So, there are most likely some EA items in your CAS Catalogue that you never use - if you're tired of scrolling through ugly options, or having townies spawn wearing clothing you totally hate, you can easily disable these clothes!

You can:

• Remove an item (clothing, hair, make-up, accessory) from appearing in CAS entirely
  
• Enable and/or disable certain categories for an item - i.e. Stop a certain shirt from appearing as an option in "Swimwear"
  
• Disable items from "random" - townies will no longer spawn wearing a certain shirt or item of make-up.

Required Programs

• S3PE
• S3OC

Optional Programs

• Delphy's Dashboard

You've probably seen hiders available on other websites.

• MTS has a category for Hiders/Recategorizers in their Mods/Overrides section.
  
• Ninoo also posted her personal collection of CAS hiders a month or so ago on Tumblr for every EP and SP up to Master Suite Stuff. The post is gone from her blog, but it's still up on Pooklet's (so I'm assuming it's ok to post a link to it): here
  There are images included and every hider has also been made into a separate package for each individual item! I highly recommend downloading this - you can easily pick the hiders you want, and discard the rest.
  

NOTE
Hiders will unfortunately NOT speed up your gameplay BUT they will help CAS load faster. This is especially useful if you spend a lot of time creating sims or doing townie makeovers.
IMPORTANT
Like any other "mod" - hiders can conflict with each other if you have more than one altering the same CASP resource. Delphy's Dashboard WILL recognize ALL conflicts in this case.

Step 1:
Find out which items you want to disable OR recategorize. If you notice a particularly awful outfit while in CAS, take a screenshot of it for later reference. I think the fastest way to go through CAS content quickly is with S3OC. Unlike CTU, you can easily browse through CAS items for all the expansion packs and stuff packs you have installed - the program will also generate thumbnails for each item, so you don't have to "guess" what something is.

Step 2:
Open S3OC, select "cloning" from the top menu and click on "CAS Part"

Step 3:
You should have a split screen with a list of items on the left and an "Overview" tab on the right.

Step 4:
You can sort the list alphabetically and by EP/SP by clicking on the category title. If you want the items to be grouped by EP AND alphabetized you have to sort by "Name" BEFORE sorting by "EP/SP"

Step 5:
Click on any item and you will see it's preview in the right window.

Now, this is where you have a "choice" of how to go on to the next step. I personally use S3OC to browse the content but NOT to make the hider file itself. Oftentimes, I complete the whole process in S3PE because it's faster. So, I use S3OC as a reference because it provides thumbnails. I'm going to explain how to make a hider with S3OC first though, because it's a bit more user-friendly.

CONTINUE WITH S3OC:
Ok, let's hide something! I HATE painted on necklaces. The base game thankfully includes plain versions of most clothes that have the ugly painted on necklaces. However, since I have no use for the "necklaced" version, I want to hide it from my game. So, I'm going to hide the necklaced version of the 3/4 sleeve top.
Step 1:
Scroll and find the item in the list and select it.

Step 2:
Click "Clone or Fix"

Step 3:
Uncheck "Renumber/rename internally" because we are making a default replacement.

Step 4:
On the right side of the screen locate the "Category" panel. You'll notice that the item is enabled for Everday, Career, and is Valid for random. Scroll down and tick the box "IsHiddenInCAS." If you also don't want townies/game generated sims to show up in the top, uncheck "Valid For Random."

Step 5
Click start and name your package file. You probably want to keep the name of the original item in the filename.

Step 6
You will get a pop-up telling you that your updated package is ready.

Step 7
Now, you want to remove any unnecessary files that have been included in your new package. Open up your package in S3PE. You ONLY need the "CASP" part of the file. Everything else can be deleted.

Step 7
Select everything else

Step 8
Hit "Delete." The items should update with a strikethrough

Step 9
Save your package.

Step 10
Your updated package should look like this:

Close S3PE. You're done! Your can now drop this file into your "Mods/Packages" folder and the item should be hidden from your catalog.

Notes

• To recategorize an item, you would repeat the same process, but instead of ticking "IsHiddenInCAS" you would instead change the categories to your liking.
  
• If you create a lot of hiders, you don't want to drop 100 individual files into your Packages folder. Hiders can be merged just like any other content. They will NOT need to be updated for expansions or patches, so it's definitely "safe" to merge them.
  
• As you can see, the method of making hiders with S3OC is a bit tedious. It also does not currently allow you to recategorize items for outerwear. You must do that through the "Grid" in S3PE.

ENABLING CLOTHES FOR OUTERWEAR
Here's a quick set of screenshots to show you how to recategorize something for Outerwear in S3PE. I recategorized a pair of CC boots (in package format) by Anubis. The category name for outerwear is "Unknown 12". (NOTE: This is also how you would enable a CC item for formal, swim, everyday, etc.)

