LotAdjuster 3.6 (Updated May 23, 2013)

LotAdjuster 3.6

This new version of the LotAdjuster has all of the features of version 2.x, but allows you to adjust the size of the lot in lot-sized tiles, rather than neighborhood-sized tiles. As well, you can now add to one side and subtract from the other, effectively shifting things on your lot. This gives you complete control over the position of the building on your lot.

By specifying your adjustments in smaller increments, you gain a lot of flexibility in placing your house optimally on your lot. However, lots must still be sized in multiples of 10 lot-sized tiles. This is a restriction set by EA, since the game cannot correctly handle lots which are not sized in neighborhood-sized tiles.

Version 3.6 adds several new features. You can now choose to remove all furnishings from a lot, change a lot to or from a beach lot, or make a lot hidden or visible. The first option can also be used to keep the furniture on a lot when your sims move out; just uncheck the Remove Furniture option (if the option is not checked, the furniture cannot be salvaged).

There is a known problem where lots with custom terrain paints will turn blue if the custom terrain paints are not installed into your Downloads folder. The LotAdjuster now has a new option to remove unused terrain paints from a lot, which can solve this problem with previously-unfixable blue terrain on your lot.

There is a known problem where sometimes your lot will be changed to a beach terrain because it is too low or too close to the beach. The LotAdjuster now has a new option to override the lot terrain with the default terrain for the neighborhood. With this option, your beach terrain will be changed back to the expected terrain. This will fix both the lot terrain itself, and also the view of the neighborhood terrain from the lot.

For more information about what's changed, please see the release history.

LotAdjuster 2.x
The LotAdjuster version 2.x, which adjusts in neighborhood-sized tiles, will remain available. It's a bit easier to use, but provides less flexibility:
http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=282409

Future enhancements will only be added to 3.x and will not be applied to 2.x.

Description:
The LotAdjuster allows you to modify a "Sims 2" lot in a variety of ways, including:
- Enlarge a lot up to a size of 60 x 60 lot-sized tiles, which is the EA-imposed TS2 limit.
- Enlarge a lot over the road; allow building on both sides of the road.
- Shrink a lot; allow building to within one tile of the edge of a lot; create pseudo rowhouses.
- Shift a building on a lot by expanding one side and shrinking the other.
- Move a lot within a neighborhood; move a lot away from the road.
- Add and remove roads; create a roadless lot; create a lot with multiple roads: corner lot, alleyway, service road, square.
- Unlock tiles on a lot.
- Fix vehicle and pedestrian portal locations, as well as the location of the mailbox, trash can, and phone booth.
- Fix the edges of a lot: smooth, flatten, or match neighborhood terrain.
- Fix crashing beach lots. See this link for further details: http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?p=3169826

This version of the LotAdjuster works with all expansion and stuff packs, up to and including The Sims 2 Mansion & Garden Stuff.

The LotAdjuster is the successor to the LotExpander: http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=175884

Requirements:
- The LotAdjuster is released under the GNU General Public License.
- The program uses some DLLs from SimPE; they are included in the zip file.
- You need the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/down...s.aspx?id=20137

Installation:
To install, just download LotAdjuster.zip and unzip it. Run the EXE from the unzipped location. This is "alpha" software and is still in development; it is not guaranteed to work and may corrupt your lot. Be sure to backup your game before using this tool.

I have included the source code for version 3.6 in LotAdjusterSource.zip. There is no need to download this file unless you are a C# programmer who wishes to look at or modify the code.

I left a previous version (PreviousLotAdjuster.zip) available, in case there are any unforeseen problems. There is no need to download this file.

Running under OS/X:
Please read this thread for information about running the LotAdjuster under OS/X:
http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=366580

Instructions:
At this time, there are no instructions available for the LotAdjuster; hopefully, some will be available soon. In the interim, please see the LotExpander instructions and substitute "LotAdjuster" for "LotExpander". The screenshots will be different than the LotAdjuster, but the basic method is the same.

Note that tiles are now specified as lot-sized tiles, rather than neighborhood-sized tiles. There are 10 lot-tiles in each neighborhood-tile.

Please be sure to backup before you use the LotAdjuster and keep your backup until you are sure that everything worked as expected. If something goes wrong, restore from your backup. Without a backup, you may not be able to fix any problems that you have.

Advanced options are changed by clicking the "Advanced" button on the lot information screen. Options in this category are more likely to require special handling. Be sure to test your lot thoroughly before sharing it.

If you have any problems with the new LotAdjuster, or if you have suggestions that you would like to see implemented, please let me know.

LotExpander Tutorial: http://www.modthesims2.com/showpost...3&postcount=410

Known Issues: http://www.modthesims2.com/showpost...80&postcount=47

LotExpander Error and Warning Messages.
LotAdjuster messages may be different:
http://www.modthesims2.com/showpost...7&postcount=422

Recovering from Problems: http://www.modthesims2.com/showpost...5&postcount=411

Research Thread: General discussion about modding lots: http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=250693

Release History: http://www.modthesims2.com/showpost...29&postcount=50

To-Do List: http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=328158

Pseudo-Rowhouses: http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=286909

How to Help:
1) The LotAdjuster is a general purpose tool with a wide range of applications. We need tutorials on how to use the various features to create special types of lots. If you create a tutorial which is relevant, please post a link to your tutorial and I will include it here. Some of my thoughts on tutorials which might be helpful: http://www.modthesims2.com/showpost...82&postcount=48

Useful Links: http://www.modthesims2.com/showpost...83&postcount=49


Additional Credits:
This program is derived from the LotExpander, which was designed and developed by Andi8104. Without his work, the LotAdjuster would not exist.

Thank you to all of the people who helped to make this tool a reality, including aelflaed, baratron, ebonyspiral, GeneralOperationsDirector, ikbod, Inge Jones, ingeli, J. M. Pescado, KariMinger, ladykatsim, Mutantbunny, niol, plasticbox, pljones, Quaxi, and Rascal.

I'm sure that I've forgotten some people, since so many people have helped with the development of this program. If you know of someone who's been missed, it was not intentional. Please let me know and I'll add them to the list.