Show us how you manage your plugin folder

[wournos 53]

10 minutes ago, tariely said:

(I'm a bit confused -- are we talking GAME plugins folder or plugins (general) folder ? Or both ? :-)

SC4 Plugins.

[tariely 4,496]

1 minute ago, wournos said:

SC4 Plugins.

yeah, I know, but the plugins we use when playing or the Stash folders ?

Anyhoo...

[CT14 2,486]

Let's talk about ways to easily eliminate cruft!

Documentation:

I wanted docs gone. I was willing to re-download any package where I wanted to read them, so I did a Windows Explorer search for this giant wildcard set in Plugins folder - paste this whole thing into the search box:

*.jpg OR *.png OR *.bmp OR *.txt OR *.pdf OR *.db OR *.doc OR *.docx OR *.js OR *.css OR *.htm

It's possible to delete directly from the search results view, so it's quite fast to clean up docs this way - alternatively, search for only one file type at a time if you want more control over the process. Searching for *.zip and *.rar also locates anything you forgot to unpack.

Duplicates:

I've been using software called DupeGuru to identify and remove duplicate resource files, lots, etc. It's free/open source and cross platform. Works great for those times when you installed a classic lot three times from three lot exchanges into three widely separated locations (Paeng's Security Fences, I'm looking at you...). I also found a bunch of duplicated assets and some weird file types one team was using for docs, using this thing.

https://www.hardcoded.net/dupeguru/

[Yarahi 1,816]

11 hours ago, CT14 said:

Documentation:

I wanted docs gone. I was willing to re-download any package where I wanted to read them, so I did a Windows Explorer search for this giant wildcard set in Plugins folder - paste this whole thing into the search box:

*.jpg OR *.png OR *.bmp OR *.txt OR *.pdf OR *.db OR *.doc OR *.docx OR *.js OR *.css OR *.htm

It's possible to delete directly from the search results view, so it's quite fast to clean up docs this way - alternatively, search for only one file type at a time if you want more control over the process. Searching for *.zip and *.rar also locates anything you forgot to unpack.

Exactly the same method that CleanItol uses

[wournos 53]

On 2016-03-14 at 5:53 AM, CT14 said:

Documentation:

I wanted docs gone.

 

This inspired me to separate all the documentation, pictures and ReadMes from actual game files so I sorted them and stuffed them in my ZIP folder area:

This is the Plugin Folder:

...and the ZIP storage (I may need to sort the contents of the folders differently, therefore not showing you the actual mess ).

 

Why do I feel like I organize addons more than I play?!

[HawkDawg 12]

Howdy folks.

This is my first post here and I have, what I think is a easy question. Do I understand this discussion correctly in that SC 4 can read files within sub-folders in the My Documents/Sim City 4/Plugins folder?

 

Hawk

[T Wrecks 10,209]

Hi and welcome to Simtropolis!

Yes, you are absolutely right - SimCity can read files in sub-folders, and using sub-folders is a great way to have a better overview and enable a more efficient and flexible use of your plugins. This thread should contain some good suggestions that you can mix and match as you like to stay in control.

In addition to this, I recommend downloading stuff to some other drive and keeping it all there in case something goes wrong. This can be your personal file archive from which you build your active plugins folder by copying only what you need. Should any kind of problem or query arise, you'll ideally be able to identify the download in question so you can look it up in your file archive, where you'll have all the files, the original installer, and the readme. This should enable you to fix any problems without having to search the STEX again just so you can read the description or re-download the file if you deleted something accidentally.

[HawkDawg 12]

Thanks for your reply T Wrecks.

I have a secondary 500 GB hard drive in my computer that I use for storage.

I just bought the game yesterday and haven't even received it yet, but I wanted to do some preliminary research on it before I actually install it. I probably won't get it until this Friday or even Monday.

I'm looking forward to playing it. I've watched a few videos on it and it looks right up my alley.

