CoriBoom MySims.dat - The Techy, Hexy Details

[CorinaMarie 29,934]

Technical aspects of MySimtropolis Immortalized Members.

As some of you will be aware from our released mod on the STEX, in SC4's MySims Mode it's possible to add custom MySims to be available for selection and use in the game. Adding new ones involves a bit of hex editing and understanding of the data file structure. The following guide explains the technical details under the hood on how to achieve this yourself. (Perhaps you'd like to include real pics of friends and family for personal use in your own game only.)

Background info from the Sign Up thread:

Spoiler

On 1/2/2019 at 11:23 PM, Cyclone Boom said:

Should there be interest, a pictured overview of the technical aspects involving the hex editing which makes this all possible.

On 1/4/2019 at 4:59 AM, 11241036 said:

Actually, I'd be very interested in the technical aspects of this.

On 1/4/2019 at 7:35 AM, CorinaMarie said:

In pre-preparation for the how to part of this series (requires a hex editor) you can make the images the game will need. They are loose 24 bit .BMP files which go in the MySim folder along with the .dat file. They need to be 36 pixels wide and 41 pixels tall. Start with a square image and resize letting it distort them slightly. When the game places them in the little round circles (for following a MySim around) it squishes it back down and looks fine.

Also, as discovered by @Spamoidutout here, you can paint the corners pink (#FF00FF) so they don't bleed thru in the selection panel.

  Their Sample Image (Hide contents)

 

Note: For this you need to use your favorite Hex Code Editor. I use the HxD Hex Editor.
(The HxD pictured in this guide is the 1.7.7.0 version from 2009 and running on my stand alone XP comp.)

Also Note: None of this is necessary if you download our mod. These details are provided for those who want to add their own MySims.

The MySims.dat file structure is relatively simple. It goes like this:

• [4 Byte File Header]
• [Variable length data for MySim # 1]
• [Variable length data for MySim # 2]
• [Variable length data for MySim # 3]
• [Etc.]

The first thing to do is create a MySims.dat file in your Documents folder under SimCity 4 in a folder called MySim. I do that by right clicking in the file area and selecting to create a new Text Document. It must be named MySims.dat exactly. It will complain how changing the extension from .txt will cause an apocalypse, but just ignore that.

Excuse the other folder clutter in this pic from XP:

 

Now open that file with your Hex Editor:

 

On the Hex Code side, type in the file header of AA E4 32 4A. (I have no idea what this part means, but I'm sure it tells the game what type of file it is.)

 

The next byte is the length of the in game MySim name which will follow in the next bytes. In my case I use Cori as my game name so that's a length of 4.

 

Then I click over in the Text side and type my name.

 

Jump back to the Hex side and the next 3 bytes are for:

1. Code for Gender
2. Code for Zodiac sign
3. Length of the BMP file name which will follow

 

Spoiler

Gender:

0x00 = Female
0x01 = Male

Zodiac sign:

0x00 = Capricorn
0x01 = Aquarius
0x02 = Pisces
0x03 = Aries
0x04 = Taurus
0x05 = Gemini
0x06 = Cancer
0x07 = Leo
0x08 = Virgo
0x09 = Libra
0x0A = Scorpio
0x0B = Sagittarius

 

 

Jump back to the text side and type the name of the BMP file name which is the image to use in the game. Note that the .bmp extension is assumed and not included:

 

To add more MySims, repeat the above using the data for the next member:

 

And to wrap it up, save the MySims.dat file and copy in the .bmp image files to the MySim folder:

Be sure to read about the details of the BMP image file in the first spoiler at the beginning of this post.

 

Providing you are using the MySimtropolis_Rulez.dat file included in the STEX download, it will look like this in the game:

(If you chose not to use the MySimtropolis_Rulez.dat overhaul file, you'd see a page of default MySims and the new peeps would start on the second page of the selection panel.)

