Try downloading or creating a new resource.cfg file for your mods folder.

Is there a way to disable the light cloning feature?  Its is useful, but not always.

I've checked my cc with Delphy's Dashboard.  Besides that there isn't much to do is there?

Its an ATI radeon HD 4200.  The driver is up to date.

It does make sense that it is a cc issue, because this probably my the neighbohood with the most actively used cc.  Thanks for all the input.

Does anyone know why this sometimes happens in one of my neighborhoods?

Thanks, hopefully this is it thenhttp://www.4shared.com/file/eTgujNrU/merlinmsi.html

If your game is not showing decrapified objects, you probably haven't decrapified them, only recompressorized them.  Try fjade's tool:  http://forum.jfade.com/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=473.

Here is a draft of a cc installing guide I wrote.  I haven't included info on Store stuff, but I can do that separately.  I'm open to edits, and then if it looks useful maybe we can sticky it or something...

One way to manage custom content (cc):

Managing cc is harder than it used to be.  There are different ways to do it.  This is just one way and you may not like it.  As always, back up everything and if things go wrong I'm sorry, but I'm doing my best to be helpful.  I claim no special expertise.  This tutorial is only for non-EA custom objects, patterns, walls, floors and CAS stuff (not for houses, sims, or stuff from The Store).

1.  I try to be careful what I download (dl) because it is harder to delete stuff than it used to be.

2.  I dl into folders categorized by creator and either "object" or "CAS Stuff."  Before I extract and install the files I copy the folders as they are into another folder labeled:  "installed items."  How you want to categorize your dl folders is up to you and depends on how much time and OCD you have.  The more clear and specific your folder titles are, the easier it will be to find items if you need to. 

3.  Now that I know I have the original files safely stored away, I begin the process of organizing and installing.  Now this is where you have to make choices.  Do you want to use sims3pack files and the launcher?  Do you want to use package files and merge them?  Do you want to use a mixture?  Again, your choice depends mainly on how much time you have and how important it is to you to be able to manage your files once they are installed in your game.  I prefer maximum control over what I put in and when I want to take it out. 

4.  Thus, I convert everything to package files and then merge them.  That way I avoid the launcher and maintain the ability to go back and delete individual items.   Here are the steps I follow:
   a)  Unzip or unrar all files.  Keep files in separate folders according to what you want to merge together.  I separate hairs from other CAS stuff, and organize my objects alphabetically by creator ie:  "objects A"  "objects B" and so on.].  I put rooves, terrains, and walls & floors in their own folder.  Creators who are very prolific get their own folder.
   b)  Download Delphy's multi-extractor at MTS:  http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=364038.  Be sure to check the box that says "Rename files on Save."  Run it on each subfolder.  It is okay to extract within a folder of mixed package and sims3pack files (the package files will just be ignored).  Then go in and delete the sims3pack files.
   c)  If you have dl'ed sets or otherwise want to prune your files before merging them, now is the time.  I use Merlin to review the package files.  Not all will have icons, so it isn't perfect, but it is all we have right now.  Merlin used to be on TSR, but it isn't now.  I will try to update with a new link.
   d)  Put everything you want to merge together into a folder.  I make sure no folder has more than 199 items, and I make sure to separate CAS items from Objects and patterns.  Later you can add as many items as you want to a merged package file, but I find s3pe locks up if I try to merge too much all at once.
   e)  Merge all the packages in your folder together using s3pe.  You can find it on MTS at:  http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=362412.  I got the instructions for merging files from Anach who very generously shared them on the MATY website (http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,17746.0.html).  You will have to choice if you want to import the packages "as dcb" files or "as package" files.  Many people say the DCB option will let your game run smoother and faster, but it will also take a long time for the file to save.  You have to be very patient.  I import as packages because I have little patience.
   f)  Save your merged files to your package folder which you set up using MATY's framework found at:  http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,17454.0.html.  Name each file the same thing you named the folder the individual packages are in.  That way if you add or delete items from that folder, you can make a new merged package folder and delete the old one.
   g)  Do Not Delete the folder with the individual package files in it.  Place it in a folder called "Installed Individual Package Files."  That way if you want to add files or delete files you can.  Simply make your changes and create a new merged package file.

I have a copy of the zip exe file for Merlin, but I am old and don't know how to upload anything.  If someone wants to help I can email the file or follow basic instructions for idiots.

I've done the decrapifying and the searching, but can't figure out why my Manor Stairs can't be recolored anymoar.  Any ideas?

[insert mean comment here]

Both, but the CC itself only goes into the WA mod/package folder.

I don't know if the supercomputer does it, but I don't think so.  The instructions for Awesomemod say not to use editsim to change the age, but I don't know if that is hard and fast or just a "don't bug Pes if it doesn't work right" rule.

You could send the family one by one into CAS by changing this clothes and save each as a sim.  Then you could go to your new neighborhood and crete a new family with each of the premade sims.  From there you can make them whever age you want.

