If you REALLY want to use Launcher to install Sims3Pack with 1.8/2.3

[simaddict]

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?

[cefwyn]

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)

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.

[GnatGoSplat]

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?

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.

[starsong]

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

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

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

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

[PrinJess]

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.

[freelancergal]

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.

[notyourbusiness]

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)

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.

[J. M. Pescado]

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

[notyourbusiness]

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

[J. M. Pescado]

Well, the files you downloaded are clearly not.

[notyourbusiness]

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

[J. M. Pescado]

Sounds like a personal problem to me, soldier.

[notyourbusiness]

It is.
Thought I could get away with it.

[kodawaruonna]

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?

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.

[Whako]

Works fine for me! Thank you.

[J. M. Pescado]

Beats me. Try it and see.

[Roux]

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.

[dedust]

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.

[virgali]

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.

[blackgryffin]

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.

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

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

[GnatGoSplat]

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.

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.

[dedust]

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

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.

[blackgryffin]

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).

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 ...

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

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.

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  !

[ksinclair]

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!!!!

[Capitaine Marie]

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.