Simpe Site Down

[bluetexasbonnie]

I know this isn't an MTS problem, but it is a creation problem.

Does anyone know the status of http://sims.ambertation.de/en// ?

I have not been able to register new GUID's for the last 2 days. Is it coming back?

If all the news is bad, or *shrug* who knows, then could someone direct me to info on generating random GUID's. I remember reading about it, but haven't been able to find it again. I guess google is not my friend anymore.

[Mootilda]

Google may be your friend. It can send you to the "Way Back Machine", which is a site which archives old web pages. It can also help you find discussions about 'sims 2 "guid"', such as this one: http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?p=3403833#post3403833, or help you find web sites which will "generate guid", such as this one: http://createguid.com/.

If the guid being generated is the wrong size, just use the first X characters. When you upload, be sure to document how you got your GUID and what it is, just in case it conflicts with an existing upload.

[HugeLunatic]

Wouldn't the hash generator in simpe also work? The crc32 and crc24 both create an 8 digit hash value of the string. If you use the cres name generated when cloning wouldn't that pretty much always be unique?

[Mootilda]

Yes, that should also be fine. Anything which generates a random GUID.

[Echo]

I believe the GUID database has been offline for quite a while now. I think the theory is that, if you already have a range registered to you then you can continue to use numbers in that range. Unfortunately, if you've run out, then you will need to generate a random number and use that. It should be okay, given the reduction in the number of new creation registrations and the fact that there won't be any new EPs coming out to conflict with your random numbers.

[bluetexasbonnie]

Thank you everyone for your help. The GUID database at least was working as recently as Jan. 1, 2011 for me.

Is there a site that is hosting the SimPE download? Heaven forbid I should lose it.

[Mootilda]

It should still be available at SourceForge:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/simpe/

SourceForge isn't going away anytime soon.

[eefje00704]

I know Quaxi is the owner of the site and hasn't been around for a long time, but do you know if there is still someone else around who could possibly bring the site back?

[Mootilda]

As far as I know, there is no one who actually has access to the site. Inge and Peter Jones took over development after Quaxi left, but they never had full access to the site.

[eefje00704]

Well, that sucks. I guess the chances of the site coming back online are pretty close to zero then.

[Mootilda]

It's not clear what's happened to the site yet. At this point, all that we know is that it's been down for a couple of days. Wait until we see the site name up for sale...

In the interim, people can use the Way Back Machine to find old tutorials and SourceForge for downloads.

[eefje00704]

Ok. Thanks, Mootilda. I have to admit it's defnitely the GUID database I'd miss the most. It does feel a lot safer to use registered GUIDs.

[Mootilda]

I suppose that we might be able to set up a new GUID registry in the community. I'm not very familiar with running websites, but Delphy or Pescado might have some ideas. Of course, some people consider TS2 to be dead...

It might also be helpful to snare the tutorials from the way back machine and move them somewhere more reliable...

[eefje00704]

Of course, some people consider TS2 to be dead...

And I don't understand why. There are so many people who are still creating, and who have started creating for TS2 after TS3 came out, even meshing, myself included.

It would be a great idea to set up a new database if the SimPE site doesn't come back.

[sophisim]

sims.ambertation.de has expired and is no longer valid according to this site:
http://www.checkingstats.com/whois/sims.ambertation.de

A new database is very much needed!
I really hope we can find anyone for that job.

[bluetexasbonnie]

In case a new database from scratch becomes the answer ...

I added a block at Christmas, so there probably aren't many more blocks assigned after my last. Here is a very recently assigned GUID from that block: 0x00703011

Perhaps that will help in figuring out where to start over at. (And if I don't post this now, I won't remember in a week or so, what I was working on when.)

