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Need help - CAW no longer Exports the World I'm working on.

Hi everyone,

I really just build worlds as a diversion these days.

I ran into a problem on this very elaborate world I've been building for a long time.

After (literally) hundreds of compiles to Export - all were successful - I got this Pop-Up stating Export Failed. I tried all the usual - checking for unusual characters or periods in the name, corrupted packages and sim3packs, purged the caches, etc.

I uninstalled all CC and store objects and used no Mods. - failed.
Ran custard and other utilities - failed.

Eventually I uninstalled all of ORIGIN - all games, client, as well as CAW using REVO.
After downloading and installing fresh copies of all Sim3 DLC and CAW, I replaced the files for the world I was working on and tried again - failed.
Deleted all lots manually - failed
Manually purged the Global objects files - failed.

I saved the Height Map from that world, created a new large flat world and loaded the Height Map - It saved and exported fine.

I thought it may have been a corrupted object placed in one of the Lots while in EIG. Removing the Lots folder or manually deleting ALL lots made no difference. So, have to assume it was an object placed in the world. Just the standard EA objects and rename/recolor for RH's. I manually deleted all the objects from the Global layer to remove anything deleted and leftovers but most regenerate. I spent many months designing and placing the Hovor-Lights over all the roads, let alone all the FX - would hate to start over.

The World saves from CAW and will load into EIG.
The World will NOT save from EIG
The World will NOT Export

So... anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

Comments

  • Dr_NonsequiturDr_Nonsequitur Posts: 77 Member
    Well, so far 21 people have viewed this post - but no one has a comment or suggestion?
    Guess I'm on my own.

    I have not had any success trying to repair or otherwise fix this problem. Not even taking this world back to its base
    (removing everything except the roads, lights, and FX. - they will be removed piece by piece next...) Something is preventing this world from compiling for export.
  • HidehiHidehi Posts: 1,109 Member


    Hi @Dr_Nonsequitur , it's probably a silly question but have you tried moving DCBackup and DCCache (and Mods if present) from the main Sims3 folder to your desktop and then attempt to export your world from CAW?
  • Dr_NonsequiturDr_Nonsequitur Posts: 77 Member
    I have. I went so far as to uninstall and reinstall everything, Origin, All Sims 3 EP's & Sp's, CAW and deleted my Sims 3 folder in Documents. When the Sims 3 Documents folder regenerated I tried to Export then - before installing any Store or Custom Content. Nothing so far has worked. I was touring around in CAW to see if I could see anything that jumps out to me - I did see the usual garbage in the Global Objects file - a dozen or so things piled up on a fruit basket, and an Egyptian Monolith under the outer edge of the world's perimeter (which I cant locate in any of the Layer folders or click on.

    It's pretty frustrating - I've been kicking back - trying to get a fresh "back-burner" perspective on this. Been doing a lot of reading on the forums but haven't found anything I haven't already tried.

    Thanks for the reply.
  • FluffyCannibalFluffyCannibal Posts: 9 New Member
    I can't help you unfortunately, but I'm having a massive problem with CAW too and don't have enough points to start a new post, so I'm hijacking:

    Origin keeps forgetting that I own EPs and SPs and so I keep launching EIG with them all switched off. This happened yesterday but I didn't realise, and so every single EP/SP object in my world has been replaced (freakin' awesome, right?). I was busy fixing this when EIG crashed. Afterwards I decided to try reverting to a backup because I've realised that manually replacing a lot of objects in at least a dozen buildings is stupid. I loaded the backup, tried to save it under a new name, but it won't save. EIG just spends forever switching between loading and going unresponsive.

    Does anyone have any idea what's going on?
  • Bettyboop55Bettyboop55 Posts: 2,646 Member
    It does seem a temperamental bit of kit. Have you thought of posting under Game Tools. There are quite a few experienced world builders there who have probably come across this kind of thing quite often. I find my large store content causes issues and also rembering to delete earlier versions I have exported to the game. Version control helps with this and remembering to keep a back up of the earlier version you most wanted to keep :)
    I no longer use Origin or My Page. You can find me on YouTube or Twitter as Bettyboop711000. You are welcome to contact me as I explore options for a PC sandbox life simulation game.
    Wherever I am friends call me Betty

    Sim enim est vita
  • TadOlsonTadOlson Posts: 11,380 Member
    I've managed to avoid this issue by only saving with save as and never reusing a filename when saving and backing up my saved worlds before using EIG if I ever needed to use it.I've exported blank worlds and one with only a few lots just fine and all are playable worlds.
    This can be a problem if you ever just saved the world with save and overwrote the file and the save glitched on you.It might be time to start over with the height map and just not overwrite and save files this time around.
    44620367775_0442f830c1_n.jpg
  • Dr_NonsequiturDr_Nonsequitur Posts: 77 Member
    TO: FluffyCannibal...