Find the CC you want to edit and open it up in S3PE:

Select the "CASP" and hit the "Grid" button located at the bottom:

This is the data grid. You can edit categories, gender, and age assignments here:

Double click the plus sign beside "Clothing Category" to expand the list:

Scroll down and locate "Unknown 12". Double click "False" to change the value to "True":
Click "Commit" to make commit the changes, then simply save your package. Make sure you clear your caches before reloading your game, to allow the changes to show.

Categorizing clothes for outerwear by altering the CASP in S3PE (or any other category) works the same way for Base Game, EP, and SP content. You can directly edit CC you have in .package format by opening them up in S3PE. With Base, EP, or SP content you have to create your OWN package file by exporting the CASP from the game's "Fullbuild" files with S3PE. In the previous example, we used S3Oc to clone the entire package and removed the "extra." If you use S3PE, you only export the .CASP, and can export many at one time. This saves a LOT of time.

EXTRACTING EA CASP FILES WITH S3PE

• Open S3PE
• Navigate to the folder where your Sims 3 game is installed.
  For me it's: Computer > Local Disk (:C) > Program Files (x86) > Electronic Arts
  • For Base Game content: The Sims 3 > Game Data > Shared > Packages > FullBuild0
  • For EP/SP: EP/SP Name > Game Data > Shared > Packages > FullBuild_xx
    The FullBuild packages can take a while to load, so be patient!
• To make searching through them easier, filter the program to only display "CASP" files.
  See the value under "Type" for the CASP: "0x034AEECB" Enter that value in the window that says "Resource Type."
  Tick the checkbox beside it.
  Click "Set"
  Tick the checkbox beside "Filter Active"
  Click on "Name" to sort the items alphabetically.
  Find the CASP file you are looking for, select it, right click, and "Export to Package." You can do one item at a time, OR several at once.
  Close the fullbuild file and open your newly created package. You never want to edit or save over the original fullbuild files! You can even copy the fullbuild files to a folder outside of your install directory BEFORE opening them if you are afraid of accidentally committing changes to your original files. I can't stress this enough, because if you damage the fullbuild files, you can damage your game.
  Repeat the previous steps for enabling or disabling categories.
  

NOTE
If you use NRAAS Master Controller, there are add-ons that allow you to "Black List" certain CAS-items in game. I've never actually used this function, but it sounds pretty handy! If you want to learn more about that option, I suggest you read through the NRAAS website. In addition to hiding certain items, I also tend to recategorize EA clothes for very specific categories - so I use my simple method.

Wow Thanks so much for this Tutorial! I was wondering how on earth to enable clothing for outerwear now I have my answer! It was also doing my head in when my townies were walking around in absolutley horrid clothes now my town will be just the way I want! Thankyou! Thankyou! Thankyou!

Thanks so much Ameenah!! I've been waiting on this! I so hate to have to scroll though the countless useless ugly clothes that ea provides. Some are cute...but most are horrid. I love how detailed this tutorial is and also the fact that you added pictures. Thanks bunches!!

Thanks so much for this Ameenah !! This sure is helpful and handy !!
Crystal clear tutorial by the way !!

Yay, I'm glad that the tutorial was helpful! Sometimes I think I spend more time doing things like tweaking my CAS (downloading new stuff, making hiders, re-categorizing clothes) than anything else. Of course, everyone is free to post any questions they have.

Ameenah do you have the link for the 'black list' function with nrass...I want to do a quick sweep of some items that are truly bugging me that I can't even locate in packages, but are visible in game. I want to do this before turning it over to the program you have provided for us here...which I feel will be better in the overall hiding or blocking out items. I've checked the site and can't figure out which one controls that... I'm in dum dum mode today...(have actually been here for quite some time!)

I believe it's an extension of the "Dresser" Mod, it's explained here: http://nraas.wikispaces.com/Blacklisting

Thanks hun!!

After viewing this...I think your method looks easier!!! I think I will stick with it!!

Haha, yeah, I honestly have to say that I was slightly confused about how to go about blacklisting items (and I don't usually use the dresser mod - though it definitely has some great functions) - especially since I re-categorize items almost as much as I hide them (I do this with my CC too, actually, to minimize clutter). Let me know if you have any problems! Are you hiding stuff from a specific EP/SP?

Basically it's like an overall 'spring clean' that I want to do so this will include probably bits and pieces from every ep and sp. Long hard and tedious so I was trying to find some sorta way to make it a tiny bit easier. Although nrass seems to be a cool mod....it just seems to be a bit 'more' work involved than I thought and maybe even a bit confusing. I will try your method to see if it works better, which I think and hope it will. I really want to de-clutter my game without having to totally start from scratch! That would be terrible and I would be bald from pulling all my hair out!!

