All Buildings of Type Taking Same Name [Solved]

[peefTube 9]

I have a few different modded buildings that keep running into an issue.

Every time I rename one of that building, all of the buildings of the same name are renamed to that, and in some cases it even shows up with the rename in the menu. I don't know what is causing it or why this could be happening as it has never happened to me before at all. Is there something that can be done to change or fix this?

[mattb325 28,891]

Hi @peefTube, what you are describing is unfortunately standard behaviour.

When re-naming a building using the method of typing over the name in the query box and clicking 'close' there are three possibilities:

1) Maxis made content (ie pure vanilla). This will accept the new name that you give it. It will not rename other buildings of the same type in the city to that name, nor will it change the name in the menu, and the changes to that building will be saved and available the next time you load that city.

2) Custom content that was made with the Maxis PIM (ie most old custom content pre 2010). If you have more than one version of this building placed in your city and you type a new name on one of the buildings, other buildings that are the same which have already been placed will also adopt the same name. The menu name, however, will not change. The newly typed names will not save in the city and you will have to rename them each time.

3) Custom content that was made with the PIM-X (ie most newer custom content). If you have more than one version of this building placed in your city and you type a new name on one of the buildings, other buildings that are the same which have already been placed will also adopt the same name. Curiously, the menu name will also change during that playing session. The newly typed names will not save in the city and you will have to rename them each time.

There is no fix for this that I am aware of as it affects both Maxis made tools and custom content creation tools that have been made by the community. It would likely require a re-design of each tool and then a subsequent retro-fit of each piece of content made with that tool.

[peefTube 9]

Though I've seen modded buildings take on the Maxis behavior. I would figure there's a way to pull that off with all modded buildings if even a select few take that behavior on...?

[mattb325 28,891]

1 minute ago, peefTube said:

Though I've seen modded buildings take on the Maxis behavior. I would figure there's a way to pull that off with all modded buildings if even a select few take that behavior on...?

Depends if it was made only with the lot editor (eg a file save_as) as it takes the exemplar values inbuilt within the base game. But as I said, content that is created via the Maxis PIM or the custom built PIM-X adopt the behaviour demonstrated in points 2 & 3.

[peefTube 9]

Would there be a way to run the custom content back through the lot editor or do I just have to live with the content as-is and figure out another solution?
Is there perhaps something that would enable me to assign names to buildings via something like the in-built signage functionality, as an alternative?

I tend to like building city tiles around the concept of multiple smaller cities taking up one larger space, meaning whenever I place stuff like police stations, etc. I want them to have their unique names, so this is actually quite frustrating for me and I'll take whatever solution I can get.

[mattb325 28,891]

Bear in mind, not many people use the re-naming function. It crops up from time-to-time, however, but I don't know of any fix apart from re-designing the tools themselves (which for the PIM is impossible as it is Maxis propriety and the PIM-X creator is no longer active and doesn't have the source code anymore).

Using lot editor on such things won't make a difference, unfortunately.

The easiest option is to use the inbuilt sign in game or put one of those yellow-name tags on the road infront of the building in question.

If you are familiar with the reader, you can add the user visible name key entry (0x8A416A99) and item description key (0xCA416AB5) to every single lot and replicate the 3 entries that Maxis used in the vanilla lots (for example, the police kiosk uses 0x2026960B,0x0A554AE0,0x8BBA49D6 and the clinic uses 0x2026960B,0x0A554AE0,0xEA5EA6F7). That option would be a massive amount of work and, as I haven't tested it, could lead to other strange outcomes with custom content, so I would use the signage option.

[peefTube 9]

Maybe I need to figure out how to get and use the LE then, might be able to create some assets in the future

[CorinaMarie 29,894]

3 hours ago, mattb325 said:

you can add the user visible name key entry (0x8A416A99)

Yep. This is how to do it, but also add a corresponding LTEXT entry.

For example:

In the left pane the Type 0x2026960B tells the game it's an LTEXT type entry. Then the Group and Instance can be anything you like to make it unique from any others. The key part is that whatever data is in the User Visible Name Key matches all three hex numbers of the LTEXT entry.

The info in the LTEXT itself is simply the default verbiage which shows when you query the lot. Because this is unique to the building based on the TGI of the LTEXT, it is saved in the city tile. You can rename individual lots and their new copy of the LTEXT info is saved tied to that specific instance of the building. This means if you have multiple of the same building in your city, each can have their own different name and those will persist after saving.

