More Awesome Than You!

If you insist on using the Launcher to install Sims3pack the same way you could before patching to 1.8/2.3, here's how to do it.

Simple Instructions - For those who like to do their own thinking.
Launcher will install .sims3packs into a .dbc file in your DCCache folder if you swap the main game .exe with a 1.7/2.2 or older version.  That would be TS3.exe or TS3EP01.exe if you have WA.  If you have HELS, you can take either .exe and and rename it to TS3SP01.exe, it'll work.  You can create a copy of the Game/Bin folder and only run the launcher from that folder, or you can swap .exe files, whichever is easiest.  You can then take the .dbc file that Launcher created out of DCCache and throw it into your Mods/Packages folder or modify Resource.cfg to see it in your DCCache folder without moving it.

Lengthy Instructions - For those who need a little hand-holding.
1. If you are at v1.7 or WA 2.2 and have NOT patched yet, save your old game binary (TS3.exe or TS3EP01.exe).  Otherwise, you'll need to find a 1.7/2.2 or older version somewhere (try Google for older no-CD binary crack, check your install disk, or use Vista/Windows 7 "Restore previous versions" feature).
- If you have WA, it may be found in C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3 World Adventures\Game\Bin.  You're looking for TS3EP01.exe.
- If you do NOT have WA, it may be found in C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Game\Bin.  You're looking for TS3.exe.
You just need one or the other, not both.  Just copy and paste it into a temporary place like on your Desktop.

2. Patch up to latest versions if you haven't already.

3. Make a COPY of your Bin folder AFTER patching and installing all desired EPs and SPs (i.e. C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3 World Adventures\Game\Bin).  Use the Bin folder from your highest EP or SP.  I copied and pasted it into the "Electronic Arts" folder, but you can probably put it anywhere.  Then rename it to something meaningful, like "working_launcher".

4. Now take the TS3EP01.exe or TS3.exe that you saved, and move it into your "working_launcher" folder, replacing the one that was originally in there.  If you have HELS, then delete TS3SP01.exe and take the .exe you saved and rename it to TS3SP01.exe.

5. Resource.cfg will need to be changed so it can find .dbc files in the DCCache of your saved game folder.  Since Resource.cfg doesn't support spaces, you will need to use the DOS equivalent path.
For example, my DCCache path is: "c:\Users\Shawn\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\DCCache". Its DOS equivalent path is "c:\Users\Shawn\DOCUME~1\ELECTR~1\THESIM~1\DCCache"
The only way I'm aware of to find the DOS short folder names is with "dir /x" at the command prompt.

For Resource.cfg, backslashes in the DOS path need to be changed to forward slashes and the absolute reference to c:\ drive needs to be changed to a relative reference, so what actually goes into my Resource.cfg looks like:

PackedFile ../../../Users/Shawn/DOCUME~1/ELECTR~1/THESIM~1/DCCache/*.dbc

6. Run game, make sure your store items show up.  If it doesn't, you messed up somewhere.

Run launcher ONLY from the "working_launcher" folder.  Do NOT run the game .exe from this folder.

Caveats
- If you have multiple people that play Sims 3 on that machine under multiple Windows accounts, they either must be Administrators or the Administrator needs to grant everyone access to your DCCache folder.  This is because Resource.cfg is pointing to your specific DCCache folder and regular users typically don't have access to another user's folders.
- For the same reason as above, the user whose DCCache points to is the only one that can install/remove CC using the launcher.

If you are the only one that plays Sims 3 on your computer, then the above points don't apply.

EDIT: Update for HELS.

Will this work if people keep 2 copies of the *.dbc files? If they overwrite the cache file in their mods folder after installing the .Sims3Packs, then it should work as far as I can tell. I'm just thinking junction points are a bit advanced for some and can be dodgy if you forget to remove them.

Otherwise, thanks for the tip that the old .exe allows installation via the launcher.

I agree on Witch's point that junction points are a little advanced for some (myself included). I understood everything about that except for that part; I don't mess with files much beyond the very, very basics- I have other people for that. Unfortunately, said person is on the other side of the country right now and likely too pissed to simplify this for me in anything resembling English.

If someone could explain junction points in small, simple words for n00bs like me, that would be great. I generally use Delphy's installer for .sims3packs, but it doesn't give me the .world file that I need for the Riverview fix, so I figured the Launcher would solve that problem... if the Launcher actually worked.

Great, my first post here has me looking like a total idiot. I hope this doesn't become routine.

GnatGoSplat: Sorry to butt into your thread, but for Aoife Aella there is a Riverview.world download here (http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,17707.msg511046.html#msg511046). Bottom of the 1st post.

