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Test Subject
Original Poster
#1 Old 21st Jul 2018 at 5:51 PM

This user has the following games installed:

Sims 2, University, Nightlife, Open for Business, Pets, Seasons, Bon Voyage, Free Time, Apartment Life
Default Sims 2 Able To Read Specific Subfolders? And deleting unusable CC?
Hello. Ok, so the question I have concerns subfolders within the downloads folder for the sims 2. So my whole downloads folder is a mess with no subfolders in it and it's really bothering me, so I decided to take a day to organize everything and try to delete CC that don't even work in my game. My first question is can the game read specific folders and is there a limit? By specific folders, I'm talking about: Clothes>Female/Male>Toddlers/Teen/YA/Elder>Tops/Bottoms/Full Outfits/Underwear/Sleepwear or another example would be Mods>Romance/Pregnancy. I was reading a couple of posts, and some people were saying that the game might have trouble reading these folders and others say that it won't.

My second question is about unusable CC. When I download certain CC, I notice it doesn't work within the game (when you shop for it, it shows up as a outfit that came with the game itself), so I'm assuming it means that file no longer works. What I want to know is there a way to find that custom content in my downloads folder?

Thank you
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Mad Poster
#2 Old 21st Jul 2018 at 6:43 PM
The game reads the entire file path as the file name, and it can't read filenames that are too long, so the more subfolders you have, the more likely it is that file names will get too long. Excessive subfoldering will also slow down your loading times. You'll have to experiment to find the sweet spot between organization and loading time.

When a CAS item doesn't display properly, you're missing either the texture (the color, basically) or the mesh (shape). It's also possible, if you download a default replacement or an edited version of the CC, for recolors based on the original item to no longer display properly. It's not so much that a file has stopped working as that the conditions in your folder are not right for them to work, either because you don't have all the necessary information, or because the game is getting conflicting information about how to display them.

Tracking down CC like that is a pain. You can make it easier on yourself by being organized and by using tools like Delphy's Download Organizer, Clean Installer, and Wardrobe Wrangler. If you load Bodyshop and mouse over custom content that has been equipped with a "tooltip" - a message embedded in the item's file - you'll see the tooltip as a little label. The very best tooltips are the ones that are the name of the file, allowing you to find it immediately. More common are tooltips giving information like the creator's website or the item from which the CC was originally cloned, and those can at least give hints about what to look for.

Ultimately, however, you'll have to make your best guess about which CC is the problem, pull it, and then load the game and look to see if you were right.

Ugly is in the heart of the beholder.
(My simblr isSim Media Res . Widespot,Widespot RFD: The Subhood, and Land Grant University are all available here. In case you care.)
The Great AntiJen
retired moderator
#3 Old 21st Jul 2018 at 7:54 PM
As well as watching the length of your file paths, also watch out for names of things - keep it simple. Folder names - simple - so avoid things like Romance/Pregnancy. Stick to one word (Reproduction - maybe?). Something that you understand anyway. I have a very arcane system of sub-folders and I would say that it doesn't seem to have much effect on loading times (currently under 5 minutes - well, 3 1/2 actually) but some people do seem to find it helps. But I would say simplify things if you can - you can rename practically any file so I have a tendency to shorten file names often. Some people find special characters (i.e. not either A-Z or 0-9 and _ or -) slow things up too. Again that's not my personal experience but what we've found is that the way the game works on your (or anyone's) system can vary a lot and I would guess it's best to keep things simple if you can. Sub-foldering is great though - I can find things easily.

I no longer come over to MTS very often but if you would like to ask me a question then you can find me on tumblr or my own site tflc. TFLC has an archive of all my CC downloads.
I'm here on tumblr and my site, tflc
Test Subject
Original Poster
#4 Old 21st Jul 2018 at 8:28 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Peni Griffin
The game reads the entire file path as the file name, and it can't read filenames that are too long, so the more subfolders you have, the more likely it is that file names will get too long. Excessive subfoldering will also slow down your loading times. You'll have to experiment to find the sweet spot between organization and loading time.

