SC4 Startup Manager - manage your plugins!

[stevenpete 0]

TECHNICAL SUPPORT REQUESTED

Problem: I'm new to SC4 and recently installed and began using SC4 Startup Manager v3.0. However, every few weeks, when I start the Startup Manager, all of my settings are gone. This has occured about 4 times now.

Attempts to Resolve this Problem: I removed the program and reloaded it once, but the problem is still there. I've now gone in and complete removed ever component I could find and have reinstalled the program. I'm hoping this will help. From reading this forum, I found out where my settings are saved so I'm going to begin to backup that file so I don't loose all my previous setting.

Question: Do you know what is causing this problem or if others are experiencing the same thing? Any suggestions?

Thanks,

StevenPete

[Andreas Roth 607]

Hmm, page flip bug?

EDIT: Of course...

@stevenpete: The settings for the SC4 Startup Manager (SUM) are stored in a file called "SimCity 4 StartupManager.cfg", which is located within your "\My Documents\SimCity 4" folder. Do not delete or modify this file! Also, if you happen to have the old 2.x version of the SUM installed as well, make sure to backup said file, since it's used by the SUM 2.x version as well, but has a different format. Also, additional information about the folders is stored in hidded "Desktop.ini" files (the SUM 2.x used Plugin.ini files instead). They are placed in every (sub-)folder of your plugins folder and contain reference data. Do not delete those files as well!

If your problem happens every few weeks, maybe you're using an automatic cleanup program that removes those Desktop.ini files automatically from your system. Check out the settings and make sure that the Plugins folder is excluded from that process. Also, make sure you that said files are not present on a BSC Cleanitol TM removal list.

[SC4BOY 20]

Originally posted by: SC4BOY ...Does this prove the SUM is causing the crash? of course not. I may have a hardware failure or whatever that is causing it which coincidentally failed in the last 2 weeks and is causing the problem. I was not accusing SUM, simply indicating that it appears to be linked. That is why I asked if SUM used an error log. 

At any rate, I have unchecked the "run in single processor" mode on the SUM.quote>

 

As a followup to my former post.. I changed the "SUM" parameter to uncheck the "run in single processor" mode. I have had no crashes since I did this. This would to me suggest strongly that there is some conflict in the method used to force single processor mode. As I am probably one of maybe 10 people who have modified their processor startup table and possibly the only person doing that AND using SUM, this probably isn't a general issue 

Just thought you'd like to know

[SC4BOY 20]

Is it possible to "copy" a profile from one spot to another? I have a profile I use in one region and I made a new region. I'd like to just use that same profile on the other region. Can I copy it over? If so how?

[Sam 163]

Depends what version you are using, I use the earlier version. I just always use the development profiles. When I make a new one I highlight the one I want to base it on and then type a new name in the box and click the new profile button. This way the new one contains the same folders as the old one. Then when I want to use it I just click the load button but I don't pick a develpoment program. I just shut down the SUM and start SC4.

[SC4BOY 20]

hmm.. I'll give thought to what i can do with that info.. I use version 3 I think.. its the most recent

[Andreas Roth 607]

Yes, you can copy a profile via drag & drop. Click on "Manage Regions", click on the source region and then and select the profile that you want to copy. Then simply drag it to the destination region in the list on the left side. If it doesn't want to "drop", try to move the mouse around a bit while the mouse button is still pressed, sometimes the SUM seems to be a bit picky during the process.

[SC4BOY 20]

Originally posted by: Andreas Roth .....

   copy a profile via drag & drop.quote>

 

Thanks a TON..

PS: I DID TRY that, btw.. .. but you're right.. the program doesn't much WANT to do it.. .haha

When I try it, it is very slow to give me a "+shadow" for the folder and when you move it up to drop it, it doesn't want to select a drop point.. All this takes many seconds.. so if anyone else tries it, just BE PATIENT.. it will get there... !!

This is not a complaint.. just a warning for those of you who want to try it.. it DOES WORK!! YAY!