[Tinkle]

I don't remember when I last added a block, a month or more ago I think. I was able to assign 4 GUIDs earlier this week, the day before the site went down. The GUIDs that came up for those last 4 objects were:

0x00705523
0x00705524
0x00705528
0x0070552D

[Delphy]

According to another DNS check, the domain itself still exists:

http://www.intodns.com/ambertation.de

However, the ns.ambertation.de subdomain doesn't work, and since this is what hosts the master DNS, this would cause all requests to fail. In fact, pinging the box gives a strange error (TTL exceeded).

So, basically the domain *hasn't* expired at all (the last serial number change was Dec 9th 2010), just the VPS itself seems to be dead. I suspect that it's more a case of non-payment of the VPS, or something else like that rather than a Domain issue.

With regards to the actual GUID database - that'd be (fairly) easy to setup and replicate but obviously without the original database everybody would have to register a new account, get a new block, etc etc. Which is a pain in the ass. :)

[sophisim]

Pain in the ass? We wouldn't want that though... :)

In the meantime can we use this page to create new GUIDs: http://createguid.com/

I got this numbers when I clicked the link:
EC181726-12D7-4D99-A8F5-126468843959

And the essential question is how to use these numbers?
According to Mootilda in post # 2 we should use the first X characters.
Like this: 0xEC181726 or ???

[Inge Jones]

Bear in mind when deciding who is gonna host SimPE support, that Peter does or had been checking out the ambertation site for in case there was anything technical needed addressing. If support gets moved to some cliquey attitudey site, he won't bother. Posting this comment here as I have noticed a spate of people offering to host it, including some places I have already stopped visiting myself.

Seems to me that for most creation-related queries, the sims2 forums on MTS are the most appropriate place to ask. For actual technical problems with the program itself, if there should be any other than wishlist stuff (which is unlikely to arouse the interest of coders) then I can start a forum on my own site, along with the s3pe support, which Peter does of course read.

However first I will see if I still have Quaxi's email address in c ase he didn't know it was down

[eefje00704]

With regards to the actual GUID database - that'd be (fairly) easy to setup and replicate but obviously without the original database everybody would have to register a new account, get a new block, etc etc. Which is a pain in the ass. :)

I'd choose reregistering over no GUID database any day.

[anidup]

I do surely hope that this great site will not consider it too much of a pain to host the GUID database for us.
I have been practising meshing for a while now, and now comes this heartbreaking dissapointment that I can not register a GUID
for my new meshes.
So please, pretty please!!!

[lientebollemeis]

I made some new books on Jan 2. But I haven't needed it again until now (made recolors in the meantime).

Can someone tell me how I have to use that hash generator exactly? What does the cres filename look like? And would it be a replacement of the database to help me out untill the site is back on?

[Inge Jones]

You only have to generate GUIDs for the OBJDs. Everything else should work exactly the same.

[lientebollemeis]

And how do you that then when the site's down?

[Inge Jones]

There is a post above with a suggestion for that. Basically just get them randomly generated. They are unlikely to clash, but there are tools to check for clashes.

[lientebollemeis]

Yeah, I found that post. That was what my question was about. I was wondering how to generate them. I guess a cres filename looks like this: C66F7634-475A-4E3B-9B66-4FEA16DF9717
So then my GUID would be 0xC66F7634 right?

[Inge Jones]

Oh... I'm not sure how the CRES name is made, and which bit is more likely to be unique.

[lientebollemeis]

Well that comes from this site: http://createguid.com/
I thought for random generating a new GUID I would go to SimPE going to Tools -> Object tools -> hash generator and then one of the 3 radio buttons, but I don't know which one (I guess the first, but I have to be sure of course) and then there are still 2 numbers that look like a GUID.
What do I have to use?

[VoVillia]

Where would I find a tool that can help with preventing GUIDs from clashing?

[granthes]

SimPE already has the best tool for creating these values.

Go to Tools -> Object Tools -> Hash Generator...

