SSPTool

[Stefan79]

A new tool for SimCity 4 players.

The tool is designed to integrate various small tools and fill the holes other tools let open or for some special things.
The plugins are:

• DAMN with Installer, Creator and Editor
  (for DAMN see http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=2917.0)
• ...

To run the tool you need JAVA Runtime Environment (JRE Version 6), can be downloaded here: http://java.sun.com

For Windows Vista/7 Users: Give the Users group Full Control for the Plugin folder of SimCity, e.g. C:\Program Files (x86)\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Plugins

The tool can be downloaded from Sourceforge: http://sourceforge.net/projects/ssptool/

The newest sourcecode can be obtained from CVS or the author (PM).

Any bugs, comments or ideas, please post to this thread and I will see what I can do.

Best regards
   Stefan

P.S.: SSP stands for Stefan's Self-made Productions.

[wouanagaine]

Just checked the screenshots on SF, looks pretty damn cool and a must have 

[JoeST]

hey my java version is

Code Select Expand

[joe@goliath ~]$ java -version
java version "1.5.0"
gij (GNU libgcj) version 4.3.2 20081105 (Red Hat 4.3.2-7)

Copyright (C) 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.  There is NO
warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

and my email is public on my profile

and thanks for setting up a separate thread.

Joe

[daeley]

Joe, you may need to upgrade to java 1.6 for the tool to work properly.

[JoeST]

I guess thats probably why, thanks Daeley and thankyou to Stefan for the source code

Joe

[Stefan79]

Hi together!

I have separated the dbpf support to an extra package called DBPF4J (DBPF for Java).
Last days I completly redesigned and improved the support of DBPF and now its ready for use.
I will integrate it into the next SSPTool and some more features I think of:

SSPTool:
- Real plugin support, not only different subpackages
- Plugin: Simple DBPF Editor to change item order of many lots
- Plugin: Import/Export of FSH textures

DAMN:
- Import/Export of Root-folders, so its easy to backup and restore them when changing machines.
- Support Hidden lots and automatically create an exemplar with the conditional property, if wished
- Update, if previous installed
- Some options to improve reading, etc.
- Edit previous created DAMN menues

and maybe more, when I have time...

I will post here, when a new version of SSPTool is ready to download from sourceforge.

Best regards,
Stefan

P.S.: If anyone is interested in the DBPF4J package, contact me.

[BigSlark]

Looking great, Stefan! 

Cheers,
Kevin

[Jonathan]

Can't wait, especially the FSH import/export, and menu reorderer (please make it visual?)

Tbh, those to things make me almost more excited than the X Tool (but then I'm not a LOTer)

Jonathan

[wouanagaine]

Tbh, those to things make me almost more excited than the X Tool (but then I'm not a LOTer)

And it might be ready before XTools

[Ennedi]

Great idea, I just downloaded it and I'll check as soon as possible
And the next version content looks really exciting, it can be a fantastic tool!

Adam

[Jonathan]

Hey Stefan any more news on this?

Jonathan

[Stefan79]

Latest news of my work, not updated on Sourceforge yet, whilel I'm in progress of programming!

DBPF4J-1.0.3: !UPDATE!
- Fix compress error with PNGs
- Fix Dir entry update
- Add more Properties, redesigned DBPFProperty
- Minor bug fixes
SSPTool-1.0.3: !UPDATE!
- Plugin support integrated
- Minor bug fixes
DAMN-1.0.4: !UPDATE!
- Import/Export of Root folders integrated
- Update if previous installed
- Options added and integrated
- Activate the hidden and network option
- Manipulate the exemplar with necessary property, if hidden
- Export DAMN complete for transfer to another computer
- some more
Editor-0.0.1: !NEW!
- Modify ItemOrder,ConditionalBuilding,OccupantGroups for a list of exemplars

Next steps
- DAMN: the Hidden option and manipulating the exemplar in the file with necessary Property
- Plugin: DBPFEditor: Menu orderer, Conditional building tweaker
- Plugin: FSH import/export (have to inspect format FSH and S3D)
- DAMN-Editor for editing DAMN menus

Regards Stefan

[superhands]

hi stefan79. this tool looks promising.

any chance of incorporating a rotate/flip option for fsh and maybe s3d files?
it would make a world of difference if a fsh importer could have options for dimensions greater than 128x128 and compression options

[Jonathan]

Stefan, that's great,

I really can't wait for a FSH Tool,

Jonathan

[Stefan79]

Here are the old messages from DAMN Thread about SSPTool. Delete them there to keep DAMN clean:

A bit of a special case here... but still. I am on Linux (Fedora 10,  latest Java) and it hangs as soon as you press any buttons (even the exit x in the top corner ) using the command

Code Select Expand

java -jar [filename]

Also how would I go about getting the source without using cvs?

