This is how CAW makes me feel. Won't bore you to death with the whole, soo sad story, just ask a few pertinent questions, if I may.
1) CAW won't open anymore. (Not that I ever accomplished much anyway). It doesn't crash or create any report, it simply flashes the opening screen for approx 2 seconds then quits. (Yes the versions match and I'm on pc and the system can handle my game with very little lag or crashing.) No one at EA or forums help knew why. igazor sent me here. In one thread the wonderful rflong7 mentioned in passing that her caw wouldn't work if there was too much store content in her game files. Can't seem to find that thread again. Nor do I know if that's the issue but I'm willing to try! So how does one eliminate these without uninstalling everything? Mods are easy, just remove the folder, but which folder or files? Is it dccache and perhaps collections? Or do prolific world builders use two different computers, one with extra stuff and one without?
2) Keeping lots level. More often than not when placing pre-built lots in any world there is an elevation(?) issue. Either the entire lot is sunk half a square or so from the edge or the edges match but the lot is raise or lowered around any objects on the lot, including buildings, mailboxes, plants, whatever. Flatten lot doesn't fix this, nor level terrain. Moving stuff around while leveling works but of course one can't just pick up a house, level around it then plunk it back down. (Right?)
Many custom worlds have lots there were created elsewhere and this issue doesn't seem to exist. Yet when I place a house or lot, (in-game not in caw) everything goes wonky. Heavy sigh.
Any takers on helping me feel a bit less inept?
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Hi @Vgrace573 ,
I used to have to start CAW by right clicking on my shortcut and choosing 'run as administrator'. You'll just have to try it ... it may or may not work.
Especially EIG is prone to crash if you have too much store content. I always have to swap the DCCache folder ... I use one for CAW and one for general play ... but if this works to get CAW started in the first place I'm not sure.
If you take out the DCCache folder that is in your game now and 'park' it on your desktop and then start the game a new folder should be generated that has no store stuff in it. Try if CAW works now, then you could slowly add store stuff as and when you need it until you find you are starting to get problems again, if it doesn't work you still have your original folder that you can put back without having lost any store items ... other than that I would not know what else to try.
I hope you can get it sorted. Happy Simming!
What I do know is where store content is put in your Sims 3 folder, so...
dcCache folder... YES! You can simply move that folder out like you do with your Mods. ALL your store content is installed there. It also goes into the InstalledWorlds folder and of course the WorldCaches folder. Your library files include any venues as well.
All folders can be moved out and replaced later.
BUT... you can simply rename the sims 3 folder and launch the game to have a brand new sims 3 folder minus anything you have added to it.
That's what I do all the time.
Store Install
Unlocked Stencils
random legacy
Run as admin doesn't work but I'll sure try out the other suggestions.
Thanks again
Secondly Rflong has a fantastic tutorial on levelling terrain. Often the terrain looks flat but it isn't. I would send you a link but I am on my tablet. If you Google it, it should turn up.
Good luck in getting CAW working again. It will be lovely to see how you progress on your project.
Betty
Wherever I am friends call me Betty
Sim enim est vita
The terrain problems I was referring to are not within caw but during actual gameplay. Place a house on an empty lots and the terrain goes wonky. I've got some great builds from the exchange but the sharp rise or fall around the edges of the lot and objects is a pain sometimes. It doesn't always happen of course but it'd be nice to have a fix for when it does.
The cheat you type in:
SetImportedTerrainOffset (value)
(value) Is a positive or negative number depending on whether the lot created a hole or a mountain.
After you placed the lot, check if the elevation is level before pressing ok. If not, cancel and change the value you put in. Positive numbers raise the lot and negative numbers lower the lot. You can even use decimal values for fine tuning.
Store Install
Unlocked Stencils
random legacy
Anybody have a clue?
As for using specific EPs or SPs you can use the filter in build/buy mode or uninstall the packs you don't want. No doubt you could try using DCCaches with different packs installed but that seems unnecessarily complex to me.
Finally I'm sorry you are still having problems. I expect you have already tried uninstalling and reinstalling CAW. The TS3 website can be very temperamental and a fresh download might be the solution.
Wherever I am friends call me Betty
Sim enim est vita
Oh well. I'm terrible at it anyway. Think I'll jump back into a book for awhile. Have a wonderful weekend and if the Fourth is a holiday for you (heck, even if it isn't) enjoy it!
Also CAW is not a particularly user friendly tool. It is a steep learning curve which in my case involves lots of coffee and swearing. I recommend using a test world to practice and work out a plan beforehand. It doesn't matter how long it takes as long as you enjoy the process of creating. I'm sure whatever you produce will be lovely and it will be special to you because you created it. So please don't give up now
Wherever I am friends call me Betty
Sim enim est vita
"Bettyboop55 mentioned you in Ignorant AND inept...Ouch!"
@Vgrace573 - When you establish a new TS3 user game folder in Documents, there would be no added content at all. Thus no InstalledWorlds. The point of a clean folder like that is either to establish some sort of baseline through "vanilla" gameplay (no mods, store content, CC, extra worlds, game saves) or to begin fresh by reinstalling all or only what one needs.
There would be no WorldCache files if no worlds have been played yet. Not all worlds cache this way regardless, the base game, EP worlds and I think Riverview are designed to cache to a location within Program Files that isn't supposed to be touched.
Mixed Orign/disc installs that are managed by Origin and on Patch 1.69 will have their installed EPs show up some under Orign Games and some under EA Games, but basically wherever Origin thinks they should go. "Pulling" EP folders out would break the game install entirely, that's not a good way to uninstall an EP or any program that some other force is managing.
NRaas has moved!
Our new site is at http://nraas.net
Wherever I am friends call me Betty
Sim enim est vita
Thanks for reinforcing my intuitive warning @Bettyboop55 and you as well igazor. I remember my old xbox and how some days it would work perfectly, then not at all for weeks, then fine again. After so long caw worked fine for a few days then quit. Maybe it just wants to rest for a few weeks or months and will work fine again. Of course when it decided to quit working my sims 3 game did as well and I ended up having to perform a complete uninstall and reinstall. I'm going to quit obsessing, heave a few sighs and try again some other time.
Thanks a bunch everyone.
Wherever I am friends call me Betty
Sim enim est vita