Now that I've finally mastered how to download mods, I notice something else. Whenever I install a new mod, the store content I purchase vanishes from my game, forcing me to re-install it all. This has happened twice so far, and it's really annoying!

Are you on a PC or MAC and what patch level? What Mods have you downloaded that are causing the problem or are you referring to Custom Content (objects, hair, skins, CAS items)?
Can you see the store content files in the DCCache Folder (they are the files with the extension .ebc)? Are the items showing in the Launcher as being installed and just not in your game?

Hello again stormcat3 ... when I responded yesterday in this thread I forgot you previously had This Thread open so my initial questions here are sort of moot except for the recent question above on the DCCache folder. After looking again at your previous post and although you have "mastered downloading" I am pretty sure your recent issue here is linked to your previous thread.

igazor, lindali365 and I asked some specific questions and provided steps to take but not sure what steps you actually took and where you left off. I would suggest for your current issue to go back to your first thread and test and or clean out your Mods and CC or detail what steps you have taken responding to some of the initial questions.

Just a hunch really, but when you clear your cache files after installing mods are you including your DCCache folder in that process? DCCache isn't meant to be "cleared" like the others except for its .tmp files if you are getting those. The ebc and dbc files inside there are where your already Launcher installed store content and sims3pack type CC live.

Ah, that's what was causing the trouble then. Thanks.

You're welcome (these hunches pay off, maybe around 30% of the time...). When they named that folder back in the Dark Ages of the game, I am convinced a group of developers got together and had a conversation something like this:

Hey, let's give the players a bunch of cache files that they should clear whenever adding to this new Mods/Packages thingy.
Okay. But let's also call a folder "DCCache" that should never be emptied.
Ha ha, that'll drive them nuts.
It should hold something really important, like their store purchased content. Maybe also fill it with some useless .tmp files whenever the Launcher is used, just to make it look more junky?
Perfect, write it up!
Nah, just do it and we're out of here. Let 'em figure it out. We're EA developers, after all.

Happy that the problem has been figured out. Here are a couple of links from Crinrict's TS3 help blog that give detailed info about our cache and user files.

Cache Files - Safe to Delete
http://sims3.crinrict.com/en/2011/0...ache-files.html

User Files Explained
http://sims3.crinrict.com/en/2011/0...user-files.html