Maybe this is old to everyone, but I found a bad object file that messed up the way CAS worked so I thought it might be interesting to share.  I found that when I went into CAS I could no longer change the eyebrow color for my sims.  Also, the various color options for most of the makeup were missin.  In some lipsticks the color choice button was missing completely.  I assumed it must be a CAS file that was messing things up, but when i went through the 1/2 and 1/2 process to find the culprit it turned out to be a file from the Vita Sims Mod livingroom.  I don't know exactly which one because I was tired and just deleted the set. 

I thought for tool makers and modders it might be worth sharing the info that object files can mess with CAS.

I was doing the s3pe merge process until Pes put the decrapify option in the s3rc tool.  It really works and its really easy and fast.  Just run all your save games and library (house) files through as well as your sims3packs (before installing) and everyhting works like it used to.

Fabulous, thank you!  *off to begin the decrapifaction process.*

I'm a bit confused, the instructions say decrapified objects will be new objects BUT all saved games must be decrapified.  Does that mean if I decrapify everything correctly and go to play an old house it will or will not show decrapified custom objects?

Aelfwyne, as far as I can tell "import as package" will give you larger files and "import as dcb" will give nice compact files.  But both are the same kind of file.  I use the package option (except for store fiiles) so I don't have to go through and delete all the xml files.  My game runs great, but I am wondering if if would run even faster with dcb.

JMeyers, if you are asking whether completed merged store files are available to download, I don't know, but you can dl all store content up to Dec 09 in dcb packages which work just the same as long as you have your resource.cfg written correctly.  Search here for the dcb's.

Is there any way to shorten the cheats like the userstartup did in TS2?  Typing in so many letters to make my game even lazier to play is just sooo exhausting.

As far as I know, once your neighborhood has blue lots it can't be fixed.  You can stop it from happening again, but can't fix the neighborhood unless you have an old save that did not use any corrupted objects in it.

Expansions may better integrate the pieces, but I'm sure EA will still manage to take more steps back.

Yea, more ellipsis supporters, long live the ...

Maybe taking the new .bin file out of the downloads folder would speed your game up again.  You still have to keep aaa'rghed EA stuff in the Mods folder and not the DCCache folder.

It may also be in C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3 World Adventures\Mods\Packages.  But it may also have already corrupted any of the games you opened already.  Try using the backup saves (make an extra copy of them first just in case).

That's true, but its a way faster way to install sims3packs than unpacking them, running them through the blue lot fixer and procmon, and merging them in s3pe before putting them in your game.  And it allows for finding and deleting individual objects without having to search through the package files and hope that the filename matches the in-game name. 

Once you get the launcher working again you can always unplug from the internet while using the launcher or playing the game.  In the meantime I think working for better national and international internet privacy regulations and against the corporatization and copywriting of the universe is the only way to make a dent in the future EA would like us to have.  Don't get me wrong, MATY and the booty and related entities have a central place in the struggle, but it has to grow from here.

I just stumbled onto how to fix the launcher.  The downside is you have to have an EA account for it to work. 

Short version:  You need to login to the EA Store site FROM INSIDE your game.  EA will put a .bin file with your login in your downloads folder, and your launcher will work almost just like it used to.  It still won't install EA stuff you didn't personally buy, but it will install other people's custom objects, CAS stuff, lots, sims, and I guess worlds (although I haven't tried the last yet).

Long version:  Like everybody else, I haven't been able to use the launcher for anything since the patch.  But then today I was having trouble with Riverview giving me file paths as names for sims and lots, so out of frustration I decided to try to download Riverview from within the game while it was running using the stupid "shop" button EA gave us.  I clicked on "download again" on the Riverview page, and it downloaded, but then the file just sat there, all grayed out in the launcher.  So I went to "My downloads dashboard" or whatever "shop-o-liscious" name EA gave the link, there was a list of all the stuff that I had downloaded from the EA Store with my free points.  So I clicked on Riverview in that list, and the launcher started up, asked for my EA login, and installed Riverview into my game.

After that my launcher worked again.

I don't know if this will help, but here's how I got mine to work...

I had to create multiple smalller merges with no more than 199 items each, AND I made sure to categorize and merge by type ex:  objects, CAS items, and patterns (although i think patterns are okay with objects if a few slip through). 

I made sure to run all sims3packs through the compressorizer before using Delphy's multipack extractor to get the package files.

Once extracted I ran all package files through the blue lot fixer, and made sure to run the game at least once with the package files and the process monitor to make sure they weren't slowing down my game.

I imported custom items NOT made by EA using "from file" not "as dbc (experimental)".  I only imported EA store stuff "as dbc".  I saved both as .package files.  [grammer note:  I know that technically the end quote should come after the period, but I'm sacrificing for clarity.]  The benefit of importing "from file" is that the xml will merge automatically except for a single instance of the 0x00000000 files.  I don't know if the package files are bigger that way, but my game runs great.

Good luck, I hope you get it to work!