Rather than using fancy junction things which don't work quite the same in, say, Mac or XP, you could just use Ye Olde DOSSE names.
Like, say, ..\..\DOCUME~1\LUSERNAME\MYDOCU~1\ELECTR~1\THESIM~1\DCCache

Ah, ok. I had avoided that thread on account of the fact I thought it was all torrents. I guess I should have looked closer.

DOS! Now there's something I understand...

Not to inflict my idiocy on anyone, but how or where would I use DOS to make this work?

If it needs to be inserted into the Resource.cfg file could someone post an example, or, if not, explain where and how using DOS deviates from the instructions in the original post?

I apologize for my ignorance and appreciate any assistance.

I believe JM meant using DOS-style names instead of the junction point, to fix the problem of the Resource.cfg not reading spaces.

Ah, but why do it the simple way when you can do it the needlessly complicated way? ;D

I have a habit of overcomplicating things.  Of course, you're right, the old DOS 8.3 names is much simpler and you don't need the junction.  My Resource.cfg looks like:

PackedFile ../../../Users/Shawn/DOCUME~1/ELECTR~1/THESIM~1/DCCache/*.dbc

Can't start with a / for root for some reason, so the ../../../ at the beginning is needed.

Thank you all! That makes far more sense than what I was thinking.

On a related note, if I decide to reinstall my game completely - base game and WA - can I use the bin from that installation (before I patch of course), or will I need to track down 1.79/2.2.8?

If I do need 1.79/2.2.8, does anyone know where they may be found?
 

Here just click your latest game http://www.simprograms.com/the-sims-3-patches/

Yeah, you can actually use the whole Bin folder from an older installation, but you'll have to replace Default.ini with one from 1.8/2.3.  Mainly what you need is for the Launcher in your new folder to execute the older TS3EP01.EXE because that's the file that actually generates the .dbc files.  TS3EP01.EXE from an unpatched WA install should work as well, though I haven't tested it.

i don't really quit get the thingy if you have already the 1.8 patch. i have already installed the 1.8 patch will the above steps still apply? sorry im quit a visual person so i can't really understand some written tutorial.

Pretty much if you already have the 1.8 patch, you need to get a TS3.exe (or TS3EP01.exe if you have WA) from before you patched.  You can try to download it from someplace, but if you have Vista or Windows 7, it automatically backs things up using Shadow Copy when your computer is idle so you might be able to get it out of an automatic backup.  To do that, you'd right click on the Bin folder and go to "Restore previous versions" and dig through the various automatic backups for the old version.  XP doesn't do shadow copy backups so if you have XP, you'll have to come up with some other way to get the old version.

do i need a specific exe? i only downloaded the game online and the only old exe in the downloaded file is the 1.0.0 exe version of the sims. oh yeah if all of this work will the launcher work and stop saying "Sims3Launcher has encountered a problem and needs to close.  We are sorry for the inconvenience."?

If anyone needs an unpatched copy of the game binary and they have the digital copy still on their computer (Downloaded the game through EA Download Manager and havn't deleted the install files) they can get the binary from those install files. In Vista or Windows 7 the files can be found somewhere like C:\ProgramData\Electronic Arts\EADM\cache\{ *bunch of random numbers }\sims3_ep01_sku7. Note that the ProgramData folder is hidden so you will have to make sure you have "Show Hidden Files" set in your folder view, and the sims3_* folder is likely to have a different name depending on if it's the base game, or the expansion, and what region. In that sims3 folder you will find the binary in Game\Bin\ and probably named either TS3EP01.ex_ or TS3.ex_. You can follow GnatGoSplats instructions from here on by copying the TS3.ex_ (TS3EP01.ex_) file to your desktop and renaming it to TS3EP01.exe (TS3.exe). I'm unsure where the cache files are for EADM on Windows XP but you may find a similar file tree in C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\EADM (or wherever EADM installs). This is of course only necessary on Vista or Win7 if you don't have a shadow copy (I apparently deleted my backups since the 1.8 patch).

Also if you own the discs for either Sims 3 or the expansion you'll find the binary at Game\Bin\ on your disc as well which you can just copy somewhere and rename to TS3.exe or TS3EP01.exe.

1.0.0 exe might work, only way to know is to try it.  Just a guess, but I think it would work since I doubt the .dbc internal format has changed.  It's just a .package file with a different file extension anyway.  I had the foresight to backup all my old 1.7.9/2.2.8 stuff, so I used that.
You could also look for binary No-CD cracks, that typically comes with just the .exe file you would need.

I used the TS3E01 binary from my install disc and it worked fine for installing everything up to the most recent store content.

well while i was browsing i found this sit. http://www.katzforums.com/showthread.php?t=405485 will it work?