Here's a full recap of the MySims.dat file structure:

• File Header  (4 bytes)
• (Variable length data for MySim # 1)
  • MySim name length value  (1 byte)
  • MySim name text string  (variable # of bytes)
  • Code for Gender  (1 byte)
  • Code for Zodiac sign  (1 byte)
  • MySim bitmap file name length value  (1 byte)
  • MySim bitmap file name  (variable # of bytes)
• (Variable length data for MySim # 2)
  • MySim name length value  (1 byte)
  • MySim name text string  (variable # of bytes)
  • Code for Gender  (1 byte)
  • Code for Zodiac sign  (1 byte)
  • MySim bitmap file name length value  (1 byte)
  • MySim bitmap file name  (variable # of bytes)
• (Variable length data for MySim # 3)
  • MySim name length value  (1 byte)
  • MySim name text string  (variable # of bytes)
  • Code for Gender  (1 byte)
  • Code for Zodiac sign  (1 byte)
  • MySim bitmap file name length value  (1 byte)
  • MySim bitmap file name  (variable # of bytes)
• (Etc.)

 

Also, @Cyclone Boom has created a super sexy spreadsheet thinger that automates the creation of the hex code which can then be copied and pasted into the HxD Hex Editor. His gizmo creates the complete code format as explained above and so the same technique applies with one block for each MySim.

Full details on that in his post below.

[Cyclone Boom 17,033]

Automating the MySims Hex Data Output.

Now you understand the code format of the MySims data, this method is designed to simplify the process of adding new Sims as hex data. I've developed a spreadsheet which allows the 4 variables to be converted to their corresponding hex values, then the output can simply be copied in via HxD to occupy the next available slot. I've tried to make it as self-explanatory as possible, adding validation checks to ensure data is entered correctly.

Important:
If you've somehow arrived here without reading the valuable info @CorinaMarie posted above, it's well worth familiarising yourself with the MySims.dat file structure first. So I suggest scrolling back up to do that if you haven't already. Then the following overview of my spreadsheet will make more sense.

 

Upon opening the spreadsheet and you'll see this interface:
 

It's fairly straightforward from here. The 4 Input Data boxes are fields for data entry per variable. Then in the Output Value column it shows the hex value for each which is used to represent what you enter in. Over on the right side is the Hex Data Output, which is where all the combined code populates.

Entering my username and MySim name:
 

Here we can see a bit of action now. The status bar at the bottom shows there's half of the data entered correctly, and still 2 remaining for the Gender and Zodiac. The ST Name is what sets the bitmap file. This must be named exactly as shown excluding the .bmp extension, which is required as per your custom 36x41 sized image, but doesn't need specifying in the code. Then the MySim Name is what your Sim will be called in the game, in the selection panel and anywhere visible.

The output box still is instructing for the full set of 4 values to be entered for it to be displayed.

So let's do that next...
 

There we go. Success!

For convenience, the Gender field supports entering the following case insensitive values:

• Male  OR  M  OR  1
• Female  OR  F  OR  0

Then the Zodiac Sign has a dropdown menu to select from all 12 options.

 

Lastly but not leastly...

The final step is very easy, but also the most vital. All it needs next is to first click the hex data cell and copy it to your clipboard (Ctrl+C). The length total of the data shows how many values are used to represent the entirety of what you've entered in the the 4 input variables.

Then go into HxD and open the MySims.dat file as you're familiar with by now, and paste it into the code (Ctrl+V).

As follows, on the left hand side after the last value:
 

(Here the cursor is shown after the 6D which corresponds with that last in the copied spreadsheet cell.)

A visual count and there are 24 values in red as there should be.

Finally all it needs is to save the MySims.dat file by clicking the blue Save icon on the top toolbar (or using Ctrl+S). Depending on your program settings, HxD may create a backup (.bak) file as a duplicate of the original before saving. This can be safely deleted or moved to another folder. But there's no harm in keeping it there too since SC4 is only looking for the file as named identically, and nothing else will be recognised by the game either.

Upon saving, the pending red data will turn black to confirm it's been written to file.

And that's that. The same process can be repeated for additional MySims. They'll appear in the selection panel ascendingly based on the entered hex data, and from our testing, there are seemingly an unlimited number of entries possible.

In the example above, Cori and I will be listed first for selection. Then if pasting in a new output block afterwards, they'll be listed 3rd in the selection, and so on.

