Object Creation Workshop and Repair Center
 

After 6 months, and more that 1300 posts, we thought it was time to clean up this thread a little

All the messages posted prior to Dec., 31st 2005 have been moved (not deleted) to an ARCHIVE THREAD, purposely created. If you need to read back some old post, please refer to the Archive (no posting allowed on the archive).

This thread, on the other hand, will stay active: you are all welcome to post here, asking for help with your creations.


The known guidelines apply:

1) We will give support for OBJECTS only: no skins, clothing, hacks, lots...
2) Please post a detailed description of your problem, providing the faulty package(s).
3) This is a place where you can learn new things: we will fix your packages for you, if possible; but we will also give detailed information, explaining why the package didn't work: we strongly suggest you to read the provided info, so not to make the same mistake a second time.

If you feel inclined to give your assistance, answering to questions that you know the answer to, you're welcome to do it, and this is much appreciated!

Lastly, let's give one more big THANK YOU to our Mesh Maestro, JWOODS for having created this thread; we all hope that soon all his problems will be solved and he will come back here, providing his valuable help, and sharing his great knowlodge again!

Hi everyone. I'm having great difficulty finding my mistake in my new packages. I began by cloning a painting (into graffiti) and modifying it to suit my needs (1x1 size, custom mesh, texture, catalog info etc). I recolored the graffiti package and things were looking fine. Then I cloned my graffiti package to make a graffitiwide package, the same thing again but on a 2x1 size instead (updated mesh, texture, etc).

When I made a recolor of graffitiwide, the recolor showed up on the original graffiti object instead of the graffitiwide package! I figured it might be something to do with the subset names so I have been through, checked the MMAT GUIDs, subset names in GMDC, GMND, SHPE and everywhere else I could think of. I have checked that tsDesignMode cDataExtension refers to the correct place, and spent about 6 hours on these forums looking for a magic solution. There's a lot of useful stuff on here, but with not knowing the exact problem, it's hard to solve.

My problem is that graffitiwide will allow itself to be recolored, but the new recolor does not show up in the game, and the scenegrapher is reporting 'false' instead of 'extern' for the CRES information. I would really appreciate it if someone would look at both the graffiti and graffitiwide packages in the attached ZIP, see what I've done wrong, make it so that both these objects can be recolored and appropriate recolors appear under the correct object's design options and come back to me to let me know exactly where I went wrong. I'd really benefit from knowing what my mistake were here so as to not make them in the future. Thanks!

I found problems with both objects:

The wide graffiti one's MMAT was not pointing to the main GUID of the object, which is 0x000AE80E. I fixed that for the MMAT of both the main object and the recolor, and it works now.

For the one-tile graffiti, the subset name in the tsDesignModeEnabled was incorrect. It has to be fw190a8_graffiti_painting but it was something else. I changed that, and now that one should work, as well. However, you really should not use the underscore _ in subset names! I suggest you change all the underscores to dashes - instead, or just remove the lines altogether. Having the underscore may cause problems.

Here are the fixed packages in case you want to double check what I just explained here.

First of all, I really owe you one IgnorantBliss. You have fixed my packages so that they work as intended in the game and are recolorable with SimPE. Thank you so much! Thanks for explaining the error of my ways too. Hopefully, the more of this I do, the more I will learn to get things right on my own.

Secondly, could anyone provide an explanation as to why underscores are not a good idea in subset names? I have no problem using dashes or another system, but I would find it really useful to know why underscores cause problems. Thanks!

I'm not sure why, but I think the underscores are a problem especially with recolorable subsets. Maxis uses underscores in subset names, too, but, from my experience, it's usually for subsets that they never made recolorable. Numenor would be a better person to explain exactly why. It has something to do with how SimPE sees the the file names, and the underscore has a "special" meaning in some cases. This is my plebeian explanation on the issue as I understand it, though .

I've got this Exit Sign I'm trying to make for my game. I've imported the mesh using SimPe .52. Now I'm lost a texture the mesh. Can somebody please help me out with that?

Do you mean you've lost the texture to your mesh, or that you're at loss trying to texture it? Have you uv-mapped the mesh? Have you tried putting a texture on it yet, and what kind of problems are you having if so? Which object did you clone it from?

GUID problems
 

I have been trying to create a new wallpaper with Sims pe. My homecrafter no longer works because I have nightlife and not Uni. My new wallpaper keeps replacing the old one. I registered a new GUID. Opened the object xml
highlighted Guid typed the new GUID in the value section commited the change saved the package but when I opened my game the new wallpaper still replaced the old one. Can you tell me why? Am i doing something wrong?

