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Field Researcher
Original Poster
#1 Old 6th Mar 2022 at 1:35 AM Last edited by kayleigh83 : 6th Mar 2022 at 5:02 PM.
Default Problem creating repo-linked objects
Hello everyone!

So, I made a two-tile rug (converted from a TS4 CC item) and various recolours. Then made a one-tile version of the same mesh, and want to repo it to the two-tile so they share textures.

But it will not work. On the one-tile rug, it only pulls the textures from the two-tile mesh, not its recolours. I've been following HugeLunatic's repository tutorial (and I did note and follow the instructions that specify "do this or only the mesh colour will show up"), and I had someone else much more experienced than me take a look at my files and the instructions I was following, they can't figure it out either why it isn't working. In any case, no matter what I do, still something is not turning out right for me. I've tried re-making the MAIN and the REPO mesh multiple times, cloning from multiple different source objects in case that was where my difficulties started, but none of that seemed to make a difference. I've also tried doing it in two different versions of SimPE. I've honestly tried so many different approaches I've almost lost track, but still no luck no matter the variables.

I'm very new at this - meaning anything to do with meshes and repo stuff, prior to the last week or two really all I ever did was simple recolours of existing objects, so my troubleshooting abilities are fairly limited. But I also know that trying to repo-link one mesh to another isn't exactly ultra-advanced modding either, so it shouldn't be giving me this much difficulty! I'm inexperienced, but I do follow direction well, so any tips would be appreciated - I just need it spoon-fed to me a little bit so I can follow along, and hopefully write stuff down for future reference too in my handy-dandy tutorials folder.

In case anyone wants to look and see if they can see anything obviously missed, here is the original file, one recolour and the repo file: http://www.simfileshare.net/download/3004799/ LINK FIXED

Thanks in advance!
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Mad Poster
#2 Old 6th Mar 2022 at 2:46 AM Last edited by simmer22 : 6th Mar 2022 at 3:32 AM.
^ Maybe check your file - that's a link to the repo PDF.

If the recolor shows but it only pulls the main texture, the SHPE info tends to be right, but the GMND string in the tsMaterialsMeshName (or some other info in the GMND) tends to be wrong. The GMND should have the string from the master CRES (but not "_CRES" at the end). You don't have any crashing, so most likely you've set up the blocklist correctly. Apart from that it's difficult to say anything more without looking at the files.

---

If you run into problems with repoing, there's usually no need to remake the files from scratch as long as the base files work fine (before I was steady enough with repoing files, I used to keep a non-repo'd copy of the files, in case I had to start the process over - saved me from remaking the files completely from scratch if I made mistakes I couldn't easily undo - I still tend to keep base files if I've got a troublesome project).

Essential questions before you move forward with repoing - If the answer is "yes" to these, your base meshes are probably fine, and it's most likely just a misunderstood or forgotten step in the repo file, which is often easily edited:
- When you make the two meshes, do both show up fine ingame (when you haven't repo'd them)?
- Do the recolors show up properly on the master mesh?
- Does the (future) repo mesh have the base color, and does this one show as recolorable (with a thumbnail but only one swatch)?
- Do the original meshes you cloned still show up (ruling out GUID conflicts)?
Lab Assistant
#3 Old 6th Mar 2022 at 9:55 AM Last edited by PineappleForest : 6th Mar 2022 at 2:07 PM.
I'm gonna butt in here,
as I've been trying to help Kayleigh to solve this mystery and I can't tell what's wrong with her files.
At first glance it seems she did everything right.
And there's no GUID conflict.

I've noticed the link above points to PDF, so I've included the meshes.

Update:
The answer:
While creating recolour files, SimPE was breaking something.. Original mesh would still have access to recolours,
but repo meshes wouldn't see any. I did "fix integrity" on three recolours, and all three became available for repo mesh.
I'm on win10 and I'm also dealing with buggy SimPE. No single version seems to work properly for me, it's just horrible.
Attached files:
File Type: zip  Repo_Issue_DecoBooks_.zip (23.7 KB, 9 downloads)
Mad Poster
#4 Old 6th Mar 2022 at 2:52 PM
Pineappleforest, are those the original files, or the ones you did "fix integrity" on?

K83, did you do "fix integrity" on the master and repo mesh? You usually have to do it once during the creation process for each mesh you make (but if you add a recolorable subset you'll have to do it again after adding a MMAT). I tend to set my SimPE up so I get that step before the file loads, so I don't forget it - it's one of the tick boxes for the cloning step. Doing it first of all means I know the file is standalone from the start.

The GMND and CRES don't match, but most likely due to the "fix integrity" step, since the master CRES is supposed to have the "##0x1C050000!" prefix in the cObjectGraphNode (that's where it's usually best to copy from).
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#5 Old 6th Mar 2022 at 5:14 PM
I updated my link above! The files PF linked to were a different set they were helping me work on, but it was the same repo issue anyways. They were able to help get them working, but on their end. We thought we'd discovered the workaround, but when I went to apply the same method to my files linked above, I still wasn't able to get the repo mesh to work as noted.

simmer22 - when I did Fix Integrity on the repo mesh (that was in the original repo tutorial instructions) it caused my game to crash when I would click to that section of the catalogue, so I stopped doing that. The answer to all your earlier questions was yes.

So we're thinking based on what PF said, that the solution should be to Fix Integrity, but on the recolour files, not the mesh files? If so I'd like to test doing that on my end. SimPE is struggling absolutely though, I have three different versions of SimPE on my computer currently because none seem to work completely. So, maybe what I'll do is save some backup files, try fixing integrity on the recolours and if I have trouble, try again with a different version of SimPE and see how I do! My concern is that so far in my experience, all Fix Integrity does when I apply it is break the object lol. Hopefully I will be able to find a way to apply it that actually helps!
Lab Assistant
#6 Old 6th Mar 2022 at 5:27 PM
Yes, if all MMATs are borked, you need to fix integrity of the master mesh, too. Decorative stuff luckily doesn't break that often, unlike some other objects.

