SC4 Plugin Packer 2008 don't work

[VitroOliveira 17]

SC4 Plugin Packer, seems not work... I try to run this and is frozen my computer... or you think this work or have some thing I have done bad...

[Cyclone Boom 16,875]

First of all I don't have much personal experience with using DatPacker. Although from reading previous discussions, I recall hearing that it's advisable to pack plugins in batches. So instead of all at one go, maybe try grouping them into folders or move out content before starting the process. I suspect otherwise it might contribute to the program freezing due to memory overload. In a similar way to the custom content tools like the Lot Editor, PIM-X and Reader.

Also I noticed you've tried to pack "Project Akar" which I believe is a mod for SimCity (2013). So I'm not sure whether that could be contributing to the issues you're experiencing. Perhaps also try removing it from your set, in case there are any incompatibilities and DatPacker doesn't skip them as invalid SC4 files.

(As a catch-all forum, this is fine posted in SC4 GD. But being a technical issue, I've just moved this over to the Bugs & Tech forum as I think that will be an even better place. )

[matias93 7,535]

Your problem is having too many files on your plugins folders that aren't plugins for SC4. Aside from the Project Akar, you have development outputs of the GoFSH, that are a huge load in terms of file sizes and numbers, and that cannot be used by the game in that format.

Start by moving away from the plugins folder everything that is not a *.dat *.sc4lot *.sc4model *.sc4desc *sc4prop or *.dll
It is admissible to keep plain text files to have references of what the plugins are, though.

Also, try to eliminate from the file names all characters that are foreign to the English language: accented vowels, tilde characters (like this one ~ ) or other things that aren't English letters and numbers can make the DATpacker to struggle or the game to be unable to open the files.

[jeffryfisher 2,176]

17 hours ago, matias93 said:

Start by moving away from the plugins folder everything that is not a *.dat *.sc4lot *.sc4model *.sc4desc *sc4prop or *.dll

If I recall correctly, DLL files must be kept naked in a plugins folder (neither in a subfolder nor dat-packed). To stay safe, I put my DLLs into the plugins folder under program files rather than in the plugins under documents.

[matias93 7,535]

I do that too, but having them on the plugins folder works most of the time, and I was recommending too much changes at once

[twalsh102 1,601]

Project Akar is in fact a SimCity 2013 download, and won't work at all with SC4.  Given that this appears to be part of the set of files you are trying to DatPack, I would suggest that there might be other non-SC4 packages you are trying to pack.  In addition to the suggestions made by @matias93  and @Cyclone Boom, you might save yourself a lot a problems later by going through and verifying you are trying to pack only SC4 packages.

[VitroOliveira 17]

Thanks for try help... 

[VitroOliveira 17]

Finally I can make this start and finish... I try several times and works... but the game is not more fast... some days ago I have 11 minuts to load and now 12... crazy thing true...

Tomorow I go try to resart my computer and make the time count again...and see.

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

I don't recall the specific number, but it seems I've read you want the DatPacked file(s) to be like 340 mb each. More or less (and iirc more is the worst) and you get longer load times.

Wait for the gurus tho to confirm whether or not I have that right.

[matias93 7,535]

That's the golden number indeed, 340 Mb.

Also, you should avoid packing some things: as a general rule, neither the NAM nor any folder that begins with z_ should be packed, as they are, respectively already packed and in need to override the packed folders.

In your penultimate image there appears an error message, caused by trying to pack a file that is not meant to be used with Simcity 4, as the extension is *.package. Check again and move everything that doesn't match outside of the plugins folder.

Finally, you could be seeing increased loading times after datpacking because of the increased fragmentation of the files: it is strongly recommended to defrag the disk (or partition) on which your plugins folder is *after* datpacking.

[markussaage 762]

It look like you have a lot of "duplikates" in your plugins folder. Every entry in the bottom window of the DATPacker indicates either unnecessary files or a duplicate file (stated as (Useless file, all entries have been superseeded in....) You need to find and remove ALL those duplicates. It saves space when datpacking and at the end loading time. Finding all the duplicates is a pain in the butt, and I strongly recommend the use of a 3rd party software to help you do the work. But you also can do it by hand, if you prefer, and a starting point is always the path in the bottom window of DATPacker. I do use this FREEWARE version to help me checking on duplicates:

http://www.clonecleaner.com/index.html

The "Lite" version is free, but limited to just one path you can set in the options. But that's just fine, because you're only interested in finding duplicates in the SC4 plugins Folder, right?!
And like it was said already, remove ALL files with extensions OTHER than SC4DESC, SC4MODEL, SC4LOT, and DAT. Start small! Empt out your Plugins folder, put a few files back in, and start cleaning. Keep your Plugins organized!

