LMAO! So it stinks, I presume?

No problem at all, I was pulling my hair out trying to figure why, and then I read the manual again for the 15th time, and it hit me:

Q: Why does my object show a black question mark on a purple background instead of a thumbnail image?

A: The game does not generate a thumbnail for an object unless you view the object's catalog page (the page with the name and description on it). Sometimes just paging through a function category will generate thumbnails for objects that are missing them and sometimes it will not.

I didn't understand that you were supposed to do it in the game! I kept clicking and editing in the Categoriser Catalog It's a brilliat categoriser, saves me loads of time doing the editing in Simpe.

I'm so happy about the ground covers fix! But I'll wait for the install, maybe until JM and 2J say which mods are now obsolete. If they don't, I'll just patch the game this weekend.

Gah. I just made a new empty neighborhood and now I have to replace the original game files... and I don't know which ones I need to replace for the patch.

Does the patch only mess with the Pets expansion folder, or the original objects.package in the Sims2 folder?

Sims2 Categorizer at Simwardrobe show the objects and you can delete them with their recolors. I sorted through my objects a while ago with it. It also allows you to move meshes and recolors to folders. As the recolor searching takes a while, I'd suggest doing the sorting in a game with only meshes and recolors, so it doesn't go through all the clothing and stuff trying to find the recolors.

I also adapted a method for sorting objects in-game. As some objects work with a repository technique (borrowing textures from other objects) I had had major problems when I deleted objects that I didn't want.

So I solved it by making 2 backups of my downloads on the desktop, one for sorting, one just to be on the safe side. I then loaded the game with the 3rd copy of the downloads folder, and in game, only deleted stuff -recolors and meshes- that I wanted to keep. Then when I was done, all I was left was stuff I was ready to say goodbye to. So, I shut down the game, opened the downloads folder, copied everything, pasted into one of the backups, allowed it to overwrite everything. Then, very carefully, without pressing anything else, I chose edit/invert selection, then I cut/copied the now selected items (the ones I had previously deleted) and put them in a fresh new folder. Then I deleted the non-backup 3rd copy of my downloads folder (or you can move it somewhere and mark it bye-bye downloads, I did that too) and put my fresh new folder with the stuff I wanted in, and renamed it to Downloads.

Then I categorised them properly and sorted them into sub-folders with the Categoriser. Now, every time I download stuff, I put them in a temporary folder in downloads until I can sort them out. You can say I'm pretty anal about this. And as a side-note, I kept going crazy that the categoriser wouldn't show thumbnails properly, then I found out that it has to be loaded and clicked on in the catalog-in the game once before it showed up in the catalog. I'm just pointing this out because it was frustrating enough for me until I found out, just to save you the hassle.

I also use DJS sims' collection creator. When I download lots of new meshes, I create a collection from those items, and when I fire up the game, I don't have to search for the new items to click for the categoriser.

Well, those are my techniques. It makes it a lot easier to have sorted downloads. For example, if I suddenly realise that a maxis-table is missing because of a corrupt package file (and I can't remember when it happened), it's pretty easy to track it down. I just test my newmesh/surfaces/diningtables folder, and it's soo much easier than going through a lot of obselete hairs, sims, fireplaces, etc.

Jelenedra, I used to have my objects in a separate folder a long time ago, and it worked. I used to have it like that because bodyshop items didn't work in subfolders, and I hated the mess. But some stuff really does need to be in the Downloads folder, global mods, other hacks and such, so after I installed NL I dragged all my subfolders into the main Downloads folder, it works much better and it's easier to use Simpe and Cleaninstaller. I just want to say, I don't recommend having the objects folder outside the downloads folder, but it does work for some people.

Actually, it doesn't work like that. I rename the 'My Documents/ The Sims 2' folder to something else (I name it "The Sims 2real"), run the game and it genarates a new Sims 2 game folder. (You probably knew this part). Then I create a Downloads folder in this new game folder and put only bodyshop items inside it (I only copy and paste them, so I have 2 copies, one in the original game one in my test game). Then I use that folder to create sims or clothes or whatever, when I'm done, I open the Saved Sims folder, copy the things I've recently made and paste them into my real game folder's (remember the one I renamed first?) Downloads. Then I rename my testing game folder "The Sims 2_test", and rename the original folder back to "The Sims 2" and play with my new stuff.

After that, anytime I want to use bodyshop, I change names of only the Sims 2 folder.

I hope that's clear.

