So, I've read conflicting views on how to arrange files in the Sims Downloads folder, on a Mac. Some people say that all the subfolders count towards the total number of files, (and I do have many, many subfolders within subfolders, ad nauseum)... and that it would be better to just have all the downloads lumped together in the main DL folder. But then... some people say that the system doesn't count folders as files at all, and it makes no difference how they're arranged. I would tend to believe the latter, as the game isn't going to be looking for folders, other than the vital ones created by the game itself.

Also, someone mentioned reducing files by eliminating unnecessary items, like game-created families: Ottomas and so forth, and I have done so in the past, by just deleting them from the in-game Families tab. But that doesn't amount to very many files. I suppose I could also delete most of the Storytelling image files... I keep a few of them just as clues to which neighborhood is which when I lose track. If I re-named the Neighborhood folders, I could get rid of all the Storytelling pics, I think. But I don't know if that's permitted. Can I re-name the Neighborhood folders: Florin, instead of N0005, etc.? And, can I just trash entire Neighborhood folders, as in ones that I know belong to extinct hoods that got corrupted and were abandoned? I've already deleted them from the in-game hood selector. What do people think about any of that? Sorry to lump a bunch of stuff together in one post, but it is all related.

Editing this to separate the answered question from the other, Mac-specific one...

1: Storytelling pics - you don't need them. The only ones I'd recommend keeping is the picture of the family after finishing them in CAS, plus taking (singular) family pics if you play generational. Makes it easier to distinguish between hoods when you're out of the game (which family is in which hood - I've had that issue multiple times, especially good to have if you want to play an older hood or ahood gets borked and you want to salvage something from it). For other purposes, you get better pictures with screenshots. If you still really want to take pictures with the ingame screenshot function, you can move out the pictures you aren't spesifically using (album function) ingame. I think you do need to keep the pair of a snapshot and thumbnail.

2a: Most of the time, deleting sims from the family bin doesn't actually delete the files, it just removes them visibly ingame. For perma-deletion, you need other tools. Not sure if the same is true for the maxis bin families, though - but...

2b: ...If you don't want bin families, the best way is usually to install the stealth hoods. That way they don't generate files at all. You can install empty templates (+mods) if you don't want the townie pool or maxis sims. A bit unsure if there are some that work fine for the Mac version, though.

3: You can rename hoods ingame, but only the actual name - it doesn't do anything to the files (tips here: https://modthesims.info/t/587838 ). You can rename hoods (custom hoods...). but I think they have to keep the [letter] [3 numbers] way. I vaguely remember seeing a tutorial that mentioned renaming using an actual name, but can't find it. In the meantime, the "old" method: https://sims.fandom.com/wiki/Game_g...hood%27s_folder (you don't actually need SimPE if you know which one you want to rename).

4: If you have the option to merge files, this can significantly reduce the amount of files (not sure which tools are available for Mac, but a SimPE version was released recently, more here: https://modthesims.info/d/695769/si...-and-linux.html so that might help? ). It's fairly easy to merge files, tutorial here: https://keoni-chan.tumblr.com/post/...cc-a-mini-guide
(Personally I've started to merge files a bit - I keep the mesh as a sepparate file, and merge all the recolors. Some people merge several items into one file, though this does make it harder to remove something or to rule out issues).

5: Reduce folders, especially subfoldering. No idea if it helps for the Mac, but extensive subfolderig can potentially slow down loading, and if it can also potentially cause Mac-related issues, better safe than sorry. in a lot of cases you can put several files in the same folder and they'll sort nicely by name.

6: If you never use some of the remade lots, or have installed lots you find you aren't using, you can also clean up a bit in the LotCatalog (you can delete lots from ingame, though not 100% sure if it's safe to delete the maxis-occupied lots ingame (the pet lots, for instance). Would consider the stealth hoods instead, so you're sure they're properly removed.

7: Not sure if Mac has a working Bodyshop, but you can remove/delete projects after they're completed. Lots of files (and space) to get rid of. (Finished files are in SavedSims, so you can safely remove the ones in the Project files). A cleanup in SavedSims could be useful, too (move stuff you want to keep tp the Downloads folder).