So here it is, available as a standard Excel (.xlsx) file:

CB's Super Sexy Spreadsheet Thinger for MySims Hex Code Calculations.xlsx  (25 kB)

(As named by Cori. )

Or if you prefer a nicely formatted button, click this instead:

Download Spreadsheet   
 

The spreadsheet has been developed and tested on Excel 2010, and also proven fully compatible with LibreOffice Calc 6.0.7.3 (x64).

We hope this might be useful as an automation tool in the process of adding your own MySims. Let us know if you've questions about anything regarding the technical details of the hex data format or the spreadsheet, and we'll do our best to answer them.

[hugues aroux 3,880]

Waa, all too well !! We will be able to make our own "MySim" files with ease! What a job! Sincerely, thank you both. I'll get going this week.

[hugues aroux 3,880]

I've do it, so easy with all explanations! For beginners (like me) see below what you can do with your own portraits.

[carlosmarcelo 984]

On 20/01/2019 at 5:50 PM, CorinaMarie said:

Perhaps you'd like to include real pics of friends and family for personal use in your own game only.

 

On 20/01/2019 at 5:57 PM, Cyclone Boom said:

I've developed a spreadsheet which allows the 4 variables to be converted to their corresponding hex values, then the output can simply be copied in via HxD to occupy the next available slot

I did it with my family! It is easy and amazing!  By the way, it's addictive: I felt like putting in my daughters' favorite characters! 

Thank you both. 

But, I have a doubt: I would like hidden original mysims, but I wouldn't like use MySimtropolis_Rulez.dat because I don't wanna change texts and mesages. What properties I need modify? 

 

[CorinaMarie 29,934]

1 hour ago, carlosmarcelo said:

I would like hidden original mysims, but I wouldn't like use MySimtropolis_Rulez.dat because I don't wanna change texts and mesages. What properties I need modify? 

The MySimtropolis_Rulez.dat is completely @Cyclone Boom's creation so he'll be the expert on it and he'll be back later this evening. (He's doing RL stuff most of today.)

I did peek in it myself and it seems there are three steps to modify it to do what you want. Open the file in Reader and delete all the LTEXT overrides:

 

Then delete the DIR file too:

 

Right click in the left pane white space and select Reindex. Save the file and now it should do exactly what you want.

For your convenience, I've done those steps and saved it under a new file name. Drop it in your Plugins folder and, ofc, don't use the MySimtropolis_Rulez.dat.

Attachment: Remove Maxis MySims.dat

[carlosmarcelo 984]

On 20/08/2019 at 8:49 AM, CorinaMarie said:

I've done those steps and saved it under a new file name.

Thank you again, Corina. I tested and everything is working well. 
Just a detail: when I click in empty mysim, sometime I have a CTD. But I'm ok about this: I will fill this spaces! 

 

[CorinaMarie 29,934]

1 hour ago, carlosmarcelo said:

Just a detail: when I click in empty mysim, sometime I have a CTD. But I'm ok about this: I will fill this spaces! 

Filling those spaces will be the only way to avoid this. Well, or simply not clicking invisible, non-existent MySims.   The way the game is set up, Maxis intended for the first 21 slots to have toons in them and didn't write any error trapping code when that's not the case.

[carlosmarcelo 984]

On 20/08/2019 at 4:20 PM, CorinaMarie said:

Filling those spaces will be the only way to avoid this.

This was I did! 

[Kel9509 1,490]

Is it possible to display a custom MySim name in a Query box outside of this selection option panel?  I'm trying to edit the RCI Query.  The original Maxis query just has a header named "MySim" above the icon.  I'd like to replace that with the actual sim's name, if at all possible.  However, I'm having some real trouble coming up with the code for that, even after looking at the original Maxis UI queries.  I suspect it's due to the hard-coded nature of this aspect of the game, and I wonder if that's why the original RCI Query just says "MySim" instead of the name.  Maybe Maxis couldn't do it for a reason?  @CorinaMarie do you know if this might be possible?

