DAMN Manager

[lotherius]

One of the things I especially like now that it works fully, is the ability to edit entry descriptions.

That's GREAT for SOMY lots and other Japanese lots, I can enter in English-readable descriptions.

The only request I have at this point, is if it is possible to enable viewing Japanese fonts within DAMN Manager which will help me with translating them for my descriptions. I have SC4 patched to view Japanese fonts, but as my Japanese skill is pretty low, it would be nice to be able to view the Japanese text in DAMN Manager as well where I can edit the descriptions.

[Yild]

The only request I have at this point, is if it is possible to enable viewing Japanese fonts within DAMN Manager which will help me with translating them for my descriptions. I have SC4 patched to view Japanese fonts, but as my Japanese skill is pretty low, it would be nice to be able to view the Japanese text in DAMN Manager as well where I can edit the descriptions.

I'm glad it worked... finally

japanese.. I will see what can be done.

[lotherius]

I'm glad it worked... finally

japanese.. I will see what can be done.

Don't worry, if Japanese is difficult (dunno how hard codepage/font changes are, my programming never went that far)...

I'm still working on breaking things! I sent you a few PMs, prolly best to read them all before responding. Found what I *thought* was a loop I was stuck in, turned out it was just .... a usability issue that might need addressed.

[Diggis]

Hey, I've just started using this tool, Yild. Very well done. Took me a while to get the settings for the ticker as per normal.  Couple of small issues I found:

1. It doesn't detect the standard DAMN installation. I have had this installed from the start, but your program wouldn't let me run it without overwriting my installation. It's not a big issue, although took me some time to work out the settings.

2. I can't figure out how to add a save name to the DAMN file.  It just calls it DAMN-Menu_1359223971624. Is there a way to name it sensibly?

Edit:

3. Possibly as part of the above issue, the DAMN Manager doesn't recognise files that aren't created using it, or ones with the name changed. It doesn't recognise the files that came with the original DAMN.

[Yild]

@Diggis

ad 1. There shouldn't be a problem - when app is starting it checks if two files exists in /simcity/plugins/damn/support folder - if not, it begins installation procedure.

ad 2. No. and it will stay that way, there is no need for changing file, in addition its standard file name used by SSPTool.

[Diggis]

@Diggis

ad 1. There shouldn't be a problem - when app is starting it checks if two files exists in /simcity/plugins/damn/support folder - if not, it begins installation procedure.

ad 2. No. and it will stay that way, there is no need for changing file, in addition its standard file name used by SSPTool.

1: I had the original DAMN from Daeley which it didn't recognise. I'm not sure why this is.

2: I'm sorry to hear that. If I'm DAMNing something for release I want it to have a logical file name. I'm more than capable of changing it in the Reader, but as I said in my edit above, that also seems to stop the manager from seeing it.  This is also a problem if people want to edit a DAMN file downloaded from the LEX.  It also makes it easier to keep track of files I have DAMNed.

[Yild]

1: I had the original DAMN from Daeley which it didn't recognise. I'm not sure why this is.

If you referring to something that is something that wasn't installed by SSPTool (probably this http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1775 ) then I have no clue.

2: I'm sorry to hear that. If I'm DAMNing something for release I want it to have a logical file name. I'm more than capable of changing it in the Reader, but as I said in my edit above, that also seems to stop the manager from seeing it.  This is also a problem if people want to edit a DAMN file downloaded from the LEX.  It also makes it easier to keep track of files I have DAMNed.

Manager wont see this files because it only looks for files starting with 'DAMN-Menu_' so files can be used by SSPTool and vice versa (the digits string is date time in unix format).

If you provide menu files for other users which use either SSPTool or DAMN Manager there should be no problem - "copy this there". Ther is solution for you, change name as you like and forget that user can manipulate if in his own style (ie items order)...
either way 'reindex menu' procedure must be done.

Tracking what was 'damned' - use menu hierarchy i.e. "/my stuff/my stuff type 1/my lots1/DAMN-Menu_blabla.dat"

btw

I'm more than capable of changing it in the Reader

that puzzles me - why you need to change something in the menu file itself, changing files name by reader is an overkill

[Diggis]

1: I had the original DAMN from Daeley which it didn't recognise. I'm not sure why this is.

