Plugins Folder

[thirstydeer 4]

Hi, I am getting ready to start building a region and have downloaded several neat bats, lots, mods, and their dependencies.  I heard people recommend instead of throwing everything into the plugins folder you can actually create subfolders in there to sort things out better and the game will still include them.

Assuming that is true, if i put an item that requires a prop pack in subfolder A in my plugins folder, and put the actual prop pack in subfolder B, will it still work out?

Should I just throw everything into the main plugin folder and leave it at that?

Suggestions are appreciated.

[APSMS 1,892]

The game will load everything in the plugins folder, regardless of structure. Some Mods, like the NAM, purposefully keep things in subfolders to guarantee that they load in the correct order.

The game loads Alphabetically, A-Z, a-z, and then _ and ~. The load order is important in some cases, because certain base files need to be overridden in order to work.

Most prop and texture packs don't care. The NAM and transit related mods often do, as do any replacement mods (typically for textures or terrain) that you may download as well.

If you don't start with organization now, even a rudimentary one, you will sorely regret it later, so I strongly suggest that you start out this way. Reorganizing a plugins folder is significantly less fun that starting with an organized plugins folder. Having to redo everything after the fact usually ends up in many headaches and abandoned regions, so start early!

[SecretMbr_735754 2,157]

I've had subfolders at least 3 deep in the user plugins and the mods and lots loaded ok.  Not sure what the limit is.  Some mods need to be in one or the other plugin folder.  eg. the city hall unlock and the extra cheats need to be in the user plugins, not the game folder plugins.   Some mods require either being loaded before or after, thus filenames beginning with aaa_  or zzz_.    We need an expert to define 'Loading Sequence".   

[APSMS 1,892]

To clarify a little bit more, the only files that care where they are placed (aside from load order), are DLL files. These must be placed directly in the user plugins folder and cannot be inside any subfolders . These are the only files that specifically care about being in one folder over another.

[matias93 7,535]

Also it is very useful to utilise the DATpacker to improve loading times and to diminish memory usage. Nevertheless, both prop packs and certain mods (like the NAM and anyone else that requires to load the last) shouldn't be datpacked.

As a way to make plugins folder's maintenance easier, you can use DocRorlach's Download and Installation Catalogue, which automates some of the most tedious tasks.

[APSMS 1,892]

I had forgotten about the WMP tools. Great stuff there.

RIP DocRorlach.

[matias93 7,535]

I would have obliterated my plugins folder more than ten times if it weren't for the DIC; to keep an automated backup of the source files for datpacking is so obvious and at the same time so clever.

[APSMS 1,892]

LOL. I've kept a backup of every single plugins file that I've ever downloaded, even if not installed.

Much is maligned of Window's Indexing utility, but there's something to be said to be able to search the entirety of my plugins downloads in half a second.

That said, having a tool to do it all for you is really something. I should have figured the DIC years ago (that was, IIRC, when I first downloaded it). Nuts that I've been doing this all by hand for the past 2 years (ever since I started taking Plugins organization ssemi-seriously).

[tigerbuilder 131]

Definitely read this thread. 

There are more if you do a google search of something like "simcity4 plugins folder"

[markussaage 762]

And I recommend to look at the SC4DataNode tool. It helps a lot to get the right loading order.
You'll find it her:

Kind regards!