Tutorial: Making objects available in Community Lots

[boblishman]

Sometimes you may wish to use a previously downloaded object in a Community Lot that is currently only available/buyable in Residential catalogue.

Here's how to make it available/buyable in both Residentail and Community catalogues:


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If you are an object creator, you can follow the same proceedure when making your new package, to make your new objects available in both Residential and Community lots. It may save you time answering a lot of requests and posts!
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Copy the original file from your downloads folder and put into an new folder on your desktop.. (I also suggest that you make another copy of this file for backup purposes, just in case you make a mistake!)


Open the copied package file with SimPe... (this tutorial uses SimPe v 0.48c)

1. Click on Object Data..

2. Then click on Object Data in the right hand window to highlight it

3. Click on Raw Data Tab...


http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a140/boblishman/rawdatatab.jpg



and you will see....

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a140/boblishman/community.jpg

1.Click on the radio Button marked Decimal

2. Change the Commuity Sort from 0 to 128
(you may have to scroll up the listings to find the Community Sort, depending on your screen resoloution)

3. Click Commit....

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a140/boblishman/commit.jpg

and then save your package....

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a140/boblishman/save.jpg



4. Put the newly saved package file into your downloads folder.

(You will get a message asking if you wish to overwrite the original file....click YES.)

Your object will now appear in the Community Catalogue as well as the Residential one.


enjoy!

Bob

[daysies]

Thanks, Bob, for this tutorial. I know there are lot of people who want to be able to convert their objects but don't know how.

Could you indicate what version of SimPE you're using? Also, you can upload the pics here, if you feel like it. :)

[rosiedogsim]

Thanks Boblishman! I covered this in another thread, and actually used the info that you gave me originally :) This is much nicer with the screenshots and all. Brilliant!

[hemial1964]

Thank you, Boblishman. I have been looking for this since I-don't-know-when. I once got a reply to my request concerning this issue, that I have to create a new collection and put each object into it in order to make it / them available on a community lot. The problem is, that I did not have access to this new collection from a community lot. Your solution is much simpler though it might not look simple.
Thanks again.

[Qwigqwag]

There are actually different values for Community Sorts depending on where you want the object to appear. For example, if you want it to be in Food section only or Food and Outside or any other combination. I have some values and I've tested them but I don't have all the combinations possible. Would you happen to know them?

[boblishman]

There are actually different values for Community Sorts depending on where you want the object to appear. For example, if you want it to be in Food section only or Food and Outside or any other combination. I have some values and I've tested them but I don't have all the combinations possible. Would you happen to know them?

Hi Qwigqwag,

Yes, you're right.... but no....unfortunately I don't know them all :(

I have noticed that there are several values to enable them to show up....though '128' does seem to be the most common one I've seen.

Would you please help us all by posting here the values that you DO know....then hopefully other members will be able to add to the list...until we have the whole set of values listed.... :)

..thanks,

Bob

[Qwigqwag]

I'd be happy to. I am not a modder at all by any stretch of the imagination, so if I'm wrong, please forgive me. Also, I got some of these values from wes_h so kudos to him.

If you want object to show in Food section - use 1
Shopping - 2
Food & Shopping - 3
Outdoor - 4
Food & Outdoor - 5
Street - 8
Miscellaneous - 128
Food & Miscellaneous - 129
Shopping & Miscellaneous - 130
Food, Shopping & Miscellaneous - 131
Outdoor & Miscellaneous - 132
Outdoor, Street & Miscellaneous - 140

Obviously, there's a pattern here. I just haven't had time to tinker with the other sections.

Hope that helps. Oh, and I found out that for those objects that have more than one object data (I think they're 2-tiled or more), you would only change the value in the main object data. Also you won't find object data in recolors.

