I figure it would be fun to share little methods in which we use to organize our crazy CC folders! I have around 20 gigs in my downloads folder and it continues to grow by the minute! There are 2 programs that i use that are incredibly useful:

File Renamer Basic - This is a free program that batch renames all my files with the custom titles that i choose but with numerical digits after each name. It's super useful for renaming recolors that you create yourself or to organize others!

Fast Duplicate File Finder - A free program that is super useful to find duplicate CC that is lurking in your folders somewhere, very useful for those who have subfolders within subfolders and you don't want to clutter up your CC!

Just Clean Installer, SimPE and Batch Renamer and sometimes the Comprsorizer, but I tend to forget. CI shows up duplicate cc. Most of it I do by hand by dragging in pictures, renaming folders and sorting things by category by copy paste.

I just can't seem to understand how to use Clean Installer to install lots. Can anyone explain?

Usually when i download a lot...i just double click on the lot file and Clean Installer installs it for me automatically..

My default installer is the Maxis one, and I do have Clean Installer installed.

You really should not use the Maxis installer, it will turn your files into a pile of gobdelgook and it's a dangerous way to install lots.

Clean Instaler should open a window with the default path already set. So you should see the box ticked the file extension says tmp and the path will be to your teleport folder, you simply click install if there is no cc. CI will also show you what else the lot contains such as cc, or unwanted things such a hacks. Lots on here will not contain hacks as that would be caught, but other places it's open for anything.

Mostly SimPE. Sometimes the wardrobe wrangler and the Compressorizer. I use the CI for installing, but not for sorting and categorizing and such. I might also use the SimCategorizer (at paladin's palace) from now on. Looks like an interesting program.

I probably should use a file renamer, but mostly I use copy/pasta (I'm old-fashion like that).

I use Bulk Rename Utility to change several file names at one. CI and Daphny's Download Organizer to check for duplicates and make sure the files are what they say they are. Wardrobe Wrangler to bin hair, rename hair and clothing tips to match the file name, and scan for orphans.

simmer22 - backup your folder before using SimCategorizer. After I used it, my game wouldn't load and I had to restore from my backup (thank God I make one!).

Im using delphys dl organizer right now and it found 2560 orphan files...that is a lot of orphans...sigh

I'm only planning to use it on some files, not my entire downloads folder. Also, I always keep backup files until I've tested them ingame.

The categorizer apparently has troubles with compressed files. Maybe that was your problem? Could also be the cache files. I delete those whenever my game or Bodyshop don't want to start.

Don't just chuck those orphans, it can also make mistakes and some of those orphans may not be orphans.

Yeah, I stopped using DDO because it wasn't reliable for me.

@labellavienna Is Fast Duplicate File Finder easier to find duplicates with than Clean Installer and if so do you have a link? CI takes ages to scroll through to find the pink highlighted files if you have a lot of downloads.

Too late...I deleted them.

To be honest the majority of the "orphaned" files that DDO found were in various subfolders, all i had to do was going into the subfolders and check the titles...then search for the missing mesh. I was able to find most of the meshes that i needed.

DDO also flagged default replacements, face templates, and some mods as being orphans....something to look out for.


EDIT: I also learned today that hair meshes dont get deleted when u delete them in game...only the recolors are deleted. My game had a ton of orphaned hair meshes that were god awful.

Edit: @ Charity I never used Clean Installer so i can't compare. This program that I use is really efficient. It scans all folders and subfolders and base on the parameters that (you) choose, will find all files that have the exact match. You can customize it to match not only exact file names but also match file size and file type etc which is very useful

If you can't find it via google i can upload it tonight, I am not at home right this minute.

Clean Installer and Delphy's Download Organizer. They all work for me.

Renamer master, DDO, filename tooltip beta, compressorizer, object modifier, wardrobe wrangler.

Is it this one? http://download.cnet.com/Fast-Dupli...4-75183786.html

Clean Installer for the most part but I use Sim Categorizer for objects and Wardrobe Wrangler for skins too. I do use a duplicate file finder too but I only run that once every so often. I'll use SimPE if I really can't work out what something is.

SimPE and Compressorizor are the main ones. I also have Delphy's Download Organizer, but I rarely use it since it's only good for finding orphans and broken packages, and it doesn't even do that very well. And of course I have Clean Installer for the incredibly rare times that I download sims or lots. I used to use Wardrobe Wrangler but I got rid of it once I learned how to do all that stuff on my own.

I thought about getting Batch Renamer, but I'm kind of hesitant because I'm afraid of doing it wrong and screwing up everything.

SimPE, Clean Installer, Delphy's Download Organiser, Wardrobe Wrangler, Compressorizer, Cat's Hair Binner, Bodyshape Organization Kit, Bulk Rename Utility... yeah, I'm obsessive about organizing. I spend more time downloading and organizing than playing. It's worth it, though.

DDO does flag a lot of files as orphans that aren't, but I've learned how to manage that so it's still useful for me.

Yes have you tried it?

I have an older version though so I can't vouch for the new versions effectiveness

Delphy's Download Organizer