[T Wrecks 10,209]

Wow, so you're off to a fresh start! That's exciting. Most people here are SC4 veterans by now, and it sure is an interesting thought to start playing SC4 with the possibilities of today! I hope your computer won't act up and get in your way.

Whenever someone is about to start the STEX Journey, I inevitably enter what I call "mom mode", I just can't help it - so here's my usual sermon again (feel absolutely free to roll your eyes and ignore):

With the huge amount of downloads available these days, plugin management has indeed become a topic - case in point: this very thread. It is good that you are doing research beforehand, you'll certainly find useful information and suggestions here. However, there is one thing about plugin management that hasn't been mentioned here, so I'll try to cover that:
Don't go on a download spree immediately. I think it's better to learn the ropes of the game first, and you'll also find out more about your personal preferences this way: Which part of the game interests you most, what is your playing style, and - most importantly when it comes to downloads - what do you think is most sorely lacking from your game?

Once you have answered these questions for yourself, you can go hunting for plugins that will fill the gap(s) you identified, and unless you're looking for something very particular and unusual, you can totally afford to be picky these days. In short, I recommend a "pull" approach - where your actual and experienced demand dictates what you go looking for - over a "push" approach (that would entail downloading tons of plugins that look awesome in one way or another, cramming them all into your plugins folder, and ending up with a lot of unused stuff, cluttered menus, and loss of control).

This allows for a better focus on what you really need and use, and for a more streamlined suite of plugins. Combine that with some of the management techniques outlined here, and you have a very solid foundation for a great SimCity experience.

Another useful technique (IMO) is to have a test folder where you move fresh plugins that you'r currently giving a spin. Turns out they work fine, you like them, and you actually use them? Then off to the actual plugins it is! Turns out there's a problem you didn't see beforehand, or that you don't really use the item the way you thought? Then you know immediately where to look.

[HawkDawg 12]

Thanks for your reply, and your valuable insight and knowledge.

I do suspect my rig will limit what I can do with this game, so I've already surrendered to the fact that add-ons will have to be kept to a minimum.

I'm still running XP 32-bit, with an AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+ AM2 - 2.4 GHz processor, 2 EVGA GeForce 7600 GT KO 256 MB cards - Driver Version: 296.10, three monitors (main is plugged into the primary card, the other two on the secondary card), 4 GB physical RAM (2.75 recognized by the system, due to the two cards), an HT Omega Striker 7.1 sound card, and a Gigabyte GA-M57SLI-S4 motherboard.

My primary hard drive (I have two installed) is partitioned into 6 partitions, one being for games only. For the sake of informative reasons, I partition solely for the purpose of organization - just a personal choice. The secondary drive is for storage.

I do plan on playing the vanilla install for a bit to get used to it, but then I'll look into what add-ons I think I need, or want.

I've already read a topic about command line switches and may implement some of them, based on how my rig handles the game, and other preferences.

I should get the game in the mail today so I suspect I'll be enjoying an all nighter tonight. Luckily I'm retired so i have a plethora of free time.

 

For whatever it's worth, here's the other games I have installed and play.

 

I do apologize. I just read that we're not supposed to attach images. I tried to delete the attached image and link to it on one of my sites but could not find a way to delete the attachment..

[alicenychto 41]

My way of managing plugins may be a bit different.

I started to use a Macbook in late 2014, and was greatly inspired by the Tags system that could be found in Finder - another way to organize things without indicating categories explicitly in folder names. 

As I am using a wineskin port to play a SimCity4, it won't be interesting to put plugins into virtualized (aliased) Drive C. I just put them into another folder that's aliased into ~/Documents/SimCity 4/Plugins. Luckily enough that it's also the default folder for any exe installer running over wineskin.

Beside this folder I created a folder ~/Documents/SimCity 4/Plugins-Disabled for some plugins that'd be temporarily disabled, or some plugins that come with options, e.g. Mas71's JPN Wall Sets, and another folder ~/Documents/SC4Plugins-Disabled for further arrangement.