If you referring to something that is something that wasn't installed by SSPTool (probably this http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1775 ) then I have no clue.

Yes, I was referring to that, as it is the DAMN.  Everything you are working with stems from the work Daeley did on that. That upload also had DAMN sets for many of the common BSC sets i.e. Parks etc. which I had to create by hand for the upload. Stefan and your tools have made life a lot easier for everyone.

2: I'm sorry to hear that. If I'm DAMNing something for release I want it to have a logical file name. I'm more than capable of changing it in the Reader, but as I said in my edit above, that also seems to stop the manager from seeing it.  This is also a problem if people want to edit a DAMN file downloaded from the LEX.  It also makes it easier to keep track of files I have DAMNed.

Manager wont see this files because it only looks for files starting with 'DAMN-Menu_' so files can be used by SSPTool and vice versa (the digits string is date time in unix format).

If you provide menu files for other users which use either SSPTool or DAMN Manager there should be no problem - "copy this there". Ther is solution for you, change name as you like and forget that user can manipulate if in his own style (ie items order)...
either way 'reindex menu' procedure must be done.

This helps to know. Changing the file name to be DAMN-Menu-Custom File Name means that the DAMN tool does recognise it. So while I still have to manually change them I can at least make them easily editable.

I'm more than capable of changing it in the Reader

that puzzles me - why you need to change something in the menu file itself, changing files name by reader is an overkill

The file name has to match the file name listed in the LUA file. You need to use the reader to change the LUA name to match the file name.

It would be really useful to be able to assign a custom file name at creation, with the DAMN-Menu_ prefix.


EDIT:

I noticed one other thing.  When ever you create a new subfolder it creates a blank DAMN Menu file. I think I understand why this is done, but if I'm creating a subfolder to add another subfolder to, it's unnecessary. Is it possible to remove it?

[Stefan79]

Hi all,

as I posted in the SSPTool-DAMN thread I stopped further development of SSPTool-DAMN and refer to this new tool from yild. So this new tool could take care of new ideas and improvements of DAMN management. I think there is no need to have a downwards compatibility to SSPTool-DAMN which is not developed any longer.
I can say I would have changed the name for DAMN menu files to some better, if I develop this tool further but now this can be done by yild with the new DAMN Manager. So it doesn't bother me, if the DAMN Manager goes ahead and is not compatible with SSPTool-DAMN anymore. I'll soon remove the downloads for SSPTool-DAMN and refer to yild's DAMN Manager.

Best Regards,
Stefan

[Diggis]

Hi all,

as I posted in the SSPTool-DAMN thread I stopped further development of SSPTool-DAMN and refer to this new tool from yild. So this new tool could take care of new ideas and improvements of DAMN management. I think there is no need to have a downwards compatibility to SSPTool-DAMN which is not developed any longer.
I can say I would have changed the name for DAMN menu files to some better, if I develop this tool further but now this can be done by yild with the new DAMN Manager. So it doesn't bother me, if the DAMN Manager goes ahead and is not compatible with SSPTool-DAMN anymore. I'll soon remove the downloads for SSPTool-DAMN and refer to yild's DAMN Manager.

Best Regards,
Stefan

Stefan, I just want to say thanks for beginning this process with the SSP tool.  You did an amazing job and I know how amazed I was when I used the very early beta versions compared to the method Daeley originally devised, which was quite time consuming. 

[Yild]

Hi all,

as I posted in the SSPTool-DAMN thread I stopped further development of SSPTool-DAMN and refer to this new tool from yild. So this new tool could take care of new ideas and improvements of DAMN management. I think there is no need to have a downwards compatibility to SSPTool-DAMN which is not developed any longer.
I can say I would have changed the name for DAMN menu files to some better, if I develop this tool further but now this can be done by yild with the new DAMN Manager. So it doesn't bother me, if the DAMN Manager goes ahead and is not compatible with SSPTool-DAMN anymore. I'll soon remove the downloads for SSPTool-DAMN and refer to yild's DAMN Manager.

Best Regards,
Stefan

Hello Stefan...

In addition to file name compatibility I was thinking to remove "building/flora/network" control - it doesn't do anything 'useful' it just 'is'.

