Questions about SimPE and memory editor

[syberspunk]

A couple of questions about your memory deleter plug-in:

I think I heard or read somewhere that Theo's memory editor enhancement plug-in no longer works with the latest version of SimPE (0.58 afaik). Is that true?

I think the latest SimPE is supposed to have some of the features of your plug-in built in now, like the Cascade delete option. Right?

I went into the memory editor (I have not downloaded your plug-in since I thought it no longer works properly), and I right clicked on a memory that I wanted to cascade delete. If I understand correctly, cascade delete should delete the original memory (the one that I am right clicking on) as well as search through the memories of all other sims and delete any (possibly invisible) memories that refer to it, right?

I hope I understood that correctly. If this is true, then am I doing something wrong? Because I tried to right click and delete a memory, but I went to check another sim that defniitely has an invisible memory of it via gossip, which was Not removed. Is this because gossip a different type of memory?

Does the cascade memory delete function even work properly? Or did I screw something up myself?

Since it didn't work, do I need to search manually through all of my sims to make sure that no one has invisible memories related to the one I want deleted? Is that the only way to fix this problem?

Basically, I want to de-age this YA down to teen, and I want to remove his 'Went to College' memory, so I could later send him to college myself. Thus far, I have found one invisible gossipy memory of his 'Went to College' memory. So I'm afraid to just delete it without cleaning up all the other references. Since he is a YA, he was pretty much free to roam around campus and the comm lots, and it would be a pretty painful and tedious task to check every frickin sim's memories in my 'hood. Someone help me please? 


Also... unrelated to that, there is something weird with one of my townies. This townie that my sim is definitely best friends with doesn't seem to have memories. I'm fairly certain he does have memories, as I checked when I was in-game and made him selectable. However, in the memory editor inside SimPE, the only items that show up are all invisible. At first I thought that maybe it was because he is a townie, but I checked other sims in his 'family' (Garth - which I think are actually downtownies) and some of them do have memories. Is this because he started out as a child? His name in my game is Scott Carson. I don't know if this is a Maxis premade default downtownie, or if the name was generated randomly because I use jordi's better names mod.

In anycase, I looked at the other child aged sims within this Garth household, and they all also do not have memories, just invisible tokens and stuff. That seems to be the only common thread that I can find. The thing is, I aged him in-game using the boolprop cheat. This was before I created my own 'grow up townies' mod, and is in fact, part of the reason that I ended up creating that mod in the first place, because I did not like that he did not get a 'grew up well' memory. The odd thing is, he is now a teen, and in-game he has the memories of falling in love and woohooing and what not with my sim. Any idea why they aren't showing up in SimPE?

Anyhew, I figured I'd get more/better responses in the Podium rather than posting and ressurrecting the old thread in the Peasantry.

I'd appreciate any help, thanks!

Ste

[Theo]

[...]I tried to right click and delete a memory, but I went to check another sim that defniitely has an invisible memory of it via gossip, which was Not removed. Is this because gossip a different type of memory?

Could it be that the gossip is of a different memory, for example when you have the "Got A+ report card" and the "$Subject Got A+", which are two different (albeit related) memories?

If it isn't, then there may be a problem

Since I made most of the cleanup code, I'll try to explain it with a bit more detail by posting a snippet of the relevant pseudo-code:

Code:

NgbhItem SimA_Memory;
NgbhItem SimB_Memory;
if
(
  (SimA_Memory.IsMemory && SimB_Memory.IsMemory) &&   // only memories (exclude tokens, badges, etc)
  (SimA_Memory.Guid == SimB_Memory.Guid) &&           // same memory type?
  ArrayEquals(SimA_Memory.Data, SimB_Memory.Data) &&  // same event, owners, etc?
  !SimB_Memory.Flags.IsVisible                        // hidden (gossip)?
)
{
  // Mark SimB_Memory for deletion
}

The NgbhItem.Data array stores many variables, including the owner sim id, the subject sim id, and other variables that aren't accessible through SimPe's code yet (ex: the good/bad memory bit).