It's the lots which don't have their own separate LTEXT that then uses the default text from another entry which won't stay put after changing and saving.

[rsc204 21,866]

Basically, the whole purpose of LText files, is to make localised text, i.e. to provide more than one language choice. As an aside, a text string that is linked to an LText file, can be individually altered and saved in the save file, but this behaviour only works when an LText file has been used in the lot's modding.

Adding one in PIM-X is a synch, you can just right click the buildings exemplar and select either Convert Item Name / Item Description to LText. This automatically creates the default language LText, you can even add additional languages very easily. But since most people who make mods, probably have no need or desire to make multiple language translations like this, LText files are not hugely common. You tend to find them in use with larger mods, such as the NAM or RTMT, where community efforts have created localisations for many different languages. Of course you can manually create one and link it using Reader, PIM-X just takes all the mucking around out of the equation.

[CorinaMarie 29,894]

4 hours ago, rsc204 said:

Of course you can manually create one and link it using Reader, PIM-X just takes all the mucking around out of the equation.

I'm certainly a silly mucker since Reader is my goto choice for something like this.   (Or basically for any game modding. Heck, I even change prop locations via Reader.)

But, I understand your point and very good advice for the majority of peeps.

[rsc204 21,866]

5 hours ago, CorinaMarie said:

I'm certainly a silly mucker since Reader is my goto choice for something like this.   (Or basically for any game modding. Heck, I even change prop locations via Reader.)

LOL, preaching to the choir ma'm. 

More than a few times, I will make one lot as a template, then copy/paste the Exemplars in reader to make an entire set of lots. Manually editing the Hex in the LotConfigPropertyLotObject fields to account for the different props, textures or positions at times. A thorough knowledge of Reader makes many tasks quicker there. But even for those of us who like to tinker, you have to use the "proper" tools every now and again, you can't practically even consider proper lotting in Reader.

[spiritualfire 138]

I’m having a similar issue to peefTube, except I haven’t opened or modified any BAT, nor renamed any. I have a handful of lots in my landmarks menu which are small restaurant and small commercial relots that for some strange reason name themselves Food4Less, referencing joerg’s supermarket. 

And that’s the weird thing. I have joerg’s lot, and I get to that point in the menu and these lots are back-to-back, all titled Food4Less, probably 10 of them. But again they’re all relots of older models and only small tile footprints, like 4x3 and such.  
Please correct me if I’m wrong. I was under the impression that lots that took on the same name of a supermarket were actually part of a larger shopping complex that can be pieced together, much like the content RRetail creates. 

[rsc204 21,866]

That's not really the same problem, but it certainly sounds like in respect of Menu Names/Descriptions, they've not been terribly well modded. It's worth noting for a long time we had neither the tools nor knowledge we do today to mod things. So a lot of the early few years of content a lot of mistakes were made. A lot of these relate to starting with a template lot, something the Maxis tools do, which copies a lot of properties, some you may not actually want.

Ultimately each Lot has a Buildings Exemplar, within which will be the Item Name and Item Description Properties, the contents of which are what you see in the menu unless...

Where the property User Visible Name Key (UVNK) exists, the Item Name Property is ignored and the linked LText file will be displayed.

Where the property Item Description Key (IDK) exists, the Item Description Property is ignored and the linked LText file is displayed instead.

But assuming you've the standard Item Name / Item Description Properties, which most custom lots use, fixing these is as simple as changing the text fields.

There is a chance too there is some sort of ID conflict going on, if you give us a link to the download in question, we could take a look for the exact source of this.

[peefTube 9]

So where would I find the reader and documentation on how to use it, then?
I am more than willing to run through the list of mods I have (well over 500 of them though) and try this out but I would rather know what I'm doing first so I don't irreparably screw something up ^^;

[Cyclone Boom 17,031]

5 minutes ago, peefTube said:

So where would I find the reader and documentation on how to use it, then?

See my post here for a summary about Reader versions (0.9.3 is recommended for stability).

You might then find this guide useful for further reading.

[Propfam 2,305]

Yes, LTEXT solves the problem. This should be the standard practice among modders. Imagine if all instances of all mods can be renamed each.