Here's the original query with the MySim header included above an existing Maxis sim:

[CorinaMarie 29,934]

@Kel9509 Have you tried #Advisor# ?

[Cyclone Boom 17,033]

30 minutes ago, CorinaMarie said:

#Advisor# ?

This gave me the idea to check in the LText file entries, and searching for "mysim" it led me to this one:

#mysim.name#

As used in news ticker and advisor entries it appears, such as one example:

#mysim.name# Wants to See #mission_target#

 

@Kel9509

So maybe try adding #mysim.name# as an LText file entry, and hopefully that allows the name to be displayed on the query UI as well.

I haven't tested this, and it depends whether the variable is able to be accessed in this way.

[Null 45 3,140]

5 minutes ago, Cyclone Boom said:

I haven't tested this, and it depends whether the variable is able to be accessed in this way.

I just tested both mysim.name and advisor, neither one worked correctly for the resident name. Both of those variables are tied to the game's scripting/advisor systems, so the values would depend on the state of those systems.

It should be possible to add a mysim_name value to the query UI extensions DLL, but I haven't tested that yet.

[CorinaMarie 29,934]

Ok, what about this table in memory with some functions listed? Anything useful in it?

TABLE = sc4game.mysims
---------------------------
{
      {
      name = "function: 0C8246A0"
      age = "function: 0C824088"
      _e = "userdata: 14A03F94"
    }
      {
      name = "function: 0F721238"
      age = "function: 0F720E90"
      _e = "userdata: 14A03DD4"
    }
  get_sim = "function: 0C824AB0"
      {
      name = "function: 0C780E70"
      age = "function: 0C780C00"
      _e = "userdata: 14A03F14"
    }
      {
      name = "function: 0DF16978"
      age = "function: 0DF16910"
      _e = "userdata: 14A03C54"
    }
  get_count = "function: 0C824CB8"
      {
      name = "function: 0C672E58"
      age = "function: 0F07BE30"
      _e = "userdata: 14A03B54"
    }
      {
      name = "function: 0C528BC0"
      age = "function: 0C528678"
      _e = "userdata: 14A039D4"
    }
  _e = "userdata: 14A03994"
}

Perhaps #sc4game.mysims.get_sim()# ? Prolly not tho. If the function even worked it'd return the whole sub-table.

My other thought was maybe look at the underlying LText or Code in this UI:

 

[Kel9509 1,490]

31 minutes ago, Null 45 said:

I just tested both mysim.name and advisor, neither one worked correctly for the resident name. Both of those variables are tied to the game's scripting/advisor systems, so the values would depend on the state of those systems.

This is correct.  #mysim.name# did end up displaying the Sim's name, but you're right that it doesn't work correctly.  First, if there are no MySims in the city, it displays a zero in the Query:

If you move a Sim in, the name displays correctly for that building:

But that sim becomes locked somehow in the memory, and displays in all other building queries as well:

If you select a different building with a different sim, the query correctly displays that other name though.  But for all other buildings, it seems like the game will display the latest "Mysim" that's in its memory.

[Cyclone Boom 17,033]

Just to add further speculations into the mix...

I found a couple of UI panels which contains: id = 0xabf32693

The first one:

This appears to be the ID for the MySim Name on the selection for pedestrian styles.

The IID of this UI file entry is: 0xABFAEF15

 

Likewise the same for the MySim vehicle selection panel:

UI IID = 0x4BF325E8

It all depends whether we can get this onto the query panel, since it might be not accessible outside of the original panels.

[Kel9509 1,490]

19 minutes ago, Cyclone Boom said:

I found a couple of UI panels which contains: id = 0xabf32693

I added this code to my Query UI to see if this works.  I'm not entirely familiar with these IDs and am used instead to LTEXT.  So hopefully this was coded correctly:

<LEGACY clsid=0xaa7cecfd iid=IGZWinText id=0xabf32693 area=(12,692,278,710) fillcolor=(0,16,84) caption="<MySim Name>" winflag_visible=yes winflag_enabled=yes winflag_moveable=yes winflag_sizeable=no winflag_sortable=no winflag_pbuff=no winflag_pbufftrans=yes winflag_pbufferase=yes winflag_pbuffvid=no winflag_alphablend=no winflag_acceptfocus=yes winflag_mousetrans=no winflag_ignoremouse=no font=GenBodyLight align=lefttop notify=no wrapped=no opaque=no forecolor=(51,68,102) bkgcolor=(51,68,102) gutters=(2,2) textoffsets=(0,0) >

Unfortunately, it didn't work:

[Kel9509 1,490]

4 hours ago, Null 45 said:

 

It should be possible to add a mysim_name value to the query UI extensions DLL, but I haven't tested that yet.

