Deleting Recolours - They've all gone blue!

[Sivany]

I seem to be asking loads of questions at the moment, but it's because I'm clearing out the years worth of crap that has accumulated in my downloads folder in time for Seasons.

So what I want to know this time is how do I delete recolours without having to delete the entire object? I'm sure tha previously in my game if I had a Maxis or a custom object that had a lot of custom recolours I could go into it in the game and choose to delete just one of the recolours. Now that option doesn't seem to be there anymore, so how can I delete just the recolours I don't use? Is there a way to do it with SimPE or am I just stuck with them all clogging up my downloads folder?

EDIT: I've used design mode as suggested and it worked ok for most objects. However objects where there are two options of things to change have caused a problem. Sometimes when I deleted a recolour from the top or bottom row one or more in the other row would turn blue. This would be fine, except when I try to click on this blue part to delete it nothing happens. Then even worse the little custom content star disappears and I end up with a whole row of custom content that has turned blue which I can't delete. Some of this is on Maxis made objects so I can't even delete the whole thing and start again. What can I do?

[Weaver]

You can delete recolours of objects in-game with the design tool.

[blubug]

I just have to add, when you delete an object(mesh) from in-game, the recolors still clog up your downloads folder, you have to delete them one by one.

[Sivany]

Ugh I'll never be able to find them all. My downloads folder is organised, but sadly not that organised. I've now got a much worse problem though with things only half deleting. (see edit to original post)

[Magicmoon]

That "blue" missing color icon often remains in the game after deleting a recolor. After the game is reloaded, it should be gone.

The reason that the other line turns blue after you deleted from the opposite line is because the artist made both the top and bottom colors into one file. When you delete one part you end up deleting both parts.

It is somewhat frustrating if you wanted to keep just one of the parts, but it really depends on how the artist made the file.

[KatEnigma]

If you've deleted an object, and all the recolors go blue, you've deleted the mesh, not just a recolor.  It's a klunky PITA and sloooowww, but I think you will have to try to use SimPe to fix it.

See This thread and then the one I link to inside of it.

[Magicmoon]

My recolors routinely turn blue even though I haven't deleted the mesh. Especially if I delete part of the color such as the top or bottom row. After reload, all the colors that I want are still there and the blue is gone.

[blubug]

What is happening is not a bad thing (depending on how you look at it). It will go away when you load the game again. It means that for example, a chair has only one file for its seat and for its cover, so when you delete one, the other disappears as well. But if you wanted to keep that chair seat and delete its wood part recolor, then that's bad. I have a reorganizing technique involving deleting only the recolors I want, and lots of backups. I explained it here, you may want to give it a go, but remember to always have an extra backup you won't touch at all: http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,7184.msg201125.html#msg201125
(scroll to reply 29)

edit: removed a letter

[Li'l Brudder]

It's okay to delete AWOL Maxis objects.  They'll reappear again.

I found that out when one of my meshes went Chernobyl and I had to delete the object which had eaten the object I had cloned.  The original Maxis appeared back in the catalog.

[maxon]

I found that out when one of my meshes went Chernobyl and I had to delete the object which had eaten the object I had cloned.  The original Maxis appeared back in the catalog.

That sounds like the object maker didn't change the GUID when they meshed the new object - bad practice.

[blubug]

I have some stuff like that in my downloads folder (2 or 3), but in their own sub-folder. I just like them too much to get rid of them. Some I don't know if they're done on purpose, because they're german sites, and I can't understand german, like a larger replacement plant.
I often contact the site owners every couple of months, because at least one object I download is bound to override a maxis mesh.

[maxon]

I have some stuff like that in my downloads folder (2 or 3), but in their own sub-folder. I just like them too much to get rid of them. Some I don't know if they're done on purpose, because they're german sites, and I can't understand german, like a larger replacement plant.
I often contact the site owners every couple of months, because at least one object I download is bound to override a maxis mesh.

Carrigon posted a short tutorial on how to change a GUID which I post here.  I hope she doesn't mind me doing that - she's usually very relaxed about sharing information.  I'll take it down if there's a problem.

How to Change a GUID by Carrigon
 
Getting asked this question alot, so here is a tiny tutorial.  It's easy.

Open the file with SimPe, click on Object Data on your left.  Look on your right and you should see your current GUID area.  Now, go to the top of SimPe and click on Tools, Object Tools, Hash Generator.   A tiny window will popup with it.  Click the last little circle on your right in that window, the one that says GUID.  See how the numbers just changed in that window?  The first block of eight is your new GUID.  Delete the current GUID, copy the new one in.  Click the little checkbox under it that says "update all MMATS", click update, then click commit above that.  Go to file save.  Recheck it and make sure it saved your new GUID.   

[Sivany]

Thanks for your help with this everyone! Most of the blue things are gone now and I'm going to use the scanners from SimPE to try and sort everything else out.

[Li'l Brudder]

That sounds like the object maker didn't change the GUID when they meshed the new object - bad practice.

I know.  T'was my own object that was almost released to the public until I caught that.

[maxon]

I know.  T'was my own object that was almost released to the public until I caught that.

I think the operative word here is 'almost'.