YAY!!! Progress all 'round!

I just finished (and submitted) the last of my wall project WHEW! Barring no complications with that - I'm ready to tackle the learning curve on this baby again! Bring it on!

Yay for more wall stuffs!

I am convinced more than ever that there is another 3IDR somewhere for each shirt, and that's where the old TXMT references are, and the new ones need to go. I think the 3IDRs listed so far are only for catalog info, in other words, useless for our purposes. I'll see if I can find them...

After further checking, I think the missing lavender shirt might have a 3IDR after all, but it appears to be entirely missing a GZPS. Futz with that later, after replacing the green.

And now, for a spot of tea, without cat hair in it, preferably. Maybe a cookie.

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Yes, there IS another 3IDR! I suspected it would have the same Instance number as the GZPS, since that is true of recolors, and it does. It has a TXMT in it at line 2, as it should. Huzzah! Things should be easy-peasy mac and cheesy from now on. Pic coming soon...

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NEW instructions in posts #3 and #5

New pictures of 3IDR and GZPS, from my green replacement file.
New text too, so read carefully. My green file is attached in this post.


.

Alrighty then, onward and upward! Wails and/or ululations shall be posted henceforth.
...Hopefully, not forthwith!


I'm about to fire it up, and see if it works. I see one little anomaly that requires confirmation:
When examining each of the 3IDR files, I noticed that the 'grass' green one is the only one that has a different set of 1st MatDef numbers. I've redone everything today and my green bits look the same as yours - so I must've done it right. Bless you for the 'green' example It just seems strange...

And I'm not sure how to proceed with the missing lavender resources. I thought about cloning and retrofitting?

Not sure I understand about the 3IDR, would you show me an example, please? Each 3IDR for each color should have a different TXMT reference because they can't share. Each of their TXMTs references a different TXTR. I'm curious now.

For the missing lavender resources, we clone existing ones as you said, put in correct values, and make sure they have appropriate group and instance numbers. Figuring out what those should be is the tricky part, but doable. I can help you with that if you'd like. Lots of fiddly little details, can break if we forget just one, but it's just tedious rather than rocket science hard.

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I suspect the lavender has a 3IDR, but is missing a GZPS. So we find a 3IDR that references the lavender TXMT (assuming there is a lavender TXMT). Then we give the GZPS the same instance number. Stuff like that. Lots of referencing chasing and making note of various TGIR numbers.

Yeah, I started trying to clone and create lavender bits, and got real confused real quick. I think I successfully created the GZPS. And some how I have a lav. TXMT (and, of course, the TXTR.)

I'm including an attachment of my work thus far... please check the 3IDRs to see what I meant earlier. Kay? Thanks!

Ok, I will gladly take a look and let you know if I have any ideas. May be a bit, but I'll definitely post.

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Haven't looked at your file yet. Did you remember to do "Fix Integrity" on your cloned GZPS?

Yes. I followed your instructions to the letter.

Or, so I thought... Here's what I got in-game:

Cream and Leaf/grass are perfect. Still no lavender; unless, the bottom of the one modeled on the sim is lavender? It should be maroon. Hmmm. That could indicate that I didn't clone, I overwrote a resource instead. And the rest are splinched 1/2 and 1/2 with the cream on top.

So, I must've not done everything right... I'll recheck myself - starting with the Fix Integrity thingy-bob. *sigh* Sorry.

No, don't apologize! I would be surprised if anyone doing this got all the fiddly details perfect the first time. I know I don't. I mean who wrote the instructions that said to use the wrong 3IDR and then had to fix them? Herp derp.

If you're getting cream color on top, it is not finding the right texture for the top mesh group. Since the bottom DOES have the right texture, the TXTR is fine. The GMND and SHPE are also fine, since if those were borked, none of the colors would work. So the problem is with the TXMTs or the 3IDR or the GZPS. I would check the following:

- Do you have a new TXMT for the alpha groups and the old TXMT for the original top group?
The old TXMT should not be changed in any way. We are adding a new TXMT, not changing the old.

- Did you change the new TXMT's name and then do fix integrity on the new TXMT?
It must have a unique Instance, that is what fix integrity gives it.
The old TXMT must be unchanged, have the same Instance it had before.