I spent some time really tidying up my catalog - and it seriously has helped so much, so I think it's worth it.

Did you check out the link to Ninoo's hiders that I posted above? She made hiders individual per item with an included thumbnail for the base game, and all EPs/SPs up to Master Suite.

The hiders are separated in folders by EP/SP and are clearly labeled - so you can pick and choose which packages you want to keep, delete the rest, and then merge.

I think these are a great starting point - I didn't use every single hider provided and I had to make some of my own to supplement, but it seriously saved me SO much time.

Here's the link again:
http://www.4shared.com/rar/9SLZ8qE1/Hiders.html

Thanks Ameenah...you are a doll! You know I can't locate hardly a thing so I'm glad you posted the link!!

I can't figure out how to use it.... there are no instructions included.

Oh, well, you don't need the images - they are just there for reference so you can identify the package files (by the same name) - so, you use the package files of the items you want to get rid of.

These files go in your Mods/Packages folder just like any other Mod or piece of CC in package format.

Because there is a separate hider/package file created for each item, if you want to hide a lot of content, you'll end up with quite a few files. (For reference, there are about 400 hiders created just for the Base Game) You would want to combine the hiders you choose to use in a single package (You can do this using Eva's method).

Can't I just get my game set up to send it to you lock stock and barrel....you get her all cleaned up nice and tidy and return it and I pay you a nice sum for all the hard work!! Lol!! This is going to take a WHOLE LOT OF WORK! But I need to because Season's has slowed my game down miserably and there is so much JUNK I want out of my game ea stuff alone! Ughhhh!

Oh, that would be awesome - if we could literally package off our games and send em' off for fixing. If you want to hide Season's stuff, I could probably send you the hiders I have already made. I have reaaaallly cut down on my catalogue.

I already made a combined package, but I can delete/add stuff. In mine I hid:
- All the facepaint (it will still work in the face painting booth, of course, it just won't show up in CAS)
- The goggles (though I can put them back, I just personally never use them)
- The Jason/hockey mask
- The Snorkel Mask
- All the Halloween costumes, including the Mermaid bottom (again, I can put anything back, and costumes will still work for parties)
- All of the costume related hats, including the mermaid hair with the starfish in it - I kept the actual snow caps
Combined into a single package (just drop in your packages folder, you don't have to do anything but clear your caches): Download Seasons Hiders

I also re-categorized:
- All the outerwear to only show up in the outerwear category - I don't need it for everyday/formal wear - because sims automatically change into their outwear based on the temperature, so I thought it was silly for the stuff to appear in more than one category.
Combined into a single package (just drop in your packages folder, you don't have to do anything but clear your caches): Download Seasons Re-Categorizers

I'm sorry if I'm being super spammy with all my screenshots - but here's how I would use the hiders Ninoo made:







You're done! I would combine hiders first by EP/SP - and then eventually into one larger file, just so you can easily move/remove any you decide you no longer need.

I keep all of my hiders combined by EP/SP in my "Tweaks" folder. I consider tweaks to be game replacements that do not have to be updated with patch changes. So, default replacements for Build/Buy/Game stuff also go here:

When they're combined, they go into my packages folder, which is organized like this:

AMEENAH How awesome of you!!! OMGeez this is just way more than I could ever expect!! You my dear, are an angel!! I just booted up my game but I'm shutting this puppy down and adding these files!!!!!!! I have spent at least 4 hours today cleaning up my package files...still not even close to what I want to accomplish. All I did with this is just go through from the year 2010 and deleted everything that year!! I then opened up Dashboard and went and cleaned out almost all of my clutter and some other objects that I just don't really need in game!I figured I'd treat this like a spring cleaning....out with the old.

Now....thanks to you...I don't have to worry about cleaning up the sims files for seasons NOR re-categorize them!!! I'm literally SPEECHLESS!!

And hun....you are welcome to spam your little buns off...You know I don't mind!!!!!!!

I'm still trying to find the mod that is suppose to help your game load faster!!! I should have downloaded it the minute I saw it!! When I find it I will post it so others can try if they want!!

I'm so happyz!!

Oh and thankies so much for the detailed instructions!! That truly helps!!!

Yaaay! I'm so glad I could be helpful. :D :D :D

I forgot to mention that I also hid that monstrosity of a hair that kind of looks like...an Octopus? It was the one with extremely large curls on the bottom. If you want it back, I will remove its hider from the package, hehe. :p

I swear, sorting through downloads and trying to "prune" out stuff almost takes longer than finding it in the first place. X___X I am crossing my fingers that your spring cleaning goes well and that you get a game speed/lag boost.

I will happily download any and every mod that is meant to speed up the game. :O Do you remember who might have made it?