File names... there is one solution to keep 'damn-menu_' or any other - load first dat file found in the menu folder. So any file name could be used.

btw
Diggis would name "DAMN-Menu_mystuffname.dat" be sufficient? If so you can use it already, as I stated already Manager search for files with 'DAMN-Menu_*.dat' format - * can be any string (exchange digits with "anything" you like).

[Diggis]

Hello Stefan...

In addition to file name compatibility I was thinking to remove "building/flora/network" control - it doesn't do anything 'useful' it just 'is'.

File names... there is one solution to keep 'damn-menu_' or any other - load first dat file found in the menu folder. So any file name could be used.

btw
Diggis would name "DAMN-Menu_mystuffname.dat" be sufficient? If so you can use it already, as I stated already Manager search for files with 'DAMN-Menu_*.dat' format - * can be any string (exchange digits with "anything" you like).

Yes, leaving the DAMN-Menu_ as a prefix is not a problem. I understand the need for it. I've changed the ones I've worked on to use that prefix already.  One idea that might work is to have the file take the name of the folder it's in.  So if you put something in inland waterways\canals\SG Canals\Base Set then have the file be DAMN-menu_Base Set.dat  That way it can be an automatic process like it is now.

[Rady]

Sorry to drop in with a problem .. 

I've been using your modified version of the SSPtool for some weeks now and have already created a bunch of menus (actually I'm re-damn'ing my whole plugins folder atm). Just now I run into an error when opening the DAMN Manager:

==================================================
There was an error during the execution of this program.
The application might become unstable and even useless.
It's recommended that you save your work and close this application.

