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How To Install Store Items

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  • GoodywoodGoodywood Posts: 4,612 Member
    Thank you for replying @ciane . Thank you @Odonata68 for the encouragement.

    I may have to start over. :( Something happened. It has nothing to do with the process, but I just purchased Barnacle Bay.
    PLEASE FIX TEENS IN TS4! I NEED YOUNGER TEENS NOT YA TEENS! (^_^)Please add Music Bands with lead singers! Please add vehicles and garages! Vehicles have always been part of The Sims.
  • cianeciane Posts: 16,996 Member
    Had you gotten beyond installing worlds already? You don't have to install all the worlds first. Just fit in Barnacle Bay next and keep going.

    And, congrats on getting that pirate world!
  • GoodywoodGoodywood Posts: 4,612 Member
    I haven't finished the worlds. I decided to start over again because that EA Advisor had me deleting Origin cache and other things like that. After I deleted it I open my Launcher and noticed that some of downloads showed as not being installed. I didn't like that so I just started over again with a fresh TS3 folder. It should be easy to get back to where I left off at since I backed up everything (thanks to you guys suggestion). :)

    Thank you for the "congrats" ! I own all the worlds now, that is exciting! :smiley:
    PLEASE FIX TEENS IN TS4! I NEED YOUNGER TEENS NOT YA TEENS! (^_^)Please add Music Bands with lead singers! Please add vehicles and garages! Vehicles have always been part of The Sims.
  • cianeciane Posts: 16,996 Member
    :D You won't know which world to play first! It is exciting to have all the worlds!

    I hope everything goes well with your install this time around.
  • xteamppxteampp Posts: 16 Member
    I´m sorry, I don´t understand very well. I bought a collection and the process was pretty straight-forward.

    What kind of store items are we talking about, exactly?
  • cianeciane Posts: 16,996 Member
    When you put too much into a file, the file has a hard time showing everything. So, the files are supposed to stay below 204,800kb in size.

    By installing in small batches and watching the file size, you can move out (and renumber) the .ebc files as you go. Then, when you are done installing everything, you put back in the files you moved out. You back a backup copy that you keep somewhere safe so you don't have to reinstall again.
  • JennyferLxJennyferLx Posts: 87 Member
    @ciane In File 11 you have 'Wallpapers' listed? What are these & where do I get them? Sorry if this has been asked before...
    <3
  • cianeciane Posts: 16,996 Member
    There are wallpapers that come with an EA set that included repeated items from earlier sets: Sandy Shoals Sea Shanty.
    It's listed on the compilations tabs with a note to not install, but to add the wallpapers.
  • JennyferLxJennyferLx Posts: 87 Member
    That’s great thank you. So much information in your spreadsheet I must’ve missed it
    <3
  • GoodywoodGoodywood Posts: 4,612 Member
    edited August 2018
    I have a question about transferring everything to already played TS3 folders once all the ebc merging is completed . Do we just need the EBC files or do we need the CCMerge too?

    I ask because things have been messing up and I've started over because I think I have to keep the CCmerge file intact. Is this true, do we really need the CCmerge?
    Post edited by Goodywood on
    PLEASE FIX TEENS IN TS4! I NEED YOUNGER TEENS NOT YA TEENS! (^_^)Please add Music Bands with lead singers! Please add vehicles and garages! Vehicles have always been part of The Sims.
  • cianeciane Posts: 16,996 Member
    BOTH!

    You need all the .ebc files in order for your installed content to show in game AND you need to have the ccmerged file in your dcbackup folder as, the premium content that offers special moodlets and actions somehow needs to access that file in game to create the moodlets and actions for them!
  • GoodywoodGoodywood Posts: 4,612 Member
    Hi @ciane!

    I have another question. LOL

    I know we are suppose to move the 0.ebc file once it is full to a safe place. Then for the second content installment, we let a new 0.ebc file be created and once that is full move that one to the safe place but rename it by changing the 0, to the next number up (1) , and continue doing this (1,2,3,4,5, etc) until all of the Store Content is installed.

    Well, my question is about the other files in the DCCache folder: ENT file and IDX file. Do I move or back up those files as well? Or can I just leave them in the folder?

    Thank you so much ciane for your help and support on this!
    PLEASE FIX TEENS IN TS4! I NEED YOUNGER TEENS NOT YA TEENS! (^_^)Please add Music Bands with lead singers! Please add vehicles and garages! Vehicles have always been part of The Sims.
  • cianeciane Posts: 16,996 Member
    Any other files in the DCCache folder can be ignored. Just leave them alone. If you ever have problems later with something, you can delete the missingdeps file that often gets created. (I THINK it get created after you delete something through the launcher).
  • GoodywoodGoodywood Posts: 4,612 Member
    So basically all we need to transfer is CCMerged, EBC files, and the Library files for the Venues?


    I have a question about CCMerge (for you ciane or anyone who might know). If I mess up an ebc file and have to revert back to the last ebc file I did - do I need to redo the CCMerge file too? I would think that if I reinstall something, that the content in CCMerge will just overwrite/replace itself if anything is duplicated. Am I right?

    I'm so sorry if I am complicating things. I guess what I really want to know is if I mess up (go over size limit or whatever etc etc), is it only the ebc file that needs to be redone or are there other files, like CCmerge, that also needs to be redone?