    HI, You posted a response to a thread of mine about CAW/EIG problem. The details you stated where no clear to me.

    I noticed a few months before my CAW refused to export that Origine and the Launcher would turn off all of the EP's and SP's I had installed. Any time I attempted to run CAW/EIG would hang up or not bring up the world to edit. What I did to correct this problem was to bring up the Launcher before attempting to load CAW. I then verified that all my EP's and SP's where checked. Exit the launcher and immediately load and run CAW. My world was then able to use CAW/EIG.

    If I saved a world that used all my EP/SP's and those EP/SP's were not checked in the launcher - reloading that world would have a problem.
    If you saved a world that used all Sp/EP's and those EP/SP's were not turned on in the Launcher - there was a problem. This problem would be present even though you verified all sp/ep's were on AFTER that save - the saved world would have problems.

    The Launcher is not stable.
    I recommend:
    1. run Launcher to verify all EP's and SP's are active that are required for your world.
    2. After verifying your EP/SP's are checked and active - Immediately run CAW. Bring up one of the BACKUP copies of you world that was saved BEFORE any saves you have made when the problems started and before you saved when the EP/Sp's were not active. You may have to recover and redo any edits to your world that were made from that Save-Date.

    I don't know if this will correct your problem - I do hope so.
    If you still have the problems - send my a message. I am rarely on this site so it may be a little while before I will respond. I got so fed up with this problem when my world was about a month from publishing that I just quit working of anything Sims 3.

    Just remember that if you notice things missing in your world immediately abandon the CAW/EIG session - DO NOT SAVE IT! Run the launcher and verify your EP/SP's are on. Run the Repair from Origin, run Launcher again to verify EP/SP's are there and check marked as ON. Then - try CAW/EIG again.

    If things are still missing - try using CUSTARD or other Sims 3 Cleanup tools
    Try doing a reset of your cache files in Documents/The Sims 3 Folder.
    Unload and reload all the objects you have in your DOWNLOADS folder after verifying they are not corrupted, incompatible, or duplicates.
    Remove all mods - including NRaas Tools (move- not copy- the folder to desktop). If you have Mods/Packages required for your world (furniture, etc) then verify they are not corrupted and replace in Mods/Packages folder and keep the Mods folder in the Documents/Electronic Arts/ The Sims 3 location - just be sure to remove any CORE or Control Mods.
    Remove all "Package files" you added to the Program files/Electronic Arts/CAW/Packages folder... verify they are not corrupted and replace. There should be NO CORE or Control packages in the Program Files/Electronic Arts/CAW/Packages folder.

    I hope this will be helpful to you and solves your problem.
    With me - still haven't got my world to export but can now use CAW and EIG. Mine won't save from EIG though which makes it useless. I think I reloaded and saved all my BACKUP worlds when my system was screwed up just looking for an answer - so no world I have is able to work now - I didn't track or make a save of the world and system to reserve - That was my stupidity. Make sure you keep a BACKUP of your world when it was able to work correctly and not touch that one. If you do use it - make a copy of it before you use it.

    Let me know...
    Dwayne
  • Dr_NonsequiturDr_Nonsequitur Posts: 77 Member
    TO: BettyBoop55...
    Good Suggestions ALL!

    I read somewhere that if there is 2GB of objects in your Downloads folder installed, the world will glitch when using CAW/EIG.
    I make sure it is well below that - and do not install any clothing, hair, or similar objects. That includes any similar objects into the Mod's folder or in the Program Files/Electronic Arts/CAW/Packages folder. In Mods folder and CAW/Packages folder I do not have any CORE or control packages.