Cannot open file C:\PROGRA~1\Games\SIMCIT~1\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Waterfront\Industrial Wharfes (Newman Inc)\DAMN-Menu_1359391491230.dat.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exception log with detailed tech info. Generated on 31.01.2013 18:29:45.
You may send it to the application vendor, helping him to understand what had happened.
Application title: DAMN Manager
Application file: C:\Program Files\DAMNManager\DAMNManager.exe
Application build version: 1.0.5.364
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exception class: Exception
Exception message: Cannot open file C:\PROGRA~1\Games\SIMCIT~1\Plugins\DAMN\Root\Waterfront\Industrial Wharfes (Newman Inc)\DAMN-Menu_1359391491230.dat.
Exception address: 00558E85
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Main thread ID = 5284
Exception thread ID = 5284
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exception stack
Stack list, generated 31.01.2013 18:29:45
[0042FB8A] Classes.TFileStream.Create (Line 6026, "Classes.pas")
[00404D3B] System.@ClassCreate (Line 10591, "System.pas")
[0042FA48] Classes.TFileStream.Create (Line 6008, "Classes.pas")
[00558D7B] DBPFFileEntryU.TDBPFFileEntry.LoadFile (Line 245, "DBPFFileEntryU.pas")
[0040862C] System.DynArrayClear (Line 20587, "System.pas")
[00408663] System.DynArraySetLength (Line 20606, "System.pas")
[004116DC] SysUtils.FileRead (Line 6352, "SysUtils.pas")
[004087D1] System.@DynArraySetLength (Line 20686, "System.pas")
[00546B1F] DBPFFileU.TDBPFFile.ReadHoles (Line 1254, "DBPFFileU.pas")
[00559498] DBPFFileEntryU.TDBPFFileEntry.GetFile (Line 446, "DBPFFileEntryU.pas")
[005A618D] LUAU.TLUA.DecodeLUA (Line 70, "LUAU.pas")
[0061445C] DAMNDecoderU.TDAMNDecoder.Run (Line 91, "DAMNDecoderU.pas")
[0068901F] MainFrm.T_MainForm.ReadDAMNFolder (Line 3101, "Forms_Frames\MainFrm.pas")
[004A6FEB] Controls.TWinControl.GetClientRect (Line 11382, "Controls.pas")
[0049DE40] Controls.TControl.GetClientHeight (Line 5259, "Controls.pas")
[00648560] VirtualTrees.TBaseVirtualTree.DoSetOffsetXY (Line 21873, "VirtualTrees.pas")
[006836CE] MainFrm.T_MainForm.vtDAMNFolderInitNode (Line 909, "Forms_Frames\MainFrm.pas")
[00647D60] VirtualTrees.TBaseVirtualTree.DoInitNode (Line 21614, "VirtualTrees.pas")
[0064CA81] VirtualTrees.TBaseVirtualTree.InitNode (Line 23940, "VirtualTrees.pas")
[0065CCC8] VirtualTrees.TBaseVirtualTree.ValidateNode (Line 33437, "VirtualTrees.pas")
[00683503] MainFrm.T_MainForm.vtDAMNFolderInitChildren (Line 865, "Forms_Frames\MainFrm.pas")
[00683594] MainFrm.T_MainForm.vtDAMNFolderInitChildren (Line 878, "Forms_Frames\MainFrm.pas")
[00690048] GR32_MicroTiles.GR32_MicroTiles (Line 1719, "GR32_MicroTiles.pas")
[004A41BF] Controls.TWinControl.WndProc (Line 9336, "Controls.pas")
[004A42BB] Controls.TWinControl.DefaultHandler (Line 9377, "Controls.pas")
[00647D20] VirtualTrees.TBaseVirtualTree.DoInitChildren (Line 21605, "VirtualTrees.pas")
[0064C9E2] VirtualTrees.TBaseVirtualTree.InitChildren (Line 23909, "VirtualTrees.pas")
[0065BCF1] VirtualTrees.TBaseVirtualTree.ToggleNode (Line 32948, "VirtualTrees.pas")
[00631F4C] VirtualTrees.TVirtualTreeColumns.GetCount (Line 9818, "VirtualTrees.pas")
[00635073] VirtualTrees.TVTHeader.GetMainColumn (Line 11494, "VirtualTrees.pas")
[006450A9] VirtualTrees.TBaseVirtualTree.DetermineHitPositionLTR (Line 20145, "VirtualTrees.pas")
[004A6FEB] Controls.TWinControl.GetClientRect (Line 11382, "Controls.pas")
[00653664] VirtualTrees.TBaseVirtualTree.Dragging (Line 27463, "VirtualTrees.pas")
[0064BE85] VirtualTrees.TBaseVirtualTree.HandleMouseDown (Line 23646, "VirtualTrees.pas")
[004A02B2] Controls.TControl.DoMouseDown (Line 6781, "Controls.pas")
[00642557] VirtualTrees.TBaseVirtualTree.WMLButtonDown (Line 18713, "VirtualTrees.pas")
[0049FC72] Controls.TControl.WndProc (Line 6642, "Controls.pas")
[006365C0] VirtualTrees.HSPlitterHit (Line 12275, "VirtualTrees.pas")
[0063756A] VirtualTrees.TVTHeader.HandleMessage (Line 12624, "VirtualTrees.pas")
[00437910] Classes.StdWndProc (Line 12703, "Classes.pas")
[004A41BF] Controls.TWinControl.WndProc (Line 9336, "Controls.pas")
[00631F4C] VirtualTrees.TVirtualTreeColumns.GetCount (Line 9818, "VirtualTrees.pas")
[00633951] VirtualTrees.TVirtualTreeColumns.GetVisibleFixedWidth (Line 10824, "VirtualTrees.pas")
[00631F4C] VirtualTrees.TVirtualTreeColumns.GetCount (Line 9818, "VirtualTrees.pas")
[006358DB] VirtualTrees.TVTHeader.DetermineSplitterIndex (Line 11836, "VirtualTrees.pas")
[00636C07] VirtualTrees.TVTHeader.HandleMessage (Line 12406, "VirtualTrees.pas")
[004A3B18] Controls.TWinControl.IsControlMouseMsg (Line 9129, "Controls.pas")
[004A41BF] Controls.TWinControl.WndProc (Line 9336, "Controls.pas")
[00651E37] VirtualTrees.TBaseVirtualTree.WndProc (Line 26506, "VirtualTrees.pas")
[004A38D8] Controls.TWinControl.MainWndProc (Line 9065, "Controls.pas")
[00437910] Classes.StdWndProc (Line 12703, "Classes.pas")
[00489D61] Forms.TApplication.StopHintTimer (Line 10390, "Forms.pas")
[00488D0D] Forms.TApplication.ProcessMessage (Line 9660, "Forms.pas")
[00488D52] Forms.TApplication.HandleMessage (Line 9690, "Forms.pas")
[0048907D] Forms.TApplication.Run (Line 9827, "Forms.pas")
[006922D5] DAMNManager.DAMNManager (Line 91, "")
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Call stack for main thread
Stack list, generated 31.01.2013 18:29:45
[77460C22] ZwGetContextThread
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
System   : Windows 7 Home Edition, Version: 6.1, Build: 1DB1, "Service Pack 1"
Processor: Intel,         Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3450 CPU @ 3.10GHz, 3090 MHz MMX SSE SSE2 SSE3 SSSE3 SSE41 SSE42 64 bits DEP
Memory: 8129; free 6219
Display  : 1280x1024 pixels, 32 bpp
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Active Controls hierarchy:
TVirtualStringTree "vtDAMNFolder"
TGroupBox "gbDAMNFolders1"
TPanel "pnlDAMNFolders"
TPanel "pnlBackgroundBottom"
TPanel "pnlPanelsBackground"
T_MainForm "_MainForm"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
==================================================

