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Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#1 Old 2nd Jul 2009 at 7:05 PM

This user has the following games installed:

Sims 3
Default Patterns showing up as Blank
I have about 200 patterns by this point, (some really good creators out there!) even had problems with some using characters my game would not recognize causing the game to shut down while in create-a-sim. I got rid of the files and uploaded roughly 10 at a time for testing until everything was working smoothly again, however I loaded up today and noticed some patterns in a particular section are showing up blank.

The icon is there but says there is nothing there. My game is no longer crashing (as of now) but I fear these "blank" icons will cause some havoc eventually. I have went through the whole batch like stated and cannot tell which ones are drawing up blanks, they all seem to work fine.

Any advice in getting rid of them?

And why do I get the feeling this has something to do with the Launcher and not the patterns themselves? ;p

Note: I have seen a topic on this elsewhere but for the life of me could not find it, Google is your friend yes, but it generally just turns up a bunch of old Sims 2 information. Sorry everyone.
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Lab Assistant
#2 Old 2nd Jul 2009 at 7:47 PM
No don't be sorry that is why this section is here, I haven't seen this topic you mentioned either. I do know that some patterns will take time to show up in the list, sometimes it takes an equivalent of 2 minutes to show; if the pattern section has a lot to load.

In all fairness and respect there should be a compulsive downloader help line listed somewhere for us people that download quantities of stuff without testing first.

My advice is to wait for the patterns to load, then if say after a few minutes the patterns do not load, go searching, that is the only way you are going to be able to help yourself out in this situation. I’m not there in person to help inspect your computer, so I couldn’t for the life of me tell you what to keep and what not to keep.

Good luck.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#3 Old 2nd Jul 2009 at 9:15 PM
I took out all the custom patterns and they still seem to be there. Everything loaded quickly and I sat in create-a-sim for at least 20 minutes. All in the Misc. Section.
Any thoughts?
Lab Assistant
#4 Old 3rd Jul 2009 at 1:34 AM
Only a few; delete the DCCache folder, but only do it if you think it will help and if it doesn't, then un/reinstall the game.
Test Subject
#5 Old 3rd Jul 2009 at 3:40 AM
I also see this same thing in my game--I was wondering if its maybe weird duplicates--they are also in my misc section AND when I load patterns from Abstract section, 4/5 times I crash to desktop *poof*

I deleted the files names that were German and Chinese or other special characters as a precaution. It's crashing less but tbh i'm trying my best to stay clear of the abstract patterns altogether (which sucks cause it is true that there is alot of quality work coming in on sites such as this one)
I don't have my package names very well organized for shame.
So a pattern might have a name in downloads like "8552.sims3pack"
3Viewer has reportedly been gearing towards an update to help better view and summarize CC from what I read. I cannot get it to manage my downloads, it hangs(and it doesn't seem to register if a pattern is already installed, the way that EA launcher does).
Delphy has a utility for sims2 organizing content I see, any plans to port that over for sims3 use?(or can we use the sims2 version?--my guess is no) I can already tell that between meshes, store items, exchange items, lots, sims and mods--I'm gonna need a beeeger cabinet :P

I think it would be EXCELLENT if we could have some kind of GUI enabled that allows use to see all the names and locations pinned to a file(and edit them), deleting duplicates would also be sweet.
Anyone notice that you have the trash bin on the CAS but I can't seem to delete any of those "thumbnailess" mystery items--I get an error saying this style is not valid, please select a new one <<paraphrased.
[/novella.

Whenever I see my sims dance, I crack up laughing.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#6 Old 3rd Jul 2009 at 5:50 PM
Yeah same here, have virtually tried everything to get rid of them but no luck. My game is not crashing though. (atm) I would also suggest Saffimoto to delete or remove any patterns with other wierd characters like for example one of my files had the letter "u" in it but with 2 dots above it much like a german character but it's actually a character on english keyboards if using ALT+ random 4 digit number.

I can confirm that this file was crashing me, so any suspicious names with characters not on the normal set of keys I deleted and game is back to normal. Now if I could just figure out those blasted blank ones, hehe.

Gl, hope this helped.
Test Subject
#7 Old 3rd Jul 2009 at 7:42 PM
damn those german oomlauts lol--
Thanks for your feedback, I totally follow what you are saying and
I def have tried to tow those special characters out to the curb. I have a question tho--the name in the file as it appears in my downloads (ex.: 1234.sims3pack) and the name as it appears in CAS often differ--how can I peak at the names in CAS--without being in CAS>?
I'm stumped on that one.

Whenever I see my sims dance, I crack up laughing.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#8 Old 4th Jul 2009 at 8:20 AM
Not sure but here is what I have noticed,.If you install a pattern, style, whatever, and it does not show up in (launcher) under "downloads" but does under "installed content" and choose to uninstall it, it will still be in your documents however not under "Downloads" which apparently is where it matters when it is deleted. If it is'nt deleted under the "Download" tab then it is'nt deleted, even if you uninstall it from the "Installed Content". So if you manually remove it from documents then the empty icons seem to appear.
Confusing I know ..

For some reason, and it is with a small % of patterns from TSR they are not installing correctly. You can install them but they will not show up under "downloads" in the launcher. These and only these do I seem to have a problem with leaving behind the blank icons.
Test Subject
#9 Old 4th Jul 2009 at 11:34 AM Last edited by saffimoto : 5th Jul 2009 at 9:26 PM. Reason: crashing is on AGAIN :(
I had to read that twice and I may need a coffee to grasp it well I get alot of patterns from TSR and I mean ALOT so I did suspect it was something to do with that somehow. Plus I use 3Viewer so I do delete things rather than uninstall them with launcher. The blank icons are mostly a nag more than anything else, but there is a chance that its related to those CAS crashes --seeing as we are unraveling the mystery of TS3 code miraculously fast as a community I guess I'll just stay tuned.

Pros and cons weighed in I still want my patterns lol
thanks for your insight, I will be sure to report back anything pertinent for you.

*update* I am crashing when I load abstract designs in CAS again --SIGH.
I'm gonna attempt what you did, with the removal and systematic re installation.
What did you do to remove all your patterns? do you use subfolders?
you added them in 10 at a time right as I read, I'm more concerned with knowing where they were installed and what folders need to be wiped clean of pattern files. I used 3Viewer and Launcher (at first) to install the patterns.

Thanks in advance, I'm certain it will be useful!
I'm going all nutty from serial-crashing

Whenever I see my sims dance, I crack up laughing.
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