And, the process is relatively easy. On PIMX,

On 3/12/2020 at 9:24 AM, rsc204 said:

You can just right click the buildings exemplar and select either Convert Item Name / Item Description to LText.

Thanks.

[junspud 1,069]

I was wondering, does anyone happen to know if datpacker 2008 can mess up or interfere with LTEXT entries? I have a lot of buildings in my menus which have very odd, vague names, and many of them have the exact same name, didn't think of this possibility until I read this thread.. Thanks.

[jeffryfisher 2,176]

20 hours ago, junspud said:

does anyone happen to know if datpacker 2008 can mess up or interfere with LTEXT entries?

I seriously doubt it. Most likely, the duplication comes from quick & dirty modding (copy something else and then change a couple elements of interest without being thorough enough to do new LTEXT).

[rsc204 21,866]

The most common errors tend to occur when people don’t understand and/or fail create a unique, Buildings Exemplar for their lots. The Maxis Lot Editor does not always make this obvious, because you need the separate PIM application to create one. Coupled with the ‘copy an existing template’ nature of Lot Editor, it’s really easy to copy a link to the same LText as the original. Open Grass Area and Open Paved Area tend to be pretty common when these links are inadvertently left behind. 

[Wiimeiser 452]

On 17/12/2020 at 5:43 AM, rsc204 said:

Open Grass Area and Open Paved Area tend to be pretty common when these links are inadvertently left behind. 

This would explain why so many early-era lots I've downloaded have those names...

On 03/12/2020 at 7:12 AM, peefTube said:

Though I've seen modded buildings take on the Maxis behavior. I would figure there's a way to pull that off with all modded buildings if even a select few take that behavior on...?

Is there some weird hardcoded stuff going on? Maybe certain IIDs are what gets saved...

[rsc204 21,866]

On 01/01/2021 at 7:43 AM, Wiimeiser said:

Is there some weird hardcoded stuff going on? Maybe certain IIDs are what gets saved...

No, it's just data being copy/pasted from whatever building is used as the basis of a new one, this is a fundamental flaw with the LE from Maxis not being able to create a new lot from scratch. Imagine if every time you wanted a new document in Word, you had to open an existing one, modify it and use Save As to create a copy, really not a very good methodology that. Many modders didn't even realise this was happening, plus it's only fixable manually in Reader, so these issues are prevalent before PIM-X was released. But it's also why modders like me push PIM-X so hard, the Maxis tools shouldn't be used by anyone, PIM-X just does everything better, precisely because it was designed to overcome the inherent issues of the original tools for the betterment of everyone.

[Shuna Tempest 25]

Ich habe ein Problem @CorinaMarie das Beispiel was du angezeigt hast um Gebäuden beliebige Namen zu geben. was ist wenn es keine LTEXT gibt ?

 

[CorinaMarie 29,894]

14 hours ago, Shuna Tempest said:

I have a problem @CorinaMarie with the example you showed for giving buildings arbitrary names. What happens if there is no LTEXT?

Which file are you working on?

Does it have the User Visible Name Key entry? If it does, then the LText is likely in another file. You can copy any other LText into your file and then change the GID and IID to match what you need (along with the text for the name you want).

[Shuna Tempest 25]

Leider nein da ist kein User Visible Name Key kann man dann da nichts machen ? @CorinaMarie

[CorinaMarie 29,894]

3 hours ago, Shuna Tempest said:

Unfortunately no, there is no User Visible Name Key, so can't you do anything about it?

Yes. When you have the exemplar selected in Reader you can right-click in the white space in the right hand panel and select Add Property. That'll pop up a dialog box and in the Name field (at the top) you can then select User Visible Name Key. (A tip is to select that box with your mouse and then start typing the name "User" and you'll see it real soon in the list so you can click it.)

 

Once you've added it, you can then edit the "Values as text" to be the TGI you need for your LText. It'll need 3 reps of hex values. (Not these, but as an example: 0x2026960B,0x4A5E093C,0xAA5EA697)

[11241036 5,115]

Doch kann man, es gibt ein Programm namens LEProp, das ich gern benutze und mit dem man relativ leicht sowohl eine LTEXT-Datei erzeugen kann als auch einen korrespondierenden User Visible Name Key-Eintrag.

https://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/21350-leprop-162/

Als Alternative kannst du auch einfach eine beliebige Datei, die einen Lot enthält, den du z.B. heruntergeladen hast und die sowohl eine LTEXT-Datei als auch einen User Visible Name Key enthält, öffnen, beides kopieren und einfügen und dann den Code händisch ändern.

