Alrighty... so I understand this is going to be a kinda... confusing question/thread but please try to bare with me!

And I hope I'm not breaking any rules here! Sorry in advance! D:

So first, to clearify everything!

1. I know how to use Milkshape, I own it, and this isn't a problem for me. I got that part down pact!
2. I've made custom content before, even made some hair! But have never been able to get through it/this part!
3. I am very experienced with and in SimPE, so I should be able to follow most... except this problem right here which this thread is about.
4. YES, I am aware of these two tutorials: http://modthesims.info/t/158048 and http://www.modthesims.info/article.php?t=139819 , but neither have been able to help me or provide screenshots of how EXACTLY and where and how to do this...

Phew, ok, so with that out of the way...

Yes, I am having problems creating a hair mesh, or, not even that, this particular part I don't understand. Now, I'm unaware if there is a new way to do this or something but I am up for whatever suggestions.

Its this whole dreaded, "Linking" stage, and the "Creating a new mesh package" and where and how do I find the following:

Geometric Data Container (GDMC)
Geometric Node (GMND)
Resource Node (CRES)
Shape (SHPE)

I understand the GDMC is the most important file no? Its like, kinda the main one?
I have been following all these steps and literally get stumped in regards to: Creating a new package/mesh or whatever, "Linking" files, and finding these files. Now, either I'm blind, or these tutorials just completely skipped these steps or something... I'm completely stumped. I got the rest of the steps pretty down packed, its just these particular two I guess that I'm stuck on. Everything I've tried in SimPE hasn't worked. Its almost like those tutorials just expect you to know what they mean/how they are doing and where they are and I just don't, despite me trying SUPER hard to follow it... I'm just stumped and need some help here :/
My package file in my SavedSims folder just isn't apparently showing what these tutorials are seeing. I don't see any of this stuff... gah its so confusing, but I desperately want to learn. I'm hoping its just something really simple I'm being a derp and not noticing but yeah... :/

If any content creators out there can help me that'd be SO appreciated so I could get on with my hair work. Its just a maxis mesh I'm editing by the way just in case you needed to know! I can provide screenshots and everything just let me know! And thanks again so much in advance guys! Sorry if this thread is in the wrong place I just didn't know where else to ask or where else to go with this sort of thing!

The GMDC has the mesh in it, so that is the most important resource file - but all are important, and the mesh won't work without the others. The CRES has the mesh info in it, and the two others have important info as well.

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To make the mesh, you need to figure out which recolor you want to use as a base, and make a recolor file. Go to the "PropertySet" fo each age, copy down the name in front of the _ and paste it into a notepad file. Then make a new file (file -> new) and click (Tools --> PJSE --> Body Mesh Tool --> Extracting Stage), write in the name, and click ok. Then extract the files (Mark all, right-click --> extract). Continue with the rest of them. Then make a new file, right-click and choose "add", and add in all the files you extracted. Then do (Tools --> Object Tools --> Fix integrity), write a new resource name for your mesh file, click "update" and click "ok".

If you want to save yourself all this trouble, just choose a mesh with the approximate number of layers you want, or the one you used as a recolor base, open the mesh, do (Tools --> Object Tools --> Fix integrity), write a new resource name for your mesh file, click "update" and click "ok".

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I'm not very comfy with hairs for other ages than infant (weird, I know), but the linking is similar to how you make clothes and accessories, only you have to do it the "hard" way, by manually linking the CRES and SHPE of the mesh to the 3DIR. It involves several steps, so it's probably better to use a tutorial. The basics for it is to first make the mesh, then extract the CRES and SHPE, then import them to the recolor file, open the 3DIR belonging to that age/gender, and... well, click the spoiler tag.

Thank you so much for your help! I can't wait to follow through all the steps but unforutnantly, I'm at another stump here...

at this step here:

"Then make a new file (file -> new) and click (Tools --> PJSE --> Body Mesh Tool --> Extracting Stage), write in the name, and click ok."

I keep getting this error:

https://thumbs2.modthesims2.com/img/...pehairerror.png

I'm doing exactly what you said. File, new, then following the tool steps and this keeps coming up right when I hit ok, and the file is not made... :/

What am I doing wrong here? D:

Again this is all I'm seeing:

https://thumbs2.modthesims2.com/img/...mpehairhelp.png

I'm not seeing any of these file types these turtorials are talking about, plus, seeing their screenshots, they are looking at the exact same thing I am... What on earth am I missing here? I'm really hoping to get some help!

I just want to make a new mesh starting with Maxis hairs, and make it for all ages. Thats all I want to do. I know how to use milkshape and all that etc, I just don't know these parts. Everything I'm trying it doesn't work. And milkshape wont open the files because they aren't the right type. I am nowhere seeing any of these files:

Geometric Data Container (GDMC)
Geometric Node (GMND)
Resource Node (CRES)
Shape (SHPE)

I showed you my screen and exactly what I'm seeing in SIMPE. Everything I've tried it says there was an error, or the files being talked about are not there in my view. This is my SavedSims package I opened here in the SimPE as thats all bodyshop gives you, which is at the start of every tutorial. Everyone begins here and I just cannot figure out what to do next. I've been trying so hard lol!

I'm also not seeing the TOP "resource Node" and "Shape" in the "3D Referencing File Editor" as I screenshoted for you all.

I really hope someone can just crystal clear explain this out to me so I can understand! Thanks so much in advance for all the help and I really hope to figure this out! :/

First of all, you're in the recolor file, not the mesh file. The mesh components should be in a separate file (file -> new, etc.)

If you're editing the various resources, make sure you've clicked "plugin view" at the bottom, or the editing window won't show.