When a CAS item doesn't display properly, you're missing either the texture (the color, basically) or the mesh (shape). It's also possible, if you download a default replacement or an edited version of the CC, for recolors based on the original item to no longer display properly. It's not so much that a file has stopped working as that the conditions in your folder are not right for them to work, either because you don't have all the necessary information, or because the game is getting conflicting information about how to display them.

Tracking down CC like that is a pain. You can make it easier on yourself by being organized and by using tools like Delphy's Download Organizer, Clean Installer, and Wardrobe Wrangler. If you load Bodyshop and mouse over custom content that has been equipped with a "tooltip" - a message embedded in the item's file - you'll see the tooltip as a little label. The very best tooltips are the ones that are the name of the file, allowing you to find it immediately. More common are tooltips giving information like the creator's website or the item from which the CC was originally cloned, and those can at least give hints about what to look for.

Ultimately, however, you'll have to make your best guess about which CC is the problem, pull it, and then load the game and look to see if you were right.


Unfortunately, BodyShop doesn't work for me currently, but thank you very much for the tips! I'll definitely look into those organizing tools you listed.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#5 Old 21st Jul 2018 at 8:30 PM
Quote: Originally posted by maxon
As well as watching the length of your file paths, also watch out for names of things - keep it simple. Folder names - simple - so avoid things like Romance/Pregnancy. Stick to one word (Reproduction - maybe?). Something that you understand anyway. I have a very arcane system of sub-folders and I would say that it doesn't seem to have much effect on loading times (currently under 5 minutes - well, 3 1/2 actually) but some people do seem to find it helps. But I would say simplify things if you can - you can rename practically any file so I have a tendency to shorten file names often. Some people find special characters (i.e. not either A-Z or 0-9 and _ or -) slow things up too. Again that's not my personal experience but what we've found is that the way the game works on your (or anyone's) system can vary a lot and I would guess it's best to keep things simple if you can. Sub-foldering is great though - I can find things easily.


Thank you for the advice! I'll try to simplify the subfolders like you said
Field Researcher
#6 Old 21st Jul 2018 at 8:34 PM
Everything Penig and moxon said. Name and use subfolders cleverly and efficiently to reduce file lengths and loading times and you should be okay.
(@maxon, I think Majestic Unicorm ment two subfolders (Romance and Pregnancy) under a main Mods folder (likewise two subfolders, Male and Female, under a main Clothes folder). )
I don't know if you need two separate folders for that though, you might not have enough mods to warrant both of them, but whatever works for you. A 'Social' folder for friendship/romance/family mods might make better use of space for example, but maybe you use way more mods than I do!
Oh, and another thing: I don't think you should subfolder so much in clothing: make sure the file names are descriptive and you can already see if it's clothing for AF/CU, or even if they're bottoms or full-body outfits. Actually, I would advice to order clothing by maker, this way you can quickly look up the creator if something's wrong with your download, but that's personal preference.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#7 Old 21st Jul 2018 at 10:23 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Isa-WP
Everything Penig and moxon said. Name and use subfolders cleverly and efficiently to reduce file lengths and loading times and you should be okay.
(@maxon, I think Majestic Unicorm ment two subfolders (Romance and Pregnancy) under a main Mods folder (likewise two subfolders, Male and Female, under a main Clothes folder). )
I don't know if you need two separate folders for that though, you might not have enough mods to warrant both of them, but whatever works for you. A 'Social' folder for friendship/romance/family mods might make better use of space for example, but maybe you use way more mods than I do!
Oh, and another thing: I don't think you should subfolder so much in clothing: make sure the file names are descriptive and you can already see if it's clothing for AF/CU, or even if they're bottoms or full-body outfits. Actually, I would advice to order clothing by maker, this way you can quickly look up the creator if something's wrong with your download, but that's personal preference.