Zum genaueren Verständnis: An was arbeitest du da gerade? Bzw. gibt es ein konkretes Problem, das du zu lösen versuchst?

 

Yes, you can, there is a tool called LEProp, that I'm frequently using that allows you to create both an LTEXT file and a corresponding User Visible Name Key property.

Alternatively, you can simply open any custom lot containing an LTEXT file and a User Visible Name Key property, copy&paste both and manually alter the code.

For better understanding: What are you working on? Is there a special problem you are trying to solve?

 

BTW, the text editor on Simtropolis is very slow for me, when typing text, the letters are appearing literally seconds later.

[Shuna Tempest 25]

@CorinaMarie Ja soweit kenne ich diese bearbeitungs tools problem ist wenn ich diese user visible name key hinzufüge passiert da nicht ich kann das gebäude normalumbennen aber ich wollte es so machen das ich wenn ich das gebäude zwei mal baue jeweils einen anderen namen geben kann 

[CorinaMarie 29,894]

14 hours ago, Shuna Tempest said:

Yes, I know these editing tools. The problem is that when I add the user visible name key, nothing happens. I can rename the building normally, but I wanted to make it so that if I build the building twice, I can give it a different name each time.

It's a two part thing. Adding the User Visible Name Key is what points to the LText so it needs to have both.

It sounds like @11241036's suggestion might be an easier way for you. (I've only used Reader so I'm not personally familiar with other methods.)

Also, if the file is one we can download that might make it easier to check that nothing else goofy is going on. (Just need a linky to it.)

[Shuna Tempest 25]

@CorinaMarie ich habe die datei 0_Cologne_Dom bearbeitet. Diesen kann man nicht umbenennen ich habe es so gemacht wie ihr beide gesagt habt ich habe eine LTEXT mit hilfe von Leprop hinzugefügt und habe mit ilive reader diesen user visible name key hinzugefügt auch habe ich diese zahlen korreckt übertragen aber es bleibt beim alten der cologne dom lässt sich nicht umbenennen im game. Ich müsste wissen welchen fehler ich da noch mache

[11241036 5,115]

7 hours ago, Shuna Tempest said:

@CorinaMarie ich habe die datei 0_Cologne_Dom bearbeitet. Diesen kann man nicht umbenennen ich habe es so gemacht wie ihr beide gesagt habt ich habe eine LTEXT mit hilfe von Leprop hinzugefügt und habe mit ilive reader diesen user visible name key hinzugefügt auch habe ich diese zahlen korreckt übertragen aber es bleibt beim alten der cologne dom lässt sich nicht umbenennen im game. Ich müsste wissen welchen fehler ich da noch mache

 

 

Ausgehend von deinen Bildern glaube ich, du hast es richtig gemacht, aber um sicher zu sein, schlage ich vor, dass du die Datei an einen Post anhängst, damit ich sie selbst mal anschauen kann.

Abgesehen davon, habe ich das richtig verstanden, du möchtest das gleiche Gebäude zweimal errichten, aber es soll immer einen anderen Namen haben? Solange beide Gebäude die gleiche TGI (der dreiteilige Code, der jede Sorte Eintrag innerhalb einer Datei identifiziert) bei der Building Exemplar-Datei haben, ist das zumindest programmiertechnisch unmöglich. Es gibt, so viel ich weiß, eine Möglichkeit, im Spiel den Namen zu ändern, wenn du mit dem Nachfragewerkzeug das Beschreibungsfenster aufrufst und dann in den Namen klickst; ich habe das selbst aber kaum je probiert und weiß nicht, ob es bei allen Sorten von Gebäude funktioniert.

 

Judging from your screenshots, I believe you did it right, but just to be on the safe side, I suggest you attach this file to a post so I can have a look into it.

That aside, did I get this right, you want to build the same building twice in a city and every instance shall have a different name? As long as both buildings have the same TGI (the three-part code identifying every sort of entry inside a SC4 file) of the building exemplar file, this is at least technically impossible. As far as I know, you can change the name by clicking with the query tool onto a building, and then changing the name by clicking into the name inside the query window; however, I never really tried this on my own and can’t tell you if that works on all types of buildings.