Well I tried to post this thread before, but apparently it didn't get through or something.

So I'm trying to upload an in-game screenshot from the Sims 2, but it's being very difficult. I'm looking through what I believe to be the correct folder (me>Documents>EA Games>Sims 2>Neighborhoods>my neighborhood>Storytelling) but I do not know what godly order these pictures are stored in. And for some lovely reason, it doesn't seem to show any files past THE YEAR 2008. I remember there used to be little thumbnails that showed you what the picture was before you opened it, but it doesn't anymore. It just shows the Irfanview logo. I don't know if it's just Irfanview or my computer or I angered some god but trying to find the right picture nowadays is just a fucking quest. If anyone is familiar with this problem it would be great if you could help me. If it helps anything, I use a Windows Vista (yeah, I know.) I hope I'm not being too curt here, this has just frustrated me for a long time and I would appreciate any insight into this fdasncjane

The Storytelling folder stores pictures from the cameras in the game, arranged however you told the your browser to arrange them. The Storytelling folder automatically stores an in-game snapshot taken with the in-game camera, a thumbnail of that snapshot, and .xml files for any albums you've edited. They are named according to a protocol. The first element (snapshot, thumbnail, or webentry) tells you what kind of file it is. The second element is the random alphanumeric assigned to the household in which the picture was taken, and the third element is the random alphanumeric given to the picture.

If you're using Irfanview, they'll be where ever you told Irfanview to put them, named in whatever way you told Irfanview to name them.

If you're trying to use the Irfanview viewer to view pictures taken with the in-game camera, and seeing only the Irfanview logo, try using your Windows Explorer (or whatever system app your computer uses to do this job) instead.

Sort by date?

I looked at the undated snapshots, and I found the picture I was looking for! So I guess the pictures will never be in any sort of predictable order. I can deal with that. But I don't quite understand how to get it to show the picture thumbnail. I switched to Windows Photo Gallery, and it just shows the icon for that instead. I don't know how to make it use windows explorer. Is there some way to restore the settings to default? I don't recall changing anything, but I don't think it used to use irfanview. Do any of you use Vista? It might be helpful to be at least familiar with it.

If it's not showing the picture, then it's probably had the view-setting changed. It happens sometimes. Right click and change the viewsetting to icon (small, medium, large, extra large).



Example of how it looks when set to something other than icon


That is using windows explorer. Windows explorer is the program windows uses to browse files, and what most people use so they might not realize it's called windows explorer

You see up in the left-hand corner where it says: "Organize"? And the "arrange by" and "Sort by" options with the little arrows? Click and explore those. You have a lot of different options for how they'll be displayed - size, file type, date taken, date modified.

You are in control here, not the computer. It will arrange those files any way you choose to arrange them. But if you passively accept the default that the person who created the app thought would be the most convenient for the most people, you're relinquishing that control to someone you never met who has no idea what your needs are.

Keep poking at it until you get things how you like it. Don't fear your apps!

No matter what settings I change it to, it still just shows the icon. Understand, I've been messing around with them for a long time.

Perhaps you should show us what it looks like. It's very hard to help based off just generic descriptions.

this is what i'm working with

There's also EA Games > The Sims 2 > Storytelling

That barely has anything in it. I don't know what it's for. Probably the snapshots leftover from a neighborhood I deleted.

I don't use Infranview so can't help with that, perhaps you should remove it and try a different screenshot program. I use FRAPS myself as the photos go into a an easy to find folder on C drive. The photos I put on threads here though are just plain old C key in game ones. They look good and crisp to me.

Regular C key and Tab mode in game picture on large and highest quality


Fraps Picture, edited in Gimp from a BMP to a jpg

The only difference to me is the size, although I'm old and not wearing my glasses.

Yes! I just got it figured out! I had to go into the control panel and fiddle with some settings. Thanks for everyone's help.
Love the pictures by the way

The EA Games > The Sims 2 (The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection, for me at least) > Storytelling usually is mostly empty for me. It only ever seems to remember the first pic I take. Don't know what's up with that and don't frankly care.

Thanks for the tip, @joandsarah77 ! Gonna have to try to mess with settings again.. I really wanna stop having to take photos with Snipping Tool. When I use ST, I don't get the same control of the camera as like using Tab so it's super annoying to angle the camera.

The main Storytelling folder is deprecated, it used to contain all your pics but they stopped using it with one of the EPs iirc.