If you are creating a 32-bit value, what is called a GUID is posts earlier, something like 0x3552B33D, you would use the CRC-32 generator. Leave the seed and polynomial as the default value, and enter a descriptive name in the String field. If you use your creator name as part of the string, it will ensure that your number is unique and will not class with other creator's numbers. I would suggest something like this for the string: "granthes_MyChair_47" so that it contains your creator name, your objects name and possibly a number to ensure that it doesn't clash with your own creations.

If you are creating a 128-bit value, what is called a CRES filename, 479e2600-8696-4654-bac8-072c02f0881b, use the GUID generator. These numbers are *very likely* to be unique, and there are well over 1 trillion available, so clashes will be unlikely.

For more information on GUIDs, please see this link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globally_Unique_Identifier)

[lientebollemeis]

So we don't need the CRC 24 one.
I used CRC 32:
This is the name of the package: meshbookswdvuitgespeeldrequested-liente-20110107
Seed: 0xffffffff
Poly: 0x04C11DB7
Hash value: 0xBC5A46D4

So I use this as GUID: 0xBC5A46D4
And do I have to add 0xffffffff and 0x04C11DB7 somewhere? Like the Orig. GUID and Fallback GUID (normally I don't do that). Or do I just use 0xBC5A46D4 as GUID?

[Inge Jones]

Don't touch the Orig and Fallback GUIDs. Just the GUID of the current object. On a multi-tile object you need one new one for every OBJD.

[lientebollemeis]

Ok, so I'll just use 0xBC5A46D4 for this object then.
Thank you so much for this. Now I'm gone creating what I wanted to create this afternoon.
Again thank you so much for solving this problem (for me).

Edit:
Just out of curriosity: What's the difference between CRC 24 and CRC 32 (I use CRC 32 as suggested)?

[granthes]

Ok, so I'll just use 0xBC5A46D4 for this object then.
Thank you so much for this. Now I'm gone creating what I wanted to create this afternoon.
Again thank you so much for solving this problem (for me).

Edit:
Just out of curriosity: What's the difference between CRC 24 and CRC 32 (I use CRC 32 as suggested)?
A somewhat technical answer:

CRC is an acronym for Cyclic Redundancy Check. Originally it was used to detect when data transmitted over a modem became corrupted. See this wiki article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclic_redundancy_check) if you want more details.

The number just specifies how big the value is... It represents the number of bits in the CRC. Therefore CRC-32 is a 32 bit value, and has 8 Hex digits to display. CRC-24 is a 24 bit value and only needs 6 Hex digits to display.

I don't mod for TS2, so I don't know where CRC-24 is used.

[Echo]

I'm seeing a lot of very confusing bits of information here about GUIDs, so I'm just going to point out a few quick, important things:

This issue only applies if you are making new TS2 object meshes!

If you're modding TS3, you can ignore the GUID issue. This is for TS2 GUIDs only.

If you are creating recolours, body parts, global hacks, or anything at all other than new custom object meshes, then you can ignore the GUID issue. It does not apply to you

An OBJD GUID is a different thing to a typical GUID.

The GUIDs generated by sites like http://createguid.com/ or the Hash Generator will not give you a unique GUID for TS2 OBJDs! Those GUIDs are designed for a different purpose, which is why we have a TS2 GUID database in the first place.

HOW TO GET A NEW GUID, IF YOU ACTUALLY NEED ONE
If you have ever registered a GUID for an object, then you probably already have a range assigned to you. Check through your last few objects, and see if the first few digits of the GUID are always the same. If they are, then go to your most recently registered object, and copy out that GUID number. Now add 1 to it (remember that it is hex, not decimal, so 9 + 1 = A, and A + 1 = B, and F + 1 = 10). That will be your new GUID. You can continue to do this until the last two digits of your GUID become FF. Just take a note of which numbers you used, and once the database comes back online then you can register them as used.
THIS SHOULD SOLVE THE GUID PROBLEM TEMPORARILY FOR MOST USERS

If you have not yet got a GUID block assigned to you, or your current block is full and you need to get a new one, then you will need to get a random number until the GUID database comes back. Here's how to get one:
Go to www.random.org
Have it generate you a random number between 7733247 and 1879048192.
Turn that number into hex. You can use this handy tool to do that: http://easycalculation.com/decimal-converter.php
This will be your GUID.

