More Awesome Than You!

Hey, folks. Forgive me, but I don't know much about custom content for TS2, but I'm trying to learn.

I don't have a lot of custom content, but I've been thinking lately about renaming the package files for some of the custom content I've downloaded.  Some have file names that are fairly meaningless -- just numbers and letters -- and it would be convenient to be able to tell what they were at a glance. (The Urbz Mesh T-Shirt by MaxoidMonkey is an example). 

My questions are:  Is this advisable? If it's done, are there places the files should be modified internally? Are there associated files that would need to be modified? (I used to be pretty good with TS1 custom content, and remember there were several places the modifications needed to be done in order to work properly). Will renaming affect custom content that's currently placed/worn in the game?

If there's a good tutorial about this somewhere, pointing me to it will be enough.

Thanks in advance for any help anyone might offer.

There are people better qualified than me to help you, but one suggestion sticks out like a sore thumb - get the Clean Installer from ModtheSims2!  Should at least stop any more 999digit file-names!

Renaming is (usually) harmless. The only exception is some game overrides such as custom CASes.

Clothing etc. can be renamed without problems.

There was a thread about it here (http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php?topic=2212.0) that may help.

Most items, unless specifically indicated, can be renamed harmlessly. There are a few items that do not tolerate renaming, but these are unusual in their nature and generally carry specific warnings against it in their documentation. Anything which does not have a proscription against renaming can be renamed.

Well, I shan't be renaming much of mine in the near future - I don't want to spend the next week just typing new names to stuff!  But I have renamed a few walls that had the long file name from before I had Clean Installer or the multi-installer.

Thank you all for your help.  I'm off to rename my few pitiful items, after first backing up things for good luck  ;)

I do have the Sims2Pack Clean Installer -- a wonderful tool -- but there are times when it's advantageous to be able to identify files simply by looking at the directory.

Thanks again!

what just the one week? slacker . mine would keep sombody in full time employment for at least a month . its such a shame i cart just pay sombody to clean my game up

rm -rf Downloads would do the job nicely....

jm , it may not be entirely obvious , but for me to understand what you mean , you really do have to speak to me like im 4

I think he means, in his subtle way, get rid of the lot! :o

thats not such a bad idea . the only think that stops me is donation packs which i obviously never bothered to save anywhere . oh and the chance of me finding anything like a serial number for anything is quite slim , last time i had to reinstall some very kind man from tsr spent a few hours showing me how to get in from them from the computer .

belive it or not i do have a very tidy mind , its just hard to find somtimes

Well, could I make one suggestion - from now on save everything you download in a saved downloads folder as well as putting it in your game.  Then, at least if the worst comes to the worst, you have some back ups!

Heh, yeah. Subtle. Subtle like a 2x4 to the back of the head. :P

Subtlety being your strong point, of course?

Thanks alot everyone.  I've always wanted to rename the files I make, but I didn't what to luv them up. No more jacked up abriviations.

I rename BS files and Walls and floors but if i try to rename objects or recolors it messes them up...

i think im going to bite the bullet . and reinstall next week ,it should solve all those werid little promblems i have as well .  and i herby swear that i will make backups of stuff in the future . but you do realise im going to sqarking for week "where can i get this hair ect"

Well, just because you reinstall doesn't mean you have to lose those downloads, but it might give you the incentive to sort them out - just put them back once you've identified them, backed them up. and decided they really add something to your game.  A good opportunity to get rid of the clutter which comes with every downloaded set, and which you never use!

na im going to nuke the lot , my download file is 2.64gb . so really it all needs to be burned

Is that ALL?  I have that much for just one set of game files!  (But I do know what I've got...... ;))

i would like a much smaller downloads folder , and ive decided untill i can use simpe i dont want any custom skin tones or eyes in my game (the whole gentic thing) and i dont want any unbinned customer hair on my game either, so all in all i think its best to have a nice fresh start .

I've never had a problem with custom skin-tones, but of course, the files are massive!  Before you start throwing everything out, though, I'd do a search for the letters DON, as a lot of donation stuff has them in the filename somewhere - at least then you could rescue things you've bought in a donation set.

mm clever idea i uppose i could the same of peggy and rose aswell . and i have 3 days off starting now yippie

Great idea!  And if you have 4ESF2 or SimGedoehns donations, they should be easy enough to find.  And you can use Clean Installer as well, to help you identify stuff you want to keep.

i just moved the rose stuff . and a xm doation pack , but im buring everything else , il get new and its an excuse to go on a downloading spree. altho my main promblem is i dont know where to get a censor remover from . now mst2 adult section is closed

I have the one that just sits in your Downloads folder (Quaxi's).

even though the adult section is hidden, you can still get stuff from it if you do a specific search.  Search on user name Quaxi in the advanced search box there, and it'll  turn up.

If it doesn't, drop me a pm with your email address and I'll send it to you.

found it . thankyou very much,

And if there's something you think of later that you've deleted and can't live without, which is no longer available anywhere, you must let us know, someone is almost sure to have it!

oh i will thats for sure , u should see my download folder now , it got all little subfolders and i can find everything

And have you kept a back up of each downloaded file?

lets not get carried way.

Seems like you may be glad that some of us do!

i am always enternaly greatful for other peoples organisation skills , as i was right at the back of the que when they handed it out , and even more greatful for their willingness to help me ,

Most people like to help! ;D

I decided after reading this I should organise my d/ls better and I'm going cross-eyed at all the GUIDs instead of names so I may rename all the files.  When do you have time to play?

All I do is rename anything with those awful long filenames.  Other than that, I put complete sets together, download collection files where they are available, save everything I've downloaded by site with pics if possible (sunair is the only one I haven't been able to do this) and then, if I should need to replace something, I can find the original and use that.

ZZ, I know you don't venture out of the Podium very often, so I just wanted to make sure you saw Jfade's Collection tool (http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php?topic=4182.0).  It's really cool and very helpful.

Thanks Blue, I saw it at her site, and I may try it out when I've finished trying to save Sigrid Schillings SWAFs!