[jackel.22 3]

would it be ok if you could post a link to the old startup manager? i just prefer it for its simplicity. it has less functions but i like that it does not complicate things. just a personal preference.

[Andreas Roth 607]

Sure, it's still available at SimCityKurier: http://kurier.simcityplaza.de/details.php?file=515

[Elaclairee 0]

Been having difficulties with the program lately. The game itself keeps on crashing, but whenever I exit it myself, the plugin manager locks up and refuses to exit. Plus, for some odd reason... all the icons in one of my sub-folders have changed to the green arrow. I planned on re-installing the manager, but every link I can find gives me a 404 error.

So I'm not sure what my question is, just looking for assistance.

[Andreas Roth 607]

Our host was down due to maintenance last night, but it should be up and running again. If you experience crashing problems, please consult the readme file in order to switch to an alternative file management method, maybe this helps.

[jackel.22 3]

thank you very much for the link to the older one, tried searching for it but i cant read much german beyond the stuff i learnt in school.

[opiq 0]

hi, happy new year to you all..

just a simple question, i don't really understand what is meant by "All profiles are bound to a region context. That means that you will see the same profiles in the list view for every city in the same region". Is that mean that one profile is for whole region or each city in the region can use different profile made?

let's say, in a region, 1 large city and 4 big cities, can i make for each city separate profile so that plugins loaded for one city (commercial city, many skyscraper plugins) are not going to be loaded for other cities (industrial or residential) or vice versa..

one more thing, i also have the DATPACKER, but i can't load plugins packed with the program in the startup manager. Are both programs not compatible with each other?

thank you a lot for the explanation..

cheers..

[SC4BOY 20]

Yes you can specify a profile for each city tile..at least you can for version 3.. not sure about the version 2.

Nope.. Datpacker and SUM are seperate items.. If you plan on using Datpacker, you must configure your plugin folders so they conform to what you wish to do in the SUM profile. (or you can just Datpack a subset of your plugins and keep the "flex stuff" seperate)

[Andreas Roth 607]

"Bound to a region context" is meant in a way that you always see the region once you start up the game, not an individual city - the selection of the city is always a manual process. Also, the profiles are always defined per region, so that means if you create the profile "A" in region "1", it's only displayed in the profile selection for that region, not the other ones. You can, however, copy the profile to your other regions as well by drag & drop.

As SC4BOY said, DatPacker is a separate program, using a different approach in order to reduce loading times. If you have ample HD space, you can DatPack your files according to your reginal profiles and then let the SUM load your "City A" DAT (or set of DATs) for one city and your "City B" DAT for another. If you only have a handful of those DAT files, you might find it easier to use the old version 2 SUM, which is still available as well. Or, as suggested, use something in between, by compressing the stuff you're using in all cities into DAT files, and keep the individual items separate, being able to select them via the SUM (i. e. a set of different terrain mods).

[opiq 0]

thank you sc4boy and andreas.. now my question is must i load the city/region from SUM to get the desired only plugins to show in a city/region? if i created 2 or more cities and make each a profile, can i load 1 from the SUM than in the game play on other cities?

again, thank you..

[Andreas Roth 607]

If you want to play another city that has a different profile, you need to exit the game and start it with the SUM again, selecting said other profile. However, if the other city uses the same profile, you can just switch cities in the region view.

[SC4BOY 20]

Not sure if I am reading you correctly. SUM sets up profiles acting as a "file manager" It MUST BE LOADED for the system (and SC4 or any development tools you are using) to see the effect of the profiles that you have created. It is not a tool that you can use for configuration, then not load again.. it is a "front end loader" so to speak.

[City Planner 121]

I seem to have a problem with profiles that go missing.  I've created a profile to use in one region's city.  It's there the first time that I use it.  Today I opened up SUM and looked into that city on that region and the profile is gone *again*.  This is not the first time this has happened since installing it the other day.  In one day alone it happened no less than 3 times before I gave up on the SUM for the day.

