This program has moved to here This thread is now obsolete.

This is a program that combines the features of several existing utilities available into a single Launcher. Currently it only works on Windows.



UPDATE: Build 1965 is now in place

This update corrects a problem when user has store content installed via a 3rd party sims3pack expander or other methods.

This is a beta test software BACKUP YOUR FILES before using it.

There are several known issues, and probably quite a few that I haven't run into yet.

I would appreciate if people can do two things for me.

1. Play with it and see if this is something you would use
2. Try to run it with your normal set of mods and report any issues in this thread

The short feature list:

• Validates and Installs or Repairs the Mod Framework on each run
• Scans the Downloads directory for new packages, .zip, and .rar files and adds them to its database
• Scans for existing packages and adds them to its database
• Allows the user to select/deselect packages
• Allows the user to move existing "Legacy" packages to the database
• Allows package creator to add information to describe themselves and the package (see included TestPackage.package for an example)
• Allows user to modify package's name, category and description
• Combines all enabled packages into one (or a few) large package files for faster load times

While there are a few known issues with this program, it should be fairly stable for daily usage
Please be sure to back up your Mods directory under Program Files as well as your Downloads and Installed directories under My Documents. (More details in the readme.txt included)

This program requires the .NET Framework V4.0
Just download the installer from Microsoft --> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...&displaylang=en

Known Issues: [6/12/2010]

I will keep this post updated with known issues and let you know when each one is resolved.

[Fixed] #1, The program doesn't actually launch the game when you hit the go button. build 1879
[Fixed] #2, Doesn't work on 64-bit Windows yet. (Still need to run as administrator, but should be OK) No Longer need Administrator rights... Build 929...
[ ] #3, Installs from zip or rar are re-detected the next time you run the launcher
[Fixed] #4, Update 1.12.70, 2.0.86, 3.3.11, 4.0.87 (Ambitions) uses a new custom Mod framework... Fixed in build 680...
[Fixed] #5, Now deletes the ModBuildx.package files on each run. Claims them to be stale... Fixed in build 929
[Fixed] #6, Category sorting isn't implemented. Build 994
[Fixed] #7, Legacy package support not finding all packages Build 994, Only looks in the New Mod directory for legacy packages
[Fixed] #8, Enabled/Disable shouldn't work for Legacy packages build 994, finds both .package and .off files. Enabled/Disabled works by extension now.
[Fixed] #9, Install shouldn't work for managed packages. Build 994, only legacy packages get installed. GUI may still show option to install a managed package, but nothing happens.
[Fixed] #10, Resource.cfg file checking may place incorrect path, when old Resource.cfg exists. Build 1624
[Fixed] #11, Encrypted packages cause program crash. Build 1965

I should have waited a few days before posting... Now I'll have to rewrite the launcher to use the new folder structure.
From:

Game Update for 1.12/2.7/3.3
05/28/10

http://www.thesims3.com/game/patches/920859580

Interesting idea. I like the banner/avatar/custom information inside the package files. Way way back when we came up with using a special TGI to do this too, but it never caught on (which is why you'll see DEADBEEF type resources in packages made with the Pattern Packager). Now the only issue is getting more people to support it.

Overall though, I like it - it does kind of remind me of the Q-Xpress Installer from TS2 (handling rar and zip automatically), so just be aware that if you release this, you'll probably get a LOT of people who know nothing about computers having issues.

Which programming language did you code this in? I have a ton of stuff already written in C# that can do stuff like detect the "type" of a package (specific makeup type, etc) as seen in the dashboard and custard, find duplicate resources, detect corrupted (ie non working TS3) files, and so on. Oh and there is also code to auto-elevate on start, and on button press, so no pesky "run as administrator" needed.

Would you be willing to perhaps look at merging some of the functionality of this tool with the Dashboard tool, assuming the programming languages are compatible? Then we could make one tool that does everything to manage and install custom content for TS3.

hi sorry silly question where do i put files located in this download for them to work i get error need framework v4.0 when i try and use this

I wasn't in the scene at that point, So I missed that!


