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Mad Poster
Original Poster
#1 Old 16th May 2019 at 10:50 AM Last edited by simmer22 : 16th May 2019 at 11:18 AM.

This user has the following games installed:

Sims 2, University, Nightlife, Open for Business, Pets, Seasons, Bon Voyage, Free Time, Apartment Life
Default Pink-flashing sims with CC enabled
So my UC game finally "works" but still has pink-flashing issues from startup. I tested without CC first, and it seemingly worked without any pink, but with minimal CC the sims were pink even in the neighborhood screen, with the same family I'd tested first (a maxis family).

I've done
- the fixes in the "how I fixed my game" video (the memory allocation fix doesn't seem to do much, though - my game still crashed and flashed pink With it, but I'm not sure if I've done it correctly)
- 4GB fix applied correctly (says 4096MB)
- various edits of the GraphicRules files in the SP9 folder (can I use the same file for both CSconfig and Config, btw? The crashing at startup did stop when I tried)
- fixed the VideoCards files (I no longer get the "Not in database")
- I've NOT turned off shaders, and not planning to. I want my game to work, and that includes shaders (I want pretty water, fish, proper reflections and all that)

Do I have to run the game in Admin mode (currently it's unticked)? I know comp mode will interfere with the 4GB fix, so those are off.

Can someone take a look at my GraphicRules and log files and see if there's anything I missed? They're added below.
(I tried setting the texture memory to 8010 as per a tip I found in another thread, but if that's not a valid number I'd like to know).

I've got a laptop with 64bit Win10 pro, a 1070 Nvidia card (I think it's a full version, not laptop edition) with 8 GB, and 32 GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD as the main drive (+1TB HDD in addition), iC i7-8750 2x2.20 GhZ CPU.

My game did work a bit better when I raised the virtual memory (pink-flashing stopped without doing any other changes, in a CC free game), but from what I've gathered it's not an optimal solution with a SSD.
Attached files:
File Type: zip  graphic+log.zip (10.4 KB, 9 downloads) - View custom content
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Alchemist
#2 Old 16th May 2019 at 12:39 PM
In your graphics rules, I know you have the line

# Kiri - manually setting texture memory
seti textureMemory 8010

to set the texture memory, which is one of the major causes of pink flashing, but after that you still have the default lines

if (not $useSoftwareRasterizer)
# failed to obtain device texture memory size, force to 32MB
if ($textureMemory = 0)
seti textureMemory 32
setb textureMemorySizeOK false
endif

so perhaps your setting is being overwritten?

I would change it to put that setting in the default area like this

if (not $useSoftwareRasterizer)
# failed to obtain device texture memory size, force to 32MB
if ($textureMemory = 0)
seti textureMemory 8010
#setb textureMemorySizeOK false
endif

This is the way mine is done and it seems to work. Notice that the #setb textureMemorySizeOK false is commented out.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#3 Old 16th May 2019 at 2:33 PM
@Sunrader I decided to compare simmer22's graphic rule to mine and likewise, I also have some of the same things.

Example if (not $useSoftwareRasterizer)
# failed to obtain device texture memory size, force to 32MB
if ($textureMemory = 0)
seti textureMemory 32
setb textureMemorySizeOK false
endif

and
if ($textureMemory < 28)
log $logGroup $logLevelWarning "Insufficient video memory. Forcing software rendering on this device"

# require a card with at least 32MB
setb useSoftwareRasterizer true
endif

How do I change it though? I am guessing this is also the source of my pink flashing.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#4 Old 16th May 2019 at 6:11 PM
I just compared the lines and changed it to match.
I haven't tested it, though.

And I figured out after a while that you need to change both the GraphicRules in Config and CSconfig, so make sure you've done that. I hadn't at first, and my game kept crashing.
Alchemist
#5 Old 16th May 2019 at 10:45 PM Last edited by Sunrader : 16th May 2019 at 11:44 PM.
Quote: Originally posted by simmer22
I just compared the lines and changed it to match.
I haven't tested it, though.
And I figured out after a while that you need to change both the GraphicRules in Config and CSconfig, so make sure you've done that. I hadn't at first, and my game kept crashing.