For the record, when you say to edit the Resource.cfg file, you are referring to the one in the bin/"working_launcher" folder, correct? I went to run my game (I used the binary file from my install disc) and it didn't have anything installed, even the original neighborhood wasn't there. I was previously using the fix where I copied my .dbc files into TS3WA\Mods\Packages and placed an edited Resource.cfg in the Program Files\Electronic Arts\TS3WA. I am assuming I need to clear out all that for this to work, but I am afraid I might be in a little over my head right now.

No, I didn't even know there's a Resource.cfg in the Bin folder that you copied to make a "working_launcher" folder.  The correct Resource.cfg to modify is the one in the TS3WA folder.  You don't have to clear out anything from Resource.cfg.  Just create a new entry pointing to the DCCache folder in your "My Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\DCCache".  This is where you need to get the short DOS filenames because spaces aren't allowed.

Based on output from a process monitor, Sims 3 looks for Resource.cfg files in pretty much every folder it opens, so putting the DCCache entry into the Resource.cfg file in Game/bin should work (At least it works for me)

I followed the instructions to the letter, and the first time I opened the launcher from the working launcher folder it worked perfectly. Everything I tried installed perfectly with no problems. Since then, every time I open the launcher from there, previously installed files show up properly and new download files are recognized, but they won't install. The launcher seems to consider opening the files, but never does. Instead, a black box the size and shape of the initial installation box shows up and, after processing for a moment, just disappears. After that an exception file appears in the ...My Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3 folder.

Does anyone have any idea why this might have happened and/or how to fix it?

That's strange.  I've had other problems, but not that one.  One thing that seemed to work when I had problems, was to delete the DCCache folder (back it up first just in case) and reinstall everything from scratch with the launcher.  Assuming you used coyote's Riverview fix, you'll have to re-delete it from your InstalledWorlds folder to get Riverview to work properly.

If you have the files still available, you could try using all the old executables and DLLs... in other words, use the entire older Bin folder to make your working_launcher folder rather than just the TS3EP01.exe file.  You will then need to replace the Default.ini in it with the one from 2.3.

I have pirated versions of the base game and WA. I installed the base game and patched it to 1.8. Then i installed WA but i can't play it until it's patched to 2.3. Only the update is giving me a wrong file error at the very end! It's a problem with the C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3 World Adventures\Game\Bin\bin folder. I want to try replacing mine with someone's bin folder to see why i'm getting the invalid file found and if that fixes it. Can someone please send me that folder? Or maybe help me out with this if you know what's going on?

I think I must have done something wrong, but I'm not sure what since I followed the instructions. I'm running the launcher from the working launcher folder, but when I try to install something I get an error saying "Unable to start game. Service Initialization Failed (ox6224dd27)"

Any idea what could be causing this & how to fix it?

Here's a copy of my working_launcher folder. All you need to do to get it to work for you is edit the Resource.cfg file found within to point to your DCCache directory instead of mine.
working_launcher(42.9MB) (http://www.deruntermensch.com/media/uploads/working_launcher.7z)

This is for WA if that actually matters(Only know of one store content object that specifically says it needs WA, and it may show up in base game if you use this to install it with anyways), and if it doesn't work then you've got problems, either with your computer, or with the thing sitting at your computer.

I had that exact error trying to downgrade from 1.8/2.3 back to 1.7/2.2.  What it ended up being was a mix of old and new .dbc files in DCCache.  If you have Resource.cfg configured to look for .dbc files in more than one place, you might change it to only look in one place as it could be due to a conflict.  Also, if all else fails, you can delete the DCCache folder and rebuild with the launcher.  That's what I ended up doing to fix it.

Unfortunately, I think I'll have to give up on this solution.

While cefwyn's working_launcher folder did load and install files, it was very selective and only installed certain files. I have no idea why, but it would still only handle the free store content, no CC or questionably obtained store content. I might try it one more time out of pure obstinacy, but I think at this point I'll probably give in and try other solutions. If anyone else is having problems getting their launcher to behave (and are willing to stop using it) I found a couple of other posts that may help.

Creating your own .dbc files from here...

http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,17746.0.html (http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,17746.0.html)

Using witch's store content .dbc files from here...

http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,17707.0.html (http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,17707.0.html)

Thank you all for your help and suggestions in this thread... much appreciated.

The working launcher does not work. The launcher itself is operable and is able to install items, but the game, once loaded, does not show any towns and a black screen appears if you load up a save. Once installing the items from this launcher, I reverted back with the new Cache files. The items don't appear despite them appearing in the launcher.

EA really fucked up.

