Use the up and down arrows to change the number.

I did that !

the point is the down arrow doesn't seem to be working..
I also tried to digt the number i wanted, but it didn't work as well...

_gu, what you want is 1.2.7.8 -- not 1.2.8.

1.2.8 does not have the shrinking feature, only the test version does.

thank you plasticbox !

Update: In the light of what we learned today from feedback on the crash logs, I've stuck a few more warning labels on the OP. Please take them seriously.

I have read various threads about shrinking lots so hop this is the right place to ask a question...

I succesfully built a residential lot and shrunk it and played the lot past the 7pm time. With no problems. But is it safe or reccommended to share a shrunk lot?

Um, it says in the OP:

"Lots shrunk in this fashion are NOT safe for public consumption"
"Don't do this in a neighbourhood you care about"
"If you are not getting the error, it is not safe to assume that this miscalculation isn't occurring. In fact, you may well be corrupting valuable data"

In a word, no. Not safe.

sorry i seem to of managed to completly miss that bit of info

Where can I find 1.2.7.8? I can only find 1.2.8 =/

really amazing idea, and so, so simplemany thanks for this tutorial!

There have been our biggest dream from the very first moment, to create houses that could be blocked together in individual lots. I have doubts though about shrinking lots once we have very modded game and experience very much troubles arising from lots instability. The highest hamperance on the game is that you cannot build walls on the two last rows of the lot. Fences unfortunately do no close a room and floor tiles do not cover the last row. The intended use for blocked houses would be much more to recreate idillic and hills up rows of houses and there is also limitations on placement of lots together on a hood. If a lot is even slightly irregular, the game placement creates a gap between two lots and breaks the harmony. Decorative items have also limitation as to hood placement and it is so to say, impossible to create specific districts.
There is also limitation that Sims do not have the minimum awareness of vicinity. So, it is a lot of presently unsolved matters.
The game is basically a good idea, but what could be a fantastic Human Life Simulator, without the help of technically talented users, would never overpass the category of a Third Class Comedy.
Thanks for all the dedicated developers on the other side of the table. I wished a copyright should be placed on more efficient hands.

thank you plasticbox, I've always wanted to do this.

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I hope EA/Maxis will be not so stupid with all kinds of things in the Sims 3. {but probably they will}