Did you mean the Save Cleaner on Simlogical??? http://www.den.simlogical.com/denforum/index.php?PHPSESSID=5j7ictetgbbq251fvrp4olgam5&topic=1532
This is an awesome tool, because I was previously just doing this manually.

I have quite a few small mods from Blue, Shimrod, and TwoftMama (At SimsAsylum) for tuning purposes and to correct some bugs that speed the game up. I can't remember if you have Generations or not? If you do, one of the best things you can do is to limit memories or disable them all together. Also, with seasons, the attraction/gifting system is pretty bugged-out, so I downloaded a mod to disable it until EA (hopefully) patches out some kinks.

Also, as great as NRAAS Story Progression is, it can definitely cause some lag, unless it's configured very specifically. It allows you an amazing amount of control but it comes with a pretty hefty processor hit. For that reason, I personally don't use it, I just keep Master Controller, Overwatch, and Error Trap.

Actually, we could probably have a whole thread where everyone posts the mods (core, script, tuning) that they use to keep their game running. :D

Ameenah wrote:

Yaaay! I'm so glad I could be helpful. :D :D :D

I forgot to mention that I also hid that monstrosity of a hair that kind of looks like...an Octopus? It was the one with extremely large curls on the bottom. If you want it back, I will remove its hider from the package, hehe. :p

I swear, sorting through downloads and trying to "prune" out stuff almost takes longer than finding it in the first place. X___X I am crossing my fingers that your spring cleaning goes well and that you get a game speed/lag boost.

I will happily download any and every mod that is meant to speed up the game. :O Do you remember who might have made it?

Did you mean the Save Cleaner on Simlogical??? http://www.den.simlogical.com/denforum/index.php?PHPSESSID=5j7ictetgbbq251fvrp4olgam5&topic=1532
This is an awesome tool, because I was previously just doing this manually.

I have quite a few small mods from Blue, Shimrod, and TwoftMama (At SimsAsylum) for tuning purposes and to correct some bugs that speed the game up. I can't remember if you have Generations or not? If you do, one of the best things you can do is to limit memories or disable them all together. Also, with seasons, the attraction/gifting system is pretty bugged-out, so I downloaded a mod to disable it until EA (hopefully) patches out some kinks.

Also, as great as NRAAS Story Progression is, it can definitely cause some lag, unless it's configured very specifically. It allows you an amazing amount of control but it comes with a pretty hefty processor hit. For that reason, I personally don't use it, I just keep Master Controller, Overwatch, and Error Trap.

Actually, we could probably have a whole thread where everyone posts the mods (core, script, tuning) that they use to keep their game running. :D

I was thrilled when I dropped those files into my package folder and yes...THANK GOODNESS you hide that horrible hair!!! What was ea thinking?! Really I wonder what they were thinking on most of the stuff they added so that will truly help Seasons run greater!

I don't use story progression, I don't play enough to use it so I just didn't download it, I do have Generations but I disabled memories right after I installed it...that stuff totally drove me banana's!! I really can't remember the mod but I think I spotted it on ms3b. I'm going to search it and if I can't locate it myself I will email Joe and ask him if he recalls it.

And that is a WONDERFUL idea of making a complete thread for things like this!!! You can run this totally if you like!! Maybe a main forum and then small forums within for various types of mods, hacks, game fixers and such. I will leave that up to you. If you want to do this let me know if you need my help with any of it and I will gladly assist!!!

I did another 'tiny' spring cleaning today...found some stuff that I needed to get out of my game...AFTER...going in game and actually scrolling through different types of cc, writing it down and then coming out and deleting them. Tedious but so well worth it!!

My CAS was laggy but I think that was due to having Townlife..(the *ermm* free version...my game hates those type of stuffz so I had to remove it!) I will see later tonight if that was truly the problem...if not...geez...I have NO idea what it could be causing the CAS lag.

It was stupid of me to even download Townlife and not know what it actually offered so I will check it out and see if I actually want to purchase it the 'legit' way. Won't get it right away...got to watch my pennies with the Holiday's and buying Seasons for myself as my Christmas gift to me...(at least that what I tell myself and I'm sticking to it!!) Lol!!

Ok, I just checked out the 'Save Cleaner' and I think it's primary use is for those that save each game just as a 'save' not for those that use the 'save as:'. If you save each game say, by date, then this is not the cleaner for you. I save my game like this : SunlitTide 12412am12...which of course is the month, day,time stating either am or pm and last the year. It works pretty easily and I find it easier to keep up with my saves just in case I have to backtrack for any reason.

And it makes it easier to delete old saves thus clearing up space!

Now...on to the next mod!!

Ameenah, did you add the mod for the Season bug/glitch? I'm not aware of what it is since I've yet to have actually played the game. Couldn't wait to get it...got it 2 day's ago and STILL have not played it!