[Deeme]

Ok great work and info guys. I'm going to print this out and give it a shot, wish me luck, lol. Deeme

[Deeme]

Hey Bob, Can you please tell me, just how safe is Sim Pe? I want to be able to do this so badley, but I'm so scared to download Sim Pe. Is it really safe???? Deeme

[boblishman]

Hey Bob, Can you please tell me, just how safe is Sim Pe? I want to be able to do this so badley, but I'm so scared to download Sim Pe. Is it really safe???? Deeme

Hi Deeme.

Well, the answer to your question is:

SimPe is a tool.

Like any tool, if used with respect it will accomplish a task.

Also, like any tool, you have to learn how to use it properly, which involves practice.

You wouldn't give an electric saw to a three year old child.
Nor would you expect any adult to be able to carve a marble sculpture the first time they used a hammer and chizzel.

Yes, you WILL make mistakes. But (to quote my late father) ... 'a man who never made a mistake, never made anything'.

The great thing is, if you do make a mistake (and believe me, you will!) and the resulting package is 'wrong' then it will probably crash your game.

However, because of the way the game works, all you have to do is remove the 'wrongly built' package from your downloads folder...and bingo...the game is 'back to normal'.

I must have crashed my game over 100 times .... and I've never needed to do a re-install....or lost any Sims, lots houses or objects.

The 'trick' really is to start slowly.
Don't try and create some amazing new hack/animation the first time you open SimPe.

Start off with a really simple task.

Get the tutorials....read them....and follow them to the letter.

As you get used to using it, (like any tool) you will become more skilled (and more confident) and will want to try more advanced tasks.

So....the answer to your question is ....: It's a safe as any tool.

Remember.... It's not the tool that's dangerous....it's the person using it.

I'm pleased you're a bit 'frightened' of it.... that means you will treat it with the respect it deserves.... and use it safely ;)

(I would also advise you to back-up your entire My Documents/TheSims2 folder (yes, the entire folder, not just the Downloads folder) on a regular basis.
This is not because if what SimPe might do .... it's because you never know when your computer (another tool) might decide to malfunction and 'screw' your game/installation/operating system.
I recently had a hard disc failure (a mechanical fault, nothing to do with any software I had installed), and, because I had backups.... I was able to restore all my Sims, houses lots and objects onto a newly bought and formatted hard drive.)

[Star Ranger4]

I'd be happy to. I am not a modder at all by any stretch of the imagination, so if I'm wrong, please forgive me. Also, I got some of these values from wes_h so kudos to him.

<snip>

Obviously, there's a pattern here. I just haven't had time to tinker with the other sections.


Indeed there Is. This looks like a Decimal interpretation of a Binary UseMask.

Therefore, each 'category' is a power of 2, Therefore:
Food 1 (bit one)
Shops 2 (Bit two)
Outdoor 4 (Bit 3)
Street 8 (Bit 4)
Misc: 128 (Bit 8)

You then set the decimal value equal to the sum of the various categories you want the object enabled in; such as 10 (4 + 8) to have an item in the Outdoor and Street categories only, or 143 (1+2+4+8+128) for all presently known Community lot types...

[Qwigqwag]

I knew there was a reason why I didn't become a mathematician. It was staring right in my face. :) Thank you.

[katgyrl]

omg, and here i was thinking you could just change an already made residential collection to a community collection :-( this would be way too time consuming to make all my custom furniture available on community lots if it has to be done one at a time. it's weird tho' because before nightlife, all my custom content would automatically show up in my res-to-comm collections - as i installed new objects they would just magically appear in them & now all i have is the cruddy maxis made objects. gah !

edited to say: doh! there is a way to convert a res collection to a comm collection, just figured it out.

[roxy99]

Boblishman,

You seem to have a nack for writing tuturials in a nice 'for dummies' manner. I mean that as a compliment since I find it very easy follow. Modding can be complicated and you shed light on it. Thank you.

[wiggins1982]

Much appreciated!

[Ellatrue]

What do we do when there is more than one entry under object data? For example, with IndigoRage's altar, there are four different entries- which one would we change?

