SimCity 4 Lot Editor

[Star21Sim 5]

Hi, I need help on a link to download the lot editor.  I did go to Sim Devotion site and the computer download said, unable to read registry, for the download.  Is there any link someone knows for the editor, I miss making my own lots.

  Edited July 18, 2015 by Star21Sim  

[Cyclone Boom 17,016]

Here's another page with links to the Maxis files:

https://screwpile.wordpress.com/screw-pile-exchange-spex/maxis-files/

Hope this helps!

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

After market utilities like the Lot Editor and the BAT expect to find the original structure of the game.  If you have loaded from Steam or Origin you may have a problem.  A work around is to fake the structure needed, to make it look as if you have loaded from Disk.

My structure is a little off beat since I am on Linux using wine, but for all appearances the game is in C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\

The user area is in C:\users\john\My Documents\SimCity 4\

as far as the game loader is concerned.  The actual user structure on my machine is in /Home/John/SimCity 4/.  The pseudo registry entries are created as though this was loaded from disk, but my load is from a copy purchased from gamersgate.com.  If you need the registry entries, I suggest someone running windows could post them for you.

 

[rsc204 21,836]

You could just rework the registry entries, but that can lead to problems if you are not careful, it's also very tedious due to the number of them, not to mention the respective installers from Steam/Origin *should* have done this automatically.

Personally I'd recommend SymLinks, you can set Windows to see all the files in both the install location used by Steam/Origin, but also in the typical default locations this way. Once you've got the tools installed, simply delete the SymLinks and nothing needs any permanent change.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Yes, your fake structure can be simply a set of links (Microsoft calls these shortcuts these days).  I am not sure you can convince the installers for LE and BAT (gmax must be installed and activated for the BAT), but it is worth a try.  The Registry was not a hot item when these programs came out and they might just be looking directly at the file system layout, which would be a great good luck.  This whole business might be a kludge, but if it works ...

  Edited July 18, 2015 by A Nonny Moose  

[Star21Sim 5]

Here's another page with links to the Maxis files:

https://screwpile.wordpress.com/screw-pile-exchange-spex/maxis-files/

Hope this helps!

It still said 'unable to read registry'.  This computer use to download, what's 'unable to read registry'?

[rsc204 21,836]

When does that error appear exactly, without this information it's hard to understand what is happening.

Your registry is part of Windows, it's a place where many of the settings are kept that are related to your computer, software and drivers. Do ensure when installing these programs that you are logged on as an Administrator in Windows and that if UAC (user account control) prompts you, to allow access during installation.

[Gray_Lensman 3]

Hi, I need help on a link to download the lot editor.  I did go to Sim Devotion site and the computer download said, unable to read registry, for the download.  Is there any link someone knows for the editor, I miss making my own lots.

First question is "Did you download your SimCity 4 Deluxe" from Steam? If so, then the Lot Editor and its manual are already embedded in the Steam installation folder(s) and you can just make desktop shortcuts to them on your desktop and you're good to go.

[Star21Sim 5]

When does that error appear exactly, without this information it's hard to understand what is happening.

Your registry is part of Windows, it's a place where many of the settings are kept that are related to your computer, software and drivers. Do ensure when installing these programs that you are logged on as an Administrator in Windows and that if UAC (user account control) prompts you, to allow access during installation.

Hi, when I click the lot editor it says to either save, run, and I clicked run, there is a window that pops up and the error 'unable to read registry' comes up.  It's in a gray box that pops up.  On this laptop however, I had to go through a recovery, but it didn't go through by starting all over back to manufactured mode, it started up with saved previous files.  The reason for the recovery was because it couldn't start correctly.  Before the recovery, it worked fine with the download, and I could use the lot editor.  But after it seems like it can't download at all. 

 

Hi, I need help on a link to download the lot editor.  I did go to Sim Devotion site and the computer download said, unable to read registry, for the download.  Is there any link someone knows for the editor, I miss making my own lots.

First question is "Did you download your SimCity 4 Deluxe" from Steam? If so, then the Lot Editor and its manual are already embedded in the Steam installation folder(s) and you can just make desktop shortcuts to them on your desktop and you're good to go.

Hi, well I have the game itself on cd, and the game was loaded on here.  On that website I didn't seen any downloads.

[rsc204 21,836]

OK, if the error is happening when you try to download the file - it sounds to me like you are using Internet Explorer - then it is your browser/computer that is the problem. There are many things that might cause this to stop functioning, but it's not really a SC4 problem if you understand my meaning.

If your Windows registry is damaged my personal recommendation would be to re-install Windows, the chances of fixing it without backups are very slim indeed, make that non-existent if you are not familiar with the inner workings of Windows.

A program exists in Windows called "system restore", in the first instance run this and see if there is a backup that is dated before your problems started. If there is, great, Windows may be able to fix itself for you.

If this doesn't work, you'd need to have a image of the hard drive that Windows was installed upon - very unlikely unless you've manually set such a thing up - if you do however, then restore your computer from it.

Lastly if you have no other options, assuming your computer has such functionality, run the Manufactures System Restore program, usually a hot key when the computer first starts to enter this utility, otherwise accessed through a bootable disk of some kind.

Note: All three of these solutions can cause permanent data loss, you need to ensure any personal files or important data is backed up before running any of these processes. The final option will take your computer back to the way it was when it first came out the factory, all data will be lost in such a scenario, you have been warned.

[Star21Sim 5]

OK, if the error is happening when you try to download the file - it sounds to me like you are using Internet Explorer - then it is your browser/computer that is the problem. There are many things that might cause this to stop functioning, but it's not really a SC4 problem if you understand my meaning.

If your Windows registry is damaged my personal recommendation would be to re-install Windows, the chances of fixing it without backups are very slim indeed, make that non-existent if you are not familiar with the inner workings of Windows.

A program exists in Windows called "system restore", in the first instance run this and see if there is a backup that is dated before your problems started. If there is, great, Windows may be able to fix itself for you.

If this doesn't work, you'd need to have a image of the hard drive that Windows was installed upon - very unlikely unless you've manually set such a thing up - if you do however, then restore your computer from it.

Lastly if you have no other options, assuming your computer has such functionality, run the Manufactures System Restore program, usually a hot key when the computer first starts to enter this utility, otherwise accessed through a bootable disk of some kind.

Note: All three of these solutions can cause permanent data loss, you need to ensure any personal files or important data is backed up before running any of these processes. The final option will take your computer back to the way it was when it first came out the factory, all data will be lost in such a scenario, you have been warned.

Yes, you said it correctly, system restore, I meant to say that, not system recovery..  That however may be the thing to do, because system restore I did, it didn't take it back to manufacture mode, it saved all files, also with the lot editor and when I tried to open the lot, it said it couldn't find it..  I did however deleted all the lot editor files to see if that was the problem, but the error came up again.  It's just weird how something works, and then it doesn't.  But I may have to follow on what you said.

I think I know one thing to solve, does the game have to be installed first, then the lot download?

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

If you are picking off the lot editor and trying to run it from the download, this is probably a non-starter.  Try saying save to the question, put it in your downloads directory, then install it from there.  You really want to have this package as an off-line item and not have to access the download to run it each time you want to start it.