I have heard this, but, in fact, I've never done this at all, and I've heard from others that it's not necessary, so I'm not so sure. There are something like 30 GraphicRules files and I have never changed any of the others. Only this one. C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection\Fun with Pets\SP9\TSData\Res\Config\Graphic Rules.sgr
This is my file that has the texture memory and the resolution fix, if anyone would like to see it or even try it in your own game (backup the one you have first, obviously). http://www.simfileshare.net/download/1049718/

Quote: Originally posted by joandsarah77
@Sunrader I decided to compare simmer22's graphic rule to mine and likewise, I also have some of the same things.
How do I change it though? I am guessing this is also the source of my pink flashing.


I asked you about this earlier, and you said it had been done, but if that's what your file says, it doesn't look like it has.... The only ones I know to change are the ones I changed above. I understand those changes, but the other lines you posted, I don't know about. If I had your computer, I would only make the changes that you see above and, personally, I wouldn't change other graphic rules files.

All I know about this in general is that the RAM (used by the 4GB patch) and the virtual memory are not the same as your texture memory, which is the graphics memory on your graphics card, and that the pink flashing is caused by running out of texture memory which the game defaults in these lines at 32MB. Here, I've upped that. That's the number that the 2048 refers to, which, for me is 2GB, because that's what my graphics card has.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#6 Old 16th May 2019 at 11:47 PM Last edited by joandsarah77 : 16th May 2019 at 11:58 PM.
We did everything and many things I hadn't even heard of doing. I posted my file here (help board) only a short time ago and nobody said anything. So everything has been done but for some reason its either come off, didn't work, something wonky is going on.

This is the graphic rules from the M&G config folder.

And reading over I see more wonkiness. It's saying that I have a Nvidea NVIDIA 4800 TI SE? When I actually have a Nvidea 1050Ti

I haven't really read this over carefully before because to me its a whole bunch of stuff I don't understand. I just trusted that we had done all the steps and my config-log in-game reads correctly.

This is the one from Config and CSConfig. I changed the name so that would be clear.

Edit: Gina is sending me hers, so let's hope this fixes things up. About 2 months back I had a huge crash which removed the 4 gig patch and my desktop icon (really strange I know) I put the patch back on and my quick loading icon, checked my config-log in game and went on. I am thinking this must have done something also to the graphic rule files as I have no other explanation.
Attached files:
File Type: rar  GraphicRules Jo.rar (14.2 KB, 8 downloads) - View custom content

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#7 Old 17th May 2019 at 12:02 AM
I've seen some places like Leefish mention you need to edit both the files. I tried first with just the Config one, but my game crashed. Then, wthout doing any other changes I changed the CSconfig file too (both in the M&G/SP9 area, but in different folders), and suddenly I didn't get crashes. It's possible they modify different parts of the game, but that's just a guess. I've seen some comments where people changed all the files in all the folders ,or had to change the ones in the SP99 folder if you have one (I don't - I think it's the Store version), but I honestly don't know if that would make a difference.

I've never had to deal with the GraphicRules files or Win10 before, so this is new territory. My two old laptops didn't need those edits (no pink), and the stationary only had pink-flashing at high loads (the 4GB fix took care of the startup issues I had).

I'll have a look at the files later.
Alchemist
#8 Old 17th May 2019 at 12:10 AM Last edited by Sunrader : 17th May 2019 at 12:31 AM.
Quote: Originally posted by joandsarah77
Edit: Gina is sending me hers, so let's hope this fixes things up. About 2 months back I had a huge crash which removed the 4 gig patch and my desktop icon (really strange I know) I put the patch back on and my quick loading icon, checked my config-log in game and went on. I am thinking this must have done something also to the graphic rule files as I have no other explanation.


I'm assuming you know that this is the right file for you, so that said, all I looked at was the same things I saw in the one above, and yes, I see that someone added a line setting texture memory in yours early in the file, but they didn't edit the line after it that, I think, sets it to 32, and they didn't change the commented line that I have commented out so that's still set as well... so this looks to me like it wouldn't work, but I can only say what I've done after researching this issue and deciding what made sense to me. Obviously, everyone has different setups. Someone may come in and say I'm reading it wrong.

Quote: Originally posted by simmer22
It's possible they modify different parts of the game, but that's just a guess. I've seen some comments where people changed all the files in all the folders ,or had to change the ones in the SP99 folder if you have one (I don't - I think it's the Store version), but I honestly don't know if that would make a difference.