Quote: Originally posted by simmer22
Pineappleforest, are those the original files, or the ones you did "fix integrity" on?

These files I've attached are original versions, before the "Fix integrity".

I've cloned quite a few lamps, tables,jointed stuff - for me, "Fix integrity" results in these objects BREAKING, like 80% of the time.
I only do it if I change recolourable subset name or add another MMAT.
Mad Poster
#7 Old 6th Mar 2022 at 6:07 PM Last edited by simmer22 : 6th Mar 2022 at 6:23 PM.
I usually do "fix integrity" first - never had any issues with files breaking when I do it that way, which is why I prefer having it ticked in the cloning settings.

I think if you do it out of order with some other steps, things can occasionally go wonky, and I'm guessing the CRES might be the thing breaking, without being too sure.
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#8 Old 6th Mar 2022 at 6:15 PM
Any tutorial I have read always recommends doing Fix Integrity as the last step, so maybe that's where the problem is.

What is the tick box called in the cloning screen? I see "fix cloned file" and two sub-tick boxes, which are already always ticked for mine under the SimPE default settings.
Mad Poster
#9 Old 6th Mar 2022 at 6:24 PM Last edited by simmer22 : 6th Mar 2022 at 6:54 PM.
I'm not entirely sure which, but I always have the three cloning options at the top (custom group ID, fix cloned files, create standalone object) ticked when I'm creating a new object, so it's one of those, or possibly a combination.

The rest are more or less optional - I usually keep these on (Default color, Wallmasks, #STR) and these off (Change description and Animations) unless I'm making something that needs the animation files included (rare). Reference mesh should be unticked.

---

Looks like some tutorials have the step both at the start (to rename the file internally) and after the mesh replacement. It's the same window ("scenegraph rename wizard"). I don't know if it makes a difference, but I've never noticed any problems with not doing "fix integrity" an extra time on my meshes. I have messed it up when adding MMATs, though (forgetting to do it, more like...)

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I've gotten so used to doing the "fix integrity" step at the start it's pretty much second nature. The step can occasionally cause issues with meshes, though. I had a lot of issues with it back when I started out with accessories. If you've poked and prodded around in a file, that action can sometimes be very temperamental. I don't have a count of how many files I accidentally ruined... Nowadays I don't touch anything in the file before I do that step, preferably leaving the Plugin View entirely blank if possible. That's usually the safest way to not blow up anything with "Fix Integrity"... Haven't had as many issues with objects, but I prefer to only do the step once for each object, maybe a second time if a MMAT needs fixing, but not more than that.
Me? Sarcastic? Never.
staff: administrator
#10 Old 6th Mar 2022 at 9:04 PM
I don't do Fix Integrity unless I've changed a resource name, and only then as a last resort (I usually use Fix TGI on that resource instead). If you use the default options when cloning (tick the Use Default in OW), your object will be unique. Using Fix Integrity on multi state items most definitely breaks them, usually in the str resource.

Nothing popped out as wrong, maybe try cloning a different object? Especially the rug, maybe clone a rug instead? Otherwise users will place it as a rug but sims will not be able to route over/through it.
Mad Poster
#11 Old 6th Mar 2022 at 10:34 PM
Quote: Originally posted by HugeLunatic
I don't do Fix Integrity unless I've changed a resource name, and only then as a last resort (I usually use Fix TGI on that resource instead).


Same here. Fix TGI usually gets you quite far.

I also rarely change resource names unless I have to - mostly it's when I add a new subset, which is when I would usually do Fix integrity anyway.
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#12 Old 7th Mar 2022 at 12:28 AM
Quote: Originally posted by HugeLunatic
I don't do Fix Integrity unless I've changed a resource name, and only then as a last resort (I usually use Fix TGI on that resource instead). If you use the default options when cloning (tick the Use Default in OW), your object will be unique. Using Fix Integrity on multi state items most definitely breaks them, usually in the str resource.

Nothing popped out as wrong, maybe try cloning a different object? Especially the rug, maybe clone a rug instead? Otherwise users will place it as a rug but sims will not be able to route over/through it.


PF and I were able to sort it out and they did clone it from a rug for me on their version as well, that was just a brain fart of my part! But not the root of the issue. My SimPE was breaking stuff, so it ended up that Fix Integrity on the recolours and the repo mesh (but not the main mesh) were what was needed to correct to issue. For some strange reason!

And sounds like yes, based on my defaults in SimPE, that scenegraph wizard does always come up when I clone objects.
Mad Poster
#13 Old 7th Mar 2022 at 12:43 AM
Quote: Originally posted by kayleigh83
And sounds like yes, based on my defaults in SimPE, that scenegraph wizard does always come up when I clone objects.


Do you usually write something in it?

Do you usually have the first three (main) boxes ticked under cloning options? (or the first 5 if you count the two extra under "fix") - I think the first one adds the 0x5 additon to the CRES and other resources that don't have it, but not entirely sure.
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#14 Old 7th Mar 2022 at 11:47 PM
Quote: Originally posted by simmer22
Do you usually write something in it?

Do you usually have the first three (main) boxes ticked under cloning options? (or the first 5 if you count the two extra under "fix") - I think the first one adds the 0x5 additon to the CRES and other resources that don't have it, but not entirely sure.


I have the default settings for cloning, so whichever would be ticked if you clicked to "set default settings". When the scenegraph wizard comes up I change the part before the square brackets, hit update, then OK.
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