Bodyshop also does that to me, with my 8GB download folder. So I just have a testing-bodyshop game with only the clothing, props and hair for bodyshop-creation. It takes a lot less to load. I just switch names of Sims2 folders. Better than deleting stuff IMO.

I thought that only did clothing and hair meshes. And it didn't do much for me, some of the orphaned meshes it found weren't orphaned at all (objects).

I just have my sims own businesses if I want to have a shop that sells cc or crafted stuff. All my restaurants are community owned, it works much more swiftly. Still, I hate the clothes the employees wear in unowned businesses, have to find a way to change that.
But all my shops have a cashier waiting. Even the owner runs around either restocking or standing at the till (I set the unmanned owner as a restocker). So I don't have any problems. Oh, I always assign jobs to employees with BRY, not manually.

And I was just about to rename all of JM's RTFM's to go in one folder. Because you know they're all named, well, RTFM!
Thanks a lot for saving me the hassle of renaming and downloading every zip all over again just for the manuals. Much appreciated.

My virtual memory is set to 2300MB, the highest allowed amount (just checked, I have the game running now). I do remember changing it months ago, but I have only 1.5GB RAM. Is it possible I may have changed it to this? I thought I changed it to 1400 or something. Then again- maybe I'm wrong.

So the game runs pretty smoothly with 8GB of downloads and here I am using furryfox as well. Right now the memory usage appears to be 897,668K. It's never passed 950,000K. Before that, the virtual memory was set to a low 256MB, and I'd have game crashes (Access Violation) all the time. Now I hardly ever have any.

Why thank you very much! I went to an American elementary school and since then I've read a lot not to lose the language. And I translate a lot of essays as well, so I guess the effort pays off. (Although I know my sentences could be structured much better)

And Elfpuddle, a lot of the students here (in Turkey) have terrible spelling and grammar. It's like the new generation just doesn't read.

Anyway, back to the subject, focus groups anyone?

I know you did, I enjoyed your comment too It's just sometimes I need to re-phrase myself. English is my second language, and although I believe that I'm not too bad, thinking in another language makes me skip stuff or end up not making sense at all. (sometimes)

  Thank you.

*edited to correct smiley mistake.

So if I understand correctly, I don't need to make any changes to the NL, OFB, UNI templates any more? Did you edit that part out? Or do I have to just replace them with the empty templates (I have to add, I never use Bluewater ar any other maxis-made neighborhood, I always create my own)

ness, have you checked that the 'disable originals' box is checked in the options? Sometimes stuff like that just gets past me, maybe you disabled it by mistake? Because I just sorted all my hairs with the latest version, and it disabled all the originals.

I pm'd you vilia, I have the files now, thanks for the offer. (and Feexje too)

*I have the files, if anybody else is having problems downloading from that link, I can help out now

Hahaha! No, I guess that came across wrong. I've never been to an EA focus group.
 I've been to appliance live-surveys.
 I was just trying to say, that if they pay you and you have the time, why not? (okay, now I sound like I'm willing to do anything for money, that's just not right. Anyway, I hope you get my point)
How bad can it be in a roomful of 12 yearolds? (I know, it can be very, very bad) It could be fun and you can be heard, your feedback can change stuff. Anyway, I'll be off before I embarass myself. Even more.

I did a couple of these once. I was signed up in University, and they used to call me over every couple of months and ask me stuff about ovens, usage, what would I like in an oven (same for other beauty products and stuff) and shit like that. I'd answer and go home with 50$ worth of supermarket coupons (That would be my 2weeks worth of shopping), and/or a present like an electric grill, blowdryer or something of the sort. So I loved it, I didn't care about my wasted hours, as long as I got something worthwhile out of it. So I'd go if I were you.

Oh crap. Seems megaupload.com has been banned with a court order (for IP's from my country). Oh well I'll just have to wait then. If it's not a very large file, would anyone mind sending the CAS sims version to me? I can PM you my email.

vilia, a few posts up she mentions that we can download some of the 'templates' as regular sims, just to play with them until the real replacement templates come out. But when I click the link I don't get a download link just a blank page, as I stated above.

I'm going to go ahead and try saving the lot when I'm in family mode and see what happens. I'm soo glad I'm not the only one, though I didn't know until today.

So how are we supposed to save community lots? And I have dozens of empty houses just for decoration, and their terrains were also carefully planned. Gotta wait till it gets fixed then.

Nailati, I was interested in taking a look at the new non-template bodyshop sims, but the link doesn't work properly. It just goes to a blank page?

On another forum they told me it might be graphics-card related. But I have nothing else messed up. I hope it's a bug and will be fixed.