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I originally put this tutorial together for
century_eyes, but I thought I'd go ahead and repost it here in case anyone else could get some use out of it.
If you primarily use package files for your custom content and have noticed increased load times and/or lag in your game, follow this tutorial to combine your CC into fewer, larger packages to fix the problem.

Open S3PE and choose 'New.'

Right-click in the big empty white area and select '(EXPERIMENTAL) As dbc...'

Select the files you want to combine and let S3PE do its thing. This may take a loooooong time; don't panic and just let it keep working.

You'll probably get this popup. Hit 'OK.'
[IMAGE REMOVED TO EASE CONFUSION]
Arrange the innards by instance number, select all the XML files with an instance number of 0000000000000, and delete them. (Note: There's a checkbox at the bottom of the S3PE window that says "Sort" - you have to check that box before you can arrange by instance.)
This step is outdated. S3PE automatically deletes the XML files that need to be deleted. Don't touch the others.
Repeat steps 2 through 5 as needed, then save your file. This may also take ages to finish, so just let it run. This new package is the only thing you'll need in your downloads folder for all your CC to show up, so remove the uncombined packages. I keep my uncombined files separate in case there are things I want to get rid of later on.
You can combine combined packages, and it's ok to add more things to your combined packages at a later date.
I'd suggest instead of making one huge package of all your CC to have four or five, only because when I tried to make a single package things started to blow up. I've got Objects, CAS (hair, clothes, makeup), Patterns, and my own crap as their own packages.
I've not combined Default Replacements (never sure if I'll switch those out or something), my hacks, and AM/story progression.
Very easy, and holy shit it makes a huge difference. My game now loads as quickly as it did before I had any CC in it, and no longer lags at all.
This is the original thread on MATY.
Anach has offered up this additional information, which is very useful:
1. If you have a merged a mod and wish to update it with a newer version, you will need to re-merge the entire package, or you will usually experience game breakages.
2. The game imposes a limit of 200MB on its own merged packages (dbc), however a package can be anysize, and the only limitation is processing time (larger takes longer) and filesystem limits.
3. Try to keep your total number of mod packages under 100.
4. You can also remove ICON type files (junk files used by sims3pack) and "THUM" (thumbnails) if you wish the game to generate its own thumbnails rather than use the ones provided in the package.
More Useful Information from
darlas_mom:
"When I tried this, I ended up getting the scary-as-hell "Service initialization failed (0x065d0274)" error and had to uninstall and reinstall.
It turned out a piece of CC I'd installed that day right before doing this was bad (because the game still didn't work until I removed it, cleared my cache files again and then rebooted), but I'm still scared to try this again...uninstalling and reinstalling takes me forever because then I have to download 500+ MB of patches all over again. :-/
Just wanted to make you and others aware of this possibility, so that if it happens to anyone else, they don't panic."
In other words, make sure you don't have any corrupted CC before attempting this.
For anyone getting the 'Materials Materializing' error:
"I have some extra info that might help people who run into the "materials materializing" error. It seems that it occurs when patterns are combined with other items. And also if CAP patterns are turned into package files. So combine patterns just with other patterns, and leave CAP patterns sims3pack. I delete CAP files as fast as i can because they have brought me only troubles."
(Thanks for reminding me about this, Jolanda.)
__________________________________________________
(Originally figured out bysomeone Anach on MATY.)
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
If you primarily use package files for your custom content and have noticed increased load times and/or lag in your game, follow this tutorial to combine your CC into fewer, larger packages to fix the problem.

Open S3PE and choose 'New.'

Right-click in the big empty white area and select '(EXPERIMENTAL) As dbc...'

Select the files you want to combine and let S3PE do its thing. This may take a loooooong time; don't panic and just let it keep working.