By making a bytewise comparison between the two arrays, the code imposes a very strict condition that must be met before a memory can be marked for deletion.

However, it's possible that the definition of gossip may have changed, especially after the introduction of newer types of memories such as the OFB badges.
I don't have SimPe or the game data files with me right now, but later I'll try to see if those conditions are still correct.

As for the townie issue, it happens because the game deletes all the townies memories (excluding some tokens) when they become playable by moving them in.
To avoid this, I use pinhead's Move In to all sim ages v2 hack, which shows a dialog asking if you want to delete the townie's memories when it moves in, giving you more control on the process.

[syberspunk]

ETA: I accidentally hit return before finishing my post, and then I couldn't edit because MATY was slow.

It was the same memory, I'm pretty sure. Ok, I went back into SimPE and took pictures, so hopefully this will clearly illustrate my problem.

In this first picture, you see the sim Alex. He is a townie (non-playable i.e. never moved in). I think he originally started out as a YA/dormie, and I used SimPE SimSurgery to change his skin and name. I then decided I wanted him to be a teen, so I made him selectable in-game and deaged him with boolprop testingcheats. As you can see, he is the sim selected, and I have circled the actual memory of "Went to College" and the details below, showing that he is the owner And subject.



Next, we show another townie, this is a teen, Ella Little. As you can see, I have circled an invisible memory that shows it is Gossip. Again, the owner and subject appears to be Alex.



Finally, here is a playable teen, Cindy Anne. Again, I have circled an invisible memory that shows it is Gossip, as well as showing the owner and subject being Alex.



What I did was, I went to Alex first, I right clicked on that "Went to College" memory, which popped up a menu. I selected Cascade Delete. I think in your thread it says that it would pop up messages indicating whether it had to delete any other memories, and if so, what sims were affected. Well... I did not get any such notification. I hunted and pecked manually, and found a few sims (more than these two) who had the invisible memory. I thought, ok maybe, the invisible memory by gossip is considered a separate memory/type or whatever. I was hoping then, if I deleted one of them, it would get them all. This also did not work. In the end, I ultimately had to seek and destroy every single instance manually. I don't remember the exact total off h and, but I'm pretty sure I found at least 3 total, if not maybe as many as 5. I searched through all the sims with memories that actually showed up. I'm hoping I got them all.  What makes me sad though, is I thought the cascade delete option was supposed to do this for us.

Anyhew, my concern for the 2nd issue is doubled, because, as the pics will illustrate, certain sims memories do not show up in SimPE, even though they definitely have memories in-game. This worries me because, for those sims, it doesn't seem like I would even be able to tell if they had the invisible gossipy memories, nor can I delete them.

So, for the memory thing with the townie, first of all, I am using pinhead's hack, but that isn't the problem. It wasn't that I moved the townie in, I never made him playable. And his memories have not been erased, because when I go into the game and make him selectable, his memories are clearly visible in-game (no pic included because I'm too lazy to go into the game right now, maybe I'll edit later, but for now you'll have to trust me. Don't I seem like a trustworthy guy?  )

What I did do in-game was make him temporarily selectable, and then I aged him manually using the boolprop testingcheats. As I explained, this was before I made my Ask to Grow Up hack, and was partly the inspiration for that hack in the first place. Why do I have to go through the trouble of doing steps using the boolprop or puppy killer when I can just make it an interaction, complete with proper memories and such[/self pimp]. Anyhew... so here you see Scott Carson, who is a downtownie in the "Garth" household. His thumbnail pic shows him as a child, even though his age is teen. In the memory panel, the only thing listed is like invisible stuff. But in-game, he clearly has memories, such as making friends, kissing, and woohooing with one of my playable sims.