Using random numbers, there is no foolproof way to ensure that you won't clash with another object, but in the absence of a GUID registry it's a pretty good chance. It is at least as safe, if not more so, than using the online GUID tools.

This issue is not related to the "fix TGI" functionality in SimPE
The existing "Fix TGI" tool, which renumbers the type/group/instance values for the CRES/GMND/GMDC etc, is not affected by this issue. You can continue using these as usual.

About ambertation
Ambertation is quaxi's site, and no one should be 'taking over' the guid database until we can ascertain what has actually gone wrong. If it does need to be moved, then I would suggest that Quaxi and the the Joneses would be best people to decide on a new home, as they are the primary contacts regarding SimPE. I'm sure everyone's offer of hosting is appreciated, but at this point it is premature and just confusing the issue. It would be best to refrain from making any more suggestions about it until the actual problem has been identified and a course of action decided upon.

[sophisim]

This is brilliant!

I only have to use my calculator in windows, put it into advanced mod and click the HEX.
Within my range I have the same 6 numbers in the beginning and only the last 2 are changing.
Last GUID I had was ending with AA. If I type the AA on my calculator and +1, I get AB.

Great!!! Thank you ever so much Echo :king:

[Echo]

Just remember that when the database comes back up again, you'll need to mark those extra numbers you calculated as used. That way, the next time you try and register through the website it won't send you that number again. :)

[julsfels]

Thanks, Echo, this is very useful.

Just a few remarks:
You can continue to do this until the last three digits of your GUID become FFF.
I guess it has to be the last two digits become FF. (16 x 16 = 256).
The first six digits belong to the GUID-block, I think.

I don´t actually understand why to create a random number between 0 and 134217727. As it was posted on the page before, Tinkle´s last GUID was 0x007055FF. Wouldn´t it make sense to generate a random number which starts definitely above this value to avoid duplicates? If you start at, let´s say, 0x0075FFFF, this would mean a decimal start value of 7733247, and the maximum GUID could be 0xFFFFFFFF which means a decimal value of 4294967295.
So wouldn´t it be better to generate a random number between 7733247 and 4294967295?

[Echo]

julsfels, quite right. :) I actually fixed the two/three digits thing about three minutes before you posted. I'll update the lower bound for the random number generation now, as I hadn't thought of that. I have a vague memory somewhere along the line of 0x7FFFFFFF being the highest allowable GUID though (is it a signed integer, perhaps?)... I might be getting my games mixed up though, that happens quite often!

[Mootilda]

I'd avoid anything above 0x7F000000, since TS2 uses those itself.

[julsfels]

Ah! ;)
But do you mean 0x7FFFFFFF (8 digits) or 0x07FFFFFF (7 digits).
Because 134217727 is 0x07FFFFFF, and 0x7FFFFFFF is 2147483647 in decimal, which would be a wider range.

EDIT: if TS2 uses GUIDs above 0x7F000000, maybe we should stop at 0x70000000 or so. Which is 1879048192 in decimal.
Gosh, this is difficult. :lol:
Hope the GUID-Database is back soon.

[Echo]

if TS2 uses GUIDs above 0x7F000000, maybe we should stop at 0x70000000 or so. Which is 1879048192 in decimal.Agreed, and done. :)

[VoVillia]

I think I should be ok during this time of need, I have about 200 numbers left in my range(just past 50 in the first 2 digits), which should last me a few months, I just have to make sure that I write down the name of the objects, so I can register them whenever is possible :)

I also hope that something can be worked out whenever the knowledge of the issue does surface, I couldn't tell you how much I relied on that site for getting GUIDs, and I'm sure many others would probably say the same thing

[tina_bella]

I downloaded (from sourceforge) and do my very first attempt with the simPE. Just only a few second trying (I have a tutorial open on my browser) It says that the object workshop (or something similar) is obsolete. Then I can ever open the program again.. What should I do?

