Ditto. And, ditto.
Please?

OK... this is really annoying - can anybody fix it? 

...Rather than shoving all my shiny new roof domes, ceiling supports, decorative arches, columns, and etc "build-type" things in my Deco/Misc category, I got smart (LOL!) and put them in the Architecture Tab. BUT, now that has become unwieldy to scroll through. So, I thought, well, why can't I make it expand like all the other catalog sections do? And, well, that's a very good question. (Why can't I?) With a very easy answer... I'm just not that awesome. *sigh*

So... can someone awesome please fix it? 

P-P-P-Please? 

Thanks for the confirmation.
Yes, it will be a huge undertaking for probably very little space - but who knows - maybe I'll gain enough space to have all 23 white toilets back in my game (kidding, just kidding...)  

Anyone else have an opinion?


EDIT: I just modified 2 items in the M&G Program Files (instead of making a Hider for them) and, FYI, it takes forEVER to save the file. It did it, though; and I tested it in game - everything worked great. Just don't freak when SimPE goes white and doesn't respond. I went downstairs, made/had a martini - when I came back, all was good. 

I'm attempting to cram as much 'stuff' into my game as possible. 

(I have all EP/SPs (except H&M) - 4GB ram plus 4 more on Ready Boost/Vista...)

I also just realized that I have recategorized or hidden just about every Maxis thing in the catalog. So, in the interest of trimming away unneeded files - couldn't I get rid of these hider-mods/recategorizing files and just change the Program Files directly? (Making back ups first, of course. ) I've already successfully done this with the Base Game H05 and H06 bundles - but they were just stuff.

If things won't blow up on me - would I just need to change the reoccuring things (things that show up in each EP) in M&G, or should I do each EPs rendition?
If it's not advisable to do the EPs - what about the SPs?

What do you think? 

OK. Thanks for the answer.

Is there a way of correcting the lighting reference with SimPE - it doesn't happen on all of my CC curtains, so I think there must be a way around it. I just don't know what it is.

 

Does anybody have any idea why some things turn dark (like the lights are out) when I shift them down the wall with the AL-]/[-shifter keys?
For example: curtains - if I shift them down to 'loft' height (from ceiling height) the curtains look like they are in an unlit room. And usually the only way to get their color back is by deleting them and repurchasing.

Do you know what I can do to fix this problem? (I'm hoping there's a little box in SimPE that needs tiking, or something easy like that.) I know it happens with most (but not all) of my CC curtains, I can't remember exactly what happened with EAxis ones - but I think they did it too.

Is this just just 'my' problem? I searched and couldn't find another thread about it.

Please, somebody, help shed some light on this problem.  *snicker  snicker*

Thanks,
Cat

*sigh* Oh, my... now I'm really in for it - but I want to know, so I'm gonna ask:

What do you mean, seelindarun, by "bundling"?  

I haven't added back any of my W/T/F/BodyShop stuff yet. Nor my Decorative folders. I'm still weeding to the bare-bones in my surfaces and comfort folders. *sniff* I love HugeLunatic's repository sets - I've been making room with those as well.

Loading time is not really my issue. *pfft* It can take an hour to load - so long as it doesn't crash after it's loaded; and, I want to be able to PLAY.

I haven't tried ReadyBoost yet (I was gone yesterday) I will try it today. And this bundling of stuff - as soon as I know how to do it.

Thanks!



EDIT: Can't do the ReadyBoost yet - none of our flash cards or zip drives are fast enough. So, I went shopping at Amazon and bought a 16Gb card. I should have it in a few days... I hope it works.

OK - ReadyBoost works! But, I'm still consolidating - I've just got too much stuff. 

Good to know - thanks! I'll try it. I did notice the last few times I've exited the game that my RAM is almost completely used up. Maybe that is part of the problem.

I'm still crashing when I try to load more than 4.5Gb worth of stuff - even with my 2nd CPU turned off... And it's taking around a half hour to load (to the 'choose a neighborhood' screen.)

I'd really like to have 8+ Gbs of stuff to play with 

Oh yes, definately compressorized!

OK. 45 minutes - I'm starting to feel a bit better. It appears to really help if I turn the other CPU off.

And, I guess I could have a corrupt file still - I mean with 94,204 files, I could've missed one I suppose. LOL!

  how would I go about using my flash drive? And what is ReadyBoost? (I will google the later, whilst I await your explanantion.)

Thanks!

TeeHee - Thanks. 

I've already been to the 'dance' - and cleaned/examined all my files. I got the folders (around 220 of 'em - including subfolders, and I don't think any of the folder 'trees' go more than 4 levels; the longest ones being along these lines "Decorative/Sculpture/KitchenClutter/recolors".)

I was able to search & destroy (cull through the catolog while in game and delete more stuff) last night with no crashes - when I remembered to shut down my 2nd CPU immediately upon game load.

If you've got 8.74Gb of stuff, then I should be able to load all my stuff too. Before I started this austere clean up project I had around 12Gb of stuff (some of which I'd dearly like to add back in again.) How long does it take to load your game? Do you have dual CPUs? I want what you've got! Waaaah! 

Back on XP is when I started having the crashes.... that's what prompted me to get a new shiny PC.
People just make too many pretties. Poop.

