I had to delete all hacks.  There just are some that do not work with AL and haven't been updated yet.  Also, I had to update my registry so that it didn't refer to any files that no longer existed.  If you have a registry fix program I would run that.  For me I've decided to just install custom content and no hacks unless I find one that seems really great and specifically says works with AL.

I had to remove all hacks and update my registry before I could get Apartment Life to work properly.  I have to say, hacks are fun but they can really screw up your game sometimes and it is such a pain when you have to uninstall the whole game and EP's and re-install.  Now I'm re-installing all my custom content minus hacks.

I installed a bunch of hacks all at the same time just as you read all the time that you shouldn't and I paid the price.  Suddenly none of my custom sims were showing up.  I first tried taking out all hacks but that didn't work. Then I uninstalled and re-installed everything which we all know is a pain, but that didn't work either.  What finally worked was I did fix on regedit and apparently there were some corrupted entries and some items that were referring to files that no longer existed.  So if you're having trouble and have tried all the normal things you might want to fix up you register.  Thank goodness that worked for me because I just don't enjoy playing the game without custom content!

Cool, that's the version I was leaning toward.  Thanks.

I also should have mentioned that not only do I not have any custom sims showing but not even the sims that come with the game are in the window.  It's completely blank.  Also, maybe this is a Windows Vista problem but I tried to delete all custom content and when I do a search for downloads folders and my documents folders a large list comes up but when I try to delete them I get the message that the folders do not exist.  If anybody has any ideas I would appreciate it.  I've tried but I just can't enjoy the game without custom sims.

Hopefully you find an answer.  I have the opposite problem, objects show but no custom sims and makeup will show.  I've tried deleting the cache file and the custom content toggle is set so don't know if those will work for you either but I'm kind of holding off on playing the game other than some plain very generic lots because I have a feeling I may have to uninstall it.  I've always said the game would not be playable without custom content and that is turning out to be pretty true for me anyway.

Just make sure you backup everything before you install it, especially if you have hacks.  I had so many problems I had to uninstall and reinstall and I'm still having problems.  The butler is not as cool as I thought it would be and I don't even use apartments except to get people to know each other and then I move them out. And witches aren't as fun as I had hoped but hopefully some good mods and hacks will be coming soon.

I know, that seems a given that you would at least get dragons.  I've done some searches on the net though and got a really cute deer (listed under small dog) and racoon (under cat) and stuff like that.  As usual, Maxis doesn't have a lot of imagination and I'm just glad they've set the game up to allow for custom content.

I haven't summoned the spectral cat but when I went to the good witch's castle her spectral cat was incredibly annoying and meowed constantly.  I bought my stuff and got the heck out.  Normally I would have enjoyed chatting with the witch and hanging out on the lot.  This may have just been a one time thing tho, I haven't visited the lot since.

I love the helicopter although it's a bummer when you have a lot you like that doesn't have room to put the helicopter on it.  But the helicopter is the main thing that is keeping me from uninstalling it because of other things that annoy me.

Wow, that is a real problem.  If you want to play this family still I would use a cheat and age them, move them in with mom and then age them back down if you want them to still be toddlers.  Myself, I find toddlers a pain and always age them to child.

The most annoying thing to me for Apartments is that I think if you are on an apartment lot you should be able to switch between apartments/families on that lot and not have to go all the way back to the neighborhood and then select the new family you want to play and re-load the lot.  That would be a huge time saver.  Maybe there is a programming thing that makes that not possible but if it were possible that would be something that would make Apartment Life a really neat addition to the game.  As it is, you get stuck with closets that block your view a lot of the time and you are limited to build/buy where you want to and it's just very restrictive.  I use it for a few families when I want them to get to know each other and don't want to have to spend a lot of time on community lots to build up their friendships but as soon as they know each other well enough to be able to call them and invite them over, I move them all out into their own houses.

Yeah, I'm not thrilled with Apartment Life at all.  I'm thinking of uninstalling it, a lot of hacks and mods to much more fun stuff than this release and I'm having lots of computer problems since installing this release.  We'll see if I can resolve the problems and if so I'll keep it and await the great hacks I know people will come up with but as usual Maxis needs to get some employees with more imagination and more fashion and decoration skills.  I barely use maxis clothes or furniture.  If it weren't for all the great creators out there, the game would not be very fun to play.  I've tried playing it without custom content and get bored very quickly.

Thanks.  I figured it was something like that but some people have created so many great things for TheSims I figured not to "assume"  Which version of InSimenator is this?  I noticed that there are three versions and it says to only install one of them and I figured it's not the Object one but have been trying to decide between the other two as to which has the most mods I would use the most.  Selecting the butler and upping his cooking skills is definitely something I'd like to be able to do. (I know everyone plays Sims differently for instance I don't see any need to download a moneymaking mod when "motherlode" is so easy to use but I know some people don't like those kinds of cheats.)

Thanks for fixing it and now I know how to do it myself if needed.