On slower computers, the live mode is a bit more prominent. When I used to save huge lots after building for a solid hour or so, the lot would go "live" for roughly 20-30 seconds, which is crazy. All I saw was the water surface of the ocean that was moving - and it had me thinking for so long until reading your post!

20-30 seconds?! Wow. I have only experienced as I said a fraction of a second, but even that has been long enough to create a hairdresser on one lot and a bartender on another and many running frozen fountains. Thanks for that information on slower computers.

Is the "Age Data (AGED)" a sim reference?

@simmer22 You are seeing Age Data in an empty lot? I don't recall seeing that in a lot at all. I would assume it is though. I just checked an older lot of mine and don't have that. Do you have a link?

I found it in two separate lots, just one resource each. I think both of the lots were the "Belladona High" lot (from GoS), from two different neighborhoods. The others only had "Sim Information", "Sim Relations (SREL)" and "SimScores". Never saw any of the other resources mentioned in the first post.

I also found some 3DIRs in a couple of the lots. Are those supposed to be there? These lots may have been previously occupied.

(I'm trying to clean up some of my old more or less inhabited story lots just in case I get the same issue I had with my current laptop, in that it didn't want to open the neighborhood copied from the Stationary at all - I'm still surprised my stationary managed to run that monster hood, even with some pink-flashing and whatnots... ).

I would make a copy of the lot package, clean one with Chris Hatch's add on to the Lot Compressor and see what it removes and compare it to the non cleaned version. Isn't 3DIRs something to do with accessories?

@Jawusa @Chris Hatch

All lots contain 3DIR files... so do not delete them!
I doubt that they are related to sim references. I would not consider them as such.

All lots have at least 1 (usually just 1) 3DIR which pertains to the geometry of the neighbourhood view model.

^ I thought so. Just asked to be sure.

Can you clean played lots this way, with the intention of cleaning them up properly in an unplayed, empty neighborhood? Are there more references I'd need to fix if the lot has previously been played? And are things like newspapers or food in the fridge going to save as particular references?

Enter the lot and 'unown' or remove any ownable vehicles, they can play up when the owner no longer exists. Remove any personal 'unbuyable' items like hobby plaques, holiday souvenirs etc., most don't cause problems but they shouldn't be left behind. I'd recommend using my CJH_LotCleaner.zip which deletes all controllers, NPC Schedules and any off-world items.

I have a backup of my main 'hood with all sims removed and every lot cleaned this way that I frequently use for testing and, after I unowned/replaced the ownable cars I have never had any other problems with it. Most of the lots had previously been occupied to three generations.

So, let's say I download a neighborhood with many lots and playable families. Does it mean I could move them out without deleting furniture and so on, copy the neighborhood (by using Mootilda's tutorial) and after removing all references it would be safe to play that neighborhood?

method two seems easy and simple, if I have the SimPE portable version it works?

You can use the installed or non installed version of simPE.

So if sims, graves and pets are present in a lot, is it unsafe to clean sim references from occupied lots using any of those two methods?

In that case, Sim references are vital and should not be removed from an occupied lot.

You should only clean Sim references from empty lots that you plan on sharing with others or moving between your own hoods

I opened a Lot in SimPE to clean it, these were the only Sim references it contained:
Sim Information (SIMI) (1)
Sim: Scores (SCOR) (82)
I deleted everything and followed the other steps according to method number 1. After packaging the new cleaned Lot I checked it in SimPE again to see if everything was removed, but to my surprise these references were there again:
Sim Information (SIMI) (1)
Sim: Scores (SCOR) (113)
Chris said so I guess its fine if it stays, but what about the Sim: Scores? I don't know what they are and I don't understand how the number increases after the cleaning (from 82 to 113).

Does anyone might know what this is about?

I'm not sure, sorry. What about if you try cleaning out the lot using the Modified LotCompressor? Follow the second method from the original post, instead of removing the references by hand in SimPE.

Do the SCOR records appear after cleaning it with the tool?

I followed the steps via second method, packaged the Lot and checked it in SimPe. The SIMI was still there as expected and the SCOR was indeed gone!

Note that I didn't enter the Lot prior to packaging it, since the Lot Value didn't change.
But I was curious to see if entering would do something so I entered the Lot, moved a fridge back and forth, saved the Lot and then packaged it.
Checked it in SimPE aswell and the SCOR was back again.

Does anyone know what this means? And can these SCOR references do any harm to the hood?

All lots, even blank unplayed lots have some references. When you did method one are you sure you clicked commit and save without clicking off the page at all? If you click off without doing that it can reset.

I would assume whatever is left is fine @Jawusa or as clean as we can make things anyway.

When I did method one I made sure to save it.

I tested method one again, but this time I saved 2 packaged Lots. The first was packaged without entering. In SimPE the SIMI & SCOR weren't there.
The second was packaged after entering and saving the Lot to get the Lot Value back (no need for that when you use the Modified LotCompressor). In SimPE the SIMI & SCOR were back.

When I click on any of the Sim Scores, they all say "Sales Info" in the Plugin View. Sales Info as in Lot Value or what is the info exactly?


If these references are fine then I won't bother trying to remove them anymore. Also thanks for all your replies

Yes, as @joandsarah77 already mentioned, those leftover Sim Scores file actually refer to the sales info. These came with the OFB expansion pack (lots built with early EPs prior to OFB do not include those), so I assume those values are only relevant to run businesses (since as you get a higher business rank, the lot value will increase).

So, you could either run the LotCompressor one more time or just ignore those. BTW, not all sim references refer to sims. So, if you see some of them appear on your lot, even though you never had someone living on it, you can assume that it's probably fine. I've seen cases where connected kitchen counters also create SRELs (Sim Relation) files, even though nobody every lived on that lot. It's because SimPE does not display the actual "object references" as ORELs.. but as "sim references" (SRELs) instead.

Well that explains it, thank you so much! In my case I will just ignore them

I tried the Lotcompressor by Chris Hatch but the screen was empty. There werent any lots.

Ok, quick question. I have no mods except two:
one is a shadow fix by Nopke https://modthesims.info/d/569585/si...d-2-jan-16.html
the other is longer seasons by Quickshot14 https://modthesims.info/d/282183/lo...ic-seasons.html

I've never downloaded any lot or CC for my Sims game, apart from these two mods. I also intend to build lots free from CC (vanilla experience FTW), and to build them from scratch. Do I still need to test every lot I make and perform the cleanup as if just in case?

Thanks!

Sim references have nothing to do with mods. I strongly suggest you at least get the game breaking fix mods.
No Unlink on delete to stop tomb stones/urns randomly corrupting your hood.
And if you play with vampires at all, a mod like Creature Fixes to stop them biting universal sims like Mrs Crumplebottom.
I would also suggest for more minor bugs having the bat box. I have this uploaded as a vase on my Tumblr instead of the ugly box.

As for your lots if you never download a lot or a social mod you won't ever get the super duper hug. That can be fixed by the globe or a small mod that Chris Hatch made that checks for and and removes it.
Extra sim references occur when you move a family into a lot and can also occur on community lots that you build and save. Sometimes they can go live for part of a second and spawn an NPC. You wouldn't want to upload a lot or save it to file and use later in another hood or game. If you want to save a lot to file for keeping its best cleaned and the globe used on it.