As I see it, this is pretty simple, really, we are just dealing with text files here and, as they load in a certain order, the last one overwrites the one before. But they are not all identical, so, for example, with the lighting files, if a certain command was new in seasons and set in that lighting.txt file and then never mentioned in any others, you can just change the seasons one. But if that command shows up later, differently, in AL, then you'd need to change AL. That's really all there is to it. That's why I think the lines set at the beginning of the file are being overwritten later in the same file. But, I could be wrong. I'm a bit surprised to see that someone did that, so maybe they know something I don't.
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#9 Old 17th May 2019 at 12:25 AM
The file in the CSconfig folder would technically show up after the one in Config (because last loaded), so perhaps that's part of the problem.

Then you've got the issue of the University folder being the last one. I'm not sure if that would influence anything.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#10 Old 17th May 2019 at 12:28 AM
I am going to try what she sent me and see how it goes. She did say my base game one had something wrong compared to my M&G one. So I have swapped my base game ones out for those in my M&G folder.

She said the lower line saying 32 was correct and that area is something to do when it has no alternative not what it's actively using.

Also we did some other manual tweaks

if this doesn't work i will try all her files

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Alchemist
#11 Old 17th May 2019 at 12:32 AM Last edited by Sunrader : 17th May 2019 at 1:22 PM.
Quote: Originally posted by joandsarah77
I am going to try what she sent me and see how it goes. She did say my base game one had something wrong compared to my M&G one. So I have swapped my base game ones out for those in my M&G folder.

She said the lower line saying 32 was correct and that area is something to do when it has no alternative not what it's actively using.

Also we did some other manual tweaks

if this doesn't work i will try all her files


Good luck

Quote: Originally posted by simmer22
The file in the CSconfig folder would technically show up after the one in Config (because last loaded), so perhaps that's part of the problem.



I thought of that, too, but I compared my two Graphics Rules in these two folders and the CSconfig one is not overwriting the other. I can see this, at least as far as the resolution fixes, because I only have my resolution fixes in the config folder and they are clearly working. So... for whatever that's worth....
Scholar
#12 Old 17th May 2019 at 4:24 AM
CSconfig is only used by Body Shop, not parsed by the game at all.
Alchemist
#13 Old 17th May 2019 at 1:20 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Chris Hatch
CSconfig is only used by Body Shop, not parsed by the game at all.

Thank you Chris. I was very skeptical of that change.
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#14 Old 17th May 2019 at 4:48 PM Last edited by simmer22 : 17th May 2019 at 5:05 PM.
There is still a pink-flashing problem.
Entered the neighborhood, saw the sims were pink in the preview, entered the lot, sims were fine. Did some minor edits, saved the game. Exited the lot, re-entered (sims in preview still pink), and everything was flashing pink.

I don't have much else than some default clothes (none actually showing on the lot - it's one of the original families) and skins that contain custom textures, so it's strange that the texture memory would still fill up so fast.

Sunrader, do you have the memory allocation fix too? If so, I'm thinking it may not work properly in my end.
--------------------------

After a quick read-through I found some differences between the GraphicsRules files (Sunrader's file). There were a few more "kiri" lines than those I've posted, too.

BOTH
if ($useSoftwareRasterizer)
# ignore texture memory reported by gfx device, this is not hardware texture memory
seti textureMemory 32

MINE
seti Low 1
seti Medium 2

seti High 3

YOURS
seti Low 3
seti Medium 3
seti High 3

MINE
# not enough texture memory for antialiasing
if ($textureMemory < 127)
logSystemInfo "Kiri: no anti-alias because of texture memory<127"
boolProp enumerateMultisampleLevels false
endif

YOURS
# not enough texture memory for antialiasing
if ($textureMemory < 127)
boolProp enumerateMultisampleLevels false
endif

MINE
if (match("${cardName}", "*GeForce2*Integrated*") or match("${cardName}", "*GeForce?2*Integrated*") or match("${cardName}", "*GeForce4*Integrated*") or match("${cardName}", "*GeForce?4*Integrated*") or match("${cardName}", "*GeForce2 Quadro2 Pro*"))
boolProp causticsEnabled false
boolProp enumerateMultisampleLevels false
logSystemInfo "Kiri: no anti-alias because it thinks its integrated"

setb forceLowSettings true
setb forceLowResolution true
endif

# the 6200 Turbo Cache peformed very poorly in CATLAB runs for EP2
if (match("${cardName}", "*6200 TC*") or match("${cardName}", "*6100*"))
setb forceLowSettings true
setb defaultLowResolution true
logSystemInfo "Kiri: low settings because 6200 TurboCache"

