Allow More Building Styles - DLL Plugin

[amrdonna77 14]

@CorinaMarie 1. Yes I used Null's version from his github.

2. Here it is : 

[BuildingStyles]
0 = 0x2000,N,Chicago 1890
1 = 0x2001,N,New York 1940
2 = 0x2002,N,Houston 1990
3 = 0x2003,N,Euro Contemporary
4 = 0x00000004,N,Mediterranean
5 = 0x00000005,N,Japanese
6 = 0x00000006,N,Cyberpunk
7 = 0x00000007,N,Soviet
8 = 0x00000008,N,Latin America
9 = 0x00000009,N,European W2W
10 = 0x0000000A,N,American W2W
11 = 0x0000000B,N,Middle East
12 = 0x0000000C,N,Art Nouveau
13 = 0x0000000D,N,Hong Kong
14 = 0x0000000E,N,Tropical
15 = 0x0000000F,N,North Europa
16 = 0x00000010,N,New Style 1
17 = 0x00000011,N,New Style 2
18 = 0x00000012,N,New Style 3
19 = 0x00000013,N,New Style 4
20 = 0x00000014,N,New Style 5
21 = 0x00000015,N,New Style 6
22 = 0x00000016,N,New Style 7
23 = 0x00000017,N,New Style 8
24 = 0x00000018,N,New Style 9
25 = 0x00000019,N,New Style 10
26 = 0x0000001A,N,New Style 11

 

[Kel9509 1,363]

I think the INI file is incorrect.  The styles in my file look like this (as an example):

Quote

0 = 0x2004,N,Paris 1890
1 = 0x2005,N,Berlin 1910
2 = 0x2006,N,Rome 1750
3 = 0x2007,N,Eastern European 1970 Brutalist
4 = 0x2008,N,Hong Kong Contemporary
5 = 0x2009,N,East Asian Modern
6 = 0x200A,N,East Asian Traditional
7 = 0x200B,N,American Suburban
8 = 0x200C,N,American Contemporary
9 = 0x200D,N,Latin American Contemporary
10 = 0x200E,N,Mexico 1980
11 = 0x200F,N,Futuristic

So I'm not sure if showing the abbreviated ID is necessary or not.  It might be.  Also, I'm not sure if starting out at a lower ID number than the base game might be causing an issue.  Start after 0x2003.

If you've applied for your own range of building style IDs, try those out as abbreviated versions.

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

4 minutes ago, amrdonna77 said:

2. Here it is :

Works fine.

[amrdonna77 14]

What ! I'm really surprised it works. 

Then something is wrong. Here are the files in Documents/Simcity4/Plugins directory. 

 

[Kel9509 1,363]

3 minutes ago, amrdonna77 said:

Then something is wrong. Here are the files in Documents/Simcity4/Plugins directory. 

I was going to ask all the basics about whether DLL files would even work at all, like if you have the right version of the game, the Microsoft Visual C++ 2022 x86 Redistributable to make sure they load, etc.  But if you say the log file is being created, then it should be working.  What does the log file say?

Do you even see the UI override at all?  Even if your styles in the INI are incorrect, the UI should replace the original one in the game.

[amrdonna77 14]

@Kel9509 It says : 

SC4MoreBuildingStyles v3.2.0
Installed the building select window patch.
Installed the lot configuration manager patch.
Installed the building style algorithm patch.
 

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

5 minutes ago, amrdonna77 said:

What ! I'm really surprised it works.

Same.

I really though Kel and I were on to something when noticing they weren't in the 0x2000 block. (I do still suspect they won't actually work, but they do show up just fine in the UI.)

 

7 minutes ago, amrdonna77 said:

Here are the files in Documents/Simcity4/Plugins directory. 

From a prior post you made, I was sure we had the .dll and .ini files in the installation folder's Plugins. Now I see them in the Documents one. However, since the .log file is being written I presume all is well with the DLL loading.

And, as an aside, it'll be helpful to toggle on the thinger which will show file extensions for all files.

[amrdonna77 14]

@CorinaMarie @Kel9509 

Finally, I discovered the issue! It was caused by a UI mod I was using called UI Blue Skin (z___scoty_blue-skin_000). This file was interfering with everything. After deleting it, everything started working correctly.

Now we know that UI skin mods are not compatible with this setup. I'm so happy it’s finally resolved—thank you all for the support! ❤️

[Kel9509 1,363]

Just now, amrdonna77 said:

Finally, I discovered the issue! It was caused by a UI mod I was using called UI Blue Skin (z___scoty_blue-skin_000). This file was interfering with everything. After deleting it, everything started working correctly.

Heh.  Glad you figured it out.

Back when I was working on my own version of a UI for this DLL mod, I downloaded a skin mod just to see if they'd be compatible.  Since they replace all the UI in the game, this UI edit would not work with them at all.  I had considered trying to adapt the UI to those mods as a patch, but gave it up since I don't use them myself and I figured the original UI authors might want to do it instead.  

[amrdonna77 14]

3 minutes ago, Kel9509 said:

Heh.  Glad you figured it out.