You'll probably get this popup. Hit 'OK.'
[IMAGE REMOVED TO EASE CONFUSION]
This step is outdated. S3PE automatically deletes the XML files that need to be deleted. Don't touch the others.
Repeat steps 2 through 5 as needed, then save your file. This may also take ages to finish, so just let it run. This new package is the only thing you'll need in your downloads folder for all your CC to show up, so remove the uncombined packages. I keep my uncombined files separate in case there are things I want to get rid of later on.
You can combine combined packages, and it's ok to add more things to your combined packages at a later date.
I'd suggest instead of making one huge package of all your CC to have four or five, only because when I tried to make a single package things started to blow up. I've got Objects, CAS (hair, clothes, makeup), Patterns, and my own crap as their own packages.
I've not combined Default Replacements (never sure if I'll switch those out or something), my hacks, and AM/story progression.
Very easy, and holy shit it makes a huge difference. My game now loads as quickly as it did before I had any CC in it, and no longer lags at all.
This is the original thread on MATY.
Anach has offered up this additional information, which is very useful:
1. If you have a merged a mod and wish to update it with a newer version, you will need to re-merge the entire package, or you will usually experience game breakages.
2. The game imposes a limit of 200MB on its own merged packages (dbc), however a package can be anysize, and the only limitation is processing time (larger takes longer) and filesystem limits.
3. Try to keep your total number of mod packages under 100.
4. You can also remove ICON type files (junk files used by sims3pack) and "THUM" (thumbnails) if you wish the game to generate its own thumbnails rather than use the ones provided in the package.
More Useful Information from
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
"When I tried this, I ended up getting the scary-as-hell "Service initialization failed (0x065d0274)" error and had to uninstall and reinstall.
It turned out a piece of CC I'd installed that day right before doing this was bad (because the game still didn't work until I removed it, cleared my cache files again and then rebooted), but I'm still scared to try this again...uninstalling and reinstalling takes me forever because then I have to download 500+ MB of patches all over again. :-/
Just wanted to make you and others aware of this possibility, so that if it happens to anyone else, they don't panic."
In other words, make sure you don't have any corrupted CC before attempting this.
For anyone getting the 'Materials Materializing' error:
"I have some extra info that might help people who run into the "materials materializing" error. It seems that it occurs when patterns are combined with other items. And also if CAP patterns are turned into package files. So combine patterns just with other patterns, and leave CAP patterns sims3pack. I delete CAP files as fast as i can because they have brought me only troubles."
(Thanks for reminding me about this, Jolanda.)
__________________________________________________
(Originally figured out by
no subject
Date: 2010-05-14 08:11 pm (UTC)I've noticed recently that the file size doesn't change if you install something through the launcher and then uninstall it. Talk about bloating the game!
It also amazes me what we go through to play a game sometimes. lol
no subject
Date: 2010-05-14 11:31 pm (UTC)"It also amazes me what we go through to play a game sometimes. lol"
I was seriously thinking that when I was making this tutorial! Ha!
no subject
Date: 2010-05-14 08:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-05-14 11:31 pm (UTC)combining pkgs
From: (Anonymous) - Date: 2012-08-27 05:31 am (UTC) - Expandno subject
Date: 2010-05-15 02:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-05-15 08:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-05-15 10:51 am (UTC)I started doing this a while back but got lazy and fell out of the habit, and then my game went tits up, and searching for all the individual package files was a bloody nonsense.
ETA: You managed to get hair working with this? I always got very patchy results when I tried that, with some hairs just refusing to show up.
no subject
Date: 2010-05-15 08:46 pm (UTC)I've had this work for getting other things to show up that hadn't previously (furniture and clothes), but I sort of snapped a bit ago and deleted all my hairs and started from scratch. Not sure if it would work or not, truthfully.
thx,but..
From:Re: thx,but..
From:Re: thx,but..
From:no subject
Date: 2010-05-17 11:27 am (UTC)I have one question - if apart from XMLs I have KEY files with 0000000000000 instance is it safe to delete them?
no subject
Date: 2010-05-17 03:22 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:Someone
Date: 2010-05-21 01:51 am (UTC)http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,17746.0.html
