I recently reinstalled The Sims 2 on a new hardrive. I readded all my Custom Content, but some of it is not showing up right. I moved the Downloads folder from my old installation to the new one, so anything in that file-including things like meshes-is there. However, anything that I downloaded that would not go in that folder would not be brought over. I think that is what I may be missing. Back when I started downloading Custom Content years ago, I recall downloading some generic file, like a coloring file or something, that was recommended to all people downloading Custom Content on Mod the Sims. But I can no longer remember what that was, assuming that is the problem.

Anyway, here is what is happening:

Some one the Custom Content doesn't look like it should. For example, for girl children, nearly all my Custom Content onepiece outfits show up as that bluejean dress. For teens, they show ups as the Chinese outfit with the orange shirt and black pans. This is a variety of content, from many different people, so...

Any ideas?

It sounds like you need "CEP" - Color Enable Package. Download it here http://www.modthesims.info/d/92541.

I was wondering if you have CC stairs, fences or fireplace's? If you do, are they showing correctly? If not you will have to re-dl the text files for those objects. -tbudgett

I'm working in Make A Family right now. That file was definitely what I was thinking of, but even after starting the game up twice, the problem still persists. I don't understand it, since this really should fix the problem. Everything else should be in the Downloads file. Lack of that Color file would explain why the outfits couldn't show up, even though some others did. Did I do something wrong, or is there maybe something else I need to do?O_o

Also, looking at it, it seems that CEP was only intended for objects, as opposed to clothing, hair, etc. Is there something else like that? Some thing we should all download?

Did you enable CC at the start screen?

Is there a possibility that when you saved your CC from before, you lost some meshes or they got corrupted when they were archived and then extracted?

I didn't want to make a new thread so i figured I would ask here, my CC stairs have not showed up in game, I have the CEP and downloaded everything the same way but i can not seen to get ANY stairs to show up, I have mostly only downloaded the the stairs that are open underneath so i can use other CC with them...but not showing up :-(

Can you help me?

Are they modular stairs? If so they have special instructions you need to follow. Go back to where you downloaded the stairs and check what the creator said to do.

I can give you a round about .. but you need their info to get them to work. There is a .txt file that needs to be put in the CEP stairs folder.

*slaps self in head* First off, @simmer1215 you never said if they were modular stairs, however I am going to go on the assumption that they are. That bein the case I was slightly wrong in what I said because I didn't stop to think. You'd said you had CEP and so I said to put in the CEP folder, however we are both wrong. Modular stairs need scriptorium to work and it is in the scriptorium folder where the text info gets placed.

Step 1 - Download and install Scriptorium. It will put 4 items in your downloads folder - Custom Lights, Fireplaces, Modular Stairs, and Walls, Fences, Arches.
Step 2 - Open the zip/rar/7z that contains the modular stairs you've downloaded. Inside you should see 2 items listed. Once will be .package and the other should be .txt. The name of the .txt file can be changed if you so wish, but DO NOT change what is written inside the .txt file as this is what's needed to make the stairs work.
Step 3 - Put the .package file in your downloads folder.
Step 4 - Double click on the Scriptroium Modular Stairs file in your downloads folder. It will open to where you need to place the .txt file. (The whole thing and not just what is written inside of it.)

Note: You can use your back button to get back to your downloads folder and out of the Scriptorium Modular Stairs one. Also, steps 3 and 4 can be done in either order, just that they both be done. CEP is always good to have as it's for recolors.

Sorry for the mix up I hope this helps.

What I do with modulairstairs is putting the text code for the stairs in C:\Program Files (x86)\EA GAMES\De Sims 2 Double Deluxe\Base\TSData\Res\Catalog\Scripts
Note!!
I know it's a different path if you don't have double deluxe but another version of the base game
Ór
if you play the game through origin,
but the file you need to edit is called: modularstairs.txt

@mirjampenning the double clickin on the Scriptorium Modular item in your downloads was done to simplify it for everyone as it will automatically take you to the needed place so there is no need to go find it yourself.

I just gave another option for handling modular stairs. I thought it was allowed to give multiple options? See it here all the time, so people can use what they find more convenient.
That was all I was doing.
I never understood the explanation for Scriptorium and I find the editing in the basegame modularstairs textfile easier.
And there might be more like me in this matter, that's why I gave the option.

When you place the file into the Scriptorium it automatically goes to the scripts location without you have to click through, that's all.

.. @mirjampenning I didn't mean you couldn't give another option/ way to do it. I'm sorry if I gave that impression. Numenor made it to take the hassle and stress out of where to place it since most people got lost or unsure where it went.

However, if the longer way is easier for you (or anyone really) to understand than that way is just as good, just so long as you do end up in the right place ... lol.

It's okay, Calibrat, I'm not the most (emotionally) stable person lately and I was really tired, so I took it a bit too sensitive.

Do the actual clothes not show up properly or is it just that the thumbnails show the wrong outfit? If a thumbnail is wrong, you should be able to update it by Ctrl + right-click on the thumbnail (this should work for any thumbnail - objects, walls, floors, clothes, etc.). When I first installed Mansion & Garden, some of the walls came with a plain blue thumbnail. I thought they were broken until I read about that trick to update the thumbnails.

If the clothes themselves don't show up when you try to have a sim wear them, the only thing I can think of is that a mesh might be missing. Other people here have more experience with CAS stuff than I do and can suggest other possible fixes.

If your custom content shows up as a maxis outfit it means you didn't download the mesh. On here you will often find a link to the mesh below the file area which is easy to miss if you don't know to look for it..

It could also mean that the mesh either has a too long file path, or a too long name, and isn't read properly by the game. I've had that happen a few times.

That explains a lot. I've had some CC that didn't work properly and it turns out that someone got "creative" with the filename. The filenames were not only too long, but also included characters that Windows and TS2 don't like, usually symbols found on the number keys across the top of the keyboard.

If it's inside a folder, inside a folder that could happen, but unlikely if you say just put it in a folder called 'Clothes' The game can handle long names within reason.

I do remember a very very long time ago, when the whole subfoldering thing was considered as "probably unlimited" in my head, back when I barely knew a thing about computers, and had an old laptop with XP. I suddenly got files named something like "FILENAM~.file" so I just assumed they were corrupted, even if the files did work if I renamed them. I'm now convinced the file path was too long, and XP renamed the files to make them fit inside the file path. The trouble is, Vista and 7/8/10 don't give you the "filepath is too long" message thumbdrives and external harddrives usually give you, so there's no warning.

The safest thing you can do is to keep the subfoldering to a max of 3, and to shorten down very long file names on folders and files, and stay away from special characters.

Yes beware those Secret Santa folders with long file names, thank you notes, tons of BMP pictures and whatever else they sometimes come with. Some people just unzip inside their download folder and don't look.