How to extract a sim?

[laylei]

I'm sorry if this is a dumb question, but I am so technologically challenged.

I made a couple of sims in CAS, didn't think anything of it, until I realized they were my favorite family. They've had ten kids, and I really like them as well, and would like copies of them, not only for myself to plop down to play in other neighborhoods, but some friends of mine would like a few of them as well.

I know there's a way to extract a copy of the sim from the game, but I have no idea how. I never use SimPE, so could someone maybe point me to a easy, step-by-step tutorial on how to do this?

Thanks in advance.

[Aggie]

Do you have SimPE and never use it, or do you not have it at all? If you do have it, this is how you extract Sims:

1. Open SimPE.
2. Click on Tools on the menu bar, then select Neighborhood, then Neighborhood Browser. Select the appropriate 'hood.
3. Wait for the 'hood to load completely.
4. Click on Tools, point to Neighborhood and select Sim Surgery. Depending on how many Sims you have in your 'hood, it may take several minutes to load the list, so just wait until the new window pops up.
5. Select the Sim you want to extract, click on the 'use' button next to the Patient Sim thumbnail at the top and then select 'Extract.'
6. Save the Sim in the default destination if you want to package the Sim up in a .package file.
7. Close SimPE and open BodyShop.
8. Once BodyShop has opened, click on 'Build Sim', then 'Package Sim.'
9. Select the appropriate Sim(s) and package them up. You can save these anywhere.

[laylei]

i followed your directions for SimPE, and saved the sims in the default location like you said (SavedSims folder), but the sims aren't showing up in BodyShop. Should I have saved them somewhere else?

[witch]

Try the downloads folder, my sims stopped working in the Saved Sims folder at one point. I have everything in downloads now.

[Sleepycat]

after extracting a sim via simpe, you should always clone the sim in bodyshop and then package the clone.

after closing bodyshop delete the original simpe file for the sim, keep the clone version.

[Aggie]

Just out of curiosity, why is that, SleepyCat? I've personally never had a problem with them not showing up in my BodyShop, nor a problem with me packaging them up. 

[Sleepycat]

many people have had problems with the simpe extracted-sim files, they tend to corrupt easy or something and make bodyshop crash. I think some people had other problems with them & the in-game versions but I can't remember just what at the moment.

at one time it was a known problem and people were warned to make a clone from the simpe file (and then delete the simpe file), then it was supposed to be fixed but I guess it wasn't fully fixed since many of us still have problems with them. I think someone said it had something to do with simpe naming them the same as the in-game sims character file.

[notveryawesome]

The SimPE-created files are extremely large, as well. Cloning them in BodyShop decreases the file-size by over half in most cases.

[Aggie]

Ooh, I didn't know that. Thanks.    Laylei, have you had any luck?