So I have a new package (I have older ones that do this too) that the thumbnail in the catalog is blue. It can be a light transparent blue and/or a bright blue. This is the first time I put the package in my downloads folder. When you click the item and the other colors pop up, it shows correctly. As I said, this is the first time this package has gone in my downloads folder so there can't be any thumb issues from a previous incorrectly linked texture, which I get on the pc where I test. Which I have had issues with this and incorrectly linked packages while in testing.

I hope there is a way to fix this in the package. I can start over, but I would prefer to find the linkage between the package thumbnail and why it shows blue. The item is a repository item, but that shouldn't matter as I've done tons of those before, and this one does show correctly other than the catalog thumb. Is my package supposed to have a thumb inside? And maybe it doesn't? If it doesn't then the one I cloned it from EA doesn't, yet there's shows fine.

The search I did showed references to deleting your thumbs or editing the thumbs package itself, which seems longer to do and unnecessary. This is not the typical CTRL+RC issue apparently. The thumb did show correctly on the pc I use SimPE on and test on. But now on my Mac it isn't showing, as well as for a window user it isn't showing.

I've noticed similar oddities, I'm pretty sure indicate its not in the package file. Sometimes, the thumbnails for different recolours show up completely different, even for the same objects.

Other than deleting the thumbnail folder, I don't have a clue on how to fix it, however.

I found the reason for one of my packages. The material definition in the shape was set to a different color than the one by Maxis. (This is an IKEA match chair) But since the color used was one in the original package all recolors showed fine, it was just the thumbnail wasn't displaying properly since that was not the thumb the original package used.

Another package I fixed. I noticed that I had 3 colors in the package and in the material definition each one had the default material set to true. This is what happens when you clone it, all data is copied. Changed two to false, and I ctrl+right clicked on each recolor, there was only3, and that fixed the thumbnail in the catalog.

There is a folder in TsData called UserData and that has a folder called thumbnails. These are the thumbnails the games uses to display in the catalog. I guess cc ones are generated and saved in the thumbs folder in the user files. Must be related via some instances or something, I don't fully understand those yet.

If there is a thumbs folder in there which is used in the catalog, does this mean I can simply change the tumbnail pic there and it will show up in my game like this? Or are they generated everytime I start the game?

No. The thumbs are generated when the game is started. You cannot take from this folder and add it to a package. Don't know the exact process but it builds the thumb based on the GMDC and the TXTR in a package. Sometimes a thumb is listed in the CRES and you need to delete it to allow the game to regenerate it. So I guess it may use the CRES when building the thumb as well.

The thumbs are stored in the cache file. While it is possible to delete just one thumbnail with SimPE, figuring out which one is the one you want to get rid of is the tough part. It is easier just to delete the entire file and let it regenerate.

HugeLunatic, you may have seen this already but in case you haven't -- MogHughson posted two tutorials today on how to change both the object and the camera that's used for a thumbnail.

http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=329847
http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=329846

They're not exactly "how to fix blue stuff" tutorials but seem to cover the entire process pretty well.

Thanks plasticbox, I briefly glanced at them, and have subscribed for further absorption when my mind empties a bit. But it may shed some light on forcing a thumb. Trying to absorb Server 2003 and AD for finals.