YOURS
if (match("${cardName}", "*GeForce2*Integrated*") or match("${cardName}", "*GeForce?2*Integrated*") or match("${cardName}", "*GeForce4*Integrated*") or match("${cardName}", "*GeForce?4*Integrated*") or match("${cardName}", "*GeForce2 Quadro2 Pro*"))
boolProp causticsEnabled false
boolProp enumerateMultisampleLevels false

setb forceLowSettings true
setb forceLowResolution true
endif

# the 6200 Turbo Cache peformed very poorly in CATLAB runs for EP2
if (match("${cardName}", "*6200 TC*") or match("${cardName}", "*6100*"))
setb forceLowSettings true
setb defaultLowResolution true
endif


MINE
#kiri if (match("${cardName}", "*Radeon?VE*") or match("${cardName}", "*7?00*") or match("${cardName}", "*R100*") or match("${cardName}", "*IGP 3?0*") or match("${cardName}", "*9100 IGP*"))
if (match("${cardName}", "*Radeon?VE*") or match("${cardName}", "*R100*") or match("${cardName}", "*IGP 3?0*") or match("${cardName}", "*9100 IGP*"))
logSystemInfo "Kiri: force Low Settings because of card name"
log $logGroup $logLevelInfo "Forcing turbo rects off"
setb supportsTurboRect false

YOURS
if (match("${cardName}", "*Radeon?VE*") or match("${cardName}", "*7?00*") or match("${cardName}", "*R100*") or match("${cardName}", "*IGP 3?0*") or match("${cardName}", "*9100 IGP*"))
log $logGroup $logLevelInfo "Forcing turbo rects off"
setb supportsTurboRect false
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#15 Old 18th May 2019 at 6:37 AM
Well, my game did not crash with my Download folder, saved Sims containing my hair defaults or my pet Breed folder.
It crashed after I added Z CEP extra folder, config folder, picture folder and camera folder. I invited an islander sim over, asked him to move in than saved. It was the same swirl blue crash on saving as before. So I have to guess it is one of those things causing the crash which is extremely odd.
Also same crash report, the Exception code: 0xC0000005 (-1073741819) ACCESS_VIOLATION. *sigh*
I bet when I reload and hover over the sim will show up pink as well as that seems to happen as well, but then they fix on reloading.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#16 Old 18th May 2019 at 11:15 AM
Maybe something in the config folder is causing problems for you, jo?
I didn't get crashes last time, but the pink was all over.
Alchemist
#17 Old 18th May 2019 at 12:57 PM
Quote: Originally posted by simmer22
There is still a pink-flashing problem.
Entered the neighborhood, saw the sims were pink in the preview, entered the lot, sims were fine. Did some minor edits, saved the game. Exited the lot, re-entered (sims in preview still pink), and everything was flashing pink.

Sunrader, do you have the memory allocation fix too? If so, I'm thinking it may not work properly in my end.
--------------------------

After a quick read-through I found some differences between the GraphicsRules files (Sunrader's file). There were a few more "kiri" lines than those I've posted, too.

MINE
seti Low 1
seti Medium 2

seti High 3

YOURS
seti Low 3
seti Medium 3
seti High 3


@simmer22, We have so many differences in the graphics rules because yours have more changes than mine have. Mine are mostly original to the game. All I changed in mine are the texture memory we've already looked at and the resolution which this change is part of. This is so the game doesn't force low resolution and grey out the choices to change it to higher resolution. If I had the issues you are having, one thing I would try is going back to the original graphics rules files that worked because I would know I might have made a mistake when changing them.

