How to convert sims3packs to package files

*note--I have been told not to do this with lots or worlds--never tried it myself, so not sure if it will work or not*

Step 1: you need to get these programs if you haven't yet:

http://www.modthesims.info/d/364038

http://dino.drealm.info/den/denforum/index.php?board=19.0

Now that you have those...

Step 2:  Create a folder somewhere on your computer.  I made mine on my desktop. You can name it if you want, or you can just leave it as "Folder/Folder#".

Step 3: Open the new folder you just made and make a folder within the folder (this isn't necessary but it's makes it much easier to keep track of stuff IMO) -Also, I realize I named it "extracted" (which I spelled wrong) instead of "converted". lol

Step 4: find the sims3pack you want to convert to a package file and put it in the folder you created (not the folder within the folder!) so it will look like this:

Step 5:  Open the multi-extractor.  and click on the browse button under step 1 in the program.  find where you put the sims3pack you want to convert and then click okay.

Step 6: Click on the second browse tab in step 2 of the program (this is where you want to send the files to during the conversion--I would not suggest choosing your package folder since that will  make it harder for you to find the files) and choose the folder you made within the folder and click okay.

Step 7: click the extract button.  When the program is done (it's rather fast depending on how many sims3packs you are converting (I suggest-although tedious-doing one sims3pack at a time) you will see on the bottom of the program "Done # files in # seconds with # files per second".

You are now done converting this sims3pack.  Open the folder you made and click on the folder you made inside that folder, you will now see a package (or multiple packages depending on what was in the sims3pack--converted sims may/will have more package files) file in the folder.

If you have one package file, like the pic above, rename the file and put it in your documents>electronic arts>Sims3>mods>package folder.  If you have the sims3pack installed in your game via the launcher you want to either uninstall it, or disable it, by choosing "Run without CC" in the launcher, but make sure, by checking in your game, that the conversion took to begin with. Not disabling a sims3pack you just converted to a package file, and having both in the game, could cause a conflict and/or cause the game to crash.

Before converting another sims3pack make sure once you delete your sims3pack and the package file you converted (in the folders I had you make), or otherwise, you will keep adding to the already converted file that was in the folders prior to the new conversions, thus causing conflicts and problems.

If you have more than 1 package file after converting the sims3pack (you do not need to do this if you only have 1 package file--in fact, it will make the file larger if you try to compress 1 file, so only do this if you have multiple package files after extracting your sims3pack), you will want to open S3PE and compress those files into one nice, neat package file. Once done, rename and put in your package folder.

To see how to compress using the S3PE program, I followed this tut which was easy to follow:

http://evater-sims3.blogspot.com/p/tutorial-combining-and-compressing_03.html