I'm coming out of lurk moar to share my findings regarding locating the correct short path name (DOS) to copy into your resource.cfg file. My brain usually works fairly ok, but this task gave me a case of the stipud and it took me a little while to locate a solution that worked for me.

Anycase, if you have issues with getting your content to show up after having followed GnatGoSplat's instructions, check to make sure that you have the correct path in your resource.cfg file. An easy way to do this (at least for Windows XP users, I'm not smurt enough to know how this fares with other systems) is to utilize this nifty method:

1) Copy and paste the below bolded text into Notepad. Save it to your desktop with .vbs as the extension:

Set fso=CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

' Is object a file or folder?
If fso.FolderExists(WScript.Arguments(0)) Then
   'It's a folder
   Set objFolder = fso.GetFolder(WScript.Arguments(0))
   rtrn = InputBox("Here's your short path:", "SHORT PATH", objFolder.ShortPath)
End If

If fso.FileExists(WScript.Arguments(0)) Then
   'It's a file
   Set objFile = fso.GetFile(WScript.Arguments(0))
   rtrn = InputBox("Here's your short path:", "SHORT PATH", objFile.ShortPath)
End If

2) Navigate into your DCCache folder. Grab a .dbc file and then drag & drop it on your .vbs file. The short path pops up, ready to be copied and pasted into resource.cfg. Before saving your resource file, make the necessary minor formatting changes to the path per GnatGoSplat's instructions in the first post.

I cannot take any credit for this possibly very obvious solution since it was posted by a less retarded person elsewhere on the internets. Kudos to you, magic VBScript file wizard. Kudos.

I downloaded this and the launcher won't let me install because I disabled the internet connection. It says Launcher needs to be online to verify the ownership of the game. Damn.

I think you got the Spyware Edition of the game. Get the proper Pirate Cat Edition.

My base game is store bought and WA is Pirate Cat Edition.

Well, the files you downloaded are clearly not.

Sucks. I don't feel like hunting down the proper files.

Sounds like a personal problem to me, soldier.

It is.
Thought I could get away with it.

In the bin folder, there are S3Launcher and Sims3Launcher App files.  When I was using the first one, I encountered the same problem as you.  Make sure you are using the second one.  I hope that helps.

Works fine for me! Thank you.

Beats me. Try it and see.

I just wanted to share an issue, and how I worked around it in case it's helpful to others.

Yesterday, I went to add the bow shoes posted in the Store thread in Pudding. I was surprised to see the Service Initiation Failed error message, when I had installed all the new sets (Goth, Old Town, etc.) without any problems just the day before. As a test, I removed my .dbc files from the DCCache folder, and the pack installed just fine, creating a new dcdb0.dbc file.

I surmised that the hacked launcher, for some reason or other, didn't like my original dcdb0.dbc package anymore. Since I had two others (dcdb1.dbc and dcdb2.dbc), I renamed one of them to dcdb0.dbc and put it in the DCCache folder (first deleting the test .dbc file). The pack installed successfully, appending onto the .dbc file as I had hoped. Then I renamed it back to its original name and put all the files together as before. Checked content in game, and everything is good to go.

I don't know how well this fix will scale, so I'm planning on installing in batches, and holding one-offs for the next batch in case all my .dbc files become unreadable by the launcher and I have to let it make a new one. But if you're getting that error message, you can try testing clean like I did - if it installs, then maybe this workaround will work for you, too.

Gahh.

I'm on a mac so I can't use the binary exe directly, so currently I'm going with the dbc option.
However, the launcher really doesn't install anything anymore, which didn't happen before (even post-patch, I could install the new sets then, and they would show up with the dbc trick).
Do the new sims3pack sets have something different? It says it installs them, success and all, but the items disappear from 'installed content' after I quit the launcher. So basically, even the dbc thing doesn't work now, as the items don't even go to the dbc packages.

As AM doesn't remove the disc check for macs (WHY IS THIS), and the launcher can't be used separately on this thing, I feel I have no options for installing these.
Next I'm going to try with Roux's fix above, and then maybe with package files. I spent last night testing and cursing with custom dbc's, so they're out of the question.

I really like this work around though I haven't tried it yet. I hope I don't run into any problems while doing it. I doubt EA wiil "fix" the launcher. This is a great way to discourage people to get the shared store items. It's still important to me though that the work around is easy to reverse.

ETA: I currently have the base game patched up to 1.79 though I'm going to install WA. I wonder how it is that you patch WA to V2.2? I know that for this new version 1.8/2.3 you can patch each seperately. Though I believe that's not the case with 1.7/2.2.

Did you finally success with .dbc files or in any other way ? I tried again and again but no way to install successfully any .pack file since I installed WA and updated to 1.8/2.3 ( as many people around ) and put .package files in Mods/Packages slows down so much the game that it becomes impossible to play ... Damned. This game is less and less playable on Mac.