Back when I was working on my own version of a UI for this DLL mod, I downloaded a skin mod just to see if they'd be compatible.  Since they replace all the UI in the game, this UI edit would not work with them at all.  I had considered trying to adapt the UI to those mods as a patch, but gave it up since I don't use them myself and I figured the original UI authors might want to do it instead.  

This is definitely important information to pass along! It would be a great addition to @Null 45's mod readme file to note that UI skin mods, like UI Blue Skin (z___scoty_blue-skin_000), are not compatible and will cause issues with the functionality of the mod. This would help other users avoid similar troubleshooting headaches.

[Ulisse Wolf 4,412]

27 minutes ago, amrdonna77 said:

This is definitely important information to pass along! It would be a great addition to @Null 45's mod readme file to note that UI skin mods, like UI Blue Skin (z___scoty_blue-skin_000), are not compatible and will cause issues with the functionality of the mod. This would help other users avoid similar troubleshooting headaches.

This is a known problem but until the final version of the UI is released it is difficult to update the UI Mods.

On the bright side I am starting to stir the pot and by February 2 there should be voting on the 16 community styles

[hugues aroux 3,784]

22 minutes ago, amrdonna77 said:

that UI skin mods, like UI Blue Skin (z___scoty_blue-skin_000), are not compatibl

But, no! There is not necessarily incompatibility, but you know (!), it may also be a question of loading order! As often! Move your modified UI files after UI blue skin  ...!

All the "skins"; mine or Raymond's or Doc101's mainly modify the PNGs ... do not move or modify the panels like the one you worked on. So the easiest way to keep the UI-skin and your modifications >>> loading after, possibly, your panel significantly modifies the Maxis one, and in this case I could consider adapting the latter so that it integrates better.

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

Referring to my post above, with the attached file.

As far as I know, the UI is complete and as such CB and I are ready to turn it over into the SC4 community's public domain provided anyone including it along with their own work has this statement in their description: "The included extended UI was initially created by @Cyclone Boom and then significantly modified by @CorinaMarie." (This also applies to peeps who might want to simply re-color it and release it.)

[Null 45 3,041]

Here is a preview of the building style tool tips:

This works for all building style ids, including the 4 Maxis styles.

I am also thinking of adding tool tip support for the optional check boxes and radio buttons the DLL adds. It would be helpful for some of the more obscure or technical options like Disable Lot Aggregation.

[Kel9509 1,363]

6 hours ago, Null 45 said:

This works for all building style ids, including the 4 Maxis styles.

That looks great!  Fantastic work.  Are the tooltip titles and the tooltip body all part of the same ID or are they separate?  Any way to expand the size horizontal width of the tooltip box itself if the description is large?  I've found that tooltips only go out horizontally to a certain size and then expand vertically.

6 hours ago, Null 45 said:

I am also thinking of adding tool tip support for the optional check boxes and radio buttons the DLL adds. It would be helpful for some of the more obscure or technical options like Disable Lot Aggregation.

That sounds wise.

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

16 hours ago, Null 45 said:

I am also thinking of adding tool tip support for the optional check boxes and radio buttons the DLL adds. It would be helpful for some of the more obscure or technical options like Disable Lot Aggregation.

Expanding it to work from the INI instead of what I've already added to the UI?

There are two or three translations peeps've added as attached files too.

 

I've expanded the UI as requested. It can now handle 36 slots total (which is the 4 original Maxis and 32 extras).

However, from the other thread it sounds like we don't want it now.

[Andreas Roth 607]

I was about to mention that you already included some LTEXT files for the tooltips.  Descriptions for the building styles would be nice, too, and for custom ones, there could be an ID reference in the INI file.

How many building styles we actually need is most likely a matter of taste, I guess. Personally, I couldn't think of anything beyond 16 or so, which is a lot more than the current four already. 

[Null 45 3,041]

8 hours ago, CorinaMarie said:

Expanding it to work from the INI instead of what I've already added to the UI?

No, adding something in the group I added for the building styles. But if you already added tooltips to the buttons themselves, it saves me that work.

9 hours ago, Kel9509 said:

Are the tooltip titles and the tooltip body all part of the same ID or are they separate?

 Part of the same id. The tooltip strings use the format Title|Body, with the title portion being optional.

8 hours ago, Andreas Roth said:

Descriptions for the building styles would be nice, too, and for custom ones, there could be an ID reference in the INI file.

I already solved that using LTEXT files in a specific group, with the style id as the LTEXT instance id. I do not plan on adding tool tip support to the INI file beyond that.

9 hours ago, Kel9509 said:

Any way to expand the size horizontal width of the tooltip box itself if the description is large? 

I doubt it. I noticed when working on my query UI DLL that the game will refuse to display a tooltip if it exceeds whatever the internal height limit is.

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

@Cyclone Boom tweaked the background PNG image for the UI and now we have proper transparency around its borders again.

So, here's the new official version:

Included is a sample of the BuildingStyles.INI and the above pic. There is also a sub-folder with the translations created by @carlosmarcelo, @Ulisse Wolf, and @Andreas Roth which gives us Portuguese, Italian, and German.

I have deliberately not added them to the main .dat file because we still need the other languages and then it'll be easier to place them inside in GID order.