[boblishman]

What do we do when there is more than one entry under object data? For example, with IndigoRage's altar, there are four different entries- which one would we change?

if there is more than one object data you only need to change the MAIN one...(the one without and brackets and numbers ...(e.g. (1,0))

[Beeza999]

What 3D Software do you use to make objects :D

[boblishman]

What 3D Software do you use to make objects :D

I use Milkshape ....

[Beeza999]

ok thanks :D

[McAlli]

Thank you again Bob. I love you!

[tomboy]

What do you do when no Object Dats file shows in the list.

I'm trying to make a Coffin Downtown enabled

[Melgarv12]

Hello? Um, sorry to be a pest/ bother, but can some one post the OFB objects on? I know a lot of people who would be grateful. Please message me if your up to the challange, and are/ is going to tackle it.
TY.

[gazania]

Whew. I admit to being rather shaky after making moving IndigoRage's altar (hey, what can I say? It's popular) to a Community purchase, but it seems to have worked. The altar isn't crashing the game or producing any strange colors or shapes.

I can see what you mean about SimPE, though. It doesn't seem to wise to use it to convert EVERYTHING ... only a few items that you really want to move.

Thanks for all your help!

[lordpain1366]

How exactly do I make a community object available in a residential place..? I can't find the answer.

[ahmird2]

Thanks for this BoblishMan. I remember there used to also be a "Community Sub-Sort" field (but that was back before even Uni). The only way I have ever been successfull in doing this was to clone an object that appeared in the community catalogue and make most sort fields of any kind identical to the cloned object I was using for referance. This was because I noticed that objects didn't used to like to appear if they were sorted certian ways in the residential catalogue. I think this was probably due to some faulty Maxian programming that has since been fixed. Anyway I would have continued to use my usual methood if it were not for this tute, so thanx - much fewer steps this way.

[ahmird2]

By the way, the disapearance of the community sub-sort field, I think, may be due to the evolution of SimPE. As I do not have my computer with me and the internal workings of SimPE are something I now know nothing about, I can only suspect there may be some small chance that this entire phenominon may be a result of the evolution of the SimPE itself. (I have been using SimPE since it wasn't much more than a hex editor customized to deal with *.package files.)
If either aspects of this phenominon are because of Maxian spaghetti-code I have no idea of, at what point it was changed. The reason I bring this up is because there are still people out there who run only the base game and with no patches at that (for whatever reason) and if it is Maxis code that is responsible, this methood will not work for these people. If this depends on which version of SimPE one uses, BoblishMan's methood would work in any case. I am away from home right now and cannot test my speculations. Next week my wife will arrive with my PC and I will be able to easilly test this out. If you're not still running the RAW base game, testing this will normally require one to uninstall and then reinstall just the base game - and at that maby a base game that was bought before the release of the base game patches. My computer is set up in a way that allows me to install the base game again without un-installing, and to run the base game without it being affected by the other installation of it - so I will test this at my earliest convienance. I will post my findings here if no one has beat me to it by then. :turtle:

[ColtonPoison]

Bless You...

[Osanao26]

Boblishman,

You have been such a great help, but I just need to know....do you put the BAK.file or the package file into the downloads folder? I put in the BAK file and I hope that it is the right one.

[Numenor]

The .BAK file is just a backup that SimPe creates for safety (in case you want to revert the package to the status it had before last saving). When you have finished editing the package, and it works, there is no need to keep the .bak file: it can be safely deleted. In any case, it is not supposed to be copied in the Downloads (it won't harm, but it won't be read by the game either).

[Ding318K]

Thanks so much, I can't wait to see if it worked ( If I did it correctly

[Ding318K]

Hey is there any way to make collection folders to be availables on commercial lots?

[Numenor]

You need to open the collection package with SimPE, select the only COLL (Collection) file within the package, and lastly edit the "Type" value from collection to communitylotcollection. Commit and save.

In case you are wondering: as far as I know it's NOT possible to make a collection available to both residential and community lots at the same time: you have to copy the collection, assigning it another name, and then edit it as explained above.