    When I'm ready to populate the world before Export - I add clothing, hair, makeup, and pre-made Sims. This is only after I'm finished with the world and ready to publish. I keep a copy of both Documents\The Sims 3 folder and the Program Files/ EA/CAW folder to a separate Drive/Folder (using the current date and what as the folders name.

    The trouble is getting there.
  • Dr_NonsequiturDr_Nonsequitur Posts: 77 Member
    TO: TadOlson...

    Also a great suggestion!

    I tried doing that for a while - I have many backup copies of my world. They are in groups where I saved several times using the same name. I fond it to be a little bit of a problem when I would save under a similar name. If the new name was nearly identical (like just changing the Bata number and Date - using the beta version number and date as mart of the world name) each time I exported to test the world it would actually not install correctly. Sometimes it would tell me the world was already installed. I would need to uninstall any previous version of that world - even if it had a different name and install the new version.

    I got lazy and reverted back to my original naming convention (world abbreviation + version number + current date + current time) it changed every time but was still to close to the previous name that I needed to uninstall the previous version before installing the latest version to test.

    I found that a radical change in the world name would work - this makes it hard to follow your progression though, but worked.

    Unfortunately =- I think I may have corrupted ALL variations of my world searching for a cure to this problem (refer to post above to FluffyCannibal).
  • TadOlsonTadOlson Posts: 11,380 Member
    I just rename files in CAW every time I save with no overwriting of files unless it's an accident.I also back CAW data up frequently if I'm working on a project like I am now with a desert world.
    44620367775_0442f830c1_n.jpg
  • Bettyboop55Bettyboop55 Posts: 2,646 Member
    @Dr_Nonsequitur thank you for the tip about 2GB download. I have tried where possible to build using only base and EP/SPs but I do need to use some store content.

    After Christmas I plan a good clear out of the caches in the hope I can get EIG to work. In the meantime I still have plenty to do in CAW not to mention a witch/vampire wedding to plan :)

    Personally I back both CAW and games to an external hard drive. I recommend this to the OP because as mentioned EIG can be temperamental.
    I no longer use Origin or My Page. You can find me on YouTube or Twitter as Bettyboop711000. You are welcome to contact me as I explore options for a PC sandbox life simulation game.
    Wherever I am friends call me Betty

    Sim enim est vita
  • Dr_NonsequiturDr_Nonsequitur Posts: 77 Member
    Glad I could help you Betty.
    As for me - I kind of gave up. I haven't been working on anything Sim related since starting this Thread.

    Just remember...
    If you want the object included in your Exported world it must be a non-protected Sim3pack installed through the Launcher (or similar), OR a non-protected Package file placed in The Sims 3 / Mods / Packages folder AND in the Program Files/Electronic Arts/CAW/Packages folder. One or the other - you can't have both sim3pack and Package files for the same object. It will give you problems.

    Have fun!
  • SultanCanAliSultanCanAli Posts: 113 Member
    Its too old c:2009
    I feel like EA will shut down sims 3 store?
    Maybe their getting ready to?
  • Hawkflight1066Hawkflight1066 Posts: 245 Member
    I decided CAW is a waste of space. I didn't even get a quarter of the way through making my world before it began to play up. Now I can't even get into EIG. Too much store content in my lots. In a separate issue I also cannot upload any lots or Sims to the Exchange without removing my DCCache file first and putting it back after uploading.
    And then looking at my stalled world I see that Sims has substituted items - my chimney stacks have turned into curio shelves, presumably because of the removal and reinsertion of the DCCache files when I was uploading lots to the Exchange.
    If I wanted to make a base game only CAW I would. I don't care to limit myself like that, and so CAW is history so far as I'm concerned. It's antiquated and not fit for purpose. I'm only glad that I got tired of landscaping and decided to make all the lots first, so I can dump the world without shedding a tear for the very basic bit of work that it was. I think uploading an empty world and then the lots separately will be the only way to go.
  • TadOlsonTadOlson Posts: 11,380 Member
    I exported Logan empty and have to place blank lots in a save file before building on them as the lots were never placed in CAW since I found lots placed that way can often end up backwards with the back of the lot facing the road which causes routing issues.Empty worlds are best for playing in as you're adding the lots as you play and they can be placed carefully to make sure they face the right way in a game.
    44620367775_0442f830c1_n.jpg
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