(Oh and maybe you should create a support thread in the tools section of the forum?)

Joe

Hi Joe,
first: for further support I have opened a thread under "SimCity 4 Devotion Tools - Other Tools - SSPTool".
second: I haven't tested under Linux but try to do this soon. Generally does JAVA works properly

Code Select Expand

java -version?
third: Without CVS I could send you the sourcecode if you tell me (PM) your email.
Regards
  Stefan

I tryed it, I like the sytem look better btw,
but now when i add files it seems to add all the exemplars with icons, and then twice that without, so you get it 3 times the amount of items than you should. Also what happened to that nice view lot feature, now it only shows the icon (which doesn't work properly).

I think the first one was better personally, but keep going because this tool is great!

Jonathan

Hi Jonathan,
first: for further support I have opened a thread: "SimCity 4 Devotion Tools - Other tools - SSPTool"
second: I work heavy on the DBPF file format and I think next version it will better get only exemplars with LotInfos and not LotConfig.
third: The view lot feature works only on exemplars which have normally icons and the image included. But send me (look README.txt in SSPTool folder) the file you want to damn and I will look what is wrong with my program.
Regards
   Stefan

Sounds cool, what does SSP stand for?

SSP = Stefan's Self-made Productions
(and not Stefan's SimCity Productions. That's why on my icon there is also SC4)

Very nice tool, there are a few translation problems (not your fault though) could you provide details on how to translate it?
Also In the DAMN creator when you add a file, what does 002 mean in the exem and png column?

Next version I will integrate language support, that means extra file with text, so it can be easy translated.
(This version only the wizard texts are extra files, the rest is hardcoded.)

The columns in Step 1 means how many item of exemplars and PNGs are found in the added file.
I will add these information to the wizard text.

One other thing I think I got bug where I couldn't get past step 3, but I haven't got it again after restarting the program, maybe I just clicked the wrong button.

Next version I will add logging the process, so I can find the bug easier, when it occur.
[UPDATE] Found the bug: The DAMN path wasn't set properly when changing the paths. Fixed in next version.

Otherwise extremely useful and clever! And you deserve a Karma point

Jonathan

Thank you! 

Next version is in process...



Hi together!

It is done! The SSPTool for creating easier DAMN Menues is ready to test.
You can download it from Sourceforge: https://sourceforge.net/projects/ssptool/

Any bugs and ideas please tell me or Dealey and we will see what we can do.

Hope this tool will help you much!

Stefan

P.S.: NAM will be integrated in one of next versions  ...



Hi everyone,

I have worked hard on this new DAMN-Creator and I can say, it will help you a lot to create a DAMN menue.

Together with Daeley I will improve this step by step integrate new ideas and of course NAM, if it is possible.

Maybe end of next week there could be the first version of the SSPTool with the DAMN-Creator for testing.
Then - not before, I have many ideas myself - you can give ideas of improving the program.

Stefan



17.12.2008
Hi everyone,

before too many people do the same:
I asked Daeley for the sourcecode because I want to write a program which easily create a DAMN Menue.
First version will be an improved version of Daeleys sourcecode with easier handling but I will attempt to include a sc4lot and dat reader, so the program will create a DAMN menue just with a few mouse clicks.
When I have a version to test, I will post it here.

Thanks to Daeley's and his great DAMN, I hope my program will even be so helpful.

[Stefan79]

Working hard, here are the latest news of my work, updated on Sourceforge:

- SSPTool-1.0.5: The MAIN program
- DAMN-1.0.7: DAMN-Editor integrated!
- Editor-0.0.3: Modify ItemOrder,ConditionalBuilding,OccupantGroups for a list of exemplars
- NEW Scanner-1.1.1: Scans plugins folder and move unneccessary files to pluginsDoc
- DBPF4J-1.0.5: Its included in SSPTool, for programmers

- NEW SSPTool_Complete: SSPTool-1.0.5+DAMN-1.0.7+Editor-0.0.3

Next steps
- Plugin: FSH import/export (have to inspect format FSH and S3D, can anyone tell me more about this?)

