[CzechTexan]

I see there are some new tutorials for populating maps that I'm sure will be very helpful.

I have been populating my map using the copy/paste method until my computer memory hit a roadblock and can't do that anymore.
So, I've been looking at these tutorials and trying to figure out what is the best thing to do next.

Thought I'd try the auto-pop method because it seemed most logical.
I used one of my previous city templates (used for copy/paste) and made a city template on my blank Puerto Rico map. I now have the actors.static file.

This is where my new roadblock starts. I can't figure out how to open up the actors to make the out-files.
The tutorial says, "Use act.jar tool to extract outbuildings.txt from the actors.static you just saved."

HOW do I use this act.jar tool? (baby steps please) What needs to be in the folder with it? And then, do I just double-click it?

In my folder, I have act.jar tool, actors.static, map size text.
When I click the jar I get an error.
Maybe the map text size is wrong? Maybe I'm doing something wrong??

[F22-Raptor-2006]

i may be wrong but it should be along these lines...

you need a cmd.exe (command prompt) in that folder. Start that up and then type this "java -jar act.jar ." if i remember correctly that's the command to use those jar file things.

[Quelty]

As Raptor says, you need to open the command prompt window and the format for extracting is;

Code:

java -jar Act.jar extract

where is the .static filename

That will produce all your "out" files

Alternatively you could use Zuti's tool which does the same job but through the use of a gui, Easyrider has a couple of tutorials around on how to use it.

Cheers

Quelty

[EasyRider]

Hey CT

You might find that Zuti's actor tool is a little more user friendly,it gives written error reports when thing don't go quite right

There's a link to down load it at the top of the thread
(The link is inoperative)

Easy

[CzechTexan]

Thanks guys. I just downloaded Zuti's and will test it out later. After reading Quelty's post I re-read your tutorial and you had mentioned that Zuti's tool is easier to use so I'll try it.

[CzechTexan]

Thank you all for pointing me in the right direction!
Zuti's Tool is a really nice one! I don't know why it took me this long to discover it.
I was able to work it and to my surprise I was also able to test AUTO-POP and it works!
Now I just need to do some more studying of the tutorials to do a section at a time. It seems like such a relief to be able to get something to work right.
The tutorials help and if you put your mind to it and follow the instructions then it's really fairly simple to use auto-pop etc.
NO MORE WOES :!:

[EasyRider]

That's cool,good to hear

Easy