STORYTELLING PICS -
Excellent. The only reason I keep any is for hood ID, in cases of restoring from backup, and I also rename the snapshots to reflect whom they're pictures of, so I don't even have to open them. But, sometimes I only restore individual hoods that appear to be corrupted, rather than the whole Neighborhoods folder - figuring that the different hoods have nothing whatsoever to do with each other. Of course, what causes corruption in one hood could potentially cause it in another, but not automatically. I don't know, maybe it's better to just restore the entire Neighborhoods folder rather than one hood at any given time?


I wish there was a way to make the game label families, and catalog items, by their filenames... like a cheat you could activate that causes a mouse-over thing where the filename pops up on the screen... kind of like the names of outfits sometimes appears in CAS.


I'm not in the habit of creating a whole bunch of hoods. Right now, just trying to get the existing ones to co-operate. But in future, yes, the stealth hoods sound like a great idea. Where do I find them?


This sounds great, and since you've mentioned this, I'm noticing downloads out there that come in merged and separate versions. I often don't want all the recolors of an item, but maybe getting the merged versions will reduce my headaches. It sounds like limiting file numbers is more important than limiting file sizes? I hate how we have to use awkward phrases like "is more important than" to avoid using the name of a certain orange-tinted yobbo. Actually, I never much liked that word, even before I knew who he was.


So, within my DL folder are four subfolders, to aid in binary sorting (should that ever prove necessary): Build, Buy, Body and Behav. Is it worth it, do you think, to open those up, and peel all of my CC files out of the folders they came with, so that all the "Build" items -for example - are just floating loose, inside the Build folder? It would literally take all day, but if you think it might help... The problem is that, unlike the Almighty Hat, not everyone labels their stuff in an overly-nerdy, but easy to identify manner, so having them sort by name only goes so far towards organization. I haven't helped matters by dumping stuff into the DL folder without nerdily sorting it myself every time (although I do sometimes remember). I don't know, maybe it's not important to have my DL folder neatened up.


The Bodyshop sort of works. I can't always save projects without the app crashing. And some of the controls don't seem to do anything. I probably just need to read a Bodyshop tutorial, rather than trying to figure it out myself. I have a Sims Storage Locker folder (elsewhere on my HD) where I stuff anything that might be clogging up my game, but which I can't bear trashing permanently, so that's where I've stuck my saved Sims, although it was just a handful. I'm assuming the same applies to Packaged Lots: just get them out of my Sims 2 folder if I'm not using them. I've yet to package any lots for mass distribution (i.e. without Sims having lived in them), so they're really just in case I have to re-install some day. Although... if they're not safe to export, they're probably also not safe to re-import into a new hood, right?

BTW, I did manage to download SimPE for Macs (yay!) only to discover that it is only for Mac OS 10.15 (boo.) But I expected that, and in any case, at least I have it, should my OS situation improve in the future. The renaming of neighborhood folders sounds like too big of a can of worms for me to open. I'll just continue re-naming family snapshots and using those to ID my hood folders. I could give them Mac color-coded labels, I guess. That wouldn't hurt anything.

Hoods are not dependent of each other - the only file that's shared between them is the NeighborhoodManager file.



You mean in the family bin? Or the household?
Clicking on the household/lot should show basic info up to (I think?) 8 sims.
The family bin only shows the family name, I think.
(Edited to clarify)



Here's one version (again, not sure of the compatibility, but looks like they're for each individual pack, so I'd think mac-compatible?)
Has to be installed before you make a new hood. Installing them after will keep them in the older hoods but not in any new ones.
https://modthesims.info/d/520751/cl...-templates.html


Technically, items can be removed from a merged file, but it does require the know-how + SimPE, so unless you want to venture into SimPE land (and then you might as well merge the wanted ones instead of cleaning up the merged file), I guess then the option is some recolors or all of them.



Personally, I have more categories in the Downloads folder, and limit the subfoldering (but also have a ton of folders)
CAS hair-> Folder with files (named with creator and what it is)
CAS clothes -> Folder with files
BUY -> category (rooms, toys, plants...)--> Folder with files
BUILD -> Folder with files
MODS -> Folder with files + some loose files
(and so on, but keeping within larger categories so it's easy to pull/search the one I want).

Whatever works for you. Just try to keep the subfoldering down (limit to max 3 folders-within-folders).

That's all useful info. Thanks!