Packaged Lots help needed.

[Chandler Bing]

I've been playing the Sims2 ever since it was released and have all of the expansion and stuff add-ons installed. I've had no trouble whatsoever either manually installing or using the Clean Installer to put custom content into the game with one mystifying exception.... I take *lots* of time building houses and fully furnishing them. Consequently, I'd like to be able to use some of these houses in other neighborhoods or even reuse them in the neighborhood they were originally created in. I have tried both manually installing them after packaging them and using Clean Installer to do so, but for reasons I don't understand, the houses never show up in my houses and lots bin! Actually, that's not entirely accurate... Again for reasons I don't understand, I was once able to get 2 homes to show up in the bin but they were both completely unfurnished despite the fact that they were completely furnished when I packaged them. Even more frustrating is the fact that Clean Installer correctly displays the packaged lots complete with all furnishings and appears to install them without any hitches. Can anyone give me a clue as to what I'm overlooking or doing wrong?

[jaccirocker]

where are you installing them to? That might be the problem, but I honestly don't think so. They should install to teleport and then they are in the lots and houses bin the next time you start the game.

[BlooM]

You have BV installed?
Since BV came out it totally ruined the packaging and the way you can use your new CC.
Especially the CC linking to Lots is a Pain.
It works if you use the installer that came with the game and if you install it all in your dl folder, not subfolders....

[Wednesday17]

I have the same problem and I asked about it here a while ago, but nobody could help me then. This was before BV, probably with Seasons. I'd install the lots the intended way, but never found my houses in game.

To this day, nobody could even tell me where the custom content in the houses goes if you install through teleport. It doesn't go into Downloads root, because I'd find it there, as all other content is sorted in folders. And I doubt the packages would go into the "right" folders all by themselves, lol. Of course I mean, I didn't find anything after running the game. Nothing in teleport, nothing in downloads, nothing in game. But no problem whatsoever installing downloaded houses, it's only the ones I packaged myself. It's quite frustrating, really.

[Chandler Bing]

Thanks for all the quick responses everyone. To answer your questions...

I installed the game to the default location.

All other custom content I have added either via manually copying to the "downloads" directory or using the Clean Installer shows up in the game just fine. Only packaged lots fail to show up.

I have all expansion and stuff packages installed. I doubt if Bon Voyage is the problem because this problem has haunted me long before I had BV installed.

So far as I know, Clean Installer places all custom content into the "downloads" directory and when I manually install packages, that's also where I put them. I was not aware that any custom content went into the "teleport" directory.

Still looking for any other possible suggestions. Thanks!

[Wednesday17]

I just found this at All4Sims.de. Maybe the "trick 17" (as we Germans say ) can also help with self packaged lots. If you'll do that, please keep us posted if it works, atm I have no lot to test this with. Funny: that's exactely how I always install downloaded houses, I guess, I didn't think it was neccessary for my own...


Edit: You need to be registered at http://www.all4sims.de to see the site, but it's free and they have great downloads.

[Sleepycat]

well if your lots are empty of sims then you could move the lot to the lots bin and then place a copy back into that hood and whatever other hood you want.

If you don't want to leave copies of a bunch of houses in your lots bin (it can get a bit crowded) then you could create a 'storage' hood and keep copies of them there.

[Wednesday17]

Um... is the lots bin different for different hoods? I never noticed that...
And the point of packaging and storing lots is after all, to backup them and be able to install again after a reinstall of the game. It is to me, anyway.

[Sleepycat]

the Lots bin is shared between hoods. I've used a 'storage' hood for saving my lots before and some of my friends use them. I wouldn't have suggested it if it wouldn't work.
If someone is having trouble with installing packaged lots then they would obviously need another way of keeping them.

If you backup your stuff then there is no need to lose anything when a reinstall is necessary. It's not hard to back up neighborhoods.

I tried to check out the link you posted but all I get is a page saying Access denied and some other stuff so I assume people have to be members there to see it.

[trl]

sleepycat - yes you must be a member there to view it. The membership is free though and it is a great site.