[Inge Jones]

Also if you get back a random number starting with the first two digits covered by the database of issued numbers, best to throw it back and get another. Didn't they all start 00 so far?

[Inge Jones]

I just heard back from Quaxi:

"The site is down (probably until monday) because the SimPE-KnowledgeBase was compromised during my vacation. But it will be back :)"

So, no panic. I will also take this opportunity to let him know about the ongoing problems people are having getting new database accounts and blocks.

[lientebollemeis]

So if I just wait until Monday I can get a GUID like I always did? Thank heaven :D
I only created one object using the hash generator CRC 32. I guess I'd better don't use it anymore and give it another GUID on Monday.

[simsample]

Thank goodness for that, thanks for the information, Inge!

[julsfels]

Thanks Inge, good news!
And to enable the possibility to register would be really fine. I have two or three questions each month from people who start meshing for the Sims 2 and don´t know what to do. Seems to me, that creating new stuff for Sims 2 is far away from beeing dead.

[Inge Jones]

Once I had some admin privs at the database but seemed to randomly lose them after a few months. I am also asking him what happened there.

[juicylipz]

oh thanks for this good news, I hope it will be back on monday

[VoVillia]

That's great news! :)
Thanks Inge!

[rebecah]

Where would I find a tool that can help with preventing GUIDs from clashing?

Simpe has a tool to check for duplicate GUID's. Use the Scan Folders option under Tools. Then tick the GUID option and the recursive option. Then click the scan option.

http://thumbs.modthesims.info/getimage.php?file=1165374

[Deestar]

Good to hear about the GUID database since I just got a shiny new PC and started whacking away at learning to mesh again .

[VoVillia]

Simpe has a tool to check for duplicate GUID's. Use the Scan Folders option under Tools. Then tick the GUID option and the recursive option. Then click the scan option.



Thanks, rebecah!
I never knew that SimPE has such a neat tool for that :D

[hannie18]

This is fantastic news! Thanks Inge

[bluetexasbonnie]

I just checked the SimPe Site and it is up! Horraay!!!

Inge please pass our thanks and delight on to Qaxi.

[VoVillia]

OMG it is!

Please send Qaxi my thanks :D

[eefje00704]

Oh fabulous! Thank you Inge! Does anyone know if adding a new block is possible again as well?

[CatOfEvilGenius]

Inge, Mootilda, thank you for the info. Glad to hear the site is back up, since I do still visit and post questions there. Thanks much to all who maintain it!

[hokadk47]

I just checked the SimPe Site and it is up! Horraay!!!

Inge please pass our thanks and delight on to Qaxi.

I just tried to make my first new mesh after SimPE is back on track. I found out that when I asked for next GUID it pointed at a wrong GUID block - to be more specific: the right number in the last 2 characters, but the wrong GUID block in the first 6 characters. Does anyone know how to fix this ? :alarm:

Kind regards, Helle

[Inge Jones]

I still can't get Quaxi to fix my admin access to the database, so if something's not working right it's gonna stay not working right. I've done all I can now.

[hokadk47]

Oh, I am sorry.
I didn't mean to ask you to fix it - you have helped so much already. I wanted to warn all of you because we will have a GUID mess very soon if it is a general error.

Kind regards, Helle

[Inge Jones]

I know you weren't criticising, it was just the right time for me to let people know I can't predict any improvement on the current situation :)

[porkypine]

Thank you Quaxi, Inge and Echo!

[Phaenoh]

So, are we able to register new blocks now or still no?

[porkypine]

It's up right now. (as of 4:11 pm Mountain time Feb 16, 2011) - Grab your next block.