EDIT :

Hope it will help some Mac users who have installed World Adventure and updated to the last 1.8/2.3 via the laucher ...

Following the idea of downgrading since it's a fact that major CC install problems come from the last EA update patch ( 1.8/2.3 ), here the file I use and let me install every .pack file I wish to install ( Old Town Starter set, Gothique Full Set, Asian Fusion, Bayside Fullset, etc ... )

http://rapidshare.com/files/335163356/s3keepitsafe.zip (http://rapidshare.com/files/335163356/s3keepitsafe.zip)

It's only a TS3EP01.exe replacement which can be found by right-clicking the "The Sims 3.app" and selecting "Show Package Contents" and then navigating as follows :

Contents/Resources/transgaming/c_drive/Program Files/Electronic Arts/The Sims 3 World Adventures/Game/Bin/

Keep safe anywhere ( on your desktop for example ) your patched TS3EP01.exe and put this one instead. Just the time needed to install all CC you want. Then, once all your CC installed via the launcher, as said here and there, copy your dcdb0.dbc file in :

Contents/Resources/transgaming/c_drive/Program Files/Electronic Arts/The Sims 3 World Adventures/Mods/DCCache/

Don't forget to update your Resource.cfg by adding :

PackedFile Mods/DCCache/*.dbc
PackedFile Mods/Packages/*.dbc
PackedFile Mods/Packages/*/*.dbc

The TS3EP01.exe I posted is a cracked WA game. But I suppose you can do the same with any WA TS3EP01.exe as far it's not the one updated to 2.3 by EA ... Once all done, put back the one you usually play with, lauch the game, you'll find all CC you just installed.

Bad side : each time you want to add some custom content, you have to switch to an "older" TS3EP01.exe  :-\ But after all, this is the only working way I found to play with CC and it's quite easy and simple to do. And no need to have a virtual PC installed.

Hope it will help

Yeah, I doubt they'll fix it since my guess is it's an anti-piracy measure.

2.2 patch for WA is a separate download, so yes, you can patch each separately.

blackgryffin: I ended up reinstalling the whole thing  :-\ I installed the sims3packs before patching, so it's sorta semi-working now. I'm going to try this 'new' fix as soon as RapidShare will let me download (and there's new stuff to install).

Also I noticed that repairing permissions and the whole disk with Disk Utility with the OS X disc improves performance greatly. Had to do this after reinstall, the game was unbearably slow and choppy. Now it works better than ever :o

I suggest disk & permissions repair with Disk Utility to everyone playing on a Mac, works like a charm. (shove your OSX install disk in, reboot, press option(alt) while booting and choose the disk and so on.) I did it once by accident, and was surprised how much it had to do with performance.
..meaning TS3 will effectively mess up your whole beloved Mac.

Maybe because some stuff won't install until you have not your Sims 3 base game updated to the last 2.3 ... I confess I'm a bit puzzled but The Sims has ALWAYS been a tricky game, including The Sims 2 and all its expansions.  ::)
3 computers here at home and 2 different Sims 3 installs : one which is only updates based on and the other one which is a full re-install ( until 1.8/2.3 ). The trick worked for both. And for both : I started to install first Riverview ...

One more detail related to Riverview ( and any other CAW new world ) : installed the same way than explained but I had to use the trick explained here and on MTS : put Riverview.world and AnyWorld.world in :

Contents/Resources/transgaming/c_drive/Program Files/Electronic Arts/The Sims 3/GameData/Shared/NonPackaged/Worlds/

( with Sunset Valley.world ) to show up them in game ...


You are right to remember to all Mac users how permissions repair is important on Mac OS X. It's a basic use. After each install ( any install ! ) always repair permissions  ! 8)

Okay, I feel really slow and stupid right now. I can't honestly say that I followed the instructions because the part about the DOS had me confused. Also I don't know which folder to launch my game from. I used the launcher from the "working launcher" folder to install the new store items and at least now I'm seeing that installed icon which I wouldn't see before. So then I proceeded with the TS3EP01.exe from the "working launcher" folder to play the game. It goes past the startup screen to the screen where I can now select the game I want to play then it starts to the load the game but then it crashes half way through. I really want to play the game and I don't feel like reinstalling because I believe this is an issue I should be able to fix. Please help!!!!

I had the same problem, so now I use the TS3EP01.exe from the World Adventures folder.  The instructions only state we should use the Launcher from the "working launcher" folder.  But I could be wrong; you might want to wait for someone with more experience than I for an answer. ;D

You have to get the DOSpath to your MYDOCUMENTS\Electronic Arts\DCCache\ folder. This is somehow difficult, if you do not know DOS. But why don´t you take the example as a guide if you have a standard installation?
"..\..\DOCUME~1\USERNAME\MYDOCU~1\ELECTR~1\THESIM~1\DCCache" means nothing else, that you have to fill in the username you have choosen for the system.