I created a markdown file DependencyTrack.md under Plugins folder in order to have a note over plugins installed and disabled, and their dependencies.

The structure like following:

# All Plugins

## Mods

### NAM
_independent_, [Install directory](Network\ Addon\ Mod/)
Self dependencies under [directory](z___NAM/)

...

### Texture

...

- BSC Parks - Texture Set
  - [] Default
  - [x] AngledBrick
  - [] BrownBrickLarge
  - [] BrownDirt
  - [] GreyPavers
  - [] GreyRock
  - [] RedBrickSmall
  - [] SandPavers

...

## Dependencies

### SC4D LEX

- BSC Essentials (BSC/BSC Essentials.dat && BSC/BSC_Reward_essential.dat)
  * BSC MEGA Props Misc Vol02 (BSC/BSCProps/BSC MEGA Props - Misc Vol 02.dat)
  * BSC Textures Vol01 (BSC/BSCTextures/BSC Textures Vol 01.dat)
  * BSC Textures Vol02 (BSC/BSCTextures/BSC Textures Vol 02.dat)
  * BSC Textures Vol03 (BSC/BSCTextures/BSC Textures Vol 03.dat)

...

## Lot & BATs

...

### Civics - Safety

- Mattb325 Police Headquarters
  BSC/Mattb325/Police Headquarters
  * BSC MEGA Props Gascooker Vol01
  * BSC Essentials
  * PorkieProps_Vol02

...

## Tools

## Maps

## DevSets

## MyPlugins

The first and most important plugin that come around is NAM, which is independent to any other plugins and indispensable to the game. Between parenthesis is the directory address.

For dependencies it goes a bit different, as each dependency file has its file address in parenthesis. Common Lot/BATs will have a new line to indicate its/their parent-directory, and below a sublist for all dependencies.

Some plugins have further informations that need to be note down, such as a dependency that's useless, or some failure, or something else, then I will take a new line for it (something like commenting in a program).

For plugins that come with options (also CPT Terrains), I will select one from options and put others into the disabled folder (I tried to add a suffix of .disabled but the fact that SimCity 4.exe will load all files in ./Plugins made this impossible).

With this file I could finally achieve what I'd like to see: All plugins keep their default installation folder (for BSC, SFBT plugins) and the least necessary modification over filename and folder structure (for plugins that come from Hide-inoki, SOMY, CapitalSim, etc., I create a folder for each developer and put his/her plugins together, if there're so many plugins necessary to arrange).

And this works even for maps, tools and originate plugins.

For documentations, I just unzip simply things into ./Plugins as what plugins do. Because I think I will need to frequently revisit them. Since SC4 Game do nothing with those html, txt, jpg files, they won't do harm. By the way I prefer the way to do the management with some metadata, which means that I couldn't have much to do with these documentations ... As they're not metadata but the data that in level of operation.

[TakemeThere 5,833]

@alicenychto Interesting system you've come up with, thanks for sharing!

[rsc204 21,808]

On ‎20‎/‎09‎/‎2016 at 6:59 PM, alicenychto said:

Since SC4 Game do nothing with those html, txt, jpg files, they won't do harm

Not true I'm afraid. SC4 will attempt to index them, assuming it can see them, which I think your system is able to filter. If nothing else, it slows the time taken to load the game.

Too many non-SC4 files in my experience contributes greatly to instability also.

[alicenychto 41]

On 2016年10月7日 at 10:31 AM, rsc204 said:

Not true I'm afraid. SC4 will attempt to index them, assuming it can see them, which I think your system is able to filter. If nothing else, it slows the time taken to load the game.

Too many non-SC4 files in my experience contributes greatly to instability also.