- Did you change the correct 3IDR?
You don't want the one with over a hundred lines in it, from my old stinky instructions.
You want the short one, the one that has the same Instance number as the GZPS.

- Did you put a reference to the new TXMT in the 3IDR? Looks like you did.
Did you leave in the reference to the old TXMT in the 3IDR?
The new TXMT reference should be on the last line, right below the old TXMT reference.
Make sure you do not have two copies of the old TXMT reference, nor two copies of the new.

- Did you add GZPS lines for the new alpha groups, and leave the top group info unchanged?
Did you make sure the "top" group has the 3IDR line number for the old TXMT reference?
It already should, so just don't change that. If you changed it, put it back like it was.
Did you make sure the "alpha" and "alpha3" groups ahve the 3IDR line number for the new TXMT reference?
Looks like you did, since the bottom of the shirt has the right color.

OK - another mess-up somewhere yesterday. So, instead of trying to fix whatever I've done, I'm starting from ground zero.

Here are the questions this time around:
Do I change the override0resourcekeyidx from the original '2' to the new '3' (like the new ones I'm adding?)

Nope. You have three groups

0 - top
1 - alpha
2 - alpha3

The alpha groups use the new TXMT, whose reference in the 3IDR is on line 3.
The top group still uses the old TXMT, whose reference n the 3IDR is on line 2.
Does that make sense?

Burn it and start over is sometimes the best approach. Not that I've ever done that. Nope, nope. Nobody saw me do it, can't prove anything.

You asked me about TXMT or 3IDR earlier, and I haven't replied to that yet, I should take a look...

Success is mine!!! ...sorta

They're all working - except the mustard one. It has a strangeness in the 3IDR - it shows 2 older TXMTs, both of which are shared with one of the others (maroon maybe???) So, when I add the new TXMT there are 3; and the 3IDR reference # changes to 4 (instead of 3)...

I need to know what to do with the mustard one? And, also the lavender...

But the other 5 look GREAT!!!

* round of applause *



Nicely done! I toast you with my root beer.

Hrm, let me take a look at the mustard 3IDR. Sounds like you just change the line number to 4 in the GZPS, and all should work fine. Silly EA, putting unneeded TXMT references in there. If you want me to take a look at your file, you can upload it it, or not, up to you.

Lavender stuff, will get to that in a bit, later today?

Forget that mumbo-jumbo above... I re-found the mustard 3IDR, imported it afresh, and lo and behold - only 1 TXMT!

I dunno... Anyway, I may have it all fixed up now. I'm loading the game, and I'll let you know in about 20 minutes *whistling*

YAY! YAY! YAY! It works!!!! Whew!

As soon as the ol' BP gets back down to normal, I'll be ready to tackle the lavenders whenever you are.

Thank you soooooooo much for helping me with ALL this

You are the best! <= you!

UNTESTED

Restoring the Lost Lavender Shirt

Put the 4 resources below into a package file. This will restore the lavender shirt.
This is INDEPENDENT of the default replacement file, is its own file.
Should be before the default replace file alphabetically.
In the default replacement file, replace lavender shirt as you would the others.

- clone GZPS
- give it a unique Instance number not shared by anything else (use Finder to check)
- change "name" property to have "lavender" in it
- commit, save

- clone 3IDR (with TXMT reference in it)
- give same Instance number as new lavender GZPS
- change TXMT reference to be reference of lavender TXMT
- commit, save

- clone 2nd 3IDR (the one without TXMT references in it, but with GZPS references)
- remove all lines but the first four (they're duplicates)
- change last line to be the reference to the new GZPS (change the Instance number)
- commit, save
- click a different reference, then click this new 3IDR again, then click the GZPS reference in it, you should now see lavender shirt picture in the little picture area

- clone BINX
- give it the same Instance number as your 2nd 3IDR, the one with the GZPS reference
- change the stringindex to the line number of "lavender" in the STR# resource, plus one (that should be 4)
The STR# is the Text Lists referred to in the 3IDR, has group number 0x7F519F52, instance 1
In the STR#, the shirt colors were on lines
1 cream
2 grass
3 lavender
4 violet
...
- commit, save

Forget the above instructions, did not work. However, I did find both 3IDR for the lavender in Maxis files. One appear okay (the TXMT reference 3IDR), one is borked (the GZPS reference 3IDR). Instead of referencing a GZPS, which it should, it instead references the other 3IDR. The GZPS appears to be missing entirely, as does the BINX. Working on it...