That is sort of the point of this. I"m hoping to simplify custom content for people. Hopefully, the issues will be minor once I get to the point where this is releasable.



It's written in c#... I'm using the 4.0 platform, but just because that's the default in vs2010....


I would be happy to do so.

I've got 2 more features that I *need* to install for my own projects to work, but anything else you would like to see added would be just fine by me.

Sythini, it is actually a very good question. In fact, it is something that I should have added to the original post; so thank you for asking!

Framework v4.0 is part of windows. If you have Windows XP or possibly Vista you will need to download it. Windows 7 should already have it installed.

Just download the installer from Microsoft --> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...&displaylang=en

I am sure this is a stupid question, but how does your launcher work with the tunable core mod? Will I have to unpack and select the configuration I want and then repack it?

If you want to noob-proof it, I'd suggest you downgrade to .NET 3.5 or even 2.0. Most people will already have 3.5, and virtually everyone has 2.0. BTW: .NET is not a part of windows, just like the Java runtime environment is not a part of windows.

I think it's a nice idea, though. Unfortunately I have really no need for such a thing, so I'm not going to test it.

thanks i downloaded net framework 4 it wasnt in windows 7 but after that it seems to be running fine now will keep testing see what occurs thanks

If the zip or rar file contains other zip or rar files, then yes you would need to unpack it.

If they are all contained in the same zip, they would be installed in the Downloads (soon to be packages) tab, but listed as disabled. In fact, all newly installed packages from the Downloads folder would be installed as "Disabled" so you would need to enable all of the new ones anyway.

Simply find the config elements that you wish to use, check them, and hit the "enable" button.

If you change your mind about what features you want, just disable on and re-enable a different one.

Don't forget to hit the Force Rebuild button to generate a new set of packages that the game will see.

I've added a new feature to the launcher.

XML Tuning Templates

Check out the new screen shots to see the tuning screen.

I've also included a screen shot of the new progress dialog.

This new version is Build 929, and I've updated post #1 with the new version. For those of you who are interested, I've included a document in the download that describes how to generate an XML Tuning Template.

Hello, there.

I tested the custom launcher and it does work well. You did so fantastic job on that! *thumbs up!*

I also tested some of the packages from the old "...\Mods\Packages" folder with the custom launcher. It work pretty well. I only notice a few minor problems are categories in the Custom Launcher.

I know it will auto-create a new folder in the "Installed" folder by itself, but I ran my game and it didn't work. For one explain - if I put medieval packages in the "Medieval Age" category, it won't recognize the folder. Cos I believe it does not know something else. So I placed medieval packages in the other category, Build Mode, and to run the game. It did work better! Apparently, the TS3 custom launcher is probably only recognize common categories.

My only guess is better to have common categories like - Hack, Build Mode, Misc, Skins, and etc.

One another minor problem - it seems it cannot recognize so many category folders in the Installed folder. So I reduced the number of categories from 21 to six categories, and it did run well. I don't know why it won't hold so many categories. I think it's safe to have less than ten, by then. *shrugs?* But I changed my mind and placed all of them (packages) in one unnamed category, and it did run so fine anyway.

I think that is all.

Thanks for testing. It is much appreciated.


There are two possible issues here.

1) Did "enable" the packages in the Custom Launcher?
2) Did you click the "Play" button or the "Force Rebuild" button before you launched the game?

Both of these steps are required before the game can see your new content.



The choice of categories is entirely up to you. The game itself can handle any combination of folders up to 4 levels deep under the Mods folder for legacy style mods. For custom launcher installed content, there is literally no limit to categories.


I'll check to see what may be causing this. The category handling system doesn't have any built in limits, so it may be something to do with the way the screen handling is being done.

I'm working on improving the category and enable/disable code as well as the user interface as my next update.

Expect the update by this weekend (6/12/2010)

Your very welcome, sir. =)



Yes, I aware that and I had done it too. Unfortunately, it was not how it worked. Some folders' names are not familiar to the launcher, and some names are still recognizable. I have no idea why.



All right. I'm forward to see an new update. Thank you for the reply, sir. =)

- Jessy

OK, I played around the launcher yesterday and today for more testings. I want to see the custom launcher become so successful. Since I know there is an issue about the number of categories and names too.