The same issue was raised when I was discussing with another friend who's playing SC4. He said exactly like what you replied, that SC4 will index the files (even though that's useless). I used to disable and enable plugins without moving them out of the ./Plugins folder but by simply adding and removing the suffix ".disabled" (e.g. thisIsALot.sc4lot.disabled), and he doubted it. So I tried to catch the SC4 process and have a look at what's inside..

The game will index all files below ./Plugins and at least will read in all plugin files (by their file head, we guessed). This is why I have created the subfolders outside ./Plugins to put those disabled plugins.

I think you're right, my way of managing plugins is still very far to perfect and these files might be source of instability assuming that the ./Plugins directory becoming huge and by time.

The only reason that I still have them in my ./Plugins directory may be that moving these files will do harm to the integrity of a "plugin" -- even when I disable a plugin, I will move its parent folder instead of simply move it out.

I wonder if there's a way of keeping the integrity of a plugin and a "clean" Plugins folder at the same time..

[rsc204 21,808]

Well your idea for toggling optional files seems a very good one, I'm not sure if or how you could integrate that in a Windows environment though.

So far as I understood, what you are doing is the equivalent of symlinks... i.e. the files aren't actually where they should be, but the OS picks them up and fools applications into thinking they are there or not based on your scripts. No reason this couldn't be expanded to cover the non-SC4 files. Although personally, I just make sure they are all kept in their own folder setup in case I need to refer to them later.

There are very few resources I need to refer to often, most frequently the DRI-Table for RHW draggable ramps and patterns for the FLEXTrack RRW, most of the rest I've managed to memorise. I guess I just don't build enough RHW/RRW to remember all the patterns, but I'm getting there.

[HayleyRenaNemeth 465]

I'd thought that mine would be a bloody mess, but its not so bad. 

My past plugin folders have been very messy. but this one isn't so bad. 

[Alejandro24 575]

This is how looks like the plugins folders, with no compression.

 

And this is the plugin folder, compressed with the dat packer:

[MiCephia 63]

PLUGIN FOLDER FOR THE MOD HOGS

First I'll show you uncompressed folder setup then show you my dat packed. This is with 4.5GB of plugins. I don't know if this will work for everyone but I have never had a problem packed or not with as much as 5GB installed at once.

Above is my plugin folder in the main SC4 directory with a show of the game stats mods folder and to the far right is the documents plugin main folder. Below is the first loaded folder which is my CAM folder in which I stuck my CAMelots mods and Industrial revolution Mod because of where I want them to load.

Next is my MODS folder with all PEG mods and various other mods. I opened up the PEG folder and a few sub folders to show you how I stupidly set things up when  I first started. I had no idea I was going to end up with this many mods but I hate too many sub-directories so I combine files from same person or sets and delete all jpeg and .txt files I find. You can get a good idea of my folder sizes but looking at the side scroll bars that you can see and how much space is left to scroll.

Next is my BATS folder where all other lots props are. I opened up a few folders again to show you some sub-directory setups that I made.

The next 2 folders need no explanation or pics they are the NAM and NAM Dependency folders. After that my Dependencies folder loads and looks like this. I also opened my BSC and PEG sub directories.

And next to load is my patches folder and then finally my overwrites folder where I keep things that I change often or try or need to load last. I do not DAT pack either of these folders because they are small and I change/add stuff regularly.

Last but not least, this is my DAT packed folder version for loading and I don't care what anyone says about not dat packing this or that. EVERYTHING can be dat packed if you want and will work normal just as long as your load order is correct. I use these dat packed files every day.

Hopefully this may help someone. Have fun!

[blade2k5 1,523]

I just create a folder with the creator's name and dump all of their works (including dependencies) into that folder.  Makes it easier to find if I have a certain dependency or lot/BAT.  Right now I have 250+ creator folders made and finally organized so when I get my game hiccups figured out, I'll have a new rearranged plugins folder.