Did you only look at the thumbnail of the wallpaper or did you try putting it on a wall? It could just be that the thumbnail of the wallpaper wasn't updated after the fix. In this case, you can delete the package files in your Thumbnails folder in your Sims 2 folder in My Documents, and let the game generate new ones the next time you go to the catalog in game.

I deleted the whole package, thumbnail and even bak file and recreated the whole thing with the new GUID in the package with the same results. My new wallpaper shows up. I can place it on walls and everything but the wallpaper I cloned has disappeared. I don't care much in my own game but if I upload it I will be causing the same problem in someone elses game.

Would you like to try uploading your package file here for someone else to take a look at? I've never made wallpapers with SimPE, but I'm willing to try to figure this out . Zip/rar it up and post it as an attachment.

I have attached the package. the assigned GUID is 0x0019F401. This is driving me crazy :gonemad: Thanks for the help. The maxis wall I used was Wall bamboo.

OK, for some reason I couldn't find any information on this, so I had to figure it out on my own, and I think I got it. At least your wallpaper is not replacing the Maxis one anymore. Besides the GUID in the XML file, you will also have to change the FILENAME. The filename still has the original name in it. To get the new filename, open the Material Definition, and copy and paste the name in the Filename value field to the Filename field in the XML, plus add the .5tm extension. This made it work for me. (So, for this particular wall the value would be "simpe-[robin0704-4.1.2006-17279]-wall_bamboo_txmt.5tm")

When I look at walls made with Homecrafter, they only have a value "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa" in that Filename field. Odd. Maybe it just needs to be anything else but the original Maxis value? I will have to experiment with this one.

Thanks
 

Thank you very much :jaw: And the light goes on. I never thought to compare it to a homecrafters recolor. I miss my homecrafter wish I could fix it But now that I have this fixed and figured out it will be great. I appreciate all your help.

We need a wallpaper specific tutorial for SimPE badly. The fence tutorial is too different from what you need to do with walls.

I haven't uv-mapped the mesh yet. What program do I use to uv-map a 3ds mesh?

I'm not personally familiar with 3DS, but I believe it has its own uv-mapping function. Check out this topic for more.

wittanthony,
apparently, LithUnwrap imports 3ds formats
if you can get your mesh in obj. format, you can also use UV-Mapper
most tutorials on here use that program

How do you convert a mesh from 1 format to obj? I've been trying to do that with several free meshes I found and would like to see in my game but I haven't been able to convert the meshes right yet.

This is a real newbie problem which I'd appreciate some help on. I think my essential problem here is that what little I do know about making objects is very out of date.
My specific problem is I'm trying to make a counter island, the attached file works all fine, does what I want it to but the recolours don't show up. I had the same problem on the regular counter I made to do with this but that seemed to allow itself to be fixed by correcting the material def reference in the shape, if the same problem has happened here I've missed it. The odd thing is the design mode icon for the recolour shows it as it ought to be but it doesn't update the texture on the counter when its selected.
The set of items this belongs to has been kicking my backside all week and I'd love to get it polished off and published as soon as humanly possible so I never have to look at it ever again!!

Depends on the format, Milkshape does support a wide range of different formats including .obj & .3ds so its a good program to have for that sort of purpose. Or alternatively if its an expensive program you don't have access to then you could always find someone who does have it and ask them nicely to convert a batch of them into a different format that you can use.

Pistachio,
the file you uploaded is only the recolour,
most of the time, when recolours don't work, it's a faulty line in the gmnd of the mesh (you might want to check the 'designmodeEnabled' line specifically)
could you upload the mesh as well?

Wittanthony,
there's some people on here who use 3ds max, so presumably that program exports obj. files as well
or you use LithUnwrap as an in-between, importing your 3ds file, uv-mapping it and saving the uv-mapped object as obj.format

Lethe, the mesh was included in the package that I downloaded.

I still haven't been able to figure out the problem, though. I have a feeling it has something to do with this being an island that originally borrowed its textures from the normal counter, but now it's a stand-alone object. Kate, do you have a normal counter that goes with this? Maybe linking to it for textures would work.

I made a paiting and I'd like to recolor it, but I can't find it in "decorative > wall" ! I thought my object had a problem but I tried to download an object already recolored by the creator and I still couldn't find it !!

How should I proceed then ?

Do you mean you can't see your painting at all, or you just can't see the recolor you made? Do you mean you can't see any custom painting created by other people, either? Do you have custom content enabled in your game?

the rar attached to my post definitly has both packages in it, k8-oxygenisland-050106 is the original and k8-oxygenisland-recol-050106 is the recolour. It sounds likely there's a problem with the GMND but I'm well past the looking but not seeing stage!