So I tried another packages with the launcher, so I noticed something. Before I hit "play" or "force rebuild", I didn't click the "install" button in the Packages tab. I re-named packages and edited packages' descriptions, but I didn't put them in any category. They're still in the uncategory. After that, I clicked the "install" button and then to click "play", I ran my game and it is pretty fine.

But if I edit and re-name packages after click "install" and "play" (or "force rebuild"), I would get red text messages for missing packages and/or errors on the welcome tab. Packages become useless and lost now, so I would have to re-download some packages from MTS. That was what I done it yesterday, so I tried the another way, see above.

So I think that means someone will need to re-name and edit packages first before "Install" and "Play" (or "Force Rebuild") buttons. I guess?

Lastly, it seems I can refresh the welcome tab, but only I see is blank after I refreshed it. I have to close it down and to re-open the launcher in order to see the information on the welcome tab.

All after, I played around the launcher and it seems it is doing so great! So, what would you say, granthes?

- Jessy

Ok. I think I see what is happening.

If you are getting the choice to "Install", then you are manually installing the packages in the "My Documents/.../Mods" Directory. This is what I call a legacy package.

Legacy packages are not given a category by default, so you would need to manually set the category on each one by using the Edit button. (The GUI is a pain in the butt for that right now)

If you place new package files into your "My Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Downloads" directory, the packages will be installed into the program automatically, although you still need to enabled them. You can also place .zip or .rar file into the download directory and the program will unpack and install them for you.

The only packages that will automatically be categorized are the ones that the content creator placed the category information into when it was created. For example, my Text.package that is included with the program.



Any changes made with the edit button should cause the "Rebuild Required" check box to show a check mark, so a "Force Rebuild" or the "Play" button would need to be pressed again.

If a package is deleted after using the edit button on it, then there is a definite problem that needs to be addressed. The launcher currently shouldn't allow any package file to be deleted, unless it is an exact duplicate of one that is already installed.

You might check in the "My Documents/.../Installed/Launcher" directory and sub-directories to see if your missing packages are there. This is where non-legacy packages are stored.


The welcome tab is an ugly hack that I put together really quickly to get the various information to the user. It is basically a web browser that is fed a document during program startup. That document isn't kept around once it is displayed, so a refresh won't be able to find it again.

Restarting is the only way to get that to refresh.



I'm really glad you've been willing to work with it and help me find the problems.

One thing that would help is if you can reply back and tell me the version number that shows on the welcome tab, so I know where to look for the category change issues.

Thanks,

Grant.

P.S.:
I'm re-writing the user interface of the launcher to be much more user friendly at the moment. That will probably take another day or two.

I'll also look into getting the category problem straightened out at as soon as I can find out what is going wrong.

Actually, if you read carefully, you will notice I said, "... After that, I clicked the "install" button and then to click "play", I ran my game and it is pretty fine."

What I said is it is work well. It is all good! I should clarity it a bit more: "... to click "play", and then I ran my game. It is pretty fine." But I will take your note as I thought your tips are so helpful.



OK, very well. I'll look in the ".../Installed/Launcher" soon.



Aww... that's pretty bummer. =( Oh, well, at the least, the information on the "Welcome" tab is pretty good enough.



No problem, sir. I'm so happy to help. =)



OK, I'll look in it for the version number. I'll be right back in about 30 to 45 minutes (or so).

- Jessy

I'm back.

Here's the version number: 0.5r0 (build 994). I just checked on the folders you told me, and it seems there is no package. They just gone.

So I tested some more, I followed what you said:

"Any changes made with the edit button should cause the "Rebuild Required" check box to show a check mark, so a "Force Rebuild" or the "Play" button would need to be pressed again."

It does work. It's all good! *thumb up* I think if I edit a package twice times (or a few times) without to push a button, "play" or "force rebuild", it could cause a problem. I got a message like this:



Also, the welcome tab will say - with the red text:



Now one package is just disappeared, so I currently re-download a new package from here again.

