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• MiSFiT203 Posts: 278 Member

  August 2019 edited August 2019

  TROUBLESHOOTING PHASE 2
  
  So i found my problem location, it's DCCache folder, i still havent returned my old dcdb0.dbc file, so that rules that out.
  
  -tempted to run delphy's sims 3 dashboard on it, but not sure how that will affect my game.
  
  Just read in another post that doing this is meaningless. im out of ideas.

  Post edited by MiSFiT203 on August 2019

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• Auroraskies Posts: 1,834 Member

  August 2019

  I am not sure if you still have the issue, or maybe want to avoid it in the future. I can try to troubleshoot with you if you like if you give more information on what you did.
  
  I tried to export and upload a sim from CAS to the Exchange, using both Steam and Origin; and it worked both times. I used a new Sims 3 folder.
  
  Here are some suggestions of what to do if it does not work. Crinrict's blog:
  https://sims3.crinrict.com/en/2014/02/cant-upload-to-the-exchange.html
  
  If you got the export to work because you removed the DCCache folder, one guess would be that you had corrupt third party CC in there:
  
  Crinrict's blog, user files explained, see DCCache:
  https://sims3.crinrict.com/en/2011/01/faq-user-files.html

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• MiSFiT203 Posts: 278 Member

  August 2019 edited August 2019

  hi @Auroraskies
  
  thanks for response, i havent figured out problem yet cause i know nothing about dbc files.
  extent of my knowledge is just adding and removing c/c and clearing cache. dont understand anything beyond that.
  
  i just installed the game again for the first time in years a few weeks ago. normally at this point of being stuck,
  i probably would have re-installed the game and lost everything, but never hit a point where i couldnt export my sims which makes it a hard decision.
  
  thanks for the links.
  
  just looked thru them, but the first link doesnt seem relevant to my issue cause i cant even get my sim to the launcher to try and upload. my issue stems from trying to export a sim to the launcher from CAS or edit town, it always fails. unless i missed something, that link seems to be along the lines of upload failure.
  
  link 2 was a good read, good to get better idea of what does what. added both to my bookmarks
  

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• Auroraskies Posts: 1,834 Member

  August 2019 edited August 2019

  Cannot say I am an expert either
  
  Thank you for clarifying, never mind the link meant for problems with uploading then.
  
  Was this the advise you read?
  https://forums.thesims.com/en_us/discussion/comment/12449641/#Comment_12449641
  
  I am not sure why it would help someone else to cut the same .dbc file; I just think that poster might have had some funky CC in that bundle of custom content, and I do not think reinstalling the game files will do anything for your issue; but have you tried to export a sim, any sim, in a new Sims 3 folder like I did?
  
  Here is how to: backup the files you want and rename the folder in Documents>Electronic Arts from: The Sims 3; to: The Sims 3original (or whatever you like, just add a word), and start the game; a new folder will be regenerated without all your saves, options, mods, store content, CC etc. Make a random sim in CAS and try to export it. If you can, then the problem might lie in your old game folder, likely to be some CC.
  
  Delete the caches every time you exit the game when trouble shooting (and regularly otherwise); the social.cache is optional if you use simporting.
  
  You can then put back your folders from your original Sims 3 folder into the new folder, one by one to see what makes the export fail. Put in DCCache and mods last. Delete all the files in DCBackup except ccmerged.package before you put it back. (Make sure you have a backup first).
  
  If you want to use your old Sims 3 folder again, just remove the added word, and add a word to the new folder (like "test" for instance) or delete the new folder; and the game will read the original folder instead.
  
  Backup
  https://sims3.crinrict.com/en/2011/03/faq-what-files-should-i-backup.html
  
  Here is a good description of how to make a new game folder; a factory reset:
  
  Crinrict's blog
  https://sims3.crinrict.com/en/2011/06/tutorial-resetting-the-game-to-factory-settings-without-reinstalling.html
  
  

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• MiSFiT203 Posts: 278 Member

  August 2019 edited August 2019

  @Auroraskies not sure if i saw that link or not, i wanna say the thread i saw had a more in depth post if i remember right. but i did try the export with new folder and it did work. then went on to removing various folders as listed in post one and didnt have any luck with a successful export til i removed DCCache folder and at the time i had already removed my dcdb0.dbc and tested that the problem still existed without it, following that step is when i finally removed the remaining DCCache folder and found that it then worked.
  
  man I've argued for years that the sims 3 was the better game on the sims 4 forums, now i see why everyone up there hates it. i spend more time losing progress from crashes and doing troubleshooting for this issue then that issue then i do actually playing the game. its more fun when its actually working, too bad it doesnt stay that way.
  
  as much as i hate the sims 4 im contemplating saying that its a better game.

  Post edited by MiSFiT203 on August 2019

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• MiSFiT203 Posts: 278 Member

  August 2019 edited August 2019

  ok... im thinking about re-installing, this time from discs, i dont like being leashed to origin anyway. there isnt much i really care about losing aside from my current household and a few sims around town that i added. im using legacy island III as my world, i just downloaded the world like 2 days ago. and aside from placing Maxis lots and building one of my own, i pretty much been troubleshooting stuff or crashing and losing progress ever since.
  
  my main sim i want most doesnt use c/c, i dont think the others do either except a few in my household which i already have uploaded to the exchange. is there a way i can just backup this world, save and content needed for it, and add it to a new game and not lose anything? that and sims, lots that i saved and sims in CAS bin if possible.
  
  i should probably add this, can i do this without bringing over the DCBackup and DCCache folder?
  the world is barely played yet, i kept having issues i wanted to workout or i would crash before i had a chance to make any progress.

  Post edited by MiSFiT203 on August 2019

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• igazor Posts: 19,330 Member

  August 2019 edited August 2019

  I may be having some trouble following this. But just in case this is part of the disconnect, and sorry if you already have a handle on this, but you are aware the the DCCache Folder is where your already installed store content (in ebc file bundles) and sims3pack custom content (in dbc file bundles) both live? If DCCache becomes damaged or if you have removed it, then there will be no installed store or sims3pack custom content in your game.
  
  Mods that rely on store content being there because that is what they are supposed to be modding (examples, NRaas Cupcake or PocketProtector) are not going to be happy if that content is not loading up first. Cupcake, again just as an example, will cause the game to crash on startup if the bakery set it is meant to be controlling is not loading.
  
  I take it that you put your DCCache Folder back after the successful sim export before trying to play again, but if those ebc (and dbc) bundles are not present and in uninterrupted numerical order, or are just not being read from properly, then the content probably does need to be reinstalled all over again. Or at the very least the contents of DCCache need to be restored, if you can get it to work properly.

  
  NRaas has moved!
  Our new site is at http://nraas.net

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• MiSFiT203 Posts: 278 Member

  August 2019

  hi @igazor
  
  i removed that stuff only for troubleshooting, but i never saved the game during my tests, i just checked what i needed to and then moved out the "test edition" sims 3 directory and returned a backup of the sims 3 directory in its place.
  
  well anyway, strange thing just happened, and i have no clue how, but i just managed to export all the sims i wanted as well as the lot i built.
  i think for now im gonna move out my sims 3 directory and do a clean game install from discs, then install my store content and other and see how that works out if i end up with problems again, after that i can just return my current folder to the game since it seems to be working now.
  
  there is a chance in the future i may or may not end up without internet for awhile, so it would be nice to know that i can play sims 3 without origin if that happens.
  
  for now i'll say thanks for the help @igazor and @Auroraskies i'll be back with an update on how things go with the re-install.

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