Or maybe you mean that when you go to load the painting in Object Workshop to start making your recolor you can't find it. When you recolor a custom object you have to hit "open" instead of "start" and then browse for the object you want to recolor.

Yes, that's what he meant, I'm sure! I kept thinking about the in-game catalog.

I'm sorry, I didn't explain the problem clearly :sorry:

I just mean I can't find my object and objects I download in "decorative > wall" in SimPe's Object Workshop ! I have no problem in the game .

I don't understand why an object doesn't appear in the object workshop's list whereas the creator did recolor it !

Example : I downloaded the boombox at Lyran. As you can see, the object has been recolored by the creator whereas I can't find it in the object workshop.

I want :
- to be able to recolor my object.
- people to be able to recolor my object.

EDIT : I was writing this post when you posted.

Thank you IB and Mage

Lol asking and answering is quite an exercise in using English.

[QUOTE=IgnorantBliss]Lethe, the mesh was included in the package that I downloaded.
[\QUOTE]

odd, I just tried again and I only get the recolor
computer must be tired or something :disagree:

That's very strange. Let me try uploading the file in this post, if it works for you. I'm going to need help from someone else with Kate's counter because I still haven't gotten anywhere after spending about an hour working on it. This is a tough one

Thats oddly comforting on the level that at least it isn't just me haha! The awful thing is this was the last item I did in the set and everything else works perfectly :mad: usually I've done something so incredibly dumb and obvious that even I spot my mistake but I just can't fathom it.

Maybe, if nothing else works, try cloning another island and see if there was just something wrong with this one? And, like I said, if you have a matching normal counter, try linking them together. The problem with kitchen counters at the moment is that you need a stand-alone clone to get all the necessary textures, but then you lose all the links to other objects. Quaxi has been informed about this, it's a problem with SimPE not pulling all the needed files.

ok, sorry folks, winrar was acting up, thank the gods or Delphy for Q-Xpress
now, kate,
I haven't been able to fix your package, but I have a theory
and Ignorant Bliss is, as always, right
your kitchen island contains tsMaterialsMeshName files, which are usually only found in slave objects
the original object was never meant to have its own recolours, I think, and it may not have 'internal' links that allow recoloring
Simpe pulls all the necessary files, but I'm not sure if it links them
your best bet may be to slave this to your regular counter, there's a good explanation in the modding infocenter
it is one of the weirdest things I've seen so far
have to go back and prod it some more

I haven't delved far into the innards of objects, but I can tell you that I've downloaded various kitchen sets and simply the kitchen islands would not work for me, they wouldn't even appear in the catalog. It was declared an unsolved mystery. (I do have the original game only). So I can testify that those islands have given quite a few people problems. PM me if you want me to test a fixed version (if you can coax it into behaving)

This time SimPE is not to blame...

All the Maxis counter islands borrow the textures from the related kitchen counters: this can be seen (in the original island) reading the GMND, into the tsMaterialMeshName: there is a reference to the counter CRES.

When you clone the island as a Stand-Alone Object, all the tsMaterialsMeshName blocks are cleared up; in normal objects this is not a problem: the object simply refers to itself, when looking for the textures.
But with islands (and also kitchen counters) it is a problem, because islands and counters are "multi-model" objects (i.e. they change shape regarding their position).
Therefore, one of the CRES (the one with the shortest name) is to be considered the "main" one, and the others must be set as "slave" of the main one.

Do this:
1) open in turn the following GMNDs: ...endeast_tslocator, ...endwest_tslocator and ...-islandcornerquaint_root_rot; for each of them, select the tsMaterialsMeshName block;
2) add a "String" to the block
3) in the "Name" field type "countertop"; in the "String" field put the CRES name, without the _cres extension, but with the Forced Relocation prefix (i.e., in your case, ##0x1c050000!k8-oxygenisland-050106)
4) add another String; Name="counterfinish", String=the same CRES reference (##0x1c050000!k8-oxygenisland-050106)
5) repeat with the other two GMNDs

You might wonder why I've selected these three GMNDs and not the others; I've excluded all the GMNDs that only refer to shadows, and I've excluded also the one with the shortest name, because (looking at its name), it is related to the "main" CRES, and therefore it is to be considered the "main" GMND.

Note: the recolour package should work as is, once you have fixed the mesh package.

Note2: this procedure is valid if there isn't a custom counter to go with the island; if there is a counter, the procedure is slightly different.

Numenor, I tried to do that to the island, as well, link it to itself, but when I tried to view it in the Scenegrapher afterwards, it would not open. I don't remember if I tested it in the game or not, though.