If you feel unsure about this, get DOS Path 0.3.1 from here
http://softwaredownloadmirror.com/freeware/dos-path-0.3.1/102785557/
install and launch it. Then open up the DCCache window in your MYDOCUMENTS Folder. Copy the Windows path to the "Win Path" line of DOSpath and convert it. Voilá!

The game per se will be launched from the original place. I do not use the launcher file (Sims3Launcher.exe) because it´s mean. Use the TS3.exe (or TS3EP01.exe) instead.

As you launched the game from the "working_launcher" directory, it could not start. See my info above and start the game from its original location! This has been stated here several times. Read before you post!


Edited due to some ESL mistakes.

That's correct.  Use TS3EP01.exe from the WA folder to play the game, only use the working_launcher folder when you need to run the Launcher to install/remove stuff.

Cool.  Thanks for verifying that.  :)  I suppose we'll have to do the same thing when we install the High-End Loft stuff pack?

All store content is showing in the working Launcher; but when scrolling through it, the Launcher freezes repeatedly.  Any suggestions?

It does unfreeze itself if you're patient enough, right?  I did have the problem of it being pathetically slow, freezing at times, and unfreezing.  It was an exercise in patience.  It does that with 1.7/2.2 as well so I just wrote it off as Launcher is inefficient, slow, and just plain sucks.

I reverted to the previous patch because I could not unfreeze it. And it would error three times out of four.

It does unfreeze; I just lost my patience years ago and haven't been able to find it since. ;D  I didn't install anything with the 1.7/2.2 patch.  And prior to that patch, the Launcher worked fine; so I thought maybe I'd done something wrong.  

The Sims3Pack corruption issue in 1.8/2.3 should be fixed using s3rc's new "decrapify" functionality, on both your sim3packs and your save files. Do not, however, distribute decrapified packages as this procedure is experimental and may produce compatibility issues with people who have not decrapified.

It's store content I installed prior to *any* patching, but is it corrupted anyway?  I don't know about using this new decrapify feature; I don't want my game go boom!  ;D

And that's why WinRAR exists. Do you have what it takes be a WinRAR? And yes, all store content is corrupt like that.

I ran all store content through the Awesome Recompressor (without decrapify) before installing it.  And I know what WinRAR is; I used it once until the trial version expired.  But I'm not sure what you're implying, as I am non-awesome. :P

You will have to decrapify everything if you want to keep installing as Sims3Packs. WinRAR is for backing up all your Sims3Packs and saves before you do it.

Hello.  I just wanted to double check the path to the Resource.cfg that needs to be edited.  Is it the Resource.cfg located in 'C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3'
or the Resource.cfg located in 'C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Game\Bin'

I read this post:

But since I don't own World Adventures, I just wanted to confirm which Resource.cfg to modify.  Thanks in advance for your kind consideration and thank you for these instructions!

Gotcha.  At first, I thought you were just being mysterious about some other feature. ;D

The first one, C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3.

What does decrapify actually do?  I've decrapified and reinstalled all the sims3packs and saved games on my wife's PC since her game is full of crap (random missing hair, random sims going invisible).  Not sure yet if it's fixed anything.  Mine has been fine so I haven't tried it.  Decrapify and s3rc also doesn't like filenames with spaces.  Thought I'd mention that in case it's an easy fix.

My game is running just fine, too; everything's showing up, no crashing.  I think I'll wait and see if I can install new store content when it comes out.


Did doing that break your wife's saved games?  I'd really hate to start over.  :-\

It's highly technical, but basically, EAxis changed something in the 1.8 patch that made certain resource IDs invalid. Decrapify fixes this in all the files, and corrects all the bad references. Current version should fix the spaces thing.

Is this still working for all new patches or was it just 1.8/2.3? There are so many threads here, it's a little overwhelming. The patches don't seem to be helping anyone's game but they are needed for new store content right? Plus it seems most modders are keeping up with the patches. Did the launcher actually get fixed in any of the new patches?