Any clues what could be causing this issue with SUM.  I read above about the cfg file in the my documments simcity4 folder and indeed it is in there like it should be, so it's not like it's being removed or anything like that and all the regions are still there, it's just any profiles that I have created for the individual cities end up eventually going missing.

Thanks,

[Andreas Roth 607]

By any chance, did you install and run both the v2.1.2 and v.3 of the SUM. They both use the "SimCity 4 StartupManager.cfg" file for storing the region profiles, but in a different format. You can install both versions and use them, but you have to backup the CFG file when you want to use the other version, otherwise it will be overwritten, once you start the other version. In any case, make a backup of said file, and if the profiles are missing again, copy the backup to your My Documents\SimCity 4 folder again. Your profiles should show up as usual then.

[smstevenms 7]

Not sure if this is the right thread for my question, trying to cover my bases. I have recently reinstalled my game SC4 Dlx, and reorganized my plugins folders. There are a few new down-loads that I have placed in my test city and many are having the same issue, no buildings just the base. Some have query info but some dont. I would "im" the uploader, if it was just one, but there all different creators.

I have installed the SC Update, but I don't know I'm missing, if it's on my end. Can anyone help? thanks.

[Andreas Roth 607]

Most likely, this has nothing to do with the SC4 Startup Manager, but it seems that you're missing the "Buildings as Props" files, or maybe other dependencies as well. If there was no readme provided, the best way to solve the problem would be to PM the creators (in case they're still active), or to post some pictures of the lots in question in the appropriate forum.

[Speth 0]

hey i'm using this program (version 3) and i like it but i'm having two problems with it

first of all whenever i quit the game and try to close the startup manager it freezes (it says "uninitializing injection server" but it never finishes doing that so i have to shut it down manually via ctrlaltdel) it doesnt mess up the game itself so it doesnt bother me that much but it's probably something you want to know about

second i've been working with only one profile for a while (standard run of the mill columbus terrain mod stuff) but i've recently tried to make a new tropical region with a different profile which works fine but at first i tried to render the new region using a certain kind of tropical ocean which went well but i didn't like that particular texture so i switched it to one by pegasus but when i tried to reload the region the old ocean texture was there. also, when i tried to go back to my old columbus terrain mod scandinavian type region it was still using the tropical profile

so in other words the startup manager seems to be stuck on a single profile and won't switch to others after i've loaded that tropical profile. if i look at the folders via windows (i'm using vista) it still uses the arrows from the tropical profile and won't change them.

i have an intel core 2 duo cpu by the way

[Abc987 3]

I'm having a few problems with the SC4 Startup Manager myself. I successfully installed the program with no trouble at all, but when I went to open it a message saying "SimCity4 Startup Manager has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience." pops up. So, I read the readme but nothing there helps. I then decide to restart my computer, but it still doesn't work. As a last resort, I reinstall the program, but the same still happens.

Help please? Thanks in advance!

[someoneperson 0]

Mostly because I have the same problem, and I really want an answer, and blah blah blah blah... I'm going to bump this thread.

Computer Specs:

Windows XP Home Edition

RAM is enough

CPU speed is enough

SimCity4 + Rush Hour

(Deluxe Edition)

Does the program have problems with Deluxe or what?

[Andreas Roth 607]

The SUM shouldn't have any problems with SC4 Deluxe or your computer. Unfortunately, I have no idea why it crashes, the only advice that I can give is to try the alternate file handling method, as described in the help file.

[someoneperson 0]

I'm not quite sure what you mean... I can't 'startup' the Startup Manager...

[Andreas Roth 607]

There's a "Troubleshooting" HTML file that explains how to add certain parameters to the INI file. This might help to determine wether it's the SUM that fails or something else.

[ja/att 61]

I have finished creating profiles for all my cities in one region using SMU v3. When I start the profile for my city the game loads then crashes. This city was prexisting prior to my discovering the SUM program. Do I have to start the city from scratch?