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Sim City 4 Devotion Tools => Tools - General Discussion => BSC NHP DatPacker => Topic started by: brick_mortimer on February 04, 2017, 07:02:20 AM

Title: Advice on DATpacking
Post by: brick_mortimer on February 04, 2017, 07:02:20 AM
Hello everybody,


I'm seeking advice on DATpacking:
Does it matter how many subfolders you DATpack into 1 file / folder?
Or, it's only the total size of the folder (in MB) that matters?

In my plugins folder I have a folder called "Utilities" with 3 subfolders "Garbage", "Power" and "Water"
Can I just DATpack "Utilities", or should I DATpack each of the 3 subfolders?

Thanks for the advice!
Title: Re: Advice on DATpacking
Post by: twalsh102 on February 04, 2017, 09:06:02 AM
NOTE:  The following is based on using SC4DatPacker 2008 (which is what I use).

SC4DatPacker will automatically divide any large folder it packs into multiple .dat files if the total folder size exceeds what it uses as the Optimal folder size.

Other than that caveat, it really comes down to organization.  How often do you change the contents?  If you download every new Power Lot that comes along, while your Garbage and Water Lots are pretty well set, you might consider (for instance) packing your power lots separately, while packing you water and garbage lots together.

Beyond the Optimal file size, it totally up to you.  Sub-dividing your folders into categories just makes it easier to re-pack when you add content.   
Title: Re: Advice on DATpacking
Post by: brick_mortimer on February 04, 2017, 12:08:36 PM
twalsh102 thanks for helping me with all my little questions :thumbsup:

So having mutiple DATpacked files is only a matter of organisation, not of performance.

None of my folders is larger than 400 MB so size isn't a "problem" in my plugins folder

Cheers!
Title: Re: Advice on DATpacking
Post by: mgb204 on February 04, 2017, 02:08:07 PM
The key thing to remember when DAT Packing is to keep two sets of plugins. Keep one outside of your plugins folder with all the content in the state befor you DAT Packed them, organised into folders. Then use the DAT Packed file (in Plugins) to play with. Because there is no "Un Pack" option. So if you find things need changing later, if you don't have the original files, you may quickly run into trouble.
Title: Re: Advice on DATpacking
Post by: brick_mortimer on February 04, 2017, 03:51:37 PM
Yeah I know.
I already have a second folder called "plugins_uncompressed"
I'm going to compress everything exept NAM and all folders starting with "z"

Thanks for all the good advice  :satisfied: