[OPEN] [HSY] No Diploma at Graduation, Principal Missing

Indeed, if the Principal role is not filled there is nobody to distribute diplomas at graduation.

In my save (short lifespan) I deleted the default Principal's household before graduation (she was old but still alive). Event happened but my sim didn't receive the diploma or graduation picture.

With neighborhood stories active the principal can die anytime (of accidents) thus ruining the graduation ceremony.

The problem is compounded by the long time span between aging up and the actual graduation ceremony (at least a week and a day).

Presumably the only way of filling in the role is to go to high school during "working hours".

Same is happening to me, the principal never showed up to deliver the diplomas, at first I thought it was a glitch so I erased the last save the tried again, but the principal didn't showed up again, I looked in my game and she is dead, but I dont know how to assign a new one, and thus the photo never appeard in the inventory

The High School Years jobs are in fact hidden traits assigned to sims. You can assign a new principal by:

• loading a household with the sim you want to be principal
• enable cheats (CTRL+SHIFT+C then type testingCheats true)
• with the desired sim selected, type traits.equip_trait trait_Hidden_HighSchool_NPC_Principle (yes, it’s spelled wrong, that’s the cheat unless they correct it in a patch)

You can now switch back to your original household (not recommended to have principal in active household). Remember to “protect” your principal from Neighborhood Stories accidental deaths.

An alternative way if you don’t want to use a cheat is to make the game generate a principal by going to school with a teen during school hours.

Both of these methods are cumbersome and require the player to check if the principal is dead/alive BEFORE the ceremony.

Hopefully it can help a few simmers like @AlexEbertRo7 who have a save before the ceremony and are wondering how to get a new principal.

I have teachers, guests, grads and the principal appear. My problem is that upon arrival, the principal will fill one of the fountains and then proceed to dip out (leave the lot). Teachers and everyone else is there, the principal just leaves. I tried putting a fence around the exits so she couldn't leave. I was unable to interact with her and when I finally could, she no longer had the principal tag over her. I saved before traveling to the auditorium and it never fails for her to leave upon every load. My sim, who is valedictorian, proceeds with his speech, but since the principal left, no diplomas are handed out. Should say that I play with no mods.

@DracuAlice2017  hmm, one possible reason for this happening is if the sim with the principal tag has a “job” elsewhere. 

Because the HSY roles are not actual jobs but hidden traits the game filters may assign them to a job somewhere else (such a vendor or barista).  I don’t know if it’s going to work or if you can still load a save before the ceremony but could you try loading the principal household before the ceremony and then switching back to your main household in time? 

Loading the household would make them lose any npc jobs but not the trait. Hopefully it’s a schedule conflict. 

The only other reason I can think of is a need failure of some sort.

@cosumeu I was wondering that. I've seen the principal as stall vendors, so this could be. Apparently graduation is the next week, so will try again.

Is there no solution to this issue?  I am experiencing it too along with no prom for my sim.  My sim goes to graduation, listens to the valedictorian give a speech but no one is there to give them the diploma.

This sounds borderline superstitious but I gave it a go and it worked. I considered doing what an above poster suggested and got into a random home with a Teen Sim to see if I could send him to school - then while his home was active (and not my graduating Sim's) I remembered that it's night time and didn't feel like playing through the whole home through the weekend before I could send her to school. I hopped back to my original Sim still at the auditorium, intending to try the solutions the next time the graduation appeared - and lo, the principal appeared! I just quickly grabbed my diploma from her and scarpered - next time I'll just work my teens' butts off so that they graduate early and are saved from this annoying hassle. The photo isn't worth it. 

I can't believe there has never been a solution to this problem. I just had it happen again in my save. 

Product: The Sims 4
Platform:Mac
Which language are you playing the game in? English
How often does the bug occur? Every time (100%)
What is your current game version number? 1.108.349.1220
What expansions, game packs, and stuff packs do you have installed? all except lovestruck 
Steps: How can we find the bug ourselves?  Let the principal be at the graduation so sims can receive their diploma 
What happens when the bug occurs? No principal no other graduates 
Have you installed any customization with the game, e.g. Custom Content or Mods Yes 
Did this issue appear after a specific patch or change you made to your system? Neutral/Not Sure