Regards Stefan

[JoeST]

Hey stefan

I found you an error

Code Select Expand

Exception occurred during event dispatching:
java.lang.NoSuchMethodError: ssp.dbpf4j.ext.DBPFElementListProcessor.<init>(Lxto
ols/util/PropertyList;Ljava/util/Vector;Ljava/util/Vector;ZLssp/dbpf4j/ext/DBPFP
rocessDialog;)V
        at ssp.ssptool.plugins.editor.simple.WizardDialog01.processFileList(Unkn
own Source)
        at ssp.ssptool.plugins.editor.simple.WizardDialog01.actionPerformed(Unkn
own Source)
        at javax.swing.AbstractButton.fireActionPerformed(Unknown Source)
        at javax.swing.AbstractButton$Handler.actionPerformed(Unknown Source)
        at javax.swing.DefaultButtonModel.fireActionPerformed(Unknown Source)
        at javax.swing.DefaultButtonModel.setPressed(Unknown Source)
        at javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicButtonListener.mouseReleased(Unknown Sour
ce)
        at java.awt.Component.processMouseEvent(Unknown Source)
        at javax.swing.JComponent.processMouseEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Component.processEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Container.processEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Component.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Container.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.retargetMouseEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.processMouseEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Container.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Window.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Dialog$1.run(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Dialog$3.run(Unknown Source)
        at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
        at java.awt.Dialog.show(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Component.show(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Component.setVisible(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Window.setVisible(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Dialog.setVisible(Unknown Source)
        at ssp.ssptool.plugins.editor.simple.WizardDialog01.showDialog(Unknown S
ource)
        at ssp.ssptool.plugins.editor.simple.DBPFEditor.showWindow(Unknown Sourc
e)
        at ssp.ssptool.plugins.editor.EditorPluginPanel.processEditor(Unknown So
urce)
        at ssp.ssptool.plugins.editor.EditorPluginPanel.actionPerformed(Unknown
Source)
        at javax.swing.AbstractButton.fireActionPerformed(Unknown Source)
        at javax.swing.AbstractButton$Handler.actionPerformed(Unknown Source)
        at javax.swing.DefaultButtonModel.fireActionPerformed(Unknown Source)
        at javax.swing.DefaultButtonModel.setPressed(Unknown Source)
        at javax.swing.plaf.basic.BasicButtonListener.mouseReleased(Unknown Sour
ce)
        at java.awt.AWTEventMulticaster.mouseReleased(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Component.processMouseEvent(Unknown Source)
        at javax.swing.JComponent.processMouseEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Component.processEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Container.processEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Component.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Container.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.retargetMouseEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.processMouseEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.LightweightDispatcher.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Container.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Window.dispatchEventImpl(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.Component.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(Unknown Source)
        at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(Unknown Source)


when you click on next in the DBPF editor step 1 window... (with SC4Lot files)

Joe

[Stefan79]

Hey stefan

I found you an error

Code Select Expand

Exception occurred during event dispatching:
java.lang.NoSuchMethodError: ssp.dbpf4j.ext.DBPFElementListProcessor.<init>(Lxto
ols/util/PropertyList;Ljava/util/Vector;Ljava/util/Vector;ZLssp/dbpf4j/ext/DBPFP
rocessDialog;)V
        at ssp.ssptool.plugins.editor.simple.WizardDialog01.processFileList(Unkn
own Source)
        at ssp.ssptool.plugins.editor.simple.WizardDialog01.actionPerformed(Unkn
...


when you click on next in the DBPF editor step 1 window... (with SC4Lot files)

Joe

Hi Joe,

which version of SSPTool and DBPF editor did you have?
It seems your SSPTool is not up to date (1.0.5) and I have added/changed some things in SSPTool-Plugin-Support.

(Open SSPTool/lib/SSPTool-Plugin-Support.jar with WinZip or something equal and go into Meta-Inf, open Manifest.mf
with viewer and see for Implementation-Version. There should be 2009-02-18, further versions have a version number
in front of that. I know, why not simply add the version to the jar as for SSPTool? This have internal reason for updating
process, thats why the plugins jars haven't also no version in filename, but in Manifest.mf as described above.)

But I'm glad you try out my tools and I'm glad about every response (BUGs, Ideas), so I can make it better.

Regards Stefan

[JoeST]

I was using the latest one on sourceforge, I literaly downloaded and tried it out.

[daeley]

you can find some information on FSH compression here: http://www.modthesims2.com/wiki.php?title=FSH or the older http://old_wiki.modthesims2.com/FSH (better format, but a part seems to be lost).
FSH files are basically a container for one or more images (depending if it's a simple texture or an aniumation). Most of simcity's FSH files contain DXT1 or DTX3 images which are described very well here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DXT3 but may also contain BMP images in several 16-bit or 32-bit ARGB formats. If you want to go fast, I'd go with DXTn compression first since there's only a few files in Simcity that don't use this.

I made a piece of Java code myself to compress/decompress an FSH file with a single DXT1 or DXT3 image for PathCreator, but the code is not very good. I can send it to you if you like.