Mod The Sims - Roof Thumbnails

Black0rchid

6th Oct 2009, 02:28 AM

I have the same problem but I can't solve it. My 128x128 png is not visualized in game.
I cloned a roof in s3oc ("include thumbnail" ticked) but in s3pe i don't see any THUM or similar file, so I can't export and replace the png in s3pe (as I read in a thread of people that have same issue with s3oc thumbnail replace button).
In s3oc I fix and replace the thumbnail: my one is visualized correctly. Packages done, but there's nothing in game. Re-opening the package in s3oc, thumbnail is blank. I tried to replace it thousand times but nothing.
(i have latest version of s3oc and s3pe)

Inge Jones

6th Oct 2009, 07:31 PM

It's not the same problem, so I split the thread.

With a roof, you actually need to replace the ICON type images. You should have 3 in there one of each size. s3oc doesn't do this yet so you will have to use s3pe or another package editor.

Black0rchid

6th Oct 2009, 10:07 PM

After twenty minutes of despair in s3pe, I find out that the scattered grey roof had no icon files, while all other roofs I saw had them, I don't know why.
I chose the wrong roof to clone:)
Thank you so much Inge, over of all for s3oc and s3pe, you're a genius.

edit: I found the icn files, I replaced them with mine, all right in s3oc, but they disappear after I package. No way :)

Inge Jones

7th Oct 2009, 09:15 AM

I am not sure what chain of events you're describing, is it possible to go through the steps in more detail and with more precise language (eg instead of "I replaced them" tell me what tool and what menu option you used to perorm this action - there are so many things that can be described as replacing something in colloquial speech). And where did you "find" them - etc etc

Black0rchid

8th Oct 2009, 03:57 AM

I cloned the scalloped green roof with s3oc, ticking "include thumbnails".
Opening the package with s3pe, I found the 3 THUM files. I exported them and edit in photoshop, so I got 3 png files with the same name.
In s3pe, I imported one by one the thum files, and they -correctly- automatically deleted the old three. Save.
I opened the saved package in s3pe and NO image appears in the overview box. So I fix and replace it with my one.
Clicking START the package was exported correctly.
But if I re-open the same package previously saved in s3oc, the thumbnail in overview disappears.
In game there's not any thumbnail.

I cloned a fence and I did exactly the same steps, and thumbnails appears in game.

Thank you for your time - and sorry for my english.

Inge Jones

8th Oct 2009, 11:30 AM

Ok, main thing here is with a roof ignore the THUMB resources and concentrating on editing the ICON resources.

Clone in s3oc, with the renumber box ticked, as well as anything else you want ticked. Don't ever take it back into s3oc again (for the purposes of this test).

Test in game, to make sure you have a clone of the original roof, which appears as a seperate roof with the name you chose for it, but at this time it will look exactly the same as the original.

Then close the game and open the new roof package in s3pe, but export and edit the ICON resources instead of the THUMBs.

It is probably better to use "Replace" instead of "Import" when bringing in your edited resources. For each of the three ICON resources, highlight the resource in the list, then right-click and choose "replace". Then browse to the exported resource you edited.

Test in game.

Black0rchid

10th Oct 2009, 05:20 AM

Done all you said replacing the ICON files. But no way, in the game my thumbnail doesn't appear. Actually, I cloned and modified different objects, and my thumbnails never appear but game itself creates them (not for the roof). But I can see other's custom thumbnail.
I follow exactly the instruction and i'm sure i did no errors.
The odd thing is that with older version of s3oc I was able to have my thumb in game.
I'm getting mad but I don't want to harass you anymore, i'll try another (thousand :) ) times to find out what's wrong.

Inge Jones

10th Oct 2009, 09:11 AM

You're not harrassing us, all your comments are feeding into info we'd need to find and fix any bugs. Just that we might not be able to solve your problem immediately, if the ideas I am having don't work, then it may be a while before we can spot exactly why it's going wrong for you.

Someone in chat was having a similar problem but in her case, the suggestions I have made above did fortunately sort out her problem ( assuming you are not her with the problem back again :D )

Black0rchid

10th Oct 2009, 05:01 PM

Someone in chat was having a similar problem but in her case, the suggestions I have made above did fortunately sort out her problem ( assuming you are not her with the problem back again :D )
No, i'm not her :)
I'll try to repeat all steps over again cloning another kind of roof, I'll let you know. thanks : )

Black0rchid

11th Oct 2009, 06:48 PM

ok, I've done dozen of tries, these are my feedbacks:
(I use s3oc latest version and s3pe september version)

1. if I clone a item without modifying (replacing files) it with s3pe, the maxis thumbnail appears in game.
2. If I clone a item modifying only MODL or MLOD in s3pe, the maxis thumbnail appears in game.
3. If I modify any of IMG or ICON, the thumbnail doesn't appear in game.

Details for the point 3 about s3oc:
- if I clone, modify anything in s3pe, and after I fix FOR THE FIRST TIME the item with s3oc, the thumbnail appears in the overview box (but not in game)
- if I take the package I previously fixed, and open another time in s3oc, the thumbnail in the overview box is blank. I can replace it and save, but if I open another time the package saved, the thumb remains blank.
The thumb appears in the overview box only the first time I fix the item, but NEVER appears in game if I replace one of its img.
For some objects, game itself create a thumb (painting, fences) ,but not for roofs.
Should I try with the previous version of so3c?

(all my tries were done with and without "include thumbnail" ticked - it's the same)

Inge Jones

11th Oct 2009, 07:14 PM

Ideally you'd just do the whole process in one go, replacing thumbnail while the object is still loaded ready to clone. Is there any particular creative reason why you're taking it into s3oc so many times, or is it just for experimental purposes so you could write this report?

Black0rchid

11th Oct 2009, 08:25 PM

For experimental purposes.

BTW, i solve the problem

I try to explain:
the xanathon tutorial for paintings suggest to
1. clone in s3oc
2. modify in s3pe
3. re-open in s3oc and package.
following this process the thumb doesn't appear.

It appears and works if we:
1.clone in s3oc
2. re-open in s3oc and modify price, name, etc (it's useless change in this moment the thumbnails because for roof it won't work)
3. modify in s3pe. (and open no more s3oc.)

Thank you for your patience, but the painting tut was my point of reference, and I was sure that IT was the right and only process.

Inge Jones

11th Oct 2009, 10:56 PM

Yes the tutorials are largely out of date. I did try to contact the authors even before we updated s3oc, but they were not up for updating their tuts. You can read the up to date How-to in the Help menu in s3oc.

You can change the name and price and all that at the same time as cloning, you never need to open your package in s3oc unless you want to do something unusual with it.

Black0rchid

12th Oct 2009, 12:39 AM

Actually, almost every tutorial about meshing in ts3 report the wrong process, also Deluxe_Design's one that is the only tut here in mts.
http://forums.modthesims.info/wiki.php?title=Tutorials:TS3_Meshing_Tutorials

(besides in these tutorials seems that every times we modify in s3pe, we have to fix in s3oc)

Inge Jones

12th Oct 2009, 08:32 AM

That is incorrect advice since a few weeks after cloner was first released. You should only use the two-stage process when you are doing an unusual modding task that requires you to delete resources that cloner included in the package. This is quite rare that you need to do this. So go by the s3oc Help instead.

pljones

12th Oct 2009, 04:54 PM