Hi there! You are currently browsing as a guest. Why not create an account? Then you get less ads, can thank creators, post feedback, keep a list of your favourites, and more!
Top Secret Researcher
Original Poster
#1 Old 25th Jul 2019 at 4:25 PM
Default Q?Save files and DCCache
Hello!
I'm wondering if anyone has had any luck in creating a world from a save file. I followed the instructions by CassieJ found here - http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=418812 - and I had some success with it. Long story short...I edited my world in game, NOT in CaW. And decided that I liked how everything turned out and I wanted to make my lots and all more permanent. Well, I was able to get all the lots to show up in Caw after following the instructions given (and bits and pieces from other threads). I was able to save the world and export it. It seemed to install ok but when I tried "new game" it just wouldn't load. Well, it might have, but I waited about 15 minutes and the green line just didn't move much. Anyway...I guess my question is...does this method work or am I just missing a step. The world, from what I could tell is only about 25mb larger than the original and it loads in 8 minutes (with empty lots).

Next question is...since eig while running caw doesn't work, except when taking out the DCCache file/folder (for me anyway), if I replace all my lots after doing so...will my custom content show up on these lots after exporting & installing the world (that is if the above mentioned method is just not possible to do).

Thank you so much for any help as this is kind of driving me crazy, especially after getting the lots and textures to actually show up in caw.
Advertisement
Mad Poster
#2 Old 26th Jul 2019 at 9:36 AM
On my prior laptop I could not run CAW and EIG at the same time. I would click on EIG and when it started close CAW. The changes made in EIG that were saved did save in CAW as well.
Top Secret Researcher
Original Poster
#3 Old 26th Jul 2019 at 10:35 AM
Hi daisylee and thanks. I think I've tried your suggestion before, but if I recall, it didn't work. It still crashed as I have quite a bit of cc. And I want it included on my lots that I replace. Gonna give it another shot here in a bit.: )

I've still had no luck on getting the world from the saved file to load, except after replacing the layers folder with one from the original world. Of course the lots didn't look right, although they were actually there, they had no windows, trees, flowers etc.
Top Secret Researcher
#4 Old 26th Jul 2019 at 10:52 AM
Hm, I haven't tried that method yet, so I can only guess here, but deleting and replacing layers seems risky. Have you tried to "update" the original world with the files from the nhd-file per S3PE file import instead of deleting layers in the file explorer?
Top Secret Researcher
Original Poster
#5 Old 26th Jul 2019 at 12:36 PM Last edited by KatyFernlily : 26th Jul 2019 at 12:56 PM.
Hi Norn
Yes I did but since it wouldn't load after exporting I thought I'd try a few things. I figured it would be risky but I tried and then deleted (was using only copies of the original world). I tried replacing the layers because I noticed that the world with the nhd file added - well, the layers folder was so much smaller in size then the original one. Seems to me that something in that file didn't copy over?and maybe that is why it wouldn't load up in the game. I don't know...it's very perplexing since I can see the lots in CaW - they look exactly the way I built them in game.

I suppose I could try to edit in game, save and see if that adds anything to the files to make the darn thing load. (I'm not even sure of all that I did to make those lots from my saved game show up in Caw, I'm not so computer savvy). oops...can't do that cause it won't load.

I am open to any suggestions and I would still like to know if I take out the DCcache folder to edit it game in Create a World, if my lots will contain my custom content. My point of trying this is to not have to rebuild/redecorate all my lots. (it's like a 1.50 years of work).
Top Secret Researcher
#6 Old 26th Jul 2019 at 1:45 PM
I haven't tested that either but it should be fine, as you don't open EIG anyway. Lots are "closed" resources, so the references to the used objects should remain intact as long as you don't edit them in EIG (or maybe even start EIG). Again, it's not waterproof, but I think it did happen to me that I forgot to add cc for a quick world edit but it was there when I loaded the world later in game. But it's good you make backups before trying this! If the CC is used in the world also it will be gone from there.

If you want to, you can send me the world that won't load for you and I can try. Maybe it just conflicts with the original version - do you have both installed at the same time/did you change the world ID?
Top Secret Researcher
Original Poster
#7 Old 26th Jul 2019 at 2:21 PM
Yes, both are installed in CaW and I did give it a new name & ID. Only the original world is installed in Sims3.

I'm uploading the world and caw files for you now, it might be a bit....

Thanks so much, Norn, for your input (you're famous ; )

(I did not create the original world and take no credit for it.)
Top Secret Researcher
#8 Old 26th Jul 2019 at 2:32 PM
Haha, it's just wild shots in the dark here, but I'm always curious to learn something new! Making exportable worlds from save files would be such a great thing (if it worked...)
Top Secret Researcher
Original Poster
#9 Old 26th Jul 2019 at 2:46 PM
I was thinking of conflicts also and I did uninstall the original world and tried it that way....was a no go. But I'm happy that you want to look at it...perhaps there is a way.

