lumber processing, sawmill, oak and pine farms, got up a good head of steam given time.

keep up the good work, if it wasn't for Simtropolis, the game would only be half the fun. Maxis should send a couple bucks your way, I have, and will again soon.

[GrampaAl 76]

Be careful here. The .sc4lot file is also what you see in the game. So if you keep the .dat file and delete the .sc4lot file you will have props available, but will not show up in the game.

 

ALWAYS read the readme files first, which will tell you just what you should keep and what you can delete.

 

If the download does not come with a readme file, I recommend throwing out the entire download.

 

Now, custom content that is growable only, will NEVER be shown on the menus. Not meant to be. So just because you don't see it on the menus does not mean it won't grow in your city.

 

Only ploppable lots will show on the menus, and these can NEVER be RCI lots, or the RCI functions will be fake and not work properly. (They often do look like they are working, but in reality they are not doing what is needed to make the game happy, and do not add anything to your city other than eye candy.)

 

Hope this helps.

[willmurdock 0]

When in the plugins folders in program files and my documents, am I free to create whatever folders I like? Such as Rewards/comercial/mods?

Thanks for any help!

Will

[GrampaAl 76]

Date: 2/14/2005 3:33:32 AM
Author: willmurdock
When in the plugins folders in program files and my documents, am I free to create whatever folders I like? Such as Rewards/comercial/mods?

Thanks for any help!

Will

Yes you are. I do exactly what you have mentioned, and I then have subfolders under those for the stages and other things.  For instance, Plugins\Commercial\Stage 3\Restaurants.

As far as we know there is no limit to the folder chains except the system memory in your compter.

When SC4 came out the minimum system requirements were 256 Megs I think of system ram. Today with all the custom content, I highly recommend a minimum of 1 Gig of system ram. If you download everything like some do, it can use it all. This is a RAM intensive game.

[buckbeach 8]

What is NAM?  (Please no jokes about that terrible time in our history)

[Swamper77 90]

Buckbeach,

NAM stands for the Network Addon Mod. The threads pertaining to it are in the Modding - Open Discussion Forum.

 

-Swamper77

[buckbeach 8]

Thank you.

 

Buck

[buckbeach 8]

I am going though the terriblely slow process of reorganizing the Plug ins (I hope for the last time).  I am using the Deadwood model as a base.  I am not including any of the readmes or instuction links in the game files nor the JPG images but am keeping the entire lot/BAT downloads unzipped and organized outside the game.

Now, what about GMAX, png and TGI files?  Do they go into the game and where? 

[buckbeach 8]

Barby, you and other advanced Lot/BAT developers use the auto install file which I really love, but, I am a tad confused.  Most of the files included end up in the My Docs Plugins but they have included items that look like they should go into the Program Plugins.  Is it the intent to leave them where they are or should I redistribute them as this thread suggests for organization.

[GrampaAl 76]

I recommend anything installed using the installer, be left exactly where the creator meant to place it.  That way if there is an update, it will automatically replace any older versions.

The actual folder organization is more for YOU to keep track of what is where, and is useful for keeping things organized when no installer is used.

[buckbeach 8]

Thank you.

[buckbeach 8]

This question relates to 2 specific lots/BATs I have but is not a lot specific question.  The STEX has a couple of versions of the Newman Inc. Coal Mine. Each are slightly different and I wish to have them both included in my region.  However they both utilize a Prop and a Texture having the same name with different file dates.  In such cases where/how should these files be placed inorder to have access to both BATS.  Should the Prop/Textures be located in the Main (Maxis) Plugins Props and/ or with the BAT file or should I place the Prop/Texture files with SC4Lot in the My Program Plugins.  BTW each of these specific lots have different builders.

[GrampaAl 76]

Props, BAT buildings and other shared objects can be used by as many lots as you wish, no problem.

I call these SHARED objects since that is exactly what can be done, they can be shared by many lots. Generally I will place these into the Program Files\Maxis\Plugins folder or a sub folder in that path. However, that is not all that important, it will work elsewhere as well.

