[2008] Lot Editor and Plug-in Manager - Forum Archive

[frdrcklim 139]

It's been months and maybe you got your answer. It's kinda weird you know. I'm a newbie to this thing here. Anyway, I think the SC4Tool might help you. As for reading hex values, I just figured this out in a thread somewhere here that you can use the built-in calculator in your computer and change the mode from Dec to Hex. And yes, even after explaining that, I still feel like a newbie cause I haven't made a finish product for myself.

[Sam 163]

All you do to find out is load the simcity_1.dat virtual dat in the Reader. Use the Analyser, click search, then tree. Then look at the building exemplars under the Cs$$ and Co$$ categories (building exemplar, not lot exemplars). Look at the values in the Occupant Groups. One of them will be the OG for the developer type/wealth level but there may be additional ones related to other purposes. If you see only the translated value in the OG property, double click on it to get to the Edit view and you will then see the hex value.

Using this method you can find out just about any value you need.

Edit:

Important Note:

Never, ever alter any of your core dat files. Extract copies of the items you need and make the modifications as plugin dat files.  There is no good reason to ever alter your core dat files.

Edit 2:

Here's a cheat sheet for you, showing everything in the first paragraph:

The occupant group for Cs$$ from the above is 3120. If you did the same thing with C0$$ you would find its occupant group was 3320.

[Nerd_Guy 4]

Problem with overlay textures in the Lot Editor

Okay, I frequently use the lot editor to make little things for my cities.  Most of the lots I make require multiple overlay textures on the same tile.  Until now I have used the Ctrl+D method to do this, but that no longer works.  The lot will have both of the textures on it when I open it in the LE, but when I view it in the game only the initial layer shows.  I have also noticed that if I click on a tile containing multiple overlay textures in the game one or more will dissapear without any further input on my part...     Any idea what is causing this or how I fix it?

[Nerd_Guy 4]

Sorry to bump this, but I do need help 

[tungston 19]

I will move this topic to the Lot Editor forum, it might draw more attention there.

[Sam 163]

Originally posted by: Nerd_Guy ... I have also noticed that if I click on a tile containing multiple overlay textures in the game one or more will dissapear without any further input on my part...     Any idea what is causing this or how I fix it?quote>

I think this is normal, at least it has always happened for me, so I just be very careful where I click after placing overlay textures. I've never seen anything different.

Originally posted by: Nerd_Guy Okay, I frequently use the lot editor to make little things for my cities.  Most of the lots I make require multiple overlay textures on the same tile.  Until now I have used the Ctrl+D method to do this, but that no longer works.  The lot will have both of the textures on it when I open it in the LE, but when I view it in the game only the initial layer shows. 

...quote>

Check to see if the textures you have used are wealth dependent or have been properly made (ie the wealth marker is configured properly).

If you ask for help, please list the exact textures you have tried that showed this problem and the pack they come from if they are custom. Otherwise it is almost impossible to help you without knowing which they are. Thanks.

[SCaddicted 15]

Streets

Hi there... maybe some people already know me cause of the thousands questions I've already made recently =P

I was looking for some pictures to inspire me when I find this one



For some reason I prefer the 1 st street style, like that one when you build only houses near it...

I was woundering how I make the streets not change when zoning different densities along it. I couldn't even find the street file in the editor =P

Thx

[darth irule 0]

 

Where did they go?

I downloaded lots and stuff from the simcity website and it says they will show up in my plugin folder. I go and open the folder up and they arnt there. I start the game and they arnt in the game. Please help, thanks.

[JakeMD 107]

Don't download anything from simcity.com That fixes everything. Simtropolis has its own exchange, which has way better quality content and you can select where to download things to. If you need help downloading stuff, check out My tutorial.

[darth irule 0]

ok thanks. I dont need any help finding out how to download i would just want to know where they went so i can delete them.

[Jasoncw 11,949]

There is a Plugins folder in My Documents, and there is one in My Computer.

[High5flyier 7]

Back when I didn't know better and until I was on line with simtropolis I download some stuff from that sight. I remember once some things didn't show up in either plugins folder and I found them in Documents and Settings under Owner. Very strange.

One more thing. That sight just literally dumps its downloads into your plugins folder so if you download a bunch of stuff at once they just get all mixed together and you have to then sort them all out. So just do one download at a time and come back and make up a folder do your testing and file in the correct place. Better yet get the real thing here.

[claymore1 0]

Save as

Hey,

Been getting really frustrated with this

I have downloaded TABI's aircraft props and would like to use them in my SC4 airports

I open up the ACB-VLT 747 unoccupied jetway

Place in my new aircraft where i want

Then when i go to click the 'save as' , the option is disbaled

Could anyone tell me why this is happenening and how to resolve the problem.

I have been trying for a while to get these fantastic aircraft into jetways

Thanks

[PhilsCafe 8]

I feel kinda bad, pointed you here, but nobody could help so far...

This has happened to me with other lots too. Some lots don't seem to be duplicateable (sp?). You can only save them to overwrite the original or you can't save at all. I don't know if we just have to live with that or if there's a workaround. But it kinda put me off LE too.

[sese 1]

help !

hi guys , how can i do a landmark with jobs ? a popla Co/s $$$ thanks

[JakeMD 107]

Remember, always check the omnibus first.

link to "How to make a functional landmark lot" - SimGoober .