The "freeze" is related with the specific routine that forces the Launcher to read each .package inside the .DBC file to show the thumbnail of the file, and it takes time if you have a big list.
If you find the files you want to remove and select them, and press to uinstall them, the Launcher will run TS3.exe/TS3EP01.exe/TS3SP01.exe in background ready to read the .DBC files and remove the specific files you want.
Still, if the Launcher's routine has not yet done with all the thumbnails you browsed through the list, it will stays running it.
Self-experience, I had 3.XGb of CC installed through the Launcher, and to browse that huge list was indeed a patience test, with so few categories to get what I look for, I had to browse the whole list, select all the items, that I did in about 15min just looking, Ihad to browse until the end to find those I wanted, when I finnaly put them to uinstall.
The problem was that I would have to wait until the Launcher read all the files, so if you were mad the way I was, just kill the Sims3Launcher.exe process and let the game .exe do the rest of the job.


NO.

I agree with the conspiracy against this aspect. It may be proposital. I can't see where would be an so complex error related with a bad made patch that could do this and that they can't find a way to "fix" it.

Being proposital or no, EA has a very famous reputation with their bad programmer's. Really, I think they doesn't even pass their patches through QA before.. What kind of company do that, well I kind of get used to it anyway..

I have High End stuff does this matter with trying to get the Launcher to install stuff? This is still a tad complicated.

Edi: I got it to work but I did things different I used my WA as the test working launcher. But I am still not sure what I do after I reinstall High End Stuff :-\

This method to make the launcher working will not be compatible with High-End Loft Stuff, since the base version of it matches the patch v1.9.22/v2.4.7 and the problem with the Launcher started at patch v1.8.25/v2.3.33;
If you have High-End Loft Stuff you will have to use the base game bin folder or the world adventures's, if you have it.

I had problems recently with it, specifically that Service Error, it occours after you start the game. Somehow there's something the game does with the .DBC files, maybe it attach a new index at the files, wich is why the error appears, but if you clean your DCCache folder, you can install everything again.


The only work-around is to do what Roux said, install the files in batches.
For instance, I keep all my downloads separated in folders, there I will make each folder as one single .dbc file.
I don't know if the method that you be able to create your own .DBC files by using Delphy's Multi-Extractor and merge them using S3PE is the same thing the Launcher does, but in my opinion they are one and the same, so it's basically it.

Actually, this method does work with HELS.
What I did was make my "working_launcher" folder using the Bin folder from the HELS folder, then copied the old 1.7 TS3EP01.exe into that folder and renamed it TS3SP01.exe.  It works just fine.

I tend to blow away DCCache and rebuild it with the Launcher anytime I get new content as that creates only a single .dbc file rather than multiples.

Wow.. EA is really dumb, they don't even make a simple sub to gather info in the executable like build version/info;
Anyway, thanks for the tip, I don't see if it make any difference, I have HELS installed but I'm using a copy from World Adventures.
With this experience we've seen that this problem isn't on the Launcher but in the game binary, if you HEX it there are plenty stuff gathering the .enf files (not sure about the extension though).

After 10 re-installs my launcher was being really slow but it seems that just something wrong with the launcher and not this method. Anyways I just need to know if I can continue to use this same process for all future updates as I want to use awesome mod but I need to update to do that. From the last 2 posts it would seem so and also from new edited instructions it seems it is possible to use this method for recent and future updates. Would I just need to keep my 17./2.2 Bin handy to use again and again?

You can use this method if decrapifying doesn't work for you.  However, I'd recommend trying decrapifying first.  It should make your store content installable by the normal Launcher.
The only issue I've had with decrapifying is that a couple store hairs intermittently work.  I ended up still having to do steps 5 & 6 to make all store content 100% reliable, even after decrapifying.

GnatGoSplat, after browsing into some .ini files at the game folder I find out a easier way to this all this process to make the launcher work.

All you need is the .exe v1.7.9/2.2.8, all you have to do is to put the .exe into the folder you currently use, example, if you have HELs, then put it at <HELS Dir>\Game\Bin.
Rename the exe you copied to a fitting name, "WorkingEXE" for this example.

In the bin folder it will be a file named "Sims3Launcher.ini" open it with notepad, edit the line with GameProcessName "variable" with the name of the exe, in this example it will be:
GameProcessName = WorkingEXE

Save it. Done, now you can use the launcher you normally open the game.

This saves the bytes to create a copy of the whole Bin folder.

Forgot to say:
Don't use the Launcher to open the game, use a shortcut to the game binary instead.

Well, I've been happily using this method, and the message from markjs makes it even simpler, but I have not been able to install the last simpacks updates: first it said I needed to update and try again, and putting through s3rc it hangs indefinitely at 0% of 'installing'. I haven't tried decrapifying yet, as it would defeat the point, but  is it just me because I suck, or did anyone have the same problem?

Tried decrapifying, did the 'am installed, but not really routine', decrapified through DOS, same thing, then tried with the working launcher, and it hangs, same as before.
I'm officially beaten.

I decrapified the Fairy Set with Jfade's new tool, and installed it with an unmodified HELS Launcher just fine.

