Know What Is Inside Your Game: The Sims 3

"PigDestroyer1978;13340014" wrote:
@amjoie or anyone else who may know... I'm going to be buying a new computer and want to move my Sims 3 without losing anything. I know I'll have to first re-install the game/expansions via my discs - then do updates and store patches. I also know I can then copy and move certain files via an external hard drive or usb stick (i.e saved games, mods installed manually in packages folder, library, installed worlds etc). I'm even fine with re-downloading everything from the store if I have to. But my question is how do I preserve the cc I installed via sims3packs? I did not keep all the original simspacks in my downloads folder and don't want to hunt the web for it all again. Can I just delete the stuff on the new computer in the dccache and dcbackup (ccmerged being the important file in dcbackup?) and replace it with the files from the dccache and dcbackup on my old computer (and yes, this is after I create these folders again by running the new game once)? Will this transfer the simpack stuff to my new computer and ultimately have it show up in the launcher again? Will it also simply transfer the installed store stuff this way? There is no way I'd be able to re-find everything I want from the web again - it took me forever, and for some reason I didn't save all the original simpacks to simply "reinstall" them. In fact, regarding Simpacks, I really hope the game doesn't require that every individual Simpack be "installed" every time like you would a core game file from a disc or something. Hoping for an easier way like copying and overwriting from old to new folders. After all, I know Simpacks are just package files that are merged, why would they need such special treatment (i.e game needing them to actually be "installed").

Thanks to anyone who knows this.

@PigDestroyer1978‌, the answer to copying your current dccache and dcbackup folders into your clean Sims 3 folder is yes. In fact, the cc you've installed in Simpacks is compressed into the .dbc files in the dccache folder and their backups in the dcbackup folder are package files. You could technically put your dcbackup files into a mods/packages folder and have them show up in game that way. The problem is that you have no idea which package file is the cc and which are store items.

I do recommend reinstalling store stuff if your .ebc files are larger than 270,000 kb. That is why I did the spreadsheets showing which sets are part of what compilations, so you can avoid duplicate files. But, if your store stuff stays installed and you have no problems with it; your way is definitely easier. :smiley:

The library folder will have the venues. The installed worlds and worldcache folders will have the worlds and their items. The dccache folder has all things installed through the launcher with the dcbackup folder retaining backup package files for all the sims3packs and the much need ccmerged file for premium content items.

Edit: The .tmp files created for the .ebc files in the dccache folder are all just duplicates that can be safely deleted.