[Ding318K]

Numenor,
Thank you very much once again. I am okay with certain collections only being available on community lots, such as community lot shop collections. However, thank you very much for the warning as well. I am gonna go try to start up the game and see if I did it correctly.
Thank you again

[Ding318K]

I was wondering, those files that appear after you recategorize an object, do I need to keep those? Can I delete them?

[Numenor]

whick files? The ".bak"? They are only a useless backup copy of the package. Delete them.

[Ding318K]

Thanx Numenor. If you weren;t aware of this I would like to state that you are an amazing helpful indvidual and alsways to answer my questoins (no matter how stupid they are). May the sims G-d bless. LOL

[Cocomama]

Thank you for this tutorial. I was looking for a way to make objects available on community lots and wondered why only some didn't show up in the Buy cataloque. I did noticed that some of the MaxisHolidayPack2005 objects like the Fireworks are not in the normal Buy cataloque on CommunityLots but can be put for sale if you first go into OFB Wholesalemode just like with cars. Now I hope to be able to sell Echo's ValentineChocolateBox in my little Chocolaterie. :up:

[chaobell]

YAY. Thank you!

[Rosebine]

so....does it mean that if i want..i can build a car store, where my simmies could BUY a car ?...then come back home with it ?

if i categorise all my cars to be available in community lots/shopping ?

that would be great ! and i could also build a furniture store.....

Is it really possible ?

Thank you,
Rosemary
sorry...very new to sims2....

[MaryLou]

so....does it mean that if i want..i can build a car store, where my simmies could BUY a car ?...then come back home with it ?

To Build a car-store, you need OFB and follow this steps
1) Open the Business panel by clicking on the rightmost button, as shown in the picture.
2) Click on the "Lock" icon (by doing this, you force the game to consider *any* object taken from the catalog as "object to be placed for sale": all the icons in the catalog will have a yellow background).
3) Open the catalog, go to the section Misc / Cars and you will finally be able to put on sale the cars.
4) When done, click again the "Lock" icon, so to switch to normal game.

http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/5720/immagine12eg.jpg

[Rosebine]

Thank you MaryLou !

but i don't have OFB....
too bad :rolleyes:

Rosemary

[Rosebine]

wich version of MilkShape do i need ?
and if anyone knows how to make sims2 objects with Anim8or....i am using it, but to turn what i do into sim objects...that i don't !!!

Thank you,
Rosemary

[greenocean]

Can you make Maxis stuff available on community lots?

[Rosebine]

greenocean..I think the answer to your question, is the very first message, in this thread..

Rosemary :0)

[Starfish of Terror]

I'm so sorry to necro an old thread, but I've scoured this thread and abused the Google search, and I haven't found anything to answer this. I recently downloaded an amazing community lot phone here that I would love to put on some of my residential lots. How can I make a community object appear in the residential catalog? What value must be changed? I'm afraid I'm a little clueless here. D:

[Sweet&girly]

Erm, in my game the residental objects are already available on community lots. Or is it because of BV?
Anyway, is there way to get community objects on a residental lot?

[wannya]

Hi,how do I for the phone to operate in the community lot?
Thank you.

[Prime]

how do u make communitylot objects available on residental lots?

[Gwenke33]

To make Maxis community objects available on residential lots, follow Phaenoh's tutorial (http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=281025) to extract the main OBJD of the object and import it into a new file. (Note Numenor's comment in Post #16). Then change the catalogue placement of the object as you want - see the last but one picture in the tutorial.
You'll want to put the final package NOT in your regular Downloads but in your Programme files where the game is installed: LastExpansion/TSData/Res/Catalog/Bins to avoid getting a custom star on the object. Make sure that the package file name starts with a Z.
If it's custom object, just open it up in SimPE and edit the OBJD. Commit, save and you're done.

[gregory01]

OK I get how to do that but how do I change a Community object into a residential object? :|

[maybesomethingdunno]

gregory01, have you read and tried the instructions in the post right before yours?

[moreover]

Really really thank you. Keep up the good work!!!