I'm thinking that might be a good idea, at least to fix the issues with the incorrect display and usage of the existing #mysim.name#.  

[Null 45 3,140]

3 hours ago, Kel9509 said:

I'm thinking that might be a good idea, at least to fix the issues with the incorrect display and usage of the existing #mysim.name#.  

I already have a mysim_name variable working, and I am currently working on adding mysim_age, mysim_sign, mysim_job_name, and mysim_job_title variables. I can add any value that is shown in the MySim stats panel, but I think that those ones make the most sense. I don't think there is any way to add a marker for a MySim's employer as the game doesn't provide a notification when the job changes.

With those variables the game's My Sim text could be replaced by:

<My Sim Name>
Age: <Age> Sign: <Sign>
Job Name: <Job Name>
Job Title: <Job Title>

But I am not sure if saving some players a trip to the MySim stats panel is worth padding the residence query dialog with 3 more lines of data that won't have any meaning for most residential buildings.

[CorinaMarie 29,934]

3 hours ago, Null 45 said:

But I am not sure if saving some players a trip to the MySim stats panel is worth padding the residence query dialog with 3 more lines of data that won't have any meaning for most residential buildings.

I often have MySims and I concur. Having their name in addition to their portrait would be cool, but the rest isn't necessary on the building query. (And I suspect only 1 to possibly 3% of players ever use the MySim feature.)

[Null 45 3,140]

33 minutes ago, CorinaMarie said:

I often have MySims and I concur. Having their name in addition to their portrait would be cool, but the rest isn't necessary on the building query. (And I suspect only 1 to possibly 3% of players ever use the MySim feature.)

I removed those extra variables, I can always read them if needed. But implementing that code was helpful in debugging issues with my headers, I had the Zodiac sign names in the wrong order. I attempted top spawn a news ticker item from a DLL, but I have not had any luck so far. That probably is something that Maxis only intended to trigger from the LUA side.

[CorinaMarie 29,934]

28 minutes ago, Null 45 said:

I had the Zodiac sign names in the wrong order.

Ingred.ini prolly led you astray.    I seem to recall we ran into that initially when decoding the .dat file.

[Kel9509 1,490]

The new variable in the Query Extensions DLL works.  I'm just finishing up my modded RCI DLL Query now, trying to fit everything in nice and neat.  

[Cyclone Boom 17,033]

Excellent! And great work @Null 45 with the DLL addition.

Thanks to you (and others) pioneering this area of development, these DLLs are bridging the gap between traditional SC4 modding methods. Of course, there are still uses for exemplar, Lua, and UI editing and they're often in harmony. Just DLLs open up new areas of discovery, and in cases as with custom tilesets, to enhance the game's potential.

It's great how the old locked down in the .exe reasoning is now much less dominant. What was once impossible is now possible.

[Kel9509 1,490]

10 hours ago, CorinaMarie said:

I often have MySims and I concur. Having their name in addition to their portrait would be cool, but the rest isn't necessary on the building query. (And I suspect only 1 to possibly 3% of players ever use the MySim feature.)

My 6 year old daughter loves the MySim feature.  She loves moving new people in, adding their names, etc.  For the MySimtropolis member mod, I'm using the limited Rulez version because she likes the default sim pictures too.  But yeah, the name is the only thing I wanted added to the query.

2 hours ago, Cyclone Boom said:

Excellent! And great work @Null 45 with the DLL addition.

