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Frequently Asked Questions about the Sims and the Mac
Solutions for Mac
 
Download and installation on Mac
Troubleshooting specific to Mac
Creation on Mac
 
Download and installation on Mac
All your objects are zipped, and I have a Mac! Can I download your stuff anyway?

Of course, yes! (I have a Mac myself)
You'll need only to drag the downloaded files on StuffIt Expander,and then, it's exactly the same as for Windows. So... if you don't know where to put the unzipped files because you haven't read the Read-me, read the next chapter! ;)

 
Where do I install the downloaded stuff? I don't have a "C:/" folder like I see sometimes...
If a Read-me doesn't dissuade to do so, you need to install:
the skins (.cmx, .skn and .bmp) in the Sims/GameData/Skins folder,
the walls (.wll) in the Sims/GameData/Walls folder,
the floors (.flr) in the Sims/GameData/Floors folder,
the objects (.iff) in the Sims/Downloads folder.
If you need more explanations, have a look on the step by step here.
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Troubleshooting specific to Mac
Can I download things from non-Mac sites? Some objects I have downloaded don't work...
Most of the time: yes. You can download objects, walls, floors and roofs without any problem. But be sure to have a suffix with 3 letters at the end of the file name:
your objects must end by .iff
the walls by .wll
the floors by .flr
the roofs by .bmp

If you have downloaded a file and that you see the name isn't complete, then rename it to have the whole suffix. Some sites like Colorized Sims or Simzilabim have very long name for their objects files, so we need to rename them to have the .iff at the end of each name. Sims-NameRectifier can do that for you. =)

Be also sure that the objects you have downloaded doesn't require an expansion that isn't available yet on Mac... You know we're always a bit late! ;)

Now, for skins, the problem is a little bit different. In theory, you can download them all, but in practical, you will have to rename them all to make them running on Mac. But don't worry, skins conversion for Mac is exactly the subject of the next chapter of this FAQ. =)
 
I've downloaded some skins from other web sites, and they don't run on my Mac, why? How converting skins for Mac?

Mac is limited to 31 characters for files names (for Mac OS system older than OS X, but even if Mac OS X can have long files names, the Sims doesn't support them), while Windows 98 can support much more... So, sometimes, the names are cut when you unzip them on your Mac, and the skins won't work.

So does it mean we have no solution? Noooo! We used to have a long process for converting the skins with Simple Text, but now, we have a much easier tool: SkinShrinker. Simply drag a .cmx file on Skin Shrinker, or a whole folder full of skins that need to be renamed, and voilà: Skin Shrinker has renamed the .cmx and the .bmp, and edited the .skn and they will now work perfectly!

(Don't forget that every downloads from this site have been already converted, so you don't need to do anything! ;))

 
Game crashes related to Error 2
Most of the time error 2 is related to memory allocation for any program, not just The Sims. You may get this message after downloading hundreds of items ;) To fix this locate the game icon "The Sims" and get information (Command + I). Under "Memory", give it more memory. If you don't have anymore to give, then the best option for you is to go out and buy more memory.
 
Game crashes because it has tried to open too many files
It's really frustrating when you have been waiting for 20 minutes to load the game (it's long because you have tons of downloads! ;)), and just when the game is about to be loaded, the game crashes with a message saying: "The Sims can not continue because it has tried to open too many files. Adding custom objects and skins has probably contributed to this problem". Arghhh...

Mac OS is limited to open a certain number of files, and can't handle always very well the tons of objects, skins and walls we have.
There's a solution: .FAR. The .far are a file format that can contain other files, like .iff, .wll, .cmx... To create .far, you need FarMaker.

For objects, put the files you want to "farize" in a folder, and then drag it on FarMaker icon, you'll get your .far, install it where the folder used to be and remove the folder.
You can also create .far for skins or animations. Then, create a folder with the files you need (.bmp, .skn, .cmx, but be careful: don't put any folder in this folder!!!), "farize", install your .far in the GameData/Skins folder, and remove the old folder.
For walls and floors, the problem is a bit different though, because if you put .far in the GameData/Walls or Floors folders, the game won't see them, and so you won't have your walls and floors in the game... But there's another solution: first, make your .far as usual (put the files you want to "farize" in a folder, drag it on FarMaker icon, and remove the orginal folder). Then, create a folder "WallsAndFloors" in the Sims/ExpansionPackShared folder, and install your .far in.
 
Game crashes due to other errors

Most of the time, it's because you've installed a bad skin. So, the first thing to do, is to go to your GameData/Skins folder and see if something looks wrong.
To avoid such bad surprises, give a label to your files. When you download some new ones (objects or skins), try them in your game, and if you have no crash, give them a label too. In this way, you'll find more easily the latest files you have installed, and might find the guilty file more quickly.


If it's not an error due to some downloads, here's a suggestion (and we can't guarantee this will work or not). Go to > Control Panel > Extensions Manager. Save your current extension set and give it a name. Then change the extension set to Mac OS x.x Base (x.x == 8.6, 9.1, etc, the version of your OS). Reboot your Mac. Alot of times errors just happen because of extension conflicts. When you're done playing, reboot with your original set that you saved.

If this doesn't work, well...you should try contacting Aspyr. They have the best support team you can dream of! They answer quickly and precisely. Wow! :)

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Creation on Mac
What can I do for the Sims with a Mac?
Many things actually! You can create skins with whatever graphism application (Photoshop, Graphic Converter...) and SimShow for your previews, meshes with Meshwork (the application is in its beta process). You can new objects with IFF Snooper. A tutorial of IFF Snooper can be found at Persimmon Grove.
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