[jeffryfisher 2,176]

On 12/3/2015 at 4:15 AM, Sabretooth78 said:

The game... can't handle a symlinked folder but has no problem with individual files

Ah... but the game can be fooled by a Windoze HARD LINKED folder. Use a command window and the mklink command with the /j (junction) option. Then it's not necessary to link hundreds of files. If you want, you can simply link the plugins folder itself (I've tested this in Win-7)

  Edited June 4, 2018 by jeffryfisher  
folder, not "file"

[vaughanwiliams 53]

greetings everyone, 

 

attached is an overview of a subfolder i created in my plugins, called it "mods" and it's where i store the "big" mods (lights, terrain, weather, the likes).

 

question: how do i set the right loading priority? i know that the folder with the most z's in front will load last...but which of the mods is the one that SHOULD load last? terrain? weather? lights? insight is very much appreciated. 

[T Wrecks 10,209]

Basically, it depends on what the mod is supposed to override. Sounds trivial, but it's really the rule to go by.

----------

Most mods will override in-game content (default content, Maxis content, 'Vanilla' content). In-game content loads with the game and, hence, before any plugin whatsoever. So if a mod overrides in-game content, it is sufficient to place it somewhere in your plugins folder.

• Example 1: Terrain. Your terrain mod overrides what? Yup, Maxis terrain. Maxis terrain loads with the game. Plugins load after. So loading order is absolutely irrelevant for your terrain mod. Just relax, place it anywhere you want.
• Example 2: Day 'n' Nite modd. This mod overrides what? Yup, Maxis nigth settings. I mean, how many night mode alteration mods do you have exactly? 10? 5? 3? No, only one. So place it anywhere and you're fine.

However, there are also mods that override other mods. This - and only this! - is where loading order is relevant at all.

• Example 1: Uniform Streetlighting Mod (USL). The USL overrides what? Streetlights. Where do we have these? In the vanilla game, sure. BUT we also have these in the NAM! Indeed, the STEX description explicitly states: "USL adds new and replaces existing in-game and NAM T21 network lots responsible for appearance of street and roadsides, avenue medians, roadside light poles etc. " So it overrides the game and the NAM. To override the game, any location in your plugins folder would be fine. But to override the NAM, it needs to load after the NAM. So here you need to make sure that NAM loads before USL.
• Example 2: Maxis Tree HD replacement. What does it override? Maxis trees. So put it anywhere and you're fine. What if you used other mods that override Maxis trees, though? Think about the SFBT Street Tree Mod, which overrides Maxis street trees with Cycledogg trees. If you want to keep the SFBT STreet Tree Mod, but have the trees replaced by HD girafe/Orange trees, you need to make sure that the SFBT Street Tree Mod loads first and the Maxis Tree HD Replacement mod after.

So you see, it's all just some basic common sense. Many mods out there are offered with a lot of zzz's where it's not needed. Sometimes it's just so the mod doesn't vanish somewhere among your other stuff. Follow the rule sketched above, and you should be fine.

All that zzz business has been blown up to insane proportions and turned into some kind of holy cult or wizardry, and now people feel insecure when the underlying pattern is actually dead simple.

Likewise, I recommend you ditch the totally unintuitive folder naming convention, all that senseless Z and underscore juggling:
Was that "zzzzz_____Mod" or "zz________Mod"? Or maybe "zzzzzzzzz____Mod"? Wait, how many underscores do I have? What I see last in the Windows Explorer loads first in game, or was it the other way around? Is "_____" three or four underscores?

How about this:

z01_NAM
z02_[mod that needs to override the NAM]
z02_[other mod that needs to override the NAM]
z02_[third mod that needs to override the NAM]
z03_[mod that needs to override both the NAM and any or all of the "z2" mods]

Basically, you just sort by priority, and it's literally as easy as 1-2-3, PLUS it is shown in the Windows Explorer in exactly the same order as it is loaded by the game, and it is totally transparent and intuitive. You can also use numbers like z10-z20-z30, and if you need to wedge something between z10 and z20, you just use "z11".

