Errors and issues when installing CAM [Solved]

[CorinaMarie 29,926]

Windows 10 (which I don't have, but have read about) is one that is more protective of things than prior versions. However, with the Gog version of the game the default install does not go in Program Files nor Program Files (x86) so that is likely one obstacle which is avoided. Ofc, I don't know if Windows 10's extra protection carries over to any other .exe files.

Let's also add: Run the NAM batch file with Administrator rights. (Right click and select Run as Administrator).

I've never personally installed anywhere except the default C:\GOG Games\SimCity 4 Deluxe Edition folder, but it seems to me selecting your D drive during the Gog install ought to be fine since it would then write that location to the registry.

Having your plugins on another drive might be confuzzling things. Are you short of space on the C drive such that you cannot use the default locations for everything?

[CorinaMarie 29,926]

29 minutes ago, MasterSim said:

... the actual Plugins are still on my D:/ drive folder. 

Ok. Cogitating on this a bit more, I believe you also need the -UserDir:path command in your shortcut to start the game. Where path is the actual path to the folder typed out.

Here's info about that:

Quote

-UserDir:path

Specifies the directory where the users game directory is. If the default subdirectories of "Regions\", "Plugins\", and "HTTPCache\" arn't found, then it creates an instance of, (in the case of Regions, it copies the default set over). The default game data directory defaults to being the same directory as the game installation directory. Quotes are necessary if the path name has spaces. Make sure there is a "\" on the end of your path or it creates directories like "testPlugins\" and "testRegions\"

I've never personally used this parameter, but since your NAM worked before, maybe you had added the above and then it got lost from the shortcut or you started launching the game via a different shortcut?

The way I interpret the above is that when using a different path for plugins it also wants those other two folders in that same location. So, for instance, if you used -UserDir:"D:\MySimCity 4 Stuff\" (and that folder exists) then started the game, it would create three folders there. After that, I believe you would copy all of your plugins into the new Plugins folder it makes and your Dogby region into the new Region folder there.

Does any of that sound familiar for what you might have done sometime in the past? And if so, that could be what confuzzles any mod's installer including NAM, CAM, and the various ClickTeam installers for dependencies and other add-on content.

[MasterSim 24]

1 hour ago, CorinaMarie said:

Having your plugins on another drive might be confuzzling things. Are you short of space on the C drive such that you cannot use the default locations for everything?

I just like to have my Games on a different drive from the OS. I don't know if this is beneficial or not actually, but I could just install GOG and SimCity 4 onto the C:/ drive again

 

37 minutes ago, CorinaMarie said:

Does any of that sound familiar for what you might have done sometime in the past? And if so, that could be what confuzzles any mod's installer including NAM, CAM, and the various ClickTeam installers for dependencies and other add-on content.

When I installed all the mods using installers I would have specified the path was D:/..../Simcity4/Plugins. I just kept switching the path for each mod installation. I did that for CAM too, but since I thought it didn't work properly I used 7zip and moved the files manually too. Not sure if my response answers your question?

 

[CorinaMarie 29,926]

25 minutes ago, MasterSim said:

Not sure if my response answers your question?

That method seems like it should work. Ofc, I'm out of my league now as I've never installed that way.

[MasterSim 24]

1 hour ago, CorinaMarie said:

That method seems like it should work. Ofc, I'm out of my league now as I've never installed that way.

I think I might just stick to the C:/ drive and the default install directory from now on. Seems like it would be easier for troubleshooting too.

[MasterSim 24]

10 hours ago, CorinaMarie said:

Install CAM - Make certain SimCity_1.dat is updated.

I am in the process of installing CAM after reinstalling the game. I got DatPacker to run and it was completed and then I got this:

Is CAM supposed to first install and then uninstall again? Should I cancel or just let it run and do its thing?

  Edited April 21, 2022 by CorinaMarie  
Embedded image.

[CorinaMarie 29,926]

7 minutes ago, MasterSim said:

Is CAM supposed to first install and then uninstall again? Should I cancel or just let it run and do its thing?

Hmmm. It's been a long time since I installed, but that seems odd.

The little popup box (about Cleanitol) might be the one in focus and that one is fine to click OK for. Maybe after that the one with uninstall will just disappear. (Like it might've defaulted to displaying that after the install.)

[MasterSim 24]

52 minutes ago, CorinaMarie said:

Hmmm. It's been a long time since I installed, but that seems odd.

The little popup box (about Cleanitol) might be the one in focus and that one is fine to click OK for. Maybe after that the one with uninstall will just disappear. (Like it might've defaulted to displaying that after the install.)

IT WORKED!

I reinstalled Simcity4 along with CAM, NAM, and everything you mentioned. Followed your steps exactly. CAM is installed and I finally moved all the Plugins. I made sure I cleaned up my Plugins folder too.

Smog town opened up with no crashes after functional seaports were added. NAM is back and so are my power plants haha

Thank you so so much for all the help and I especially thank your patience! This community is the best! 

 

[Cyclone Boom 17,032]

Excellent news!

We're really glad to hear it worked. This too is why the forums are so useful, as now anyone reading this topic in future can be led along your journey to this solution. There are often technical challenges like this for SC4 since custom content is vast in intricacy. All the best with your cities.

[CorinaMarie 29,926]

15 minutes ago, MasterSim said:

IT WORKED!

Yay!

Now if you happened to ever create an avatar to use here on the site you could also sign up to live and work in your own cities.

[MasterSim 24]

1 hour ago, Cyclone Boom said:

Excellent news!

We're really glad to hear it worked. This too is why the forums are so useful, as now anyone reading this topic in future can be led along your journey to this solution. There are often technical challenges like this for SC4 since custom content is vast in intricacy. All the best with your cities.

I hope whoever is trying to install CAM should look at this: https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=18206.msg526918#msg526918 , so they can get DatPacker to work!