The File: CoriBoom 36 Slot UI for Null's Building Styles UI - v0.46 Beta.zip

 

Edit:  @hugues aroux found and fixed a couple of bugs in the UI. See their post for the update.

  Edited April 12, 2025 by CorinaMarie  
Add linky to fixed UI.

[Null 45 3,041]

Release version 3.3.0, which adds support for the building styles to have check box tool tips.

Additionally, the plugin's documentation has been revised and reorganized to hopefully make it easier to understand.

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

Using v3.3.0:

^ Mine doesn't get bold for the title. Maybe I have to edit that in the Font.ini or whatever it was? (And I also don't see the box with the pointy point thinger either.)

Sample LText if anyone wants it to test with: LText 2026960B-3EE5B610-00002010 Cori Test for Building Style 0x2010.dat

[Null 45 3,041]

5 hours ago, CorinaMarie said:

^ Mine doesn't get bold for the title. Maybe I have to edit that in the Font.ini or whatever it was? (And I also don't see the box with the pointy point thinger either.)

The issue is that you are missing the pipe separator that tell the game a title exists.

Cor's Title Test|Verbiage to describe Cori's tip text testing. This could go on and on as much as is needed to give a really good explanation of what this style represents.

As for the pointer, the Windows print screen command doesn't capture it. I was using Greenshot with the cursor capture option enabled in its settings.

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

9 minutes ago, Null 45 said:

The issue is that you are missing the pipe separator that tell the game a title exists.

I copied yours exactly and then I get only the title and still no bold.

So, prolly just something messed up on my comp. (I'm not worried about it for myself, but if anyone else has trouble it'd be nice to figure out why.)

[Null 45 3,041]

53 minutes ago, CorinaMarie said:

So, prolly just something messed up on my comp. (I'm not worried about it for myself, but if anyone else has trouble it'd be nice to figure out why.)

I suspect it is a space limitation of SC4's tool tip system, try it with a shorter body. The example image I posted earlier used:

ToolTip Title|Tool tip body

The building style panel collapse tool tip uses the following (from IID 0xCA36D954 in simcitylocale.dat):

Close|Closes the dialog without applying any changes.

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

1 hour ago, Null 45 said:

The example image I posted earlier used:

That works for CB, but not me so it's definitely a problem with my comp so no need to fret about in the topic.

[Andreas Roth 607]

Works for me, too:

It seems to work even with a longer text, so that's not an issue, I guess:

I hope you'll find the problem on your computer. Also, thanks to @Null 45, I didn't know the trick with the pipe symbol to add a title in bold.

Alas, there seems to be a bug in the German font. The "ü" umlaut shows up as "ù" for whatever reason (this has always been like that). Not sure if there's a way to fix that, though...

[Null 45 3,041]

1 hour ago, CorinaMarie said:

That works for CB, but not me so it's definitely a problem with my comp so no need to fret about in the topic.

The issue is caused by the expanded tooltips check box in the play options dialog, underneath the urgent advice check box. When unchecked, the game will show either the tool tip title (if present) or the body.

57 minutes ago, Andreas Roth said:

Also, thanks to @Null 45, I didn't know the trick with the pipe symbol to add a title in bold.

I learned that by looking at the building style UI collapse button tool tip. The comments in font.ini say that tooltip titles are only used occasionally, so I don't know how common it is in-game. Plus as Cori experienced, having a tooltip show both the title and body can be turned off by the user. So it appears that tool tip titles should be use sparingly.

I don't think the titles are necessary for the building style UI as the game highlights the button when hovering over it, and tooltip bubble also points to the button.

57 minutes ago, Andreas Roth said:

Alas, there seems to be a bug in the German font. The "ü" umlaut shows up as "ù" for whatever reason (this has always been like that). Not sure if there's a way to fix that, though...

No idea why that would be, but it is probably something that is too complex for a DLL to fix. Font rendering is a very complex topic. My first thought would be a Windows code page limitation, but since Maxis is using their own text rendering I don't know how code pages would fit into that.

[Andreas Roth 607]

From what I've seen, Maxis used the expanded tooltips with the bold title quite often for explaining the UI buttons, so it makes sense that you can disable this, once you got used to the interface. When you disable the option, only the title will be displayed (but not in bold). So maybe there should be a hint about this in the readme file.

As for the umlaut problem, it's no biggie, it's just in the tooltip text (which is relatively small, so you barely notice it) and not elsewhere in the game. I doubt there's a way to fix it, unless we could edit the font files somehow.

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

31 minutes ago, Null 45 said:

The issue is caused by the expanded tooltips check box in the play options dialog,

Well, I'll be damned. I wouldn't have thought to look there in a million years. That fixes it.

[Null 45 3,041]

26 minutes ago, CorinaMarie said:

Well, I'll be damned. I wouldn't have thought to look there in a million years. That fixes it.

I saw that it was checking some game preference when looking at the tooltip creation in the mac disassembly, then I found the matching SetExpandedToolTips command. Finally it just took a bit of digging through the game dialogs for anything mentioning tooltips.

53 minutes ago, Andreas Roth said:

So maybe there should be a hint about this in the readme file.

Done.