 

What IS important however, is that the two lots you speak of which are similar, MUST have different IID's for the Lot Exemplars at a minimum in order for you to see and use BOTH of the lots. These lots can ALSO SHARE the building exemplar if they wish, but the Lot Exemplars MUST have different IIDs or one will over ride the other and you will only see the last one to load.

Good luck

[buckbeach 8]

Date: 2/26/2005 9:57:41 PM Author: GrampaAl

Props, BAT buildings and other shared objects can be used by as many lots as you wish, no problem.

I call these SHARED objects since that is exactly what can be done, they can be shared by many lots. Generally I will place these into the Program FilesMaxisPlugins folder or a sub folder in that path. However, that is not all that important, it will work elsewhere as well.

What IS important however, is that the two lots you speak of which are similar, MUST have different IID's for the Lot Exemplars at a minimum in order for you to see and use BOTH of the lots. These lots can ALSO SHARE the building exemplar if they wish, but the 'Lot Exemplars' MUST have different IIDs or one will over ride the other and you will only see the last one to load.

Good luck

 

Grampa Al,   I hear what you are saying the computer  find only the last Prop file to load.   

Now what happens if I use ANY autoload Lot with its newer Prop file into My Documents Plugins WHEN there is still the older same named Prop file in the Maxis Plugins used with other Lots.  If it won't automatically load the Prop file in the same My Document Plugins won't this screw up the autoloaded Lots because the older version Prop file still exsists or will it load the My Document Prop file and screw-up other lots relying on the older Prop file in the Maxis Plugins? 

 

 

 

  

[GrampaAl 76]

Ah hah! Buckbeach you are learning well, and I am gaining more and more respect for your understanding of the game with each post.

There is not a major problem here, since the loading order is to load the files in the C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity4\Plugins first, and later load the files in the C:\MyDocs\SimCity4\Plugins next. The order of folders also makes a difference, but basically what happens if there are say two lots that have the exact same IIDs, then the one loaded last (the on in the MyDocs path) will be the one used. So any old lots that depend on the old prop, if the IID's are the same will now use the newer prop instead. We must make the assumption that the newer prop is meant to be a replacement or upgrade and is not changed in such a way to to make you feel disappointed. It should LOOK the same and probably will since we should also assume it uses the same MODEL file. It may perform a little different and that if so should be even better than before.

I do know of cases like this, and in my opinion this is good, with the only drawback being with taking slightly longer to load since it is loading a redundant or unnecessary file.

Should a problem arise, I would hope someone points it out in a constructive manner so we can understand what the problem is and an update can be posted to replace the problem file. The older file if one exists can very safely be deleted at any time once a newer one is placed into the MyDocs path. However the problem here for the average user is that they may have hundreds or even thousands of props, some duplicates, some new, some old, etc, and they may be scattered all over anywhere. How does this poor unknowledgable user know where to find the old so it can be removed. Rather a sticky dilemma eh!

The installer (which by the way I don't really support) does however have the benefit to the creator of automatically upgrading or replacing the older files which were orginally installed usng the installer. Had this been the way of choice from the very beginning I would heartily support it's use.

So the problem becomes how do the creators educate the users who don't care to learn the in's and out's of this stuff, to help them keep their downloads up to date. My role here is educator, so all this hard stuff really seems to fall into my category more than those who do the creative stuff. So you would think I would support the installer, and perhaps I should. Just at the moment I don't. I do download stuff which uses it however, and have not had a serious problem yet.

[Mayor Badonk-a-donk 0]

this is my take on what you're saying GrampaAl  Its a large screen grab of my pc this morning and I hope I did it right.

edit: Image deleted. Too large! GrampaAl

[GrampaAl 76]

While this is not the way I would have done it, the main purpose of having your folderes organized is so YOU can find a file much later when you have forgotten where it is.

A minor issue is the over riding of other lots by the manner in which you organize.

However, what you show will work also, so this is up to YOU. All of us have different ways or organizing our desktops or folders.

What you show could be further subdivided, but as long as you have so few files, this should be satisfactory. Once you have a few thousand, you are going to want more subfolders with good meanings.

Also, you show a folder which to me indicates you have files in BOTH plugins? Having the same file in BOTH plugins is redundant, not necessary and un-desirable.