I have a question (or so) on renaming package files...

1. I've heard this but can't find it documented: You're supposed to package or zip your custom content from the SavedSims folder, not the Projects folder. I've been doing this blindly. Can someone tell me why, what's the difference, what can happen, etc?

2. Can you rename package files?
I've downloaded custom content before where it didn't have the body shop code in its name like "ghy06788_yada.package" and instead had the creator's name and whatever else. And then, those that have nothing but gibberish body code for their filename sucks, and I'd like to rename it to something recognizable and easy to organize somehow, like "creatorsname_AF-bluedress.package". Is it possible?

There is actually a separate forum for skinning questions here, but I think I can answer your second question. Yes, you can rename your Bodyshop packages to anything you want, there doesn't need to be any gibberish code in it . Just make sure the name is different from other files that might be out there.

That's what I thought... The Staff at The Sims Resource said that you can :naughty: NOT rename it, especially to NOT touch the gibberish and the underscore (such as "hdfs76687_dress.package"). They just said Body Shop needs the code/gibberish, but couldn't explain further.

:haha: They're punks...

Created object replaces the original
 

I've created a new mesh by cloning one of the Maxis beds, however my mesh replaces the original and I've changed the guid and updated the MMats in the main object data file. I can't figure out what else could be wrong. Also, in-game, the new texture image and catalogue description don't even show up, only the original ones. Can someone please offer some guidance? Thank you.

Siri

I've done this and its still behaving in the same way (see attached)(recolour showing as available in buy catalogue but doesn't update the counter when selected). There is a counter that looks as if it matches this island in my set but it isn't related in the sense you mean, they weren't cloned from an original pair of coordinating counter and island.

Did you remember to also Commit with each GUID change? Did you change all the GUIDs, not just the main one?

To make the catalog text show correctly, make sure you click the button "default lang only" in the Catalog Description editing part in SimPE. This way, your description will show up in the language you wrote it no matter what language version the game is.

To update the catalog image for your bed, delete the thumbnail packages in the Thumbnails folder in your Sims 2 folder in My Documents.

Kate, I think that regular counter is linked to your island. Only objects that borrow their materials/textures from other have the tsMaterialsMeshName in the Geometric Node, and your island does. It's just that making it a stand-alone clone removes the links that otherwise would be there.

That said, I still have no idea why it's not working. I will have to experiment with some counters and islands myself to maybe figure it out.

I did change all of the GUIDS including the main one and I pressed 'commit' on all of the GUID changes the first time. The new object still overwrites the original.

Also, activating the 'default lang only' button fixed the issue with the catalog details.

In that case I can't say why it keep replacing the original object. Try posting your object here as an attachment and I'll take a look at it .

Here it is. Thanks for checking it out.

It'll be a few more hours before I'm at my own computer and able to work on package files, but I'll get back to this as soon as I can .

Siri_Io, you have cloned the Colonial Hardwood double bed. That's probably the cause of your problem. You should clone any other bed than that. I'm not completely sure why it causes a problem, but I have a feeling it's got something to do with the fact that it's the Colonial bed that all the other beds borrow their bedding textures from. I have been told not to clone that one, although I don't remember being explained why. So, clone any other Maxis double bed instead, then import this mesh and textures to it, and re-use these GUIDs. It should work then .

Siri_Io (and IgnorantBliss): In my game I can see both the new bed and the original Colonial bed... No problem at all. What Ignorantbliss says is true, but in Siri_io's bed the beddings are correctly linked. Siri_io, are you sure you haven't, in your downloads folder, an older copy of the same bed?

Pistachio: I'm still battling with your island; everything seems perfect now (after few modifications) but still it doesn't work. I think I'll re-clone it.

So, is there a reason not to clone the Colonial Ironwood bed? I've been told by a few people not to, but I never really asked why.

I really should have looked at the bed in game before making any guesses .

Siri-O, I too had a look at your bed and it works fine in my game
catalog entries and everything
what I did was update the mmat's in the object data, you might have forgotten that
only for the main guid (the first one) check 'update mmat's', then click the blue 'update' and commit

Kate, could I ask what you cloned it from?
cause it acts more like a counter than an island, in my game it needs to stand against a wall, for instance

Based on the file names and GUIDs, I think it was cloned from the catamaran kitchen island.

I can place it in the middle of a floor in my game just fine, hmm.

ack! I must be losing my mind with this object.
Keep it away from me! *runs*

IgnorantBliss, Numenor, and Lethe_S, thank you so much for looking at my object file.
I had originally cloned the Zenu Meditation Sleeper and I know I remembered to update the MMats. Since the object was showing up in your game, I figured that I must have something in my folders that you don’t. I didn’t have an older copy of the bed in my Downloads folder but I had mistakenly saved all the older copies in my Projects folder and they were overriding the new bed. At least, now I know never to make that mistake with objects again.
Thanks once more for your help.