I tried to find it, but only found 0.15, so thought it wasn't out yet.

You can get the latest version in this thread: http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,18154.50.html (http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,18154.50.html).

I had this one, but didn't try it because there wasn't a decrapify inside. Dumb again.
Well, success but not installed, so I'm stumped.

I don't know why it doesn't have the decrapify.exe inside, but it does decrapify.  Did you select Decrapify specifically, or try the unmodified HELS Launcher?

Tried everything.
Thank you for trying to help anyway.

Well, it seems that decrapified fireplaces don't show up in-game anyway.  So it's back to manual .dbc files for me.  ;D

I was successfully using this method for quite a while. Today, I've run into a problem.

I decided to split the store content and other S3Packs into separate DBC/Packages. The store DBC works fine; the working launcher even shows the installed symbol. But when installing other S3Packs (TSR, SimplyStyling Around The Sims...etc) , I get the "success" note on all of them, but no installed symbols in the working launcher. I make a copy of the DBC so it's in 2 places (Sims folder and Mods folder), and the content doesn't show up. I tried opening this DBC file in S3PE, and this 2.99 GB file is empty of content.

Has anyone else experienced this? I haven't changed anything about my setup so, I doubt that would be the problem. I know there are other methods of fixing the file, but I'm more curious as to why this install method just stopped working.

Okay, I'm stumped. I followed all of the steps in the first post but now all that happens when I try to install content is, well, nothing.
I recently reinstalled my game and used the .exe from the disc to do the replacing with.
The launcher opens fine, content in the Downloads folder shows up but when I attempt to install it I get a 'busy' cursor then the launcher flashes and all content is then unticked and no attempt is made to install it.

The main reason I didn't try decrapify this time is that the last time I did the content ended up being named as strings of random numbers in the catalogue. Looks like I'll have to give it another try though.

I've been using the launcher to install other custom content (like from TSR and such), but I never used this method to do it. Right now, I'm having a hard time trying to get the launcher to load the installed content so that I can uninstall a couple items that have been updated for the recent patch. I read somewhere on this site that if I delete the .dbc, that would make me have to install all my content back through the launcher...but when the person asked if it really would delete his content if he deleted it all from the dccache and the dcbackup folders, it was never answered. I just want to make sure before I do this because I don't want to not be able to install it again without uninstalling the game first.

Hello !  :)
I'm new and I was wondering if this method could work with 1.11/2.6/3.2
Because the Store items don't show in game.
I think I must have done something wrong...

And even if with your explainations, I still don't understand the part about the DOS, sorry...
Could explain me again what we must put in the line 'Dos path', please ?


Thanks in advance... ;)

Hello, everyone !

I've got a problem ; when I want to download an item via the launcher, it says that it was succesful but there isn't the sign that it is installed in the game.
And yet, I followed the instructions...
What can I do ? ???

SEARCH MOAR.

My problem with installing store stuff is that only some of it gives me a "you must upadate your software... yada yada". My game is fully up to date, version 3.2. I have WA and HELS. Nothing of mine is arred. I tried decrapifying. I tried installing from the dashboard, which told me was installed, but it lied. Since it had lied to me, I tried deleting the contents of the DCCache and then clicking all in the launcher. Again the update software message came up. The items are the renault, hair Curls on the Side, hair Flip, various Around the Sims items and a few patterns I picked up along the way.

Is anyone able to help?

I suppose if you patched your game to the latest, you should change the files you use in the working launcher too. I get the message, but haven't done anything about it yet, because the only things that will install in my game are those I install from the EA site. cc isn't marked installed, neither is decrapified stuff. But it is in game in spite of that. The main problem is that the launcher installs them individually, small dbc files for each time, if I try again, it will install them again. I found lots of dbcs of the same size, with a few minutes difference.
So I make big packages while I muster the time and energy to reinstall the game.
I don't like decrapifying anyway because of the duplicates when you download houses, or the objects disappearing from the downloaded houses.

Protip: decrapify downloaded houses before installing them.

This method no longer works for versions above 1.11.7;
Due to a change in the command line the old executable won't be able to read the arguments properly.

The new method consists on while you press to install the content, the game will extract the .Sims3Pack's to DCBackup folder, after he finishes to extract them, he join them into a single file at the TEMP directory, after that it rename it's extension to .DBC and insert into DCCache folder.

The new command line is the following:
<EXE DiR> -ccinstall:"<TEMP DiR>/tsl**********.tmp" -r:450x350 -w -nosound

Since the old executable was not made to read it that way, it crashes.

So who use this method will have to use Pescado's Recompressor to decrapify CC or get back to extract and join files with S3PE.