    Again, I am sorry for all the annoying questions. :fearful:

    PLEASE FIX TEENS IN TS4! I NEED YOUNGER TEENS NOT YA TEENS! (^_^)Please add Music Bands with lead singers! Please add vehicles and garages! Vehicles have always been part of The Sims.
  • GoodywoodGoodywood Posts: 4,612 Member
    @ciane I finally understand your Spreadsheet. I'm so slow... :D I finally get everything and what goes with what.

    I'm just going to follow exactly what you've merged together. I have to! Or else I'll pull my hair out. :D Thank you for going through all the trouble so we don't have to. *hugs* <3
    PLEASE FIX TEENS IN TS4! I NEED YOUNGER TEENS NOT YA TEENS! (^_^)Please add Music Bands with lead singers! Please add vehicles and garages! Vehicles have always been part of The Sims.
  • cianeciane Posts: 16,996 Member
    I'm not sure what uninstalling and reinstalling would do to the ccmerged file; but, hopefully, as you say, the newer would just overwrite the older info. Nonasims offers info and a link to her ccmerged file, if people have problems.

    https://nonasims.wordpress.com/2012/05/17/dcbackup-ccmerged-package-and-your-premium-content-items/

    Once you've done the complete install, the dccache folder will have all your store content in the .ebc files. The .dbc files in that folder are for cc or what your game perceives as cc after downloading through the exchange or elsewhere. The dcbackup folder will have all those package files of everything installed (unless you move them) as well as the ccmerged file that you need to keep there. The venues and any sim or lot you install will create a library file if it goes in the bin or a savedsims file if the sim was shared in CAS. The installed worlds create a .world file, as you've already noticed in the installedworlds file. Once you play a world, it then also creates an object and sims file in the worldcache folder, but that's just a cache, so I believe that the game will just create these fresh when you choose to play a world.

    So, those are the important files to backup along with any save files you might not want to lose (after you start playing). You might also save the options file as it would keep you from resetting the options the way you like when you start as well. (It's where you tell it not to save memories or show store sales or what weather you want to turn off, etc.)

    Personally, I just copy the whole sims 3 folder when I finish installing to a safe location outside the EA folder; but to save space you could just copy the key folders.

    I always use "save as" to save a game and give it a name based on the in-game time. So, SV-Skmt-M1630 would tell me I'm playing in Sunset Valley with the Sekemoto family and it's Monday at 4:30p.m. in game.

    I'm glad the spreadsheet makes sense to you now. Good luck!
  • GoodywoodGoodywood Posts: 4,612 Member
    Very clear and good info! <3 And very good method! <3

    Thank you so much for being patient and taking the time to explain to me all of this, and also helping me so much with this process.

    I am now very confident that I know what to do.


    I also copy the entire Sims 3 folder. Its the best way imo. I'm now on merge number 5. So it is coming along. Slowly, but surely. o:)


    *hugs to you @ciane *
    PLEASE FIX TEENS IN TS4! I NEED YOUNGER TEENS NOT YA TEENS! (^_^)Please add Music Bands with lead singers! Please add vehicles and garages! Vehicles have always been part of The Sims.
  • JennyferLxJennyferLx Posts: 87 Member
    @ciane
    My game keeps creating .tmp files of my ebc files from number 5 (I have 25 in total so I have 20 copied files).
    Do you know why this keeps happening? Is it meant to?
    <3
  • cianeciane Posts: 16,996 Member
    The .tmp files are created every time you use the launcher. It was EA's way of trying to ensure that all the store stuff showed in game. They figured if everything was loaded twice, then you'd have a better chance of it showing up.

    Don't worry about them. Just delete them.

    I use the old patch and start my game without ever using the launcher. So, I only get .tmp files when I upload or download and install something with the launcher.
  • JennyferLxJennyferLx Posts: 87 Member
    Thanks, that’s good to hear. I’m going to start playing the game without the launcher anyway since *hopefully* that’s all my content installed.
    <3
  • KleineMuffKleineMuff Posts: 12,578 Member
    I just started reinstalling my store content since I got a new computer and I finally wanna do it properly :smiley:

    I'm only on the second row but the ebc file is 204.852 kb now. Could it be bigger because I don't have Sunlit Tide Gold and installed the world and the venue seperately? Should I redo this file now?
    Please call me Caro :)
    My Sims 3 Page | My Studio | Check out my Sims 3 Let's Play
    Play mafia with us: www.ultimatemafia.boards.net

  • cianeciane Posts: 16,996 Member
    @KleineMuff - yes, file sizes vary and even the order you install the files will make a difference. You might try to install the venue and then the world to see if it's smaller that way. I'd not chance it, though it is just barely over the limit. I'd redo it.
  • KleineMuffKleineMuff Posts: 12,578 Member
    Thank you! I think I'll redo it then.

    Do I have to create a fresh Sims 3 folder to start over or can I just uninstall the files?
    Please call me Caro :)
    My Sims 3 Page | My Studio | Check out my Sims 3 Let's Play
    Play mafia with us: www.ultimatemafia.boards.net

  • cianeciane Posts: 16,996 Member
    @KleineMuff - Just delete the old .ebc file that went over in size and redo it.
  • KleineMuffKleineMuff Posts: 12,578 Member
    Oh okay, that's a lot easier lol
    Please call me Caro :)
    My Sims 3 Page | My Studio | Check out my Sims 3 Let's Play
    Play mafia with us: www.ultimatemafia.boards.net

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