Collection Group 0x0FFEFEFE

[Theo]

While inspecting a 3IDR resource in a sim template package, I noticed this reference:

UI Data: 00000000 - 00000000 - 00000000 - 00000000
Collection: 6C4F359D - 00000000 - 0FFEFEFE - 0FFE0001
Age Data: AC598EAC - 00000000 - FFFFFFFF - 00000001


After fruitless attempts to locate that particular COLL resource, I've been wondering if that group could be a special identifier of some kind, since it is referenced in many other custom packages.

Other COLL references have been found associated (via FragKey (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=208775)) with different resource types:
COLL-0FFEFEFE-00000000-0FFE0001 => AGED (sim templates)
COLL-0FFEFEFE-00000000-0FFE0008 => XSTN (skintones)
COLL-0FFEFEFE-00000000-0FFE0010 => XTOL, XMOL (cosmetics: eyes, brows, beards, lipstick, etc)
COLL-0FFEFEFE-00000000-0FFE0080 => GZPS (clothing) and XHTN (hairs)
The exact meaning of these references is yet to be determined, but considering the source package is a sim template, it would be assumed the collection is a gamesim type collection, thus classifying the package into the sim bin.

For reference, a few values of the COLL type property:

// user collection
collection

// sim bin (AGED)
gamesim

// ep2 downtownie bin
gamenpcsim

// pet body options
gamebodyoptions

// clothing bin (GZPS, possibly XHTN)
clothing

// ep5 plantsims wilted
specialoutfit

// overlays (XTOL, XMOL)
cosmetics

// faces (XFMD)
modifier

// face modifier (XFMD)
toolmodifier

// maxis skins (XSTN)
genetics

// face archetypes (XFCH)
archetype


Question: Can I assume 0x0FFEFEFE is some kind of special group, so that I can stop looking for it in the game files? :P

[WesHowe]

I don't have much more data than what I wrote in that document, and if I did, I probably forgot it by now.

The FragKey, BinKey and ObjKey form a dynamic grouping of objects. The only thing I know of that ends up being linked in by the BinKey is the STR# and the line number for the hovertext.

While tooltips would be useful in CAS for cosmetics, pet collars and face archetypes, I don't know that groupings of things like NPCs would have need of tooltips, since there is no user selection of these.

But the game must use some method of grouping these all together for it's own purpose, so perhaps the value in the COLL is special, or perhaps the BinKey is itself an optional entity and that value was one that was known to not ever be used? Meraning it is possibly just an unused filler value.

I am glad to see some more research being done using the FragKey. I know that while I documented them for Pets, they are used for faces and other items in the base game, and offer a way to link new items into CAS.

<* Wes *>

[Theo]

I'm afraid it would be like that, but it's nothing that can't be coped with ;)

Of course this applies to custom packages only, because Maxis defined in globalcatbin.bundle.package a set of base catalogs (or bins) which are referenced by the default items (clothing, hairs, etc...), as you surely know.

Although the name of the catalog isn't displayed anywhere, the text resource also contains the names of the Cpf resources (not very useful to the end user either).
An example:STR#-7F46EAC4-00000000-00000001
00 - am body casual
01 - ambodycouture_black
02 - ambodycouture_blue
03 - ambodycouture_white
04 - ambodyfancysuit_black
...You can reference the base catalogs in your custom content instead of the magic catalogs — which by the way, is how Argon managed to add new face archetypes to the faces bin (http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,9028.0.html). :)