I have had some troubles with this too but have found a solution. Always use clean installer to install the lots. If the lot doesn't show up then reinstall but select "lot segmant for upload" only [or select the little house pictured in the upper right of the Clean Installer screen) and install again. This has worked for so many. It is kind of a backward version of "trick 17". I hope it helps!

"Trick 17" is awesome and works well if it is used the first time installing the lot but this works if you have already installed the lot and it doesn't show in the bin as it won't reinstall the downloads included with the lot therefor you won't get duplicate files. See this post here for a basic explanation of  using "Trick 17".

[Wednesday17]

If you backup your stuff then there is no need to lose anything when a reinstall is necessary. It's not hard to back up neighborhoods.

Oh, you don't need to tell me that. I'm the backup queen!
I have saved every file I ever downloaded, I have a duplicate of the current downloads folder, one of an older one and I have a complete Sesons installation, because I intend to fall back to Seasons because BV isn't worth the trouble it's making.

Anyway, what good does it for me if I backuped packaged lots and deleted them in the bin, because I wasn't aware that I wouldn't be able to install them back into the game? But that was then. I guess, with "trick 17" I'd be able to use them again. Hopefully.

But now I get what you meant with storage hood - you put all the lots in the bin and then remove it from the game folder, right?

The site is really good and you wouldn't regret registering for free. Engelchen did a lot of superb recolors for the bodybuilders, for example. But I'll edit my prior posting, so no one else needs to encounter an access denied.

[Sleepycat]

But now I get what you meant with storage hood - you put all the lots in the bin and then remove it from the game folder, right?

The site is really good and you wouldn't regret registering for free. Engelchen did a lot of superb recolors for the bodybuilders, for example. But I'll edit my prior posting, so no one else needs to encounter an access denied.

nope, you just make a new neighborhood, place copies of your Lots in that hood, then you can delete them from the Lot bin.

When you need one of those Lots, you just go to your 'storage hood' and move the lot to the Lot bin, place a new copy in the storage hood, then go to whatever hood you want that Lot in, place a copy of it and then you can delete it from the Lot bin again. (all depends on what EPs you have, I forget which one gave us that new Lot bin feature)

It's handy, specially if you build your own Lots and want to keep them 'in game' but not cluttering up the Lot bin.


as for the site, it may be a good site for some people but recolors for the bodybuilders don't interest me since I don't use the bodybuilders.

Theres no sense me registering for a site that may not have anything I would be interested in and since I can't browse the site first to see... I also don't understand German so I don't even know if the site is a forum like this one :lol: *really dosen't need yet another forum to visit* unless theres some good hacks there? *is a hack junkie*

[trl]

Thanks Sleepycat! That is a great idea!!

[Wednesday17]

nope, you just make a new neighborhood, place copies of your Lots in that hood, then you can delete them from the Lot bin...

Okay, now I really got it. Finally.
I guess, both methods have their pros and cons.
I think it was Nightlife that provided the advanced lot bin functions.

Theres no sense me registering for a site that may not have anything I would be interested in and since I can't browse the site first to see... I also don't understand German so I don't even know if the site is a forum like this one :lol: *really dosen't need yet another forum to visit* unless theres some good hacks there? *is a hack junkie*

It's a forum and you can have a peak at what they have, if you enter the main site. The site is German, but they make a nice effort to present it in both English and German, so you should be able to find your way around, I think (it's easier to click on 'forum' and browse the names of the contributors). They have mainly objects (new meshes), houses, sims, clothes. Nice things. And they don't bite if you register an account and don't come back too often.

[Chandler Bing]

I just found this at All4Sims.de. Maybe the "trick 17" (as we Germans say ) can also help with self packaged lots. If you'll do that, please keep us posted if it works, atm I have no lot to test this with. Funny: that's exactely how I always install downloaded houses, I guess, I didn't think it was neccessary for my own...

Thank you very much!! "Trick 17" works like a charm! I now have all my packaged lots in my lots bin available for reuse in the game.