Regards, GrampaAl

[Mayor Badonk-a-donk 0]

GramaAl you were correct to say that I have files in both plugin folders but not as you might think from what you saw. The reason for the in both folder is because once I opened a zipped file and saw the differant types of file extentions.  I figured that as you said

 

 Props and BATs should go in the main plugins folder while lots go into the my docs plugins folder.

 

 I went into each folder and took lots and put them into the my docs plugins folder and BAT's and Props went into the main plugins folder. Is this not right?

 

If I am wrong and should have read better then I did i'll go back and read more. Please let me know if spliting the files as I did is wrong

[GrampaAl 76]

Well the issue of organization has been largely updated since the old days.

As long as everything it totally UNIQUE then it really does not matter to the game. The game loads things in a certain order. However each UNIQUE item loads into it's own reserved space in memory.  So to the game it does not matter. To YOU it should matter so you can find what you want later.

So let's say you have a folder for Nexis for instance. Then in a set of subfolders you could have each item from Nexis that is different. He has some churchs, some farms, etc. So what I do for myself, it to place EVERYTHING from Nexis into it's own subfolder. So his New England church would have all items related to it in the New England Church folder, which then would be in a Civic subfolder, and that it turn would be in the Nexis folder. All of this would then be in the MyDocs path.

Now the issue is with SHARED items. These are either buildings or props, both of which have an associated model file. All SHARED items should be placed into their own folder or sub folder set. These I place into the Program Files path, also in subfolders. So If I have a prop pak set from Nexis, then I place that into another Nexis folder, and this folder is placed into a folder called Props, which I keep in the Main Program Files path. C:\ProgramFiles\Maxis\SimCity4\Plugins\Nexis\Props

Does this help?

[pillsbury 0]

I downloaded a bunch of lot files. And extracted the files, but when I went in the game the buildings I downloaded wern't there.So after you download&extract the files how do you put them in the game?'); height=25 alt=Insert smilie src=https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/42.gif width=15 border=0>'); height=15 alt=Insert smilie src=https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/34.gif width=15 border=0>'); height=15 alt=Insert smilie src=https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/47.gif width=15 border=0>

[GrampaAl 76]

Date: 3/25/2005 9:14:05 PM Author: pillsbury I downloaded a bunch of lot files. And extracted the files, but when I went in the game the buildings I downloaded wern't there.So after you download&extract the files how do you put them in the game?');' height=25 alt='Insert smilie ' src='https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/42.gif' width=15 border=0>');' height=15 alt='Insert smilie ' src='https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/34.gif' width=15 border=0>');' height=15 alt='Insert smilie ' src='https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/47.gif' width=15 border=0>

quote>

All files with the extension .SC4lot, .SC4desc, .SC4model, and .dat go into the MyDocs\SimCity4\Plugins folder, or a subfolder of your choice in that path.

 

This is a very simplified explanation but it will do for beginners.

[Bellio 0]

This is a really newbie question, I don't know if I am the dumb one or there is something wrong.

I tried to create subfolders, but the PIM couldn't find it. WHen I removed it from the subfolders, then the stuff will appear in the PIM.

Btw, this is the mydocs/simcity4/plugin.

[Triffid 0]

My first post so be gentle

Having read 90% of this thread the bit that did it for me was:

 

You could just ignore all of this and place everything into the MyDocs/SimCity4/Plugins directory. If you do however, and then decide to use the Lot editor, or the BAT tool, or the PlugInManager tool (PIM) then having everything in the one folder will really confuse you and also not enable you to do troubleshooting if you should need to. If you only play the game it won't make a significant difference.

 

So if you've no intention of making or editing Lots, BATs or whatever and just want to play the game then basically just ignore everything else and stick the wole lot in the MyDocs/Plugin directory. Okay so the directory will get messy... just don't look at it and anyway, the game won't care.

 

 

 

[SimGoober 2,365]

And then a few weeks from now, you will have 100s of lots, several of which don't work the way you want,and no way to figure out which files go with which lots, so you know what is safe to delete....

[FireFenix00 0]

I downloaded some dat files but when I try to test one in the game, some of it dissappears.  Also some other buildings also started dissappearing.  Ive been using the program files/maxis/sm4/plug-in way but it still does the same thing the 'my documents' way,