Siri

The reason is that the Colonial Double Bed holds (and share with the other beds) all the textures for the beddings. Therefore, if you clone the Colonial bed, without further modifications, you'll end with a bed that uses its own beddings, and this is not a good thing.

But if you are clever enough, you can clone the Colonial bed, give it a custom name, and set it to borrow the beddings from the original Maxis Colonial bed. Basically, it means some additional work that can be spared cloning any other bed but the Colonial... That's why we suggest not to clone the Colonial: just to make things easier; after all, there is no reason to clone specifically the Colonial: any other bed is better.

Hi, i' have a problem with my package , i add a subset in a bed package.

Example : - (A) bedding
- (A) bedding
- beddoublecolonial_opacityplane
- (A) bedding
- (B) frame
- (C) My Subset


Subset Color :
Subset A = Color of bedding
Subset B + My new subset C = Color of frame

"B" and "C" subset have the same TXTR (texture) but have a "different" TXMT (materiel definition) but when i make a recoloration, my subset "C" doesn't work whereas he use the "B" texture and I don't know Why :gonemad:

I would like that "C" is slave of "B" when i recolored my object
and the problem is precisely here...

Slave subsets are possible, although I'm not personally very familiar with adding them. Is there a specific reason you want the added subset to be separate from the frame part? Having them as one subset would make it simpler, but if they definitely need a different Material Definition, then a slave subset is probably needed. I can't find a tutorial on that, though. I know Numenor has done slave subsets before.

Thank you "IgnorantBliss" for your answer :salute: , I need a different Material definition for my new subset this is for this reason i look for a tutorial on a "Slave Subset" :nod: it will be very nice if i can find it.

Maybe my new subset need to be in a different GMND, GMDC and shape and must have the same name of the subset "B". Maybe... I don't know :banghead:

I would like to learn that, too. Maybe looking at an existing object with a slave subset would help? I know Numenor's Hibernator has one. I will have to look into this.

i never see a package who got a slave subset, in other case thank your very much IgnorantBliss :salute:

My fault, sorry... I promised many times to post a tutorial about the slave subsets, but still I didn't.
Yes, my Hibernator contains a slave subsets; for a more complex object, look at the "Tulip Light" floor lamp (the inner part of the glass is slave of the outer part); also, the staircases make large use of the slave subsets.

To start with, please note that:

1) the slave subset and the "master" subset must be in the same GMND (and therefore, in the same GMDC)
2) the GMND contains a special block called tsDesignModeSlaveSubsets (note the final "s": I always mispell it )
3) this block contains a "String" in the form: "Name"= master subset; "String"=slave subset
4) it *is* possible to enslave multiple subsets to the same master: sinply, in the "String" you have to type all the slave subsets, separated by a comma (without any space in between).
5) the slave subset needs its own Material Override (but, oddly enough, this applies only for base-game objects: UNI and NL objects don't require any additional MMAT for the slave subsets).

If you have other questions, you're welcome to ask me.

I know this is exactly the same thisng you helped me with a while back, Ignorant Bliss and yet here it is again, sorry.
I've realized I want to be able to recolor the handles of an armoire I made.
In the GMDC the group is called "armoirequaint_drawerhandle" also in the shape.
But the material definition is called just "drawerhandle."
So I changed the name in the GMDC and the shape to "drawerhandle" and made a material override calling it "drawerhandle" and added "drawerhandle" to the tsDesignModeEnabled in the GNND.
But my recolor had no handles at all. I've been over everything several times and I don't know what's wrong.
Here's the object before I tried to make the handles re-colorable. I thought maybe someone could look at it and tell me just what I have to do have both groups re-colorable. Thanks.

Thank you so much Numenor for your help. :bow2:

I have added "tsDesignModeSlaveSubsets" in the GMND and added a string as

frame = (string) MyNewSubset

Now, when I make my color, Simpe collect all what i Need ( all material override, all material definition and all textures) but in the game my SlaveSubset stay still with the original Texture. I don't know what's wrong in my package.

However i follow all your steps. :tread:

Mage, I did everything you said you'd done (except for adding a separate drawerhandle entry in GMND because that seems to be unnecessary, I only added the tsDesignModeEnabled one), and it seems to have worked. Maybe you missed some small detail by accident? Did you remember to make all those changes to the MMAT that are mentioned in the subset adding tutorial? Anyway, here's the color-enabled version for you in case you want to take a look .