As I searched through the various households, I found a sort of recurring pattern. Any townies/downtownies that had the Child lifestage also had virtually blank memory panels. I think there was a rare exception, but even with the usual suspects like Brittany Parker, Chloe Gonzanga, and Chandler Platz, all had blank memory panels except for a few insivible things.



If you look at Susan Osborne, in the same downtownie household, she is a teen and her memories are visible. All regular teens, adults, and elders seem fine as far as memories go. It only seems to be children down/townies that do not show their memories. I'm thinking that, because I aged Scott up manually via boolprop testingcheats, the game and/or SimPE doesn't properly see him as a teen.



I hope this makes sense. I don't know why the cascade delete memory thing did not work for me, nor why children down/townies memories do not properly show up in SimPE. 

Ste

[Theo]

I'd be inclined to say this may be a SimPe problem, but I'll have to attach a debugger to the SimPe process (oh joy! ) to be sure of that.

The fact that some memories aren't listed in SimPe's memories panel, while being so in game, could indicate some parsing problem. While this matter isn't solved, I would advise you to not change your neighborhood files in SimPe.

But you can try to use the previous editor; just change the plugin loading order, making the "Neighborhood/Memory Wrapper" appear above the "Extended Neighborhood/Memory Wrapper". Does the older editor show the missing memories?

And another question: have you installed anything post-OFB, namely GLS?

[syberspunk]

The fact that some memories aren't listed in SimPe's memories panel, while being so in game, could indicate some parsing problem. While this matter isn't solved, I would advise you to not change your neighborhood files in SimPe.

Errrk... too late. Heh, I manually did a hunt and peck, search and destroy of those memories. Thus far... nothing seems to have blown up.

* syberspunk crosses fingers. 

But... that doesn't mean I haven't opened myself up to a potential BFBVFS. I'm hoping it's all good and that I managed to nuke every single related memory... However, worst case scenario, I do have a back up from before I edited those memories. It would just really blow if I had to go back, because I already got some decent gameplay in afterwards. Probably only a few hours... that I could probably do without and just replay... but it would kinda suck regardless.

But you can try to use the previous editor; just change the plugin loading order, making the "Neighborhood/Memory Wrapper" appear above the "Extended Neighborhood/Memory Wrapper". Does the older editor show the missing memories?

Yeah... I tried that as well. I used the version attached in the first post of your thread that I linked above. I was told that there was an OFB SimPE v0.58 compatible/updated version, but I skimmed that thread and did not see any other attachment than the one in the first post. Did I miss something?

In anycase, I followed the instructions, disabling the built-in memory wrapper thingie, installing yours, and restarting SimPE. The memory wrapper thing looked like the older version, where it lists all sims down the left hand side column, sorted by presumably character file # rather than by household as done in the new, built in version that includes the badges panel. At first, I had high hopes that it would work... but when I clicked on the sims, no memories showed up at all in the right hand panel. Starting with Mortimer, and checking few otheres, it was all blank.  So... obivously, I uninstalled that and went back and did things manually.

And another question: have you installed anything post-OFB, namely GLS?

I do have FFS. I do not have GLS yet. And SimPE is now nagging me that there is a newer version v0.58b or what not, that is GLS compatible, but since I don't have GLS, I'm avoiding that update for now. Do you think having FFS would make a difference? I tought essentially, it is pretty much the same game engine as OFB. *shrugs* 

Anyhew, I appreciate you taking the time to look into this. If you do you figure it out and fix it, assuming it needed fixing, and think my game would be better off reverting to the backup and then using the fixed cascade delete thingie, I won't mind (well probably not that much, maybe just a little ) going back. Or... if you think it's fairly safe, and you manage to at least figure out if there is a parsing problem preventing child hood townie memories from showing up, and fix that so that they do show up and I can check those in SimPE, and then all I would have to do is make sure that there are no more references to that memory, I'd prefer that. Even if it means double checking things manually again. Heh.

Either way, I eagerly yet patiently await your analysis.

