I've spent the last few days trying to find a way to fix this. It's frustrating. When I attempt to edit in game while using CAW it always loads the Sims launcher. I've read that it take a while for it to load and I've waited an entire day and still all I see is the Sims 3 launcher. Is there anyway to fix this? My game is patched with the 1.3 GB patch that was supposed to cover everything. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I knew I had heard about this before so I did a google search. Simsample comes up with a partly fix here: http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=463106


... and here auntielynd just referres to the FAQ: http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/442720.page

Hey, I am having this issue and I have combed the threads looking for a solution. I would dearly love some answers.

I have all expansion packs, and am patched to 1.55.
These are the solutions I have tried that have failed:
1. clearing caches for TS3 and CAW
2. factory reset TS3 folder, no cc, no store content
3. default.ini files match (more on that below)
4. use the batch from from Zaide_Chris --> this just opens the launcher, unfortunately. same problem.

The only thing I see left to try is to completely uninstall all my Sims games and CAW, reinstall, patch, install CAW.

Any other ideas before I lose a day re-downloading and installing the Sims? If there are no other ideas that is my next step and I will post back here if it works.
and I just want to say, although I've never posted here before (I only just started posting over at thesims3.com) I am SO appreciative of this community and the vast amount of knowledge and time put in by folks here. thank you, I am grateful.

default.ini :
for CAW:
GameVersion = 1.18.46.022037
CompatVersion = 22
WorldBuilderCompatibilityVersion = 19
for The Sims 3:
GameVersion = 1.55.4.022017
CompatVersion = 22
WorldBuilderCompatibilityVersion = 19

I may have found the issue...
I bit the bullet and started to uninstall. To finish up, I was checking out posts about how to make sure your installation is clean... super clean. Uninstalled Origin, too. On some EA forum I read that users were having problems with Origin after uninstalling, with the registry not being clean. Back when I first installed Origin on this computer, only a few months ago, I had to do it twice. So, I started researching how to clean a PC's registry. There are lots of opinions on this, some say don't use registry cleaners, do it manually, but that is risky, too. (edit to add: this article from EA details how to clean the registry during a manual uninstall). I began the process, just to see what would happen, which is to use the Run command "regedit". It couldn't even open my registry! Likely cause: malware. I had just uninstalled two pieces of unknown software when I was uninstalling all my Sims3 apps. I have Kapersky installed and it had missed it. I found help here malwaretips.com and pretty much followed it... installng Malware Bytes and Hitman Pro. I ran Malware bytes once, then Hitman Pro, and then Malwarebytes again before the system came up clean. I then could access the registry via Regedit. I asked a computer literate friend and he sent me off to (purchase, unfortunately) CCleaner by Piriform software, which makes backups of the registry before it changes anything, so is pretty safe. I ran it, and found underneath all of that other crap several problems with the registry relating to Origin!
So maybe malware was the problem, maybe the registry was the problem, maybe Origin was the problem, and I'll reinstall everything tomorrow, fingers crossed, CAW will be able to jump to Edit in Game without being getting stalled in the launcher.

Update: FAIL. A super clean install of the base game and expansions with attention to possible corruption in the registry did not solve this issue.

Another update:
Problem solving this here , I have concluded per earlier discussions of this same issue that it is a problem stemming from having a post-Seasons version of the base game. No matter what I do, never mind CAW, I cannot bypass the launcher. This is seems to be because of changes to the base game that force it to open through Origin only.

The next thing I am going to try is to install an earlier version of the base game and hope that works.

SOLVED:

I am copying what I just posted over at thesims3.com in hopes that others experiencing this issue will be able to fix it:

The two box-cover versions both available on Origin are NOT the same. The difference was apparent from the first installation... the version of the base game that says "Go Social - All New Ways to Connect and Play with Life" DOES NOT let you bypass the launcher but the other one does.

I just installed the base game, ran the superpatch, and was able to, for the first time ever, bypass the launcher. I then installed the latest CAW, made a test world, saved it, clicked Edit In Game, and it worked like a dream.

This would also be a solution for a lot of other issues where people need to bypass the launcher and can't because they are using a version of the Sims 3 base game that is different from the original for whatever reason (Pre-Origin?) but a version that works IS available on Origin.. the answer would be to get a license key for an earlier version of the Sims 3 and register that with Origin so you can download the version that works.

In summary:

This version of the Sims 3 Base Game, which says "Go Social - All New Ways to Connect and Play with Life" at the top of the box art, available on Origin, does not permit you to bypass the launcher, and thus also renders Edit In Game unusable:


This version associated with non-bundled and/or earlier versions of the Sims 3 does permit you to bypass the launcher and thus use Edit in Game:


To get it to work you have to uninstall the "Go Social" version of the base game, paying attention to clearing the registry, and reinstalling the other version. Both are available for Direct Download on Origin, you just need the correct license key.

This worked for me, I hope it can help out some others too!

Could you explain to me how to go about this? I have searched on Origin for the game that doesn't have the Go Social at the top and havent found anything, and how would I get a different version without having to purchase it?

Just noting that you can mix physical copies with downloads from Origins- so if you just replaced the base game version you had someday, all your disc EP's will work fine and dandy. My own TS3 is a mix of disc for basegame and 2 or 3 of the earlier EP's, and then digital for all the other expansions and stuff packs.

It's the *Steam* versions of download that don't play nice with physical or Origin downloaded EP's/basegame.

If you've registered your disc versions, and have all the pertinent info for them, too, it wouldn't hurt to tell EA your issues and ask if you can get access to download- I just doublechecked- and ALL my games are listed with Origin, which means I can re-download if I uninstalled, I believe (they're listed in my "My Games" section)- and that listing of games is including every Sims 3 EP and other game of EA's that I've bought as a physical copy somewhere. I've got my Late Night box and disc on desk shelf, and Late Night is listed in Origin too.

Hello everyone... god after 10 min trying to prove I'm human anyhow just to say something so simple it almost does not feel worth it...
I just want to say that I got a copy of the Sims 3 Base game and I have the same problem so I was looking at what one I have and I have noticed that its only for that particular game cover I have the same game cover but it dose not say anything about "Go Social" I just wanted to point that out it may help people latter down the road.
anyhow. its a bit disappointing about that but I will get over it lol.

and great find aminovas for finding that out.

I have the go social edition and fixed it via bypassing the launcher + using supercaw. However don´t know if it´s ok to write it into this forum.