Create a batch file to delete game cache files

[grimsoul]

I keep getting little bugs like the consignment shop not working, missing texture file on the drafting board and find that I have to delete the cache file regularly to to fix them. I've been doing it each time before I start the game and haven't had any problems this way.
So instead of trying to remember to do this each time I made a simple little batch file to take care of it for me and thought that others mid find it useful also.

Open notepad and copy and paste the following into it. You will have to change the directories path if they don't match where your files are. Like if you are using Late Night instead of Ambitions you will have to change that.

Then go to File, Save as... and give it a name like Clean Sims.bat and under the drop down menu for Save as type: change it from Text Documents [*.txt] to All Files then save to the desktop or where ever you want.

When you click the batch file it will run and delete the four cache files then run the Sims.

Edit: Added a line to clear the DCBackup folder but leaving the ccmerged.package file.
From what I've seen any content installed puts a file starting with a 0 in the DCBackup folder. The line I've added deletes all files starting with the number 0 so it leaves the ccmerged file alone.

@Echo off
del "C:\Documents and Settings\My Computer\My Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\CASPartCache.package"
del "C:\Documents and Settings\My Computer\My Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\scriptCache.package"
del "C:\Documents and Settings\My Computer\My Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\compositorCache.package"
del "C:\Documents and Settings\My Computer\My Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\simCompositorCache.package"
del "C:\Documents and Settings\My Computer\My Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\DCBackup\0*.package"
start /d "C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3 Ambitions\Game\Bin" Sims3Launcher.exe

[Stirus]

Nice. Thank you!

[Huge]

and now we know your name :lol:

Thanks bud, this will be most useful.

[Hosfac]

You can also add to this to delete world cache files if your computer uses them by adding lines to it, copying and pasting the script, and following the path to those files.

For now, I have put them in a separate file (but I tested it and it works) since I don't play them often.  But as I'm not familiar with how these things work in windows programming, what happens if the script goes to delete a file that isn't actually there?  Will it create an error, or will the system just ignore that line?

[grimsoul]

You can also add to this to delete world cache files if your computer uses them by adding lines to it, copying and pasting the script, and following the path to those files.

For now, I have put them in a separate file (but I tested it and it works) since I don't play them often.  But as I'm not familiar with how these things work in windows programming, what happens if the script goes to delete a file that isn't actually there?  Will it create an error, or will the system just ignore that line?

It seems to just ignores the line. I ran it with the files already deleted and it just goes on through and starts the game. No error messages

[Hosfac]

I attempted it myself and found the same thing, but thanks for checking and responding.  I'll add the extra lines for the world cache files as soon as I play those two towns and generate them.  I usually need to delete them more often than the other ones.

This was really a fantastic idea, and thanks a lot for sharing it with us!

[Stirus]

Sorry for the stupid question, but where are those world cache files located?

[TheChronicR]

Stirus, they only exist if you have worlds other than SV, Twinbrook, or Bridgeport. They are in the My Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 3/World Caches folder. Each world generates 2 files.

[Hosfac]

Sorry for the stupid question, but where are those world cache files located?

Stirus, they only exist if you have worlds other than SV, Twinbrook, or Bridgeport. They are in the My Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 3/World Caches folder. Each world generates 2 files.

It's also worth pointing out that some computers don't generate world cache files for those worlds.  If you don't find the folder TheChronicR mentioned, don't worry about it.  That just means that your computer doesn't use them.

[grimsoul]

I didn't know about those cache files. Thanks for the info on them.

[Hosfac]

Update:  While this might seem obvious to some, you can also use this little script to bypass the game launcher.  I had to do this, since installing Pets broke it.

In the last line, simply replace the name "Sims3Launcher.exe" with the name of the application that you would use to bypass the launcher.  You can find out how do do that here.

[Pam]

Update:  While this might seem obvious to some, you can also use this little script to bypass the game launcher.  I had to do this, since installing Pets broke it.

In the last line, simply replace the name "Sims3Launcher.exe" with the name of the application that you would use to bypass the launcher.  You can find out how do do that here.

It probably wasn't Pets that broke the launcher.  There were universal problems with it on EA's end.  Hopefully they've gotten it fixed now.

[atikin]

Can I just delete the cache folder or do I have to make an auto delete each time?  Because I don't want to.  I would prefer to only delete once.

For more info why or if you can help me, see my post in this forum under Technical Help.
HELP-Stuck Sims

[loveSims]

I delete compositorChache.package and simCompositorCache.package every night when I'm finished playing. Never delete those files when stil in the game.

[Frey]

I'm running Vista and I don't have a Documents and Settings folder. I googled around and foud that inseatd it was:

C:\Users\D[I think that's how I named it?]\Documents\Electronic Arts\blahblahblah

The thing is, I tried it and I get a message telling me that windows couldn't find any of the locations I typed. Does anyone know the locations for Vista?

Thanks! and thank you grimsoul for sharing this, it's such a great idea!

EDIT Apparently my computer is organized differently for some reason I don't know. I searched around a bit and found out that the right locations are these:

@echo off
del "C:\Usuarios\D\Descargas\Documentos\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\CASPartCache.package"
del "C:\Usuarios\D\Descargas\Documentos\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\scriptCache.package"
del "C:\Usuarios\D\Descargas\Documentos\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\compositorCache.package"
del "C:\Usuarios\D\Descargas\Documentos\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\simCompositorCache.package"
start /d "C:\Archivos de programa\Electronic Arts\Los Sims 3 ˇVaya Fauna!\Game\Bin" TS3EP05.exe

In english this should be something like C:\Users\D*\Downloads\Documents\Electronic Arts....... blah. But it's still unable to find anything. Please help? 
*I doubt that this folder is named D in other computers, it looks like it was renamed  by me or someone else?