Do you need the original world or just caw files?
Top Secret Researcher
#10 Old 26th Jul 2019 at 2:52 PM
Hm, give me all you have (also the nhd-file) if you don't mind, so I can tamper with the files.
Top Secret Researcher
Original Poster
#11 Old 26th Jul 2019 at 5:23 PM Last edited by KatyFernlily : 26th Jul 2019 at 5:54 PM.
Well, this upload is gonna take a bit longer as I have stupid internet and I'm stupid, too. I just realized I was uploading one of the caw worlds I broke. Doh

Meanwhile...here is a lot I built in edit mode in Sims 3 and the same lot in Create a World Tool Beta after using the instructions above. (plus maybe a few more things I can't remember 'cept for doing the "read only" check box that one person suggested. might have had some impact because at first all the textures were brown as well as the water. the lots looked empty too?)
Top Secret Researcher
Original Poster
#12 Old 26th Jul 2019 at 6:00 PM
Screenshots:
Screenshots
Top Secret Researcher
#13 Old 29th Jul 2019 at 8:12 PM
@KatyFernlily So, a somewhat incomplete result: I couldn't open either of your CAW projects, so no messing around with them. It's a bit weird that they have two layers with the world's name in it each instead of only one (which is the case for worlds I take back into CAW). But this might be irrelevant.

Anyway, I tested with a different world, and while I could make the lots from the save stick and show up in the export, that whole world was extremely buggy as my save of course was populated. And that didn't transport well. I moved a fresh sim into an empty lot and annihilated all other sims and after that, it seemed fine. But I would still expect the world to be rather buggy in the long run.

Cleaning the global layers was not an option as the lots would vanish same as the sims. Frankly, I think the poster in that thread came as far as you, finding the lots in CAW but then never exported or tested in game.

When you tried this, did you delete anything as per the instructions of that other thread? Anything to do with the lot layers? And if so, what exactly did you delete how?
Top Secret Researcher
Original Poster
#14 Old 29th Jul 2019 at 10:05 PM
@Norn I sent you a pm. I didn't realize you posted here...oops. I'll go ahead and post what I told you.

I tried deleting the layer - layer, oh shoot...I can't remember, it was the one mentioned in the post and it did load up in game but the lots looked ugly. There were no windows on most of the houses, none of the patterns, no trees/plants in the yards. It looked awful. So obviously not what I want. Then I took out the other layer and it was completely uninstallable.

I'm not understanding why you can't open the caw files. If I am remembering right, you need the folder with the layers and the lots as well as the .world. Perhaps the "settings" one you don't need? The icons are messed up (by me unintentionally years ago, doh). I'm looking in some other caw files I have saved on my pc and they all have the folder with layers and lots as well as both .world and settings included. Is that not what I put in there? I guess it's possible that I've messed with them so much that they are unusable? I can open both, Victoria and Vanity in Caw. Victoria Fair is different then the one I first used for the experiment, but only slightly like I described earlier.

I guess we can just chuck this and say it's not doable. I think CassieJ was just excited by seeing those lots in Caw, as I was, and then never came back with the findings. Maybe some genius somewhere will figure it out one day. I'm just going to fool around with Victoria Fair in Caw and get it like I want, and place the lots in EIG without my cc folder. If they don't look right, I'll just redo them----not much else to do, anyway.

As an aside...I wondered it this ever happened to you while working in Caw... This is one reason I messed around with the world in caw because I noticed one of the lots along the river was not the same as before. It was larger and an odd size. It went all the way to the edge of the water. Where before it matched the others. Also the river fence behind it was totally different, it was the mossy colored ones from Barnacle Bay, can't recall the xpack. Also the large bridge was gone. Now that I can explain...probably clicked it and deleted without realizing it. But the lot and the fence is baffling.

Anyway...I've gone on long enough for now and thanks again for all your experimenting. I might just fool around with it some more and I left the files to share so anyone else who fancies the same might give it a try.
(work has been hectic for me and I'm sorry it took so long to get those files to you and if I messed them up, well, as I said, I'm just not good at this sort of thing, but I'm trying...lol)

Thanks again Norn, I appreciate all your time! If you ever need help when creating a new world (hint hint) I love doing routing...weird...but I really do.
KFL
Top Secret Researcher
Original Poster
#15 Old 1st Aug 2019 at 11:41 AM
Using EiG without the DCcache in Create a World Tool-Beta does not work for keeping any store stuff or custom content on your lots. I found that certain bridges disappeared and any "cute" stuff on my lots were replaced with pictures of sunflowers or globes or any random item like toy train sets. It did allow me to actually use EiG and Save while using CaW, where before removing the folder, I could not. (From what I gleaned from researching all this is that only package files will "stick" to the lots, but don't take my word for that cause I get confused pretty easily, lol).

Word of caution - make a backup of your files because once you save 5 times...it's all overwritten and you will be left with no bridges or cute stuff, sadly.

Well, I'm on the hunt again for a way to use eig in caw and retain my custom/store content.
Top Secret Researcher
#16 Old 2nd Aug 2019 at 7:05 AM
I would recommend to always use "save as" and not just save. This way you won't overwrite anything and worst case you lose only one sessions progress.
Top Secret Researcher
Original Poster
#17 Old 4th Aug 2019 at 1:46 AM
Going to delete the download for this as the caw files do not work. Not sure why..but they do not.
Back to top