Welcome to Sim File Maid!

This program does two things:

1) Installs files downloaded for The Sims and its expansions
2) "Converts" clothing skin files to use downtown in Hot Date and other expansions

To simply install downloaded files, all you have to do is drag files or folders-of-files onto "The Lawn", and the Maid will do the rest. The Maid even understands Zip files, and can deal with them just fine! Some progams let you install one zip file at a time, but that's just silly. With The Maid, you can install as many files as you want at the same time. You can EVEN use it to reinstall all of your goodies on a fresh Sim install! If you saved all of the files you installed on a CD-ROM, or somewhere on your harddrive, just drag the folder(s) onto "The Lawn" and Voila! Walls, Floors, Skins, Models, Textures, Objects and FARs!

To "convert" clothing skin files to use downtown in Hot Date and other expansions, first install those files, then drag the ones (.BMP's) you want to convert from your Gamedata\Skins folder onto "The Rack" and The Maid will show you each of them and ask you how you'd like them categorized (Winterwear, Swimwear, Lingerie/Sleepwear or Formalwear).

The Maid will also run .EXE installers that you drag onto The Lawn (or that are in zips that you drag onto The Lawn). She will, however, ask you first. .EXE's can contain viruses or other malicious programs that could damage your computer, so please be careful. This is equivalent to "double-clicking" on them, just a little more convenient.

The Maid keeps a log of everything she does and doesn't do. This is a file called SimFileMaid.log, and is in the folder where you installed The Maid. If you have problems with The Maid and need to e-mail me for support, please attach that file to the e-mail- Otherwise I'll probably have to ask you for it anyway!

The only catch (okay, two of them) is that The Maid doesn't do roofs or houses. She hates them. She hates them so much that she installs roofs into the Skins folder and houses into the UserObjects folder. This is just how she is. If you happen to have a bookcase that has the Engineering skill on it perhaps she could use it to learn - Drop me a line. Also, prebuilt "downtown" and "vacation" lots are treated the same as houses by The Maid - No touchy.

If you need help or want to change options, just click the "?" button or right-click on The Lawn and you'll have a happy helpful menu to help you out a bit.

The Sim File Maid is free to use, copy and distribute. Please don't alter it, however. If you feel the need to waste time dissassembling it, don't change it so it says you made it. That's just plain lame. I might just give you the source code if you ask nice enough. :)

That's it! Have fun, feel free to drop me a line if you like Sim File Maid, or if you found a bug, or if you have a feature idea, or if you're bored and need a new friend, or whatever.

Matthew Keller
http://matthewgkeller.com/projects/SimFileMaid/