I agree.  And I'm very glad to have been able to learn how to do all of this editing.  When I joined this forum last year, I had no idea how to mod or edit anything in this game.  It's certainly been educational and I'm glad to be able to do this as it enhances my game as well as the community.  These DLL mods are a game-changer to be sure.

[Shuna Tempest 25]

Auch ich habe versucht, den HXD Hex Edithor zu verwenden, aber ich sehe nirgendwo wie man das Geschlecht eingeben kann und so wie auf den Bildern funktioniert das nicht. Ich wollte eigene Leute hinzufügen. Was ich gemacht habe, ich habe my Simtropolis runtergeladen. Habe einfach von den Personen da die Bilder geändert weil die Namen und Sternzeichen kann man im Spiel selbst ändern nur leider das Geschlecht nicht. Jetzt ist es so, dass bei My simtropolis die Mehrheit männlich ist und ich noch paar Frauen hinzufügen wollte, dachte ich das man irgendwann bei einigen der unzähligen Männer das Geschlecht ändern kann, aber ich werde hier nicht schlau draus 

Cori Edit: I've added a Google Translation

I also tried using the HXD Hex Editor, but I can't see anywhere how to enter the gender and it doesn't work like it does in the pictures. I wanted to add my own people. What I did was download my Simtropolis. I simply changed the people's pictures because you can change the names and star signs in the game itself, but unfortunately not the gender. Now the majority of My Simtropolis is male and I wanted to add a few women. I thought that at some point you would be able to change the gender of some of the countless men, but I can't figure it out.

  Edited March 9, 2025 by CorinaMarie  
I added a Google translation.

[CorinaMarie 29,934]

9 hours ago, Shuna Tempest said:

I can't see anywhere how to enter the gender

In the hex code it's the byte immediately following the DisplayName so if you highlight that dot in the right-hand panel you will then see either 00 (for female) or 01 (for male) in the left-hand panel with the hexadecimal numbers. Then click at the number itself to change it. After you do, it'll turn Red. Then save your changes after you've altered as many as you need.

Using the same MySims.dat that you mentioned:

You'll notice in the right-hand panel there are always 3 dots between the DisplayName and the MySim_BmpName. The first is the Gender, the second is for the Zodiac, and the third is the length of the text to follow (which is for the Bmp filename).

[Shuna Tempest 25]

@CorinaMarie Ja vielen dank und das habe ich tatsächlich auch die Nacht mit mühe herausgefunden. Was ich nur jetzt noch nicht Geschaft habe war einen Komplet neuen Sim herzustellen den da kommt dann immer nur eine BAK Datei nur weiß ich da nicht wie man da eine BMP Datei hinzufügt oder muss diese unabhängig erstellt werden ?  

Cori Edit: I've added a Google Translation

Yes, thank you very much and I actually found that out last night with some effort. What I haven't managed to do yet is create a completely new sim, because then there is always only a BAK file, but I don't know how to add a BMP file or does it have to be created separately?

  Edited March 9, 2025 by CorinaMarie  
I added a Google translation.

[CorinaMarie 29,934]

6 minutes ago, Shuna Tempest said:

I don't know how to add a BMP file or does it have to be created separately?

The actual BMP file is the image of the MySim and you can create that in your favorite image editing software. Even Windoze Paint can do it. Then in the hex code MySims.dat file you only need to list the name of the BMP file.

BTW, have you tried CB's spreadsheet in the 2nd post of this thread? It's a good way to create all the hex code for each new MySim you wish to create.

[Shuna Tempest 25]

@CorinaMarie Soweit bin ich klar gekommen was das ändern des Geschlechtes in diesem MySimtropolis Download drinnen ist aber habe noch Schwierigkeiten mit der Erstellung des eigenen Sim. Jetzt bin ich soweit das mir im Game mein Charakter angezeigt wird aber ohne bild heißt da ist nichts nur so durchsichtig

Cori Edit: Added Google Translation:

So far I have understood what changing the gender is in this MySimtropolis download but I still have problems with creating my own Sim. Now I am at the point where my character is displayed in the game but without a picture it means there is nothing, just transparent

 

  Edited March 10, 2025 by CorinaMarie  
I added a Google translation.