[Sam 163]

The SC4 Airports depend on scripts located in other files which are not edited when you edit the airport file in the lot editor. For this reason Maxis has disabled the Save As on all Maxis made lots that depend on scripts located in other files. Of all these types of files, airports and seaports are the most difficult to modify correctly, and modifications to these types of files can lead to irrecoverable crashes in cities they are used in.

I would suggest you make your extra runway parts as eyecandy lots on a landmark or park base (and suitably modded afterwards to remove any unwanted park or landmark effects), and then add place them around the ingame airport.

Originally posted by: PhilsCafe I feel kinda bad, pointed you here, but nobody could help so far...

This has happened to me with other lots too. Some lots don't seem to be duplicateable (sp?). You can only save them to overwrite the original or you can't save at all. I don't know if we just have to live with that or if there's a workaround. But it kinda put me off LE too.quote>

Most of the other files that the save as is disabled on are quite ok to make lots, but you do need a suitable custom template to start from (or you could build one to use as a template), as the in game ones don't have the Save As enabled. However in most cases you will need to be able to do additional modding outside of the Lot Editor to make them work. For example, normally the Maxis farm fields have the Save As disabled, as they won't work on their own, you have to also modify a suitable farm building/lot to trigger the modified fields (this modding cannot be done in the LE). However if you are capable of doing this to the farm building, you can just use a custom field template to make your new custom field on, and then modify your farm to trigger your new field.

Also note: Never use the Save button on someone else's custom lot and distribute it, as this will override their original lot, which is not polite.

Also be very careful using someone else's custom template, unless you are sure exactly how that particular template works and how any of its custom modified features work.

[WC_EEND 9]

i also noticed that you can't place props (planes) on the RMIP lots

[PhilsCafe 8]

Thank you very much for your elaborate answer, Sam. I realized LE can be very limited, but if you know how to use it, it seems to be a very good tool. Unfortunately it seems like I never got the hang of it... but with your information in mind, I'm gonna try further. Thank you!

[DocRorlach 25]

Commandline for Lot Editor??

Is it possible to tell the Lot Editor where it reads the plug-ins?

The situation is thus: I have bothe Vista & XP installed on the same PC, in order to be able to use GMAX and some other XP only softwares. With SC4 I can use the UserDir commandline option to have only one Plug-ins Folder, regardless which OS is loaded. And for everything else, the SC4 Organizer does it all, including controlling the DAT Packer operations. But LE seems bound to the OS's path rather than the game's path.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

[Sam 163]

I don't know. I don't even understand a lot of what you said, but have you tried using whatever command lines you use on the game itself? The Lot Editor can usually interpret the same kind of command lines the game does.

[DocRorlach 25]

Good idea, Sam, I'll try that out. The reason for the two OS' is simply that I cannot get GMax to work under Vista Ultimate, and the same goes for some of the other, older utilities, such as SC4 Tool

[mal7798 1]

Lot Editor Error Message

When I try to open the standard seaport lot (and other in-game lots) in Lot Editor, I get the message shown in the image. How can it contain items from plugins that are not installed when they are the standard lots that came with the game?

[mrbisonm 1,622]

Your question isn't clear................and the message in the image, well.....what image?

[Sam 163]

Do you have Rush Hour? If not this is most likely the cause of the problem.

To find out what buildings came with the game, remove everything from your plugin folders. Then open the Lot Editor again and that will be the list of lots that came with the game. You should always remove all items from your plugin folders before lot making anyway. It avoids a lot of confusion.

[merritt 0]

there is no image, but i think i have the same problem. i've recently moved my plugins etc to a new computer and now i get this error message. some lots work other don't. i discovered this when i wanted to edit a newly downloaded lot, so i dont't know what's missing.

http://img131.imageshack.us/my.php?image=82482777uh6.jpg

[merritt 0]

found out what's wrong. you'll need the lot editor for BAT. if you have installed BAT there is a file called loteditorforbat.zip in C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4\Apps, just unzip and replace the old editor.

[mal7798 1]

"The image" is the one I posted with the message, which is a screenshot of the error message. Is it not visible under the message?

[mal7798 1]

I have Deluxe--that is the original with Rush Hour built in, correct? It never occurred to me to empty my plugins folder (I figured I needed the plugins to edit and use lots I downloaded). I can try this and report what happens.

[mrbisonm 1,622]

DO NOT remove your downloads from the pluginsfolder like sam said,(sorry sam) it is way to complicated and time-consuming to do so everytime you open the LE. Here is what you should do to have it easier on you:

Just rename your pluginsfolder from *Plugins* to * Plugins2* . That way the game will not read it and you don't have to empty and refill it everytime. Then create a new folder and name it *Plugins* in the same directory. Now you have an empty pluginsfolder. When you want to return to your original pluginsfolder, rename the empty one to *PluginsEmpty* (or something like this) and the original from *Plugins2* to simply *Plugins* and your back in business. If you should forget to name a pluginsfolder *Plugins*, then the game automatically will create a new one when you start the game.

I have 11 Pluginsfolder (all filled with different mods and lots) in my MyDocuments/Simcity4/ directory and always only 1 (ONE) which is named simply *Plugins*, all the others are called *Plugins-something* and I just just rename the folder when ever I need to. I use them for different regions/ Testing BATs/ LOTting or simply with different terrain, water and rockmods for different regions and gameplays.

For more useful ideas from me and to get the max out of your game follow this  thread. I will post many tutorials, ideas for CJ, Lotmaking and stuff there from time to time.

Hope that was useful.

BTW, probably your picture above does not show  because most of us use IE and with it the png's don't show. You should always use jpeg pictures to upload.

mrbisonm