BAT to Lot Editor issue

[deanva 70]

Can anyone tell me what went wrong after I exported to the Lot Editor?

[JP Schriefer 5,590]

It looks like an export problem. I suggest you to try the solutions Jasoncw advises on this post, they usually work:

 

[deanva 70]

When I use the SC4 PIM Extended to use as a prop in the Lot Editor the save button is greyed out. The prop that shows up is something else I have batted. In the image the rotating beacon is suppose to be towards the middle and the prop in the corner is a prop I made two months ago. Can not figure what is going on. The rotating beacon is in the first image I posted. I even made a simple one color cylinder prop to test it and it does the same issue from the BAT to PIM Extended to the Lot Editor. The prop shows up as something else i have made in the BAT.

[rsc204 21,808]

18 hours ago, deanva said:

The prop shows up as something else i have made in the BAT.

When you make a new BAT, do you ALWAYS start with a blank, new scene in SC4 BAT? Because, if you open an existing file, then modify it, the resulting SC4Model will have the same ID, since this is generated on a per-file basis when the file is created in SC4 BAT. If this is the case, start a new blank file and use the Import function to copy the contents of the other SC4 BAT file, to ensure your model will get a unique ID.

[deanva 70]

Think I did start with a new blank scene.

[rsc204 21,808]

2 hours ago, deanva said:

Think I did start with a new blank scene.

Well given the evidence in front of you, the most likely problem is a duplicated ID, the odds of which are literally impossible due to the way these ID's are generated. They are based on a time/date stamp with enough IDs that they only repeat IDs just over every 10 years.

Open both the new model and the one that's taking it's place in Reader, compare the Group IDs, if they are the same, then you have an ID conflict. You can manually re-ID one to fix the problem, otherwise you'll need to import the model into a new file and re-render it.

[deanva 70]

Is the group number found under the DIR file? I f that is the case then both are the same. How would I change the group number? The first image is the new prop I made , second image is the previous one I made a couple months ago at least.

[rivit 3,391]

You can change Type Group Instance by selecting the entry and clicking on the FileInfo button above. All HEX remember. Also, by expanding that table on the left by dragging the right hand divider to the right you can see TGI for all entries, and even rearrange the columns like in any Windows app.

like so

 

[deanva 70]

But what do I change the number to?

[deanva 70]

Still have the same issue did not change any ID  numbers. Made a completely new BAT making sure it was a new one exported to SC4 PIM. Next thing I did was opened Lot editor and the prop was a UPS i batted before. Can not get the new prop to show up in Lot Editor.

[rsc204 21,808]

On 03/12/2021 at 8:42 PM, deanva said:

Is the group number found under the DIR file?

No, DIR files all have the same ID, it's contents will be the IDs of any compressed entries in the file.

You are confusing the Prop Exemplar with the SC4Model file, it's the IDs of the models themselves that we are interested in. Opening a typical SC4Model file in Reader, you find the ID easily:

Note that the ID of an object is listed on the left plane of Reader, the Type and Instance parts here all mean specific things, but the Group ID is the one that's used throughout and the unique part for a model. It is these GID's you need to compare between the models that are seemingly conflicting with each other.

Of course it's not impossible that the same effect is produced by creating Prop Exemplars which have identical IDs, just as with the model, if two or more share an identical TGI, then one will override the other(/s). Here is the equivalent shot showing a Prop Exemplar:

Note the property Resource Key Type 1, the Value field contains a Type, Group and Instance ID, which is how the model is linked to the Prop Exemplar, through it's ID. So it's also possible to compare two Prop Exemplars and see if they are linking to the same ID. Again though, PIM-X generates a new ID when a Prop is created and it is far from normal that you should be getting conflicts there.

Another thing you may note, when SC4BAT creates a new SC4Model file, it embeds the TGI into the file name, for example:

SomeModel-0x5ad0e817_0x20bd723e_0x30000.SC4Model

This provides another easy method of cross-checking IDs, assuming you've not renamed them, note the GID is marked red and the IID has been truncated, to remove the preceding zeros.

As for changing the IDs manually and what too, the first answer is don't just make an ID up, you should ideally find another random one. Reader will generate a new Instance or Group and Instance ID for an object if you right click it and select the desired option. This is great for changing a single Exemplar, like a Prop, do bear in mind though everything that previously linked to it, needs to be given the updated ID. Simplest method, delete the Prop/Object in the LE before editing the ID, then go back and add it anew with the new one. If you have something more complex like an SC4Model file, where many entries need altering, you'll need to be more careful. I'd right click the first suitable entry in the file, then use the Generate new Group and Instance option, which will generate a new GID to use. But, it also changes the IID, so you'll need to change that back to the original, the simplest method here is to make a note of the new GID, close the file without saving and open it again. Now we can use the randomised ID, but only change the GID as necessary. Click on Tools in the file menu and then TGI Editor, this allows you to alter one or many entries' TGI ID in a batch operation. Assuming you've just made a standard export from SC4BAT, you can select all the entries in the list (highlight), then type the eight digit GID you noted down before into the Group field. When you click apply, every entry in the file will now have the new GID you entered, save the file and again remember, any Props/Buildings etc that linked to the old ID, needs to be updated (via the respective RKT 1 Property), with the new GID too.

For now though the really important information is to check what IDs are being repeated and where.

[deanva 70]

OK thanks.

 

[deanva 70]

I saw a tutorial by Cyclone Boom is that a good instruction for changing what I need? Is that method for changing just one BAT model? Why all of of a sudden am I having trouble, don't think I have changed any thing unless it was by mistake and did not know it.

 

[deanva 70]

The instance number for both models are the same for some reason. What can I do in future BAT models to avoid this issue?

[Tarkus 6,932]

Actually, the problem here may be a lot simpler to solve.  The BAT plugin originally had an issue with the ModelNames.ms script which would cause it to use TGI addresses that weren't actually free, often resulting in this exact sort of thing. 

EA/Maxis released a patch for this, which can be found in the Maxis Files section here at ST.  Scroll down and look for "BAT Texture Problem Fix" on the right-hand column on that page (it'll be below the BAT itself, and right above the SC4 Plugin Manager).  The installation instructions are right on the page.

-Tarkus

[deanva 70]

I finally got the BAT prop to show up in the Lot Editor it was a texture problem. I had to import into the Gmax different color textures to get it to work. Thank you to all that helped me.

[deanva 70]

Why when I exported a BAT prop, made it taller, the top was chopped off? It showed up in Lot Editor like in the second image?

[deanva 70]

I got it to export correctly.