How Do I How do I get downloaded files into the game?

If it is clothes/makeup/genetics or walls/floors, it will work in TS2U unless they were made on new meshes. In that case, you're making yourself a beta tester. It's a good idea to back up your game before trying any new meshes until you are sure that they work.

If it's an object, then it may or may not work. (All objects, recolors or new meshed ones, are considered beta at this point.)

But in general:
When you first download something, put it someplace other than in the downloads area. (I have a special file called "unprocessed downloads".) Some of the files will come naked (no Zip or Rar) but some come included in a Zip or RAR file format (to make it easier to download.)



The files which come in a zip file can be opened with WinZip which comes with Windows XP. You just double click on the zip file and you can work with the contents.



If you don't have WindowsXP, then you'll need to download WinZip. You can find it here: http://www.winzip.com/winzip.htm



This one may also be used instead: http://www.powerzip.biz/



Some files (mostly from Europe) come in RAR form. It's like Zip but made by a different company. Powerzip can do those as well, but the WinRar itself is here: http://www.rarlab.com/



Once you have access to the "naked" file, they come in two types: self installing and ones which need to be manually put in the game.



The self installing ones have .sims2skins or .sims2pack as their extension. All you need to do with those is double click on them. You'll get a blue screen asking if you want to install the content. If you click install (and the file isn't corrupted, which usually means you need to redownload it), a second blue screen pops up saying that the content has been successfully installed.



The other form is the .package file. Those you put into the specific user part of My Documents (not the All User or Shared My Documents). It goes in My Documents\EA GAMES\The Sims 2\downloads.

 

When you double click on the winzip folder, it opens it (if you have XP) so that you can then deal with the contents according to whether it is a .package file or a .Sims2pack (as described in my previous message.)

If you don't have XP, then you'll need to download either WinZip or PowerZip to open them. Since they are not built in, usually it gives you the option to "extract to". You "extract" them to a file outside of the game, and then deal with them from there (depending on whether it is a .package file or a .Sims2Pack file.)

I usually keep my pre-installation files after I've put them in the game, but in a separate place from the game. I also keep them sorted by date, so that I can find things better. That way, if I have a problem with one of the files, I can more easily figure out which one it is, and if anything happens to my game I don't have to spend the time re-downloading all my goodies. (Even safer would be if I'd make a CD or DVD backup copy to keep them off computer, but I'm not *that* worried about them.)