New Swap Shop Board

[Carl]

Current Status: Go ahead, and upload ONLY Sims3Pack files

We have created a board that will now function as the Swap Shop. My recent need to work on another project and the upcoming Medieval guide we're planning spurred this decision. Instead of sending files to me, you'll be attaching them to posts. Instructions have been provided on the new board.

This will enable you to share items amongst yourselves without my intervention. This is necessary as I would have inevitably taken another month off to work on Medieval, and who knows what after that.

The system is pretty simple and I've provided a copy of Winrar to enable you to rar files. I've already posted guidelines on the new board that will help you to decide how you should group your collections.

I do apologize to folks who have sent me items, but I do have all your emails and can forward them back to you if you like. Also, all items that have already been published will remain in their physical location on the guide for a time. This will allow you to share them in a new spot here. I would do some of these myself but it wouldn't be fair if I picked and chose among the 90+ items already available. Unfortunately it's harder on my end. For the most part you submitted me items that are portrayed in the gallery and I would have to hunt them all down.

There are major perks to the system for all involved. The biggest I see is that you will be able to receive comments on your creations, and some among you may even take requests. But, most importantly, the gears will never stop turning when I can't be here. This is an evolution of an idea. Nothing starts out perfect and I'm happy with this final solution.

We will work out any difficulties as they arise. Please post any issues or comments you have here, as I want to keep the new topic clean.

[mtglady]

Carl, this sounds like a very good idea and will also give you a good break .  I really like the idea that thanks and comments could be given for everyone's hard work.

You might want to change your links or add something to the actual Swap Shop page to direct everyone to look at the new board for the new items that are being shared.   I had the Swap Shop page bookmarked and just checked there for new things.  

Would it be easier and/or save computer space if there was just a button to click on just to give thanks without a comment?  I think each post could get fairly long if everyone that downloaded just posted 'Thanks' or 'Awesome creation' or, well,  I think you know what I mean.  Just a thought anyway.  

[Carl]

Working on an issue that presented itself with my 2nd test file, just so you are aware.

[RubyLovesSims]

This sounds fantastic, Carl!
I think it will be great for the talented builders to get comments on their work

[Carl]

Thanks. The initial showing of support means a lot to me. We're back in business. But please note that for a reason that can't even be explained by the web host, Rars are the only files that will work. Please use the provided winrar archiver to do this, and be sure to choose the .rar file type.

[Ausette]

Good job Carl, this looks like a much better system . Could you perhaps add a section explaining where/how to safely download winrar, how to embed files in forum posts etc? I'm not a real computer person and I'd wager a lot of members are the same.

[Carl]

There's a copy of winrar attached to my sticky in the Swap Shop board, along with instructions

[samoht04]

Carl - On this new Board is there a way you could organize it into sections like Buildings, Sims and the other categories? Or do we just post our uploads into a main Board? Also if we think we may be doing a lot of uploading is there someway we can list all of our creations in a post or something? So if you like that creators work and you think you might like others stuff from them and you just find the list to make it easier?

A lot of questions hope they are not all stupid ones.  

[Carl]

I was just about to tell you no, Thomas, but Pam beat me to the punch and found a solution. There are now child boards for categories.

As to your second question, it looks like the main board there would be a good spot to put links to all your creations amongst the boards if you want to do that. We'll leave a lot of freedom here, most of what I published are guidelines. If we need to move something later, no big issue. I know some of you are going to use it a lot, and if you want to link up your various submissions we've no problem with that.

[samoht04]

Okay Thanks Carl! 

[samoht04]

Where do we upload Clothes?

[Carl]

Where do we upload Clothes?

At the Clothing section you just caused me to create. Thanks!

[samoht04]

No Problem! Just Uploading my Madeline Cherry Wear Range. 

[Carl]

For the record, Thomas, you're making me really happy watching you work. I know this was a good idea. That's exactly how I'd hope people would use it. And the linkage in the root category is perfect. You're showing how it's done!

Might have to get Liz Lemon into some Cherries...  

[Carl]

I took the Swap Shop out of the public eye again so that no further changes can be made. We are experiencing file corruption issues again and I have to continue to investigate the issue. Zips work universally for houses, and rars work for Sims.. but now that samoht04 has uploaded clothing, the issue is presenting itself again. I'm sorry for the inconvenience but this issue bewilders me as well.

Thomas you were the only one working on it at the time and your threads are intact but I cannot allow any further uploads until we know why this is happening.

EDIT: I'm afraid it may be as my webhost said and that we are going to have these issues when compressing. All of Thomas' Sim uploads work but when he got to clothing, the files were messed up. This likely means we will have to go without compression and allow only .Sims3Pack files -- this is an inconvenience to some folks who use Safari. We will need to find a way for them to download the files uncompressed.

I had no issues downloading uncompressed files in IE, Firefox, and Chrome.