I'm sure we have different setups, though, so my experience may not be relevant to you. I have UC on Windows 7 with 16GB. When I look at my resources monitor, I use about 40% of my physical memory to run my game. I keep my Downloads folder pretty light. So, no, I don't have the memory allocation fix, but my understanding is that is a Windows 10 issue.
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#18 Old 18th May 2019 at 2:46 PM Last edited by simmer22 : 18th May 2019 at 3:00 PM.
I never had any issues in regards to pink-flashing on my Win7 laptop. Didn't see a single pink-flashing item except for one, which had something wrong with it anyway. I only had as much as 14-15 GB of CC at a time, only issue being longer loading times the more CC I used. My Vista PC had pink-flash issues, but the 4GB fix got rid of most of this, and it was mostly a problem when I had 30+ GB of CC and played with heavy snow or weather in general, or played for a wnile on large, CC-heavy lots (the PC only had 4 GB of RAM, plus whatever was on the grapic card). Basically, I could live with the issue even if it was annoying when it appeared, and it was more an issue that spread, not one that popped up at startup (and I had a program that would empty unused memory once in a while so it took longer before any pink happened). I did however have the regular CD game on both of these, and never changed the GraphicRules files (that I remember, anyway).

The problem is most likely with the Win10 update that screwed up things for a lot of people with the UC, so I'm not sure if your pink-flashing issues with Win7 would be the same as the Win10 issues.

I currently have only basic CC (hacks, defaults) which is maybe 2 GB or so (an amount my old laptop would open in less than 5 minutes and have no issues running). The new laptop seems to have no loading issues with that amount of CC either (loads in less than a minute), but still has startup pink-flashing, or pink-flashing on the second opened lot, even on lots where there is not a scrap of CC present except for default replacement skins.
Mad Poster
#19 Old 19th May 2019 at 8:11 AM
If it is a Nvidia, you put both files into both Config and CSConfig.- as per the instructions on Leefish's site. I have done that since I started playing UC (first on Windows 7 and later on 10).

Windows 10 update caused no issues for me - it never does.

I have 30GB+ cc right now - and no pink flashing for a very long time.

When I did see pink flashing, it was more a case of a sim's head on a floating body. Deleting the thumbnails folder got rid of that and I think I only had to do it once. I think it had something to do with outfits becoming corrupted.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#20 Old 19th May 2019 at 8:54 AM
So I regenerated a config and a camera folder. Downloaded and redid my camera and BS light file, brought over an older copy of my cheat file and an older backup of my picture folder and so far no crashing. Also deleted thumbnails again. I've saved on one of the crashing lots about 5 times now no issue. I really hope the fault was in one of those folders, although they are odd places for a crashing issue -but then my issues have been strange ever since I got this pc made if you ever saw my posts on the sticky thread. Starting on post#56 http://www.modthesims.info/showthre...542#post5378542
I am also turning as much off in the background as possible. Steam, Discord, FireFox couple of other things. Turned shadows off in game. Not that I should have to jump hoops with a decent card and 32 RAM but then according to all measures this computer should run sims 2 flawlessly. Yet I've yet to see it.

We all wish our experience was as painless as yours Justpetro.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Mad Poster
#21 Old 19th May 2019 at 9:26 AM
I trust you will get everything sorted, Jo. It makes no sense to me that you have to turn shadows off. I will hold thumbs that the problem was in one of those folders!
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#22 Old 19th May 2019 at 11:18 AM
Well I might not need to but I figure it will lessen any strain on it. Not that it should be strained but since it pink flashes when it sneezes I'm not taking any chances.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#23 Old 20th May 2019 at 2:00 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Justpetro
If it is a Nvidia, you put both files into both Config and CSConfig.- as per the instructions on Leefish's site. I have done that since I started playing UC (first on Windows 7 and later on 10).


Done that.

Quote:
Windows 10 update caused no issues for me - it never does.


It's one particular update (and any updates to that update), mentioned in the video. Maybe this particular update just hasn't stricken all players.

Quote:
I think it had something to do with outfits becoming corrupted.


Can't be that in my case, since it happens in a no-CC game, too.

[QUOTE=joandsarah77]I am also turning as much off in the background as possible.QUOTE]

I don't have anything much running in the background, and if I did there should be more than enough resources for them to run.

Just out of curiosity, do you have the memory allocation fix, @joandsarah77 and @Justpetro ?
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#24 Old 20th May 2019 at 3:41 PM
Stand by memory? Yes, I do.

That one house might be corrupted since It crashed today but nothing else has, not the two other houses played nor the new Ubber hood which I played for a couple of hours tonight. If I delete thumbnails I don't get pink flashing, but deleting them all the time is annoying because the catalogue crawls.

I guess you have tried deleting the thumbnails?

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Mad Poster
#25 Old 20th May 2019 at 4:35 PM
I have the memory allocation fix, since I only have 8 RAM (but I am not sure it makes a lot of difference
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