So I thought "well, you have a problem with that specific menu? Ok, I'll get you rid of it" and deleted this one. Only to get the same error message again when starting with only the menu name changed.


I have to say that I've got this "There was an error during the execution of this program. ...." error a few times before when adding items to a meu, but after saving, closing and restarting DAMN manager it went on without problems.

So I would be glad if you could help me out here.

Thank  you!

[Yild]

this error may be connected to read/access permission for those files, run DAMN Manager as administrator.

[TheAttendee]

Hey Yild, love the tool. It's easy to use and has definitely helped me organize all my downloads!

One request; could you add another height option for the news ticker window? 450 is still a little big for me, and I'd prefer something more around the range of 300. Not a high priority request, but if you find the time to do it I'll be very appreciative.

Keep up the good work.

[Rady]

this error may be connected to read/access permission for those files, run DAMN Manager as administrator.

Thank you, that solved the problem ... looks I still need to get used to Win7 

[Yild]

updated to 1.1

One request; could you add another height option for the news ticker window? 450 is still a little big for me, and I'd prefer something more around the range of 300. Not a high priority request, but if you find the time to do it I'll be very appreciative.

I don't have time atm - to many projects in my daily job that I bring them home... ETA unknown.

[Diggis]

Question for you: When damning a file, if you have 2 versions of the lot in your plugins, which does it use to create the remove lot?

The reason I ask is I did a CAN-AM mod which allows the water to change depending on what banks you place. However, it relied on me modding the banks to have wealths. To release this I copied the exemplars into a separate dat file and changed the wealth. This overwrites the original ones. However, if the DAMN remove file was created using the old ones the banks become broken. :/  Can it use the last loaded version?

[Yild]

Can it use the last loaded version?

And how am I supposed to do that? Become a fairy to guess which one is latest, its just a tool for creating menus, it doesn't analyse what's in your plugins folder.

If you damned lot which have a multiple instances (occurrence) in plugins folder - the damned one is used to create hidding exemplar. Its your choice - when adding to DAMN menu don't hide them or... delete the second one (third, etc.) from plugins folder or... use loading order - hidding files are created with menu paths i.e. Root_Canals_Base_Set.dat, Root_Canals_Extension.dat - exemplars in Extension will override this located in Base_Set.

[Diggis]

Can it use the last loaded version?

And how am I supposed to do that? Become a fairy to guess which one is latest, its just a tool for creating menus, it doesn't analyse what's in your plugins folder.

The load order for SC4 from the plugins isn't a secret. It's very well documented. There is no need to be rude. It was a simple request and I understand it it's not possible. The second part of your post explained why it wasn't and was all that was needed.


I did notice another oddity, associated with the Start Up Manager. This isn't something that is a DAMN manager issue, but that's where it shows up. If you use the start up manager to hide folders when you play the DAMN manager loses them, even once they are restored and the SUM isn't running.  I believe it's tied to the way the SUM is hiding them. I haven't checked to see if it finds them again on a restart.


I also had instances of folders not showing up in the DAMN manager. Thinking about it now, it's the folders I copied over from an old plugins folder and they would have been associated with the SUM in the past.