SC4 Dat Packer

[wouanagaine]

Alek, I don't know how the hell it could have fix the crashing issue

Now that I'm thinking of it, I still have some crashing when ploping some lots ( surely related to the hover of TE lots ).
Maybe the random crash is related to have too many opened files, windows does not like that . So by using only a small amount of files, it surely help

[Alek King of SC4]

man i used to have crashes all the time, i get none now.  there is a known bug with the NAM puzzle pieces and TE'd lots, but i know to be careful witht that. 

Anyways back to the crashing, flawless, first no more zoom crash, it used to be on cities and the large and more developed the more likely when i ever i would zoom out there was a high likely hood of a crash.

Also rotating the view and landmarks also were frequen crash triggers.  So far this is a 100% solid fix for the zoom crash bug.

[sanantonio]

I'll say it again, the DatPacker is the best thing to happen to SimCity since the NAM.  Thanks, wouanagaine!!

[jeronij]

I was very skeptical that i would notice any speed difference needless to say that was proven wrong instantly, not to mention i had no idea it would fix the crash issues completely. 

So you did not believe what I said ?¿ 

I think I will add your comment to the home page news 

I have to admit that I have also forgotten the game chrashes since I use Datpacker, but because I can not technically prove why, I decided to not mention it. But I am glad to see that I am not the only one who said "goodbay chrashes¡¡¡" What Aleking says is exactly the same that happened to my SC4.

[Alek King of SC4]

yeah my plugins went from around 1.9 to just over 1.0, absolutely no more crashing INCREDIBLE.

If you use custom content i cannot stress how highly reccomended this is.  Ever been playing the game hardcore, make something u fall in love with and then get a crash, ouch it is the worst, but never fear SC4 Dat Packer will fix what ails ya.  and the speed, 

[wouanagaine]

The more I think of it, the more I think that the random crash is related to number of files, with 2go of uncompressed files, you certainly have around 10000 files, if you have lot of different lots in one city, zoom out, then the game will have to open a lot of files to update the screen. And opening such a number of file is certainly not a friendy task for WinXP

my plugins went from around 1.9 to just over 1.0,

Is it a typo or you really get a 900Mb gain using SC4DatPacker ? 

[Alek King of SC4]

yep but my plugins folder was about as organized as a 12 year olds closet.

[thundercrack83]

QUESTION: I can't seem to locate a link to LEX to download the Dat Packer. Do I have to be a special member or something like that to access the LEX? Or to download the DAT Packer? Or both?

[wouanagaine]

thundercrack, on the home page of SC4Devotion, on the left menu, you have a link to the BSC LEX
You need to register to the BSC LEX, when done, browse the pages to get it

[meldolion]

Wonderful tool!!!! thanks wouanagaine!!!!

I've a problem tough with Jeronij Street Cul de Sac; the packer gives me the following errors:
error in file C:\Documents and Settings\zzlmalo\Documenti\SimCity 4\Plugins\100 - BATs and lots\Jeronij\JRJ Street Cul de Sac\JRJ CDS Streets Plop SSM compatible\JRJ CDS Streets Data and Props Street Side Mod\JRJ CulDeSacs Props HW\JRJ_CDS_PROP_03 HW-0x6534284a-0x0f55ca9c-0xf0eec547.SC4Desc

error in file C:\Documents and Settings\zzlmalo\Documenti\SimCity 4\Plugins\100 - BATs and lots\Jeronij\JRJ Street Cul de Sac\JRJ CDS Streets Plop SSM compatible\JRJ CDS Streets Data and Props Street Side Mod\JRJ CulDeSacs Props HW\JRJ_CDS_PROP_03-0x5ad0e817_0xd10fb9ff_0x30000.SC4Model

error in file C:\Documents and Settings\zzlmalo\Documenti\SimCity 4\Plugins\100 - BATs and lots\Jeronij\JRJ Street Cul de Sac\JRJ CDS Streets Plop SSM compatible\JRJ CDS Streets Data and Props Street Side Mod\JRJ CulDeSacs Props HW\JRJ_CDS_PROP_04HW-0x5ad0e817_0x1138a190_0x30000.SC4Model