I guess I should take your note: 1) to edit a package once, and 2) to push "play"/"force rebuild" again. It should not a problem for sure! =) I did it a few times and it is fine.

I think that is all for now.

Cheers~

- Jessy

PS - I wonder, who is someone did click "helpful" on my #15 & #19 posts? Hmm...

Ok. I've found the issue with this one. It was a dumb mistake on my part.

I'll be able to upload the corrected version of the software in the next day or two. Still working on getting the user-interface tuned up. I've only got 2 (somewhat major) parts left to re-work, so it's almost ready.

Sorry to be a pain. I saw a mod link to this to use in place of EA's craptastic launcher (this is suddenly having issues thanks to patching, Ambitions, or whatever), and I'd love to try it. However, for some reason, I click it, it goes to launch, and then it kicks out (after watching it in the processes menu). I do have .NET 4.0 (I tend to keep those updated for other programs), so I can't figure out what would be causing it to kick out like that.

A few quick questions to help me figure out what is going on:
1) What build number of the Custom Launcher do you have? Build Number is on the zip file.

2) Are you running XP, Vista, W7?

3) When you start the program, does it create an xml file in the same folder as the program?

4) Did it create any folders in your "My Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 3/" folder. Specifically, there should be an "Installed" folder and a "Mods" folder created (if they didn't already exist.)

5) Do you have any legacy mods installed? As in mods installed using the original method, in a "Program Files/Electronic Arts/The Sims 3 x/Mods/Packages" folder?

6) Do you have any mods installed in the My Documents/.../Mods/Packages folder?

Thanks in advance for the information,

--Grant.

P.S.: I should have a new version of the launcher uploaded by tomorrow morning (6/13/2010) that should take care of several known issues. It also has much expanded error detection so that may help as well.

1. Build 994.

2. XP Pro SP2

3. No, no xml file is being created.

4. It's creating the LaunchCache folder with the content.package file (1kb) in it, the Installed folder with empty Launcher folder in it, and my Mods folder was already there.

5. No, no mods installed using the old method.

6. Yes, I do. NRaa mods (Supercomputer, LeaveToddlerBook, AntiMagicScroll, Career, StoryProgression, DebugEnabler, and SleepFreedom), NoMosaicAMB, NoIntro, Jonha's Slider Hack, Rez's UI CASBasics (more skintones) Mod, NoMusicalNotes, and NoZzzs. I had a problem with hacks a few days ago, so I'm still adding a few in at a time. Other than those, the rest are the normal object, clothes, skins, and hair mods.

Ok, I think I know what is happening.

I've run into this little problem a couple of times. By the symptoms, the launcher is just going out to your Downloads folder to find any new packages and is crashing there.

If you haven't run the EA launcher, you probably don't already have a downloads folder and my launcher didn't create it either. Therefore, crash! You can manually create the folder "My Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 3/Downloads" and it should resolve the problem. In the future, you can just download mods directly to that folder and run the launcher. It will install .package, .zip and .rar files automatically. Sims3pack and .7z coming sooooon.

This issue is corrected in the build I've just uploaded; #1879.

This is a MAJOR upgrade, so delete the old version completely and install from scratch.

Let me know if that helps.

Ooh, it look so much better! I'll try it soon and let you know. =)

Be right back in a while.

- Jessy

EDIT:

Passed
- Downloaded and it did run pretty well. Check!
- Yay! The "Refresh" button is work! Check!
- Edit and re-name packages are properly work. Check!
- I push "play" button and it is runs well. Check!
- I push "rebuild" button and it runs well. Check!
- I notice the "auto feed news" on the Welcome tab each I take an action. That is so awesome! Check!
- It seems it can hold up to many numbers of categories. SWEET. Check!
- It seems it have no problem with words and names for categories. Check!



I think it seems everything run very smooth and is doing so great. But I think I found one issue. I notice there are some auto-duplicated packages in the same categories after I edited and placed packages in any category. It may have an issue. Maybe?

Okay, I guess that is it. I'll keep looking for issues and errors a bit later.

I really appreciate you for your hard work! I already love it! Thank you, granthes. :D