By the way, it seems like you have pulled animations when cloning the armoire. That's unnecessary for clones like these where we're not editing the actual animations, we're only retaining existing ones.

Bless you. I just did the whole thing over and got it to work too. You're exactly right, I think what I kept forgetting somehow was to change the name in the cloned material override. I think I was just changing the subset name. (rolling my eyes at myself) The only thing I was doing with the GMND was adding drawerhandle to the tsDesignModeEnabled.



All this time I thought it was neccessary to retain the existing ones. So that's good information for me. Once again thanks so much for helping me to enjoy creating.

What object have you cloned? A base-game one? I ask because in some cases a new MMAT (Material Override) is needed. Do this (in any case it won't hurt...):
1) Open your package, right-click on the MMAT for the "master" subset and choose "clone";
2) from the "Resource tab, on the bottom of the screen, change the Instance number of the cloned MMAT (all the MMATs need a unique Instance number within the package: just choose an unused one);
3) Back to Plugin tab, select the cloned tab and edit the "subsetName" field: fill in the name of the slave subset;
4) edit also the "materialName" field: fill in the name of the Material definition related to the slave subset (keep the ##0x1c050000! prefix).

Another thing: be sure that the subset names (both the master and the slave) *don't* contain any underscore.

If you can't fix it, post here your package.

Hi Numenor, i followed your steps and i have added a Materiel override for my slave subset but it don't work.

I attached my package if you want, i have cloned ---The Soma "Sleep Well"---, The subset "frame" is the master and the subset "cube" is the slave.

Infinitely thank you for your help

Afee, I think I fixed the problem, but I'm not 100% sure. There were a couple of problems:

- The new MMAT needed a new hash number different from the cloned one in the "family" field
- You had not added an extra line into the cObjectGraphNode when adding the GMND entry for the tsDesignModeSlaveSubsets. I added it.
- But what I needed to do before it worked was to fix some file names. I changed the texture and TXMT names according to the general recommendations, including adding the texture name for the cube ("2") also into its TXMT name.

Now the slave subset appears when I create a recolor package, but I'm in too much hurry to test this throughly before I have to leave for work. I will take a look at it again later today if it's still not right. I noticed the cube MMAT is not included in the recolor package. Never having worked with slave subsets before, I don't know if it's supposed to or not.

Edited to add: I'm sorry, I forgot to update the TXMT names in the MMAT and Shape. Here is a fixed version which should work now. The recolors of both the main and slave subsets seem work now.

Waaaaaouuuuuuuu !!!!!! :banana: it work !!! it work very well !!!!!!!

I understand where was my error. I have tried all the steps but it didn't work because the name of the TXMT and TXTR were wrong. It must have the same name of the Master subster after the underscore.

Thank you so much "IgnorentBliss" and "Numenor" for your help, you have changed my life lol I'm soooooo happy

I have tried on other packages and they work very well. :laugh:

Just making sure, did you get the updated version I uploaded about half an hour ago to the same post? I noticed there were a couple of things to fix about the first one I posted now that I actually had time to test it in the game.

No, because i had seen what you had forgotten and i had fixed them. That's great. Thanks Thanks Thanks

Honestly, if I didn't know you guys were here I'd be tearing my hair out. Today I'm trying to make a diagonal window. I have tried to be very careful going through Numenor's tutorial three times. But whatever I'm doing wrong I keep doing it because I keep geetting the same result. The diagonal window has the new window's texture but the old window's shape. And I notice when I grab it it has the old window's name too.
Thanks if you have time to take a look.

mage,
what I find confusing about this package is your number of object data
the straight one has three, while the diagonal one only has two, effectively giving a tile less.. I think that could be your problem

Hi everyone,

As Numenor said we could import a texture image with different sizes from the original one by using the DSS, I do it but now, I'm always getting an error message "unable to read beyond the end of the stream".

I've not tested my object and the recolors ingame yet, but can it cause any trouble ?

Mage, everything seems correct in your package.... I can't understand what's wrong.

Only, I have noticed that in my game (NL) I can't place the window at all on diagonal walls, while you say that you can, but the shape of the original window.
Are you sure that you haven't in your downloads folder an old version of the same window?

Unless IgnorantBliss doesn't find a solution that I can't see, I suggest to start anew, cloning again the window (an maybe, changing window: who knows if the Brasserie window hasn't anything unusual?)

EDIT: Lethe, this is normal; the diagonal windows are 1-tile objects, while straight windows take 2 tiles (front and back). And anyway the brasserie window, that works perfectly in game, is built exactly that way (like all tha other windows)...