I also strongly recommend the use of rivit's SC4DataNode tool to find duplicates. You'll find it here:

And take your time. I know, you probably don't wanna do it at all, but it is necessary that you get it done.

Good luck and kind regards!

[VitroOliveira 17]

Thanks for try help, but the link not work...

[jeffryfisher 2,176]

I second the motion to use DataNode. After it shows you what files are completely overridden, then you must find out why. In some mods, you are supposed to choose just one file from a set of options (or one from each set). The unused options should be moved elsewhere for when you change your mind. If you're likely to change options often, then you should not even dat-pack that file or mod.

Another all-override case is when one mod supersedes another, or a more recent version supersedes an old one. Figure out which is obsolete and remove it.

Both packing and loading will go faster after that clean-up.

Along the way, you may also see where a file is only partially overridden by another. Then you should decide which should override which, perhaps changing the load-order by renaming a folder (or creating a new folder named to load at a particular time). There's an art to load-order (aka "organizing plugins"), and if you have lots of mods, then you should search out our past discussions. In my plugins folder, I have renamed ALL of the next level of subfolders with 1-letter prefixes that control load-order (and I have used up most of the alphabet).

Have fun...

[markussaage 762]

19 hours ago, VitroOliveira said:

Thanks for try help, but the link not work...

Did you try the main homepage?

http://clonecleaner.com/

Kind regards!

[VitroOliveira 17]

I have download the clonecleaner and run it, but tha time for load SC4 is the same... not better... I not know what to do it more rapid... perhaps becouse I have 2 directories of the gama Simcity4 and SimCity 4 Deluxe, in the root of my hard drive, anyway I think the game run for my Documents folder true...

[twalsh102 1,601]

If you've followed everyone's suggestions to this point (cleaned out all non-SC4 packages, cleaned out all non-game files, gotten rid of all duplicates, etc.), then the remaining probable cause of slow load times is that you have too much stuff in your Plugins folder for your hardware configuration.  And if that is the case, there isn't much anybody else can do to help you.  You will have to go through your Plugins folder and decide what you really need, and what you don't need.

Personally, at this point, I would start with an empty Plugins folder, and get a baseline load time.  This would be useful in making sure there isn't some other problem.  Then just start adding chunks of your Plugins back in, and check load times as your go.  NOTE:  You might consider putting your dependencies (prop and texture packs) back in first as obviously without these, many of your lots won't work correctly.

[jeffryfisher 2,176]

One other thing: Have we made sure (here or in another thread) that the OP configuration includes the 4GB patch?

[markussaage 762]

And why do you have two SC4 installation folder? Are you unsing 2 different versions a.k.a. an older vanilla version and a newer digital version? Or is this may be a leftover from a previous installation?

Kind regards!

[APSMS 1,892]

I did find in my own use of the datpacker that larger batches would simply fail to pack properly, and scaling back the size of the files that I was packing made it much faster to pack.

I never got a baseline for how long it took to load, however, mostly because it takes so long anyways that I usually make a cup of coffee while I'm waiting for it to load everything. An SSD makes loading much faster but it's still enough time to make the coffee if I preheat the water.

Oh, and my plugins folder is about 7gb, mostly poorly organized, for reference.

[jeffryfisher 2,176]

10 hours ago, APSMS said:

An SSD makes loading much faster but

If you have surplus RAM to burn, then try a RAM-drive. It may take time to copy-in your region and plugins, but if you keep your computer running for days or weeks at a time, then you don't need to do that very often, and a simple script can do it for you, hopefully at a time when you're not waiting to play.

The red-letter caveat is that you need to copy out (backup) all changed RAM-drive files (saved cities) that you want to keep. When your computer reboots or shuts down, everything in the RAM-drive is wiped, so you will need your real user-dir to be located somewhere more permanent. Think of the RAM-drive as an extended disk cache.

[APSMS 1,892]

I have 8gb of ram, 7gb of plugins, and a buggy machine. I've tried ram disks before was never super impressed. Maybe if I had 32gb or something. 

[VitroOliveira 17]

On 27/05/2018 at 10:51 AM, markussaage said:

And why do you have two SC4 installation folder? Are you unsing 2 different versions a.k.a. an older vanilla version and a newer digital version? Or is this may be a leftover from a previous installation?

Kind regards!

Yes I have a previous installation and late I make a new installation for SC4 Deluxe edition.. I try to understand tha the problem is always becouse the size or files in the Plugin folder tru...