You first need to figure out which meshes the recolor is using. You need to use the name of the mesh you're extracting. A an example - if you extract the bald PU hair, you write in "puhairbald", or if it's the AF pigtail hair, you write "afhairflypigtails" (without quotemarks, of course). In most cases you can see the mesh name in front of the "_" in the propertyset resources - so don't add in the "_blonde" after "puhairbald".

However, it's easier to just do "fix integrity" on a mesh that has the properties you want (one layer for 3t2 conversions, 2 layers for new meshes, or multiple layers for hairs that needs different textures) - or on the mesh that belongs to the recolor you used to make the SavedSims file. That way there's much less editing to do later, and it's a whole lot easier.

Hairs aren't easy to begin with if you've never completed a successful CAS meshing project earlier. Have you ever made clothes? If not, I suggest you try that first, because there are plenty of good tutorials for clothes. They have similar steps, but hairs are more complicated because of the multiple meshes. Once you've made a few outfits, you'll easier see where you're supposed to edit things. You can even try to re-use a mesh from ingame, just to familiarize yourself with the process.

To clarify, you're getting that error message because you've told SimPE to find an EA hair mesh called TestMesh2, which doesn't exist. That's why you need to find out the correct name of the original mesh, using simmer22's instructions, before you try to use the use the Body Mesh Tool.

Oh alright! I see what I was doing wrong/reading wrong! My apologies!

Right, I figured that out now. I have the separate proper mesh file created for the AF (Adult Female). Edited the GMCD file of my mesh in milkshape. Exported using the sims 2 uni exporter in milkshape. Now I'm stumped again. How exactly do I get it in my recolor file to put it in my game? I put my new mesh file with my edited mesh replacing the old GMCD file as the tutorials said, but I don't know how to put it in the savedsim recolor file... as there doesn't seem to be the options the tutorials are talking about... :/ as the tutorials said to export with the sims 2 uni exporter thus making it a different file type then what the tutorials are saying. Thus, it doesn't show up in the game without a color so to speak :P

It says the savedsim package needs to be "Linked" and "Point at" your new mesh... little confused on how to do that.

Also, how can I make my mesh for teens and children too? The tutorials didn't really dive in on that. I assume they will just automatically be available for elders and young adults since they share the same mesh?

I'm sorry if I'm being either extremely slow or come off as a little dense, I'm autistic, so sometimes it just takes me reading something or trying something like a billion times before I get it. I read your replies like 100 times over then realized what I was doing wrong, so I do apologize big time for that!

Also again, I'm sorry if I'm missing something thats very obvious, but I am eager to learn! On this particular part here though, I am genuinely stumped :/

Thanks so much in advance for the help! It really means a lot to me!

Don't attempt other ages yet - get your adult mesh working first. Once you understand the process for the adult mesh, the other ages get much easier.

You don't need to put the mesh into the recolour file. Just like when you download CC hairs, you'll have one .package file containing the mesh, and one (or more) containing the recolour(s).

The linking process is explained in the Hair: Basics and Beyond Articles article, in the section titled "Attaching the Hair to the Recolor File". You add the CRES and SHPE to your recolour file (temporarily) by right-clicking an empty space in the Resource List pane and clicking "Add", then selecting the CRES and SHPE resources, wherever you saved them. If you're struggling with that, could you explain the steps you took and where you got stuck?

You might find it easier to follow this tutorial, which is a bit more detailed. It's about converting hairs from TS3 to TS2, but if you ignore the TS3 bits, the process is essentially the same as for making new TS2 hairs. The section about linking can be found by hitting Ctrl-F and searching for "we need to link the meshes to the clone package file you made" (when she says clone file she means recolour file).

Ok, everytime I try that I'm getting this error:

https://thumbs2.modthesims2.com/img/...-simPeerror.png

any ideas? :/

What did you do just before you got the error?

Absolutely nothing. I even restarted the program plus my computer just be sure that I didn't do something first or click something etc and I'm still getting the exact same error :/

So... you open the file in SimPE, and immediately get that error before you can do anything else?

Were you getting the same error a day or two ago when you were doing the stuff you described earlier in the thread?

No, this was me following the steps of right-clicking an empty space in the Resource List pane and clicking add. Once I hit add, this error comes up :/

Bumping this. Still hoping I can get some help :/ Thanks guys!

Helpfully, I got the exact same error yesterday while pasting numbers into a 3IDR incorrectly. So it might be worth opening a different resource - something inoffensive like, say, a TXTR - and trying again.

Oh sure! How exactly would I go about that? I've been trying a few things and so far, no luck.

Just want to get my mesh into the game :/

Just click TXTR in the Resource Tree, select a random item from the Resource List, then right-click in some empty space and click Add.

Alright did that easily, seemed to work, but the hair still didn't show up in the game :/

Is it just not there at all, or has it got the wrong mesh or a missing mesh or something like that? Don't forget that all hair recolours show up in the custom bin, not the black/brown/red/blonde bin, to begin with.

Yes I know they show up in the custom bin. Its not there at all, its still the regular maxis mesh at the moment. When I did the right click "Add", it added the four files it contains.
Geometric Data Container (GDMC)
Geometric Node (GMND)
Resource Node (CRES)
Shape (SHPE)

They appeared on the right hand side in the list when I added them. They are my versions with the Fixed Integrity.

The "recolor" hair is still in the game, but the new mesh still hasn't showed up. Still the maxis one. :/

Just gonna bump this! Been trying more things but so far nothings worked. Still hoping to get some help! Thanks so much in advance! Hope everyone had a great holiday by the way!