Ben: yes, that could lead to trouble. If the DDS can't import the image (are you sure that the size is correct? Both width and height must be powers of 2), then import any other image with the desired dimension using the DDS, and then replace the texture using the standard Import function.

But the DSS does import the pic correctly. I'm just getting this error message but I can import it, update all sizes, commit and save. Yes the size is correct : 512 x 384 (in fact I just take a wallpaper 1024 x 768 and er... how to say it. 1024/2=512 :D).

I'll check the result ingame. Thanks

Thanks for looking at it Lethe and Numenor. I'm pretty sure there isn't any thing else with those GUIDs in my downloads...
Since it won't work for you anyway I think your suggestion that I start again with a different window is a good one. Is there one you reccommend?

Mage,
I swear, I have to stop trying to 'help' people when I'm dazed and confused
but try the Double hung window, the black one, that one always worked for me

Ben,
I don't think 384 will work. I always thought is was 256 or 512 there. Other dimensions are usually refused with me...

Numenor & Lethe I don't really understand Both width and height must be powers of 2 ...

Does that mean the width/the height or the height/the width has to be equal to 1 or 2 ? Huh, I hate maths :D

Mage, I haven't been able to fix your window, either. I'm thinking it may have something to do with the fact that the original straight window seems to be a slave to another object itself.

I would recommend cloning the Function of Plate Glass window, it has a simpler mesh structure (with fewer GMDCs) than the Double Hung one. If you want to make sure the window works with all versions of the game, untick the University and Nightlife files in the File Table in Preferences and restart SimPE. Even though the Plate Glass window is from the base game, leaving those ticked will make it require an expansion pack.

I need help again too. First, maybe I can offer some advice about importing texture images with different dimensions to those they are to replace. If I understand what you're trying to do Ben.

Work with a texture that has a width and length of: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512 etc. It can be 16x128 256x32 512x256 (anything like that but don't try import anything with a measurement that's not part of this 'doubles each step' like 20).

For best results check the mipmap level (box left of the texture image view). An image where either measurement is 512 or less needs a mipmap level of 10 (256 is 9, 128 is 8 etc.)

Right click the image and select 'build dxt', find the bitmap or png you want. I've heard it said that setting the format to DXT5 and 'sharpen' to none gives best results and it does stop some of the fraying of textures. When you find your image select build (it will take a few seconds while it compresses). When it's in the screen click commit and save (don't right click - update all sizes using this method).

Sticking to the sorts of texture image dimensions that the game and SimPe want should stop the error messages. 8, 16, 32, 64 (that pattern).

Now, I've got this chair. It's cloned from the "Mr. Section with Arms" by Comfortitude. I've done an unsuccesful search, of the site, for anyone else who's worked with this so - I'm here again. I'm sorry (I've got the repository technique nailed now and I've even figured out how to add a second recolourable model to items that formerly only had one - using the repository technique). This chair though, it's meant to become a sofa when two are placed side by side and it doesn't, basicly. I thought it might be a similar thing to linking straight and diagonal objects using the guids in the raw data in the object data but, on looking at the guids I can't see anything that I could change to make it work. Everything else about the package is fine, I think.

Please could someone suggest how I could fix it? It's the same mesh as one I've had on this site for a while but it's how I would have done it if the Mr. Section had been available to clone at the time.

Ben,
the way I see it
Width can me (realistically) 128, 256, 512, 1024 etc.
Height can also be, 128, 256, 512 etc.
You can have something that's 256X1024, or something that's 512x512, or all combinations of the above

Samekh, where can I get the object(s) this chair borrows its materials from? If I test this in the game, it's not going to have any textures otherwise.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think you need any GUID linking when all the meshes are in the same package. I think it works in a similar way than a kitchen counter that also has several different states (regular, sink version, corner, and so on) in the same package. However, I don't know exactly how they work.

Thanks for having a look. You're right (it would have flashing blue textures in game), I'll include zips (they wont have available colour options but they'll have the base texture) of the repository items that the chair is linked to.

I've had issues with kitchen counters before.. I wonder if it's not something to do with the other 'Mr. Section' needing to be worked on too? That would be silly though.

If you can't figure it out don't worry.

Ohhh. Maybe it's because I changed the model names. There's a section in 'text lists' mesh groups that is using the original model names. I know nothing about the text lists or the behaviour constants or functions. That might be something to do with it.

I'll run a couple of experiments. I'll change those two values in the in the 'mesh groups' first and see if that works. If it doesn't I'll try redoing the whole package (but not as a slave) and keep the model names the same. This stuff is a little too advanced for me I fear.