error in file C:\Documents and Settings\zzlmalo\Documenti\SimCity 4\Plugins\100 - BATs and lots\Jeronij\JRJ Street Cul de Sac\JRJ CDS Streets Plop SSM compatible\JRJ CDS Streets Data and Props Street Side Mod\JRJ CulDeSacs Props HW\JRJ_CDS_PROP_04HW-0x6534284a-0x0f55ca9c-0xd0f02c35.SC4Desc

error in file C:\Documents and Settings\zzlmalo\Documenti\SimCity 4\Plugins\100 - BATs and lots\Jeronij\JRJ Street Cul de Sac\JRJ CDS Streets Plop SSM compatible\JRJ CDS Streets Data and Props Street Side Mod\JRJ CulDeSacs Props HW\JRJ_CDS_PROP_05HW-0x5ad0e817_0xb138a440_0x30000.SC4Model

error in file C:\Documents and Settings\zzlmalo\Documenti\SimCity 4\Plugins\100 - BATs and lots\Jeronij\JRJ Street Cul de Sac\JRJ CDS Streets Plop SSM compatible\JRJ CDS Streets Data and Props Street Side Mod\JRJ CulDeSacs Props HW\JRJ_CDS_PROP_05HW-0x6534284a-0x0f55ca9c-0xd0f02be6.SC4Desc

error in file C:\Documents and Settings\zzlmalo\Documenti\SimCity 4\Plugins\100 - BATs and lots\Jeronij\JRJ Street Cul de Sac\JRJ CDS Streets Plop SSM compatible\JRJ CDS Streets Data and Props Street Side Mod\JRJ CulDeSacs Props HW\JRJ_CDS_PROP_06HW-0x5ad0e817_0x5138a694_0x30000.SC4Model

error in file C:\Documents and Settings\zzlmalo\Documenti\SimCity 4\Plugins\100 - BATs and lots\Jeronij\JRJ Street Cul de Sac\JRJ CDS Streets Plop SSM compatible\JRJ CDS Streets Data and Props Street Side Mod\JRJ CulDeSacs Props HW\JRJ_CDS_PROP_06HW-0x6534284a-0x0f55ca9c-0x30f02c25.SC4Desc

error in file C:\Documents and Settings\zzlmalo\Documenti\SimCity 4\Plugins\100 - BATs and lots\Jeronij\JRJ Street Cul de Sac\JRJ CDS Streets Plop SSM compatible\JRJ CDS Streets Data and Props Street Side Mod\JRJ CulDeSacs Props LW\JRJ_CDS_PROP_01V3-0x5ad0e817_0x30e97d8f_0x30000.SC4Model

error in file C:\Documents and Settings\zzlmalo\Documenti\SimCity 4\Plugins\100 - BATs and lots\Jeronij\JRJ Street Cul de Sac\JRJ CDS Streets Plop SSM compatible\JRJ CDS Streets Data and Props Street Side Mod\JRJ CulDeSacs Props LW\JRJ_CDS_PROP_01V3-0x6534284a-0x0f55ca9c-0x10eebbb1.SC4Desc

error in file C:\Documents and Settings\zzlmalo\Documenti\SimCity 4\Plugins\100 - BATs and lots\Jeronij\JRJ Street Cul de Sac\JRJ CDS Streets Plop SSM compatible\JRJ CDS Streets Data and Props Street Side Mod\JRJ CulDeSacs Props LW\JRJ_CDS_PROP_04LW-0x5ad0e817_0xb10fbf2b_0x30000.SC4Model

error in file C:\Documents and Settings\zzlmalo\Documenti\SimCity 4\Plugins\100 - BATs and lots\Jeronij\JRJ Street Cul de Sac\JRJ CDS Streets Plop SSM compatible\JRJ CDS Streets Data and Props Street Side Mod\JRJ CulDeSacs Props LW\JRJ_CDS_PROP_04LW-0x6534284a-0x0f55ca9c-0xb0eeca17.SC4Desc

error in file C:\Documents and Settings\zzlmalo\Documenti\SimCity 4\Plugins\100 - BATs and lots\Jeronij\JRJ Street Cul de Sac\JRJ CDS Streets Plop SSM compatible\JRJ CDS Streets Data and Props Street Side Mod\JRJ CulDeSacs Props LW\JRJ_CDS_PROP_05LW-0x5ad0e817_0xb110f766_0x30000.SC4Model