-------------------------

In your example, loading order should be like this:

• Maxis HD Tree Replacement: irrelevant, UNLESS you want it to override other stuff.
• Network Addon Mod: don't touch, the NAM guys know what they are doing and the installer needs to find it.
• SPAM: irrelevant UNLESS you use a traffic simulator that conflicts with the NAM
• z__NAM: unfortunate that the underscore juggling begins here, but leave it.
• Simfox Day'n'Nite mod: irrelevant.
• Terrain: irrelevant.
• USL: needs to load after NAM (and "z__NAM", to be sure - you could use "zz01__NAM" to be sure it loads after, and start using numbers starting from "zz01_" from this point onwards)
• Weather: I dunno what it does, honestly. My guess is that it's actually irrelevant, but it might have to load after your terrain mod.

I hope this post was at least a bit helpful. My key point is that all this stuff is not some kind of dark magic, and it's made way more complicated than it needs to be.

[vaughanwiliams 53]

that was AMAZING. i wish i could explain things so well. super easy to understand and going into all the details. i'm just now re-organizing my folder.

thank  you very much, t_wrecks.

[Jasoncw 11,840]

I organize by author. The only unique thing that I do is that I actually put my plugins into the my computer plugins folder. The my documents plugin folder is for things that are load order dependent, and for my own works.

[Terring 6,473]

Right now I have a few plugins and my folder is a bit messy. But back in 2013 I had even more plugins, so my plugin folder was something like this...

As you can see, it was organized by function, not by author. And yes, some of those folders had subfolders as well. For instance, the Grownable Buildings folder had Residential, Commercial, Industrial and Agriculture subfolders for better organization.

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

10 hours ago, Jasoncw said:

The only unique thing that I do is that I actually put my plugins into the my computer plugins folder.

This makes perfect sense for peeps who create content and who are also aware it needs to be backed up prior to uninstalling (and/or reinstalling?) the game.

 

6 hours ago, Terring said:

organized by function

That's how I've started out for my small plugins folder. Then I did create a couple of author folders when I was using everything they'd created.

[Andrey km 304]

 

[Gwyain 95]

I generally keep things organized by category, though I do make an exception to that for my Pegasus content. Below is an excerpt from my master plugins index, I left a selection of sub-folders in for illustration purposes. The index is organized the same way the plugins folder is, but I find using a separate set of text files to be easier to search and forces me to know exactly what I have installed. Overall, my plugins folder is a touch over 3 gb, though its more like 4 gb without all the DAT Packing. All DAT Packed folders are kept in a separate folder outside my main plugins folder with an identical folder structure for ease of finding. Readmes and images are of course located separately as well (though not remotely as organized as my plugins I'm afraid).

 

[Dgmc2013 873]

I organize my plugin folder by categories from the BATs, for example "Civic", that englobe hospitals, police departments, fire stations and schools, or also "Medium density", which is kind obvious, etc. I organize by categories because for me is easiest to exclude a indesejate plugin after, and this way is less complicated to find them. (Sorry, all names are in portuguese, but as I explained, you could imagine the major categories and deduce).

[Turnstyled 486]

I'm on my phone right now. I just remotely accessed my PC using AnyDesk to take a screenshot of my "Game Mechanics" mod directory. I know that this isn't directly related to how I organize my plugins directory. Most everything that you would consider a "mod" is in that directory. The NAM, the BSC Seasonal Flora Patch, and the automata fix by @apeek uploaded to the STEX by @FANTA1990 aren't there. Of course, DLL mods aren't in that directory, either. 

I'm not an artistic person, so I'm unable to create what so many of you here showcase. I'm a very utilitarian person. I really want to customize as much of SimCity 4 as I can. All of the mods in the subdirectories in this screenshot work together when loaded in the order that they're loaded in! 

On the topic of this thread, though, I was inspired by an idea of @tagehring's a few years ago and I shamelessly copied it. I've been working around tagehring's template since.