Thanks, Lethe and Ignorant Bliss. I don't want to use the double hung window because I think each GMDC has two seperate pieces of glass and I don't need things to be any more compilcated than they are. I'll try the sheer glass.

Just to add to the discussion of texture sizes, I have found that some objects will not import textures of some sizes that are normally acceptable. I've had it happen several times but the ones that are accepted always have dimensions that are multiples of 64.

Oh and could you tell me more about unticking the expansion packs? Should I do that for other objects as well? If I do it for the piano and bookcases with they work in all games?

Some objects like the bookcases have new functions after University, so if you want them to have the college options and such, then you should leave the University files checked. I don't remember what other objects there might be like that. Then you'll just have to let your downloaders know it requires University. But items like windows, I don't really see any functional difference. Just for some reason something about the Function of Plate Glass window was changed with one of the expansion packs, I'm not sure which one, because you can't tell in SimPE which expansion it requires. It did not happen to all windows, though. Also at least one of the desks from the base game was changed somehow. I didn't know it at the time I made the objects, I just found out afterwards the desk did not work without expansion packs. I recloned it without the expansion pack files, and it seems to be working fine with all versions.

MAGE and IBliss - The changes that an EP makes to the object are sometimes not visible in game. Please read this thread about this subject (and shere the info if asked )

Also, for the window to clone, my motto is: the simpler the better Therefore I always clone the small Privacy Window (just remember that, in the diagonal one, the "main" Object Data is the one with instance 0x41A9: Maxis forgot to put the "0,0" on the other one...).

Yes, I have read your information before . I know it may be risky with some objects, but I have been cloning the Function of Plate glass window several times, both before and after the change caused by the expansion pack, and I have not come across any incompatibility, I've tested them both in the base game only and with expansions.

But the privacy window is a slave of another window, right? It's a slave of the Function of Plate Glass window. You'll need a stand-alone clone to pull the materials and textures. I did not recommend that one in my tutorial, for examples, because it makes it more complicated for beginners. Also, unless you uncheck the expansion pack files in the File Table, also the Privacy window requires an expansion pack, just like the Plate Glass one. You will see that when you look at the "0,0" object data. You must have unchecked the expansion files while cloning your wallwindows, since they are base game compatible.

I didn't notice that some windows are still base-game compatible even with the EP, and some aren't... LOL! And I've never noticed that the Privacy is slave of another window! I always check and change everything, when I clone an object, so I never focused on this point... Thanks for having pointed this out.

Well, the Function of Plate seems perfect: only 2 GMDC (no "pane"), two recolourable subsets (only one without the CEP), and can be cloned without unchecking anything in SimPE, because it will be base-game compliant in any case.

Well, when I clone Function of Plate Glass window, I have to uncheck the expansion pack files, or else it won't be base game compatible. You can see it in the "0,0". The main GUID is fine, but one of the other ones isn't. It will show up in the game catalog, but you can't place it on a wall in the base game unless you exclude the expansion files upon cloning.

Hello all, I don't usually ask for help, but this one is driving me bonkers. I'm assuming that it's some little thing that I'm overlooking, but before I attack my computer I'll bow to the brilliant minds here to point it out for me.

I've created a simple bedskirt and am trying to connect it to the Maxis bedding so that it will use all custom as well as original bedding for its texture choices. And before anyone asks, yes I did a search, tried different versions using several tutorials and still come up with an object that only appears with one Maxis texture (see pic) that will not change.

Thanks for any help, Kathy

Kathy, here's your bedskirt that should be color-enabled now. What I did was add tsDesignModeEnabled into the GMND and then add the bedding subset to it. I don't think I changed anything else. Now it seems to work. What an awesome idea for an object, by the way!

You're right, as usual

I've checked, and I coudn't find any window that doesn't have the same problem.
Therefore, unchecking the EPs in SimPE is always needed...

CTNutmegger. The only thing I can see is that, in the geometric node, you didn't have a tsDesignModeEnabled array for 'bedding'. The tsMaterialsMeshName string was fine (apart from having capitals in the string but I'm not sure that makes a difference). The 'shape' was fine.

At first when I opened your package I thought what the heck is it! There's no bed. What did you use to clone? Not another bed? It's a great idea if it works. I know that putting two beds together using move_objects on has unwanted results (I wanted to do something like this and was thinking of making a sedan base that could be used for all the beds I make) but using a bed for it made people lie in the same slot at the same time. I suppose a rug or something would be a good thing to clone for this. Except will it move with the animations if it's not part of the bed? I haven't tested the change I made to your package. I'll go do it now.

She used Echo's rug as a base for the bedskirt. I made the color options work for it already, though .