Thank you for the tips! With the ordering by maker, I might do that for the files that are random letters and random numbers, as most of my files have the creator's name on it. And I will try to lessen the subfolders like you said.
Mad Poster
#8 Old 22nd Jul 2018 at 1:06 AM
Not sure if it's said, but keep folder and file names short and to the point (renaming long files or files with special characters can be a good idea), and try to not have more than 3 subfolders deep, less if possible.

Something like
Downloads --> Clothes --> Toddler --> Filename.package
Downloads --> Clothes --> Adult --> Filename.package
or
Downloads --> Clothes --> Female --> Toddler --> Filename.package
Downloads --> Clothes --> Female --> Adult --> Filename.package

Or shorten them down further:
Downloads --> Clothes-Toddler --> Filename.package
Downloads --> Clothes-Adult --> Filename.package

Fewer layers of subfolders can help give you shorter loading times. Keep names short and to the point, and decide on a sorting system before you start sorting, so you don't end up with a big mess. You can always expand or contract the amount of subfoldering. It depends on what works for you.
The Great AntiJen
retired moderator
#9 Old 22nd Jul 2018 at 12:59 PM
Quote: Originally posted by MajesticUnicorn
I might do that for the files that are random letters and random numbers, as most of my files have the creator's name on it.

For those files, I usually find out what they are using Clean Installer and then rename them (you can rename with Clean Installer). Not all of them are susceptible to this method since some people make items without a clear description (which Clean Installer shows you) but you can work out what something is most of the time. For the very last ones, left over, I'd stick 'em in Downloads on their own and either look at them in-game or in Bodyshop.

I no longer come over to MTS very often but if you would like to ask me a question then you can find me on tumblr or my own site tflc. TFLC has an archive of all my CC downloads.
I'm here on tumblr and my site, tflc
Test Subject
Original Poster
#10 Old 23rd Jul 2018 at 9:43 PM
@simmer22 and @maxon

Thanks so much! I'll be sure to use those examples of the shortened subfolders and I'll check out the Clean Installer.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#11 Old 4th Aug 2018 at 5:33 PM Last edited by MajesticUnicorn : 4th Aug 2018 at 7:32 PM.
So I know I'm a little late with this reply, but these were the folders I made.
Screenshots
Mad Poster
#12 Old 4th Aug 2018 at 5:48 PM
The picture you posted goes to a "do not hotlink" picture.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#13 Old 4th Aug 2018 at 7:33 PM
Quote: Originally posted by simmer22
The picture you posted goes to a "do not hotlink" picture.


Sorry about that, I fixed it.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#14 Old 4th Aug 2018 at 10:30 PM
haven't read everything, so sorry if this has already been answered but
Quote:
when you shop for it, it shows up as a outfit that came with the game itself


There is nothing wrong with it, you are simply missing the mesh. Go to the download and you will probably find that the mesh is separate to the textures. Download and add the mesh and it will be fixed.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Test Subject
Original Poster
#15 Old 5th Aug 2018 at 2:12 AM
Quote: Originally posted by joandsarah77
haven't read everything, so sorry if this has already been answered but


There is nothing wrong with it, you are simply missing the mesh. Go to the download and you will probably find that the mesh is separate to the textures. Download and add the mesh and it will be fixed.


Thank you, I'll be sure to remember that for the future. I decided to just uninstall all of my CC and start off fresh so that I could make sure my files stayed organized.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#16 Old 5th Aug 2018 at 2:46 AM
My favourite finds site. keeps my folder overflowing lol. http://simscave.mustbedestroyed.org...php?board=172.0

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
The Great AntiJen
retired moderator
#17 Old 5th Aug 2018 at 12:57 PM
Argh - don't link there again. I've enough CC as it is.

I no longer come over to MTS very often but if you would like to ask me a question then you can find me on tumblr or my own site tflc. TFLC has an archive of all my CC downloads.
I'm here on tumblr and my site, tflc
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