OK. I hear ya - I'll delete more stuff 

I'm on Vista 64-bit... but it's a shiny new gaming rig:
500GB SATA II Single hard Drive
Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 3.0Ghz 1333FSB CPUs
Asus P5N-E 650i SLI Motherboard
Corsair XMS2 Xtreme DDR2/800 RAM - 4 Gb (2X2Gb sticks)
2 NVIDIA GeForce 8600GT 512MB Video Cards

I know dual core does me no good with the Sims - and I turn off one CPU after the game loads.  

I have 4.30Gb of CC in right now, but that's without any floors/walls and bodyshop stuff (yikes!) Maxis gave us a zillion floors and walls to choose from, I just don't like any of them. (I also haven't added back my Decorative stuff and Comfort stuff - please read below for more explanation...)

Everything is squeaky clean and in pristine shape - I had to do a complete re-install because somehow my Sims 2 registry keys got borked. I was crashing all the time. Now everything seems to work fine and I'm adding back my CC in bits and pieces. I'm just afraid that it's not all going to fit - and I don't want the crashes to start up again.

OK, I'm rambling now... Gonna load my game again and see if the Comfort stuff fits. (Incidentally load time is around 5 minutes.)


CORRECTION: It took 20 minutes to load, then promptly crashed. I forgot to turn off my other CPU - whether that caused the crash or not, I dunno...

*sigh* yeah... Thank you for the clarification.
Default Replacements. That's along the lines I was thinking... OK. I'll just use 'hiders' and try to reduce some more CC. 

What about with Walls and Floors? They are my next tackle-project. That's where I thought I could really gain some ground replacing the fugly Maxis ones with my own preferences instead of just 'hiding' them. What do you think?

Thanks for your help. 

Thanks for the reply. I've already got the "better computer": with 4 Gb RAM plus a graphics card with another 512. That should be enough to run a full component of the Sims 2 and my CC. Right?

And that --> "Replacing MIGHT save you some space if you get rid of some of your CC and use replacements that reuse meshes and textures" - IS exactly what I'm asking about. Before I go to all the work making/finding replacements though, I'd like to change that 'MIGHT' into a definative.

...any other thoughts?

In the interest of keeping my game files tidy and small... Is it better to 'hide' the fugly Maxis walls/floors/terrains/clothes/hair(etc) or to overwrite/replace these files? 

I've organized/rearranged most every original game file there is and weeded down my CC to my bare-bones minimum, but it's STILL too much to run the game without crashing due to Access Violations (which, from what I've learned, means I've got too much CC)   

ARRRRGH!!! 

So, I want the fugly Maxis stuff I will never use to be gone. At the same time, I want to use the space created by said fugly stuff's removal for more of my CC pretties. Does this make sense?

Therefore, my solicitation of your advice: Do I just 'Hide' or should I replace?

Thanks for thinkin' with me! 

PS - I also posted/asked this over at MTS2 - but as yet there are no replies (awesome or not) So, please, somebody, hit the reply - even if it's only to poke me. Thanks... (I think!)


 

OK. This is starting to make sense.

When it didn't work, I went back to SimPE to change the BINX numbers back as they were before (I didn't do the 'back-up' method, as these were hairs I really didn't care for all that much) Anyway - when I went to change them back I saw that even though I'd only changed the first number, all 7 numbers had changed. Maybe it's a short-cut to only change one?

If the sort index number and Frag. index number are the same (hex/dec,) then why didn't the hairs line up together in CAS? Does each hair need it's own number? Or, can all the blonde recolors of a style/family share the same Frag. index number ? I made them all the same.

Maybe I did something wrong - I'll double check and try it again. I noticed another anomoly in that a few of the tool tips I had changed didn't appear changed in the game. Maybe I'm losing my mind...

Ya know, you people really are awesome!
Thank you.


OK - I tried it. It didn't work. I am not awesome.
I only tried one hair (Helga #91) that I have "recolors all over the place" of and, well, they're still all over the place...

I altered the first (#1) of the BINX numbers only - and I changed each to be the same throughout the 'family' of the hairstyle. No worky.
I did notice (when I was checking things in game) that the Frag. sort index number changed; higher numbers were at the front of the catolog with CC - lower CC numbers in the middle, and when the Eaxis hairs started the numbers got larger again (kindof a B.C./A.D. thing.)

I don't know where to find those numbers - will altering them help?

Thanks again. 

Thanky! I'll give it a go.
 


...uh - I opened a hair in SimPE and found the BINX numbers with no problem. My Q is: do I need to modify each of the sort index #'s? The hair I opened had 7 (I think.) And, does it matter what I change them to?

And, is there a way to edit in the Wrangler?

I've been sorting/binning/weeding through my hairs (using the Wardrobe Wrangler.) Whew! What a job! Thank you JFade! 

Is there any way to make all my shiney sorted recolors be together in the CAS catolog per style? If I have 3 shades of brown hair of the same style/mesh - how do I get them to appear next to each other in CAS?

For example: I have a zillion black recolors of Raon's #20 (with various streaks and patterns) all neatly binned to black, but Buffy's are on one page in the catolog, Apache's a few pages away, Shadysim's on another, etc... how do I get them lined up next to each other? I've tried renaming their file names (so they are together in my 'hair' folder) but, that seems to have no effect. Is this possible to do?

Thanks for your help!