1. If you have a merged a mod and wish to update it with a newer version, you will need to re-merge the entire package, or you will usually experience game breakages.
2. The game imposes a limit of 200MB on its own merged packages (dbc), however a package can be anysize, and the only limitation is processing time (larger takes longer) and filesystem limits.
3. Try to keep your total number of mod packages under 100.
- Anach
Re: Someone
Date: 2010-05-21 01:57 am (UTC)4. You can also remove ICON type files (junk files used by sims3pack) and "THUM" (thumbnails) if you wish the game to generate its own thumbnails rather than use the ones provided in the package.
Re: Someone
From:no subject
Date: 2010-05-21 03:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-05-21 05:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-05-25 02:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-05-29 02:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-05-29 01:24 pm (UTC)For anyone having the same problem as me: There's a checkbox at the bottom of the SimPE window that says "Sort" - you have to check that box before you can arrange by instance.
(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2010-06-17 01:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-06-21 10:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-29 03:52 am (UTC)My apologies for being all noobish...
no subject
Date: 2010-07-30 07:52 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2010-07-30 06:11 am (UTC)http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae238/deboraym/error.jpg?t=1280469844
Do you know what that means?
Thanks a bunch!
I love the tutorial... it's very useful! :)
no subject
Date: 2010-07-30 07:50 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:Mac?
Date: 2010-08-07 04:40 am (UTC)Re: Mac?
Date: 2010-08-26 12:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-28 07:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-11-13 01:34 am (UTC)1. is it possible to delete some custom content that has already been combined?
2. what I'm getting from this is game lagging/taking forever to load is not because of the large size of the mods folder, but just the number of mods you have, am I right?
no subject
Date: 2010-11-13 07:06 pm (UTC)2. Pretty much, yes.
no subject
Date: 2010-11-13 01:52 pm (UTC)do you really need those file btw? iam really noob on this so..
no subject
Date: 2010-11-13 07:07 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From: (Anonymous) - Date: 2010-11-29 08:01 am (UTC) - Expand(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2010-11-17 09:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-12-03 07:09 pm (UTC)Guest
Date: 2010-12-03 06:31 pm (UTC)Re: Guest
Date: 2010-12-03 07:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-12-04 05:41 pm (UTC)Thank You
Date: 2010-12-13 01:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-04 02:46 am (UTC)Thanks
no subject
Date: 2011-01-20 08:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-17 01:45 am (UTC)I'm deleting the individual files from my folders AND the recycle bin as I go along. Any idea what the problem is and how to fix it?
no subject
Date: 2011-01-17 01:52 am (UTC):)
Packager
Date: 2011-01-20 09:53 am (UTC)Some resource names may not be displayed.
Error reading _KEY 0166038C:00000001:0000000000E5F018
Front-end Distribution: 10-1104-1243
Library Distribution: 10-1104-1243
Source: mscorlib
Assembly: mscorlib, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.
at System.RuntimeMethodHandle._InvokeConstructor(Object[] args, SignatureStruct& signature, IntPtr declaringType)
at System.RuntimeMethodHandle.InvokeConstructor(Object[] args, SignatureStruct signature, RuntimeTypeHandle declaringType)
at System.Reflection.RuntimeConstructorInfo.Invoke(BindingFlags invokeAttr, Binder binder, Object[] parameters, CultureInfo culture)
at s3pi.WrapperDealer.WrapperDealer.WrapperForType(String type, Int32 APIversion, Stream s)
at s3pi.WrapperDealer.WrapperDealer.GetResource(Int32 APIversion, IPackage pkg, IResourceIndexEntry rie, Boolean AlwaysDefault)
at s3pi.WrapperDealer.WrapperDealer.GetResource(Int32 APIversion, IPackage pkg, IResourceIndexEntry rie)
at S3PIDemoFE.BrowserWidget.CreateNameMap()
-----
Source: mscorlib
Assembly: mscorlib, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089
An item with the same key has already been added.
at System.ThrowHelper.ThrowArgumentException(ExceptionResource resource)
at System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary`2.Insert(TKey key, TValue value, Boolean add)
at NameMapResource.NameMapResource.Parse(Stream s)
at NameMapResource.NameMapResource..ctor(Int32 APIversion, Stream s)
-----
What can I do?
Re: Packager
Date: 2011-01-20 08:58 pm (UTC)The 64-bit version can be found here. Hope that helps!
Re: Packager
From: (Anonymous) - Date: 2011-01-21 01:20 am (UTC) - ExpandHannah
Date: 2011-01-21 01:18 am (UTC)Hollywood Sims
Date: 2011-02-16 05:53 pm (UTC)