error in file C:\Documents and Settings\zzlmalo\Documenti\SimCity 4\Plugins\100 - BATs and lots\Jeronij\JRJ Street Cul de Sac\JRJ CDS Streets Plop SSM compatible\JRJ CDS Streets Data and Props Street Side Mod\JRJ CulDeSacs Props LW\JRJ_CDS_PROP_05LW-0x6534284a-0x0f55ca9c-0x50f00550.SC4Desc

error in file C:\Documents and Settings\zzlmalo\Documenti\SimCity 4\Plugins\100 - BATs and lots\Jeronij\JRJ Street Cul de Sac\JRJ CDS Streets Plop SSM compatible\JRJ CDS Streets Data and Props Street Side Mod\JRJ CulDeSacs Props LW\JRJ_CDS_PROP_06LW-0x5ad0e817_0x3110fa3c_0x30000.SC4Model

error in file C:\Documents and Settings\zzlmalo\Documenti\SimCity 4\Plugins\100 - BATs and lots\Jeronij\JRJ Street Cul de Sac\JRJ CDS Streets Plop SSM compatible\JRJ CDS Streets Data and Props Street Side Mod\JRJ CulDeSacs Props LW\JRJ_CDS_PROP_06LW-0x6534284a-0x0f55ca9c-0xf0f0056e.SC4Desc

error in file C:\Documents and Settings\zzlmalo\Documenti\SimCity 4\Plugins\100 - BATs and lots\Jeronij\JRJ Street Cul de Sac\JRJ CDS Streets Plop SSM compatible\JRJ CDS Streets Data and Props Street Side Mod\JRJ CulDeSacs Props MW\JRJ_CDS_PROP_02-0x5ad0e817_0x10ec1617_0x30000.SC4Model

error in file C:\Documents and Settings\zzlmalo\Documenti\SimCity 4\Plugins\100 - BATs and lots\Jeronij\JRJ Street Cul de Sac\JRJ CDS Streets Plop SSM compatible\JRJ CDS Streets Data and Props Street Side Mod\JRJ CulDeSacs Props MW\JRJ_CDS_PROP_02-0x6534284a-0x0f55ca9c-0xf0eeba14.SC4Desc

error in file C:\Documents and Settings\zzlmalo\Documenti\SimCity 4\Plugins\100 - BATs and lots\Jeronij\JRJ Street Cul de Sac\JRJ CDS Streets Plop SSM compatible\JRJ CDS Streets Data and Props Street Side Mod\JRJ CulDeSacs Props MW\JRJ_CDS_PROP_04MW-0x5ad0e817_0xb138a8a1_0x30000.SC4Model

error in file C:\Documents and Settings\zzlmalo\Documenti\SimCity 4\Plugins\100 - BATs and lots\Jeronij\JRJ Street Cul de Sac\JRJ CDS Streets Plop SSM compatible\JRJ CDS Streets Data and Props Street Side Mod\JRJ CulDeSacs Props MW\JRJ_CDS_PROP_04MW-0x6534284a-0x0f55ca9c-0x50f02ba5.SC4Desc

error in file C:\Documents and Settings\zzlmalo\Documenti\SimCity 4\Plugins\100 - BATs and lots\Jeronij\JRJ Street Cul de Sac\JRJ CDS Streets Plop SSM compatible\JRJ CDS Streets Data and Props Street Side Mod\JRJ CulDeSacs Props MW\JRJ_CDS_PROP_05MW-0x5ad0e817_0x5138ab60_0x30000.SC4Model

error in file C:\Documents and Settings\zzlmalo\Documenti\SimCity 4\Plugins\100 - BATs and lots\Jeronij\JRJ Street Cul de Sac\JRJ CDS Streets Plop SSM compatible\JRJ CDS Streets Data and Props Street Side Mod\JRJ CulDeSacs Props MW\JRJ_CDS_PROP_05MW-0x6534284a-0x0f55ca9c-0xd0f02c11.SC4Desc

error in file C:\Documents and Settings\zzlmalo\Documenti\SimCity 4\Plugins\100 - BATs and lots\Jeronij\JRJ Street Cul de Sac\JRJ CDS Streets Plop SSM compatible\JRJ CDS Streets Data and Props Street Side Mod\JRJ CulDeSacs Props MW\JRJ_CDS_PROP_06MW-0x5ad0e817_0x5138ad18_0x30000.SC4Model

error in file C:\Documents and Settings\zzlmalo\Documenti\SimCity 4\Plugins\100 - BATs and lots\Jeronij\JRJ Street Cul de Sac\JRJ CDS Streets Plop SSM compatible\JRJ CDS Streets Data and Props Street Side Mod\JRJ CulDeSacs Props MW\JRJ_CDS_PROP_06MW-0x6534284a-0x0f55ca9c-0x10f02bf8.SC4Desc

do you know what does it mean?