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Perhaps there is another BINX, and I'm mucking with the wrong one. Looking into it...

Thank you for plugging away at this... I wish I knew enough to suggest something!

I'm ready to follow directions though
...standing by.
:D

Nevermind using existing EA resources. Probably can be done, but there's an easier way.

- Make a lavender recolor with BodyShop.
- Remove the TXTR, make the TXMT pull the existing Maxis lavender TXTR.
- You'll probably want to default replace the lavender TXTR because it looks almost exactly the same as sky (white).
- Decustomize the whole thing using Phaenoh's instructions, product and version 1.

Now it shows up as a Maxis shirt, next to the other base game front button shirts. Much less headache this way. I tried it, works fine.

BTW, sky seems misnamed. It is not blue at all, it is white. EA is sillly. Maybe they meant clouds?

Here's a file that "restores" the Maxis lavender shirt (which looks almost like the white shirt). I made it from a decustomized recolor, and told it to use the Maxis texture. So there is no TXTR resource in this file.

Now, this can be default replaced just like a Maxis shirt. You can default replace the texture and mesh, and even add alpha groups, just like with the other shirts.

You "Aha!" idea would simplify this process. Since this doesn't even appear in the catalog unless we restore it, why not just make a regular recolor, and decustomize it. That would indeed be simpler. The reason I would split it up into a "restore the lavender" file and "replace all the shirts (including the lavender)" file is that maybe someone just wants the restored shirt, and no default replacements at all. Also, if you restore a shirt, you get a nifty Indy Jones achievement!

'Mornin' Cat,

OK - I'm gonna get this puppy finished today!

I just DLed and looked at the shirt you restored in BS. It has a problem in my BS:

First, it uses the defaulted mesh, not FrontButton Maxis mesh (that would be because I still have my defaults in the game right?) What is the black and white stuff on the tummy? And it is splinched. It also didn't line up next to the others in the catelog - but THAT I can fix by myself - see, I can learn! The orange (shown on the previous page) and darker blue shirts are not defaulted, just BINXed.


And, let me be sure I get this straight. If I restore the original lavender front-button shirt, I get a sticker? (But, you're the one doing all the work?) How cool is that?!!

OK. Then, after the shirt is restored - I default it with the others. Right?

Or should I offer both the restored shirt (for those who don't want the defaults) and BINXed mover edits for all your other scalloped shirts (including the lavender) for those who want the defaults AND an organized closet?

If you restore a Maxis thingie that Maxis didn't finish, you get a sticker. I'm not doing all the work. You're the one that discovered it was missing in the first place, and you're doing a ton of stuff with SimPE and resources.

Yay for moving stuff with BINX! I had no doubts you could do it. :D

Yes, as you said, the lavender shirt looks borked because the default replacement mesh is in use, but the lavender shirt TXMT, GZPS, etc have not been default replaced. If you temporarily take out your default replacement file, then fire up BodyShop again, you'll see Maxis front button shirts, and the Maxis lavender shirt. Make sense?

You would replace the lavender shirt stuff just like you did the other shirt colors, and put the lavender replacement stuff with the other replacement stuff. It won't hurt anything.

I would recommend offering the "restore" file by itself, to give people the most options, but what you do is completely up to you, of course. Here's what options people might have:

* Just take the "restored" lavender shirt file. They get Maxis shirts, and now the lavender shirt shows up in the catalog, with the Maxis texture (which looks almost like the white).

* Take the default file but NOT the "restored" file. They get keyhole tanktops instead of Maxis front button shirts.

* Take the default file AND the "restored" file. They get keyhole tanktops instead of Maxis front button shirts and a lavender tank top instead of the restored Maxis lavender shirt.

Does that make sense? Not sure I explained it well.

And don't feel rushed! You finish this today, great! You don't, it's not like there's a deadline.

Thanks for explaining it again - I'm really being dense lately! I was just heading back here to make a report when I saw your newest post. I had been checking in game without my defaults and everything was good (but the shirt still wasn't next to the others - so I will fix that.)

Then I'll upload the lost shirt - yay! for stickers!

Then I'll post my defaults seperately...