Ste

[Theo]

But you can try to use the previous editor; just change the plugin loading order, making the "Neighborhood/Memory Wrapper" appear above the "Extended Neighborhood/Memory Wrapper". Does the older editor show the missing memories?

Yeah... I tried that as well. I used the version attached in the first post of your thread that I linked above. I was told that there was an OFB SimPE v0.58 compatible/updated version, but I skimmed that thread and did not see any other attachment than the one in the first post. Did I miss something?

I was referring to the original SimPe's memory editor, not my version of that plugin. 

Since v0.58 you have two official plugins for memory editing: the original "Neighborhood/Memory Wrapper", and the one with the new UI, containing some of my changes, named "Extended Neighborhood/Memory Wrapper". You'll just have to change the loading order between the two.

I wanted to know if the older plugin could at least show all those townie memories, or if this is part of a bigger problem 

[syberspunk]

I was referring to the original SimPe's memory editor, not my version of that plugin. 

Since v0.58 you have two official plugins for memory editing: the original "Neighborhood/Memory Wrapper", and the one with the new UI, containing some of my changes, named "Extended Neighborhood/Memory Wrapper". You'll just have to change the loading order between the two.

I wanted to know if the older plugin could at least show all those townie memories, or if this is part of a bigger problem 

Doh! Sorry about that. I misunderstood. Ok... so what I did was, I disabled the Extended Wrapper and reloaded SimPE. Unfortunately, this did not help matters as far as the townie children are concerned. Here is Scott Carson again, and another townie child:





No dice.

And... just for the heck of it, I went to look at other townie sims, and here is Ella Little. Her memories are still intact, but... when I tried to click on an individual memory in the panel, I got this error:



So... er... I take it the original, non-extended, built-in memory editor was probably never updated? Or... it's a flukey thing on my machine?

Oh... and one more thing... if you ever do manage to update the extended wrapper, or let whomever know about it that is handling development of it or incorporating of it into SimPE, what I missed about the old version is that, when you click on a sim's icon in the left hand side panel, you could also sort of search for sims by typing letters. For example, when I clicked on Mortimer, I was able to press the 'S' key repeatedly to jump to the next sim whose name starts with an S. This is definitely faster than scrolling. Ok, I know that the extended wrapper groups sims into much more manageable sizes by household, but if you're looking at down/townie households, those are still fairly large, and it can be a pain to have to scroll up and down, since they don't seem to be organized in an alphabetical manner. If possible, it would be great to have some kind of sort by function within households, or just have sims automatically sorted by household, then by first name or something like that. Although, the jumping by typing a key letter would still be great to have as well.

I was gonna post this on the SimPE forums... but I find those forums to be a bit cumbersome to browse, search, and read even. And it seems to be flooded with a sea of unanswered, single post threads. It can be a pain to wade through when trying to search for answers since I often try to search for info before I start my own thread. But I figured it may be a waste to do so there, if it kind of gets lost in that sea and never read by anyone. So I posted here, since your original memory thread was somewhat active, I was also hoping that someone here might have at least had experience using it (either your plug-in or the extended wrapper added to the latest SimPE). I was hoping to at least find out if these problems I encountered were isolated to my computer or if other people experienced them as well. And I didn't want to nag you about it since, in your thread, you said that development on this was stopped. heh.

Anyhew, I'm sorry to put you through all of this, and I really do appreciate you lookin into it whenever you find the time. Even if it turns out that you're not sure why it isn't working or whatever. At least then I know it isn't something I personally broke.

Ste

[Theo]

Could it be some hack conflict?

I know there are some mods that include custom memories, but so far none of them created visible problems to my game.

Among other things, I have Inge's wet bed mod, and some Wintermuteai's objects that also have custom memories.

[syberspunk]

I have Inge's wet bed hack too. I don't think I have any other hacks that add custom memories. But I do have hacks that stop memory spam. I'll email the .zip file shortly.

Ste