thanks

[wouanagaine]

Can you check if you can open thoses files with reader or datgen or sc4tools ?

I don't have them, I'll try to download them and test

[Rayden]

Well, well, well, one week away and I get stunned by this. Wouanagaine, or shall I call you Panoramix, you're a magician . My game went from several minutes to load any city to just a few seconds 

The first load of the game still takes a while, also to load the first city, but still a lot faster than before. From that on, if I save the city and load a new one, it takes about 15 seconds. If I just leave the city (without saving) and load a new one, it takes both actions together around 5 seconds. Just to load a new city, it takes 3 seconds, just amazing. Btw, my Plugins folder now, holds only 2,35 Gb. Before was nearly 3 Gb.

Like Alek said, it's even more pleasant now to play this game. I can even play with my mouse rolling button and zoom in and out from level 1 to 5 and vice versa, and it doesn't crash. Before I had to wait until the rendering of the image to finish after zooming and before hitting again the zoom button, and even so, having 80% of chances of a crashing to the desktop.

Thanks a lot mate, you're a life saviour.

[jeronij]

Meldolion,Do these lots work the way they are intended to work ?¿ Have you placed them in game ?¿. Just to make sure that this was not a corrupted download.
If you installed the CDS with the installer, try removing it and placing the MAC version available in the STEX ( the only difference is the the files come in a zip instead an installer).
Some problems were pointed by Mac users when trying to extract the files in that exe. Just guessing....

[wouanagaine]

Rayden, thx for your comment ! I have to try to set the redraw to full speed to check it. I set it to low when the game crashed ( 6 months ago :p )

Jeroni and Meldolion,
I tried the PC version (ie the one with the installer) I have no problem packing them.
I tried the mac version, and as you wrote, I can't unzip them correctly, but I can pack what has been extracted. Maybe you have somehow get all the files to be extracted, because I'm not able to have the files you mentionned. So my best bet is that those files are corrupted, ( 0 kb )

[Rayden]

I found 2 of those kind of errors and the related files could not be open by Datagen. I just deleted them, never used them anyway

[meldolion]

Thanks for the replies!!!

I've tried to open the files with the reader and it says "invalid filename"

The mac version has some files with $$A extension don't konw if this is correct..

I've tried them in the game and it appears they display correctly but don't know if they are all..
here is a picture with the cul the sacs:

[jeronij]

I think I will have to check this set, and fix it where needed. A new upload for the LEX....

[meldolion]

a small update....

first I didn't eliminated the folder of the Maxis Compatible CDS

second, and more strangely I reinstalled the plugin, and the files above were readable with the Reader, then after running the packer they weren't...

[schooner2]

I installed Datapacker and it works well.  Thanks alot for this program!!!

[pvarcoe]

Well, I have played with SC4 DatPacker some more and here are my results.
Wonderful results, I might add.

Original size of my plugins directory = 1.5g
After using DatPacker size of my plugins directory = 1.2g

Original SC4 start up time (till the beginning video bit begins) = average time of 12 minutes (no exaggeration)
After using DatPacker start up time = less than 1 minute

Original time to open a large city tile (that has tons of trees) = 8 to 10 minutes
After using DatPacker to open the same large city tile = 4 minutes

My computer would be considered mid level, with reasonable ram.
I would consider these results dramatic.

Results aside, another feature I really like is the ability to modularize the packed plugins.
I really like having the plugins I will always load, in their own dat file(s),
and then being able to add or subtract others as required.
Not only is it very useful, but it's forced me to clean up my plugins folder and be a little more organized.
The end result is a much improved game playing experience.

Thanks again wouanagaine and excellent work!