Sims 3 - How To: Saving Folders/Files

[MrsFlynn]

Sims 3 - How To: Saving Folders/Files

– How-To: Save Folders and Files
– Notes
– Extra Information
– Reference Links
– Sims 3 Factory Reset (What & Howto)


How-To: Save Folders and Files:

Go to: (\Documents\Electronic Arts) - right-click on the Sims 3 folder and select Copy. And Paste it to the desktop or a usb drive, external drive or any back up media of your choice.

What I like to do when saving my Sims 3 folder for backup purposes or to play on a different computer is to take the whole Sims 3 folder and save it to a USB stick and/or an external hard drive. You could also upload it to any cloud storage service you might have. Google Drive for example.

This way you won't loose any of your saved Sims, lots, mods, custom content, video/game options and other files and folders that are within the Sims 3 folder.

If you want/need to break it down even further than that. You just save the following folders and files:

*** The folders/files below will help with what to copy over to your new Sims 3 folder and want to play with your previous game saves and such.

Folders: -

- DC Backup - for this file = ccmerged.package.
- DCCache - Contains all installed Custom Content/Exchange/Store items that you installed through the Launcher.
- Downloads  - .Sims3Pack files to be installed.
- Exports - .Sims3Pack Files you export from the game via CAS or Edit Town.
- Installed Worlds - Custom or Store Towns you have installed.
- Library - Sims and lots that you've installed or saved.
- Mods - Mods and custom content
- Recorded Videos - Videos taken in-game using the V key.
- SavedSims - Saved Sims that are in the SimBin.
- Saves - Game Saves.
- Screenshots - Photos taken in-game using the C key.
- WorldCaches - Cache files for your installed custom and Store towns.

Files: -

* Options.ini - Game and Graphics Options
* userPresets.package - Saved colors, patterns and textures

If you would like to learn more about Sims 3 user files, please see the article on ModtheSims:
Game Help:TS3 User Folders Explained: https://modthesims.info/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:TS3_User_Folders_Explained

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Notes:

When you copy all of these files and folders the game should have all store and custom content installed along with game settings and options and be ready to play.

However, it's a good idea to check over your mods and custom content at this time to make sure everything is running okay.

  ✽  If you're having issues with any .Sims3Pack files not working correctly -- installing or showing up in-game, Move out the DCCache files to a temporary folder on your desktop. Reinstall any .sims3Pack files you have. This will help the game create new cache files for the newly installed content in the DCCache folder. You will need to rename the new cache files, so you can then copy in your old DCCache files they don't get overwritten. Examples below:

▪︎ dcdb0.ebc [Store Content]

▪︎ dcdb0.dbc [Custom Content]

Go to the files you took out and look for the last number, just above the missingdeps.idx, for example - dcdb23.ebc. Name the .ebc or .dbc the next number, example dcdb24.ebc, etc.

If you don't, you may run into the same issue of the store or custom content not working. Due to the files not being refreshed or replaced. [How-To: Renew DCCache Files]

To help check over Mods and Custom Content in .package file format, see the troubleshooting tips post linked below:

Sims 3 - How-To: Fix Problems with Mods/CC

If the store items have only been downloaded, then they should be in the downloads folder. If you've downloaded and installed store items, they should be stored in the DCCache folder.

Saved Sims, and lots can be found in the Exports folder, if you have saved them via CAS or the Edit Town menu.
C:\Users\Username\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Exports

Otherwise you can find them through the Library folder and in-game in the library via Edit Town.
C:\Users\Username\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Library

  –– To get exported .Sims3Pack files back in-game, copy them to the Downloads folder (Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Downloads) and install them via the Sims 3 launcher.

  ✽✽ Note:  The SavedSims folder can only read .sim files. So if your Sims are saved as .package files, they need to be copied into the Library folder. (Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Library) They will show up in the household in Edit Town.

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Extra Information:

Sim Bin references the bin you save custom Sims to in CAS.

  --- When in-game:

Click the Household tab to find Sims and families that are in their homes.

Click the Show Empty Houses tab to find any houses you've downloaded or saved to the library.

Click the Community Lot tab to find community lots.

Files with a star-like symbol on it are downloaded items.

Files with a folder-like symbol on them are in-game households, houses and community lots you've saved.

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Reference Links:

How To: Save a Household
http://www.carls-sims-4-guide.com/forum/index.php?topic=19060.msg356789#msg356789

How To: Save a House/Community Lots
http://www.carls-sims-4-guide.com/forum/index.php?topic=19062.msg356791#msg356791

How To: Save Sims 3 Files From the Library (Exporting Files)
http://www.carls-sims-4-guide.com/forum/index.php?topic=20751.msg380782#msg380782

How-To: Save Sims From the SimBin
https://www.carls-sims-4-guide.com/forum/index.php?topic=31201.msg443042#msg443042

Sharing Sims 3 Files via the Library Folder
https://www.carls-sims-4-guide.com/forum/index.php?topic=32055.msg509780#msg509780

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Created: June. 2013
Updated: Jan. 2024