SimPE is suddenly giving me the error "The parent CRES was not found. This means, that SimPE is unable to build the Joint Hierarchy" when trying to preview an object. I use two versions: 0.77.69.20 and 0.77.69.8. I also tested the newest version 0.77.69.27 and it’s also giving me the error.

It's only happening with newly cloned objects and it doesn't matter if it's functional or decorative; everything is giving me this error. I tried restarting my computer, cleared SimPE cache, cleared SimPE history, and reset SimPE layout (desperate move) and it's still throwing the error. Since I make a lot of objects I have a template package for quick cloning and that’s still working perfectly, but creating anything new from object workshop is giving me the error (tested on each SimPE version mentioned above).

I'm at a loss and I just don't understand what's going on. I haven't touched my game or done anything I could think of to mess anything up. Does anyone have an idea of what's causing this? Could it be major or stupidly simple? Please please help I attached my object workshop settings and my template package that works and the same object that's giving me the error below in case that'll help!

I have had this error sporadically, but I can't remember what caused it. I think I just gave up on anything that threw it.

I can confirm that I get the error with your package on 0.77.69.9. But with a different package there's no error.

Tick "Set custom group ID" too.

If you have the correct options ticked, SimPE does "Fix Integrity" while you're cloning (the box where you give a new internal name to the resources), so you don't have to do it again manually**. Reasonably sure it's the "Set custom group ID" that adds this.

I've noticed the CRES issue sometimes happens after "Fix Integrity" if you have a resource selected, or start working on the item immediately (changing the mesh, etc., especially while resources are still unsaved/showing in italics). If I have to do "Fix Integrity" (rarely for objects since I've found a few ways around, and always for CAS meshes), I save progress first, reopen the file (and make sure no resources are selected/showing in the Plugin View - reopening the file seems to be the only thing that clears the Plugin View), do "Fix integrity", save the progress, reopen the file, and start working. This has cut down the instances of this happening from somewhat infrequent to about zero.
(I do "File-> new" or click on the "new file" icon that looks like an empty paper, and drag&drop the file in, so it's not a tedious step to reopen the files)

I have been able to trigger the issue knowingly, if not every time, by not following those steps.

I don't know what spesifically causes the issue, and I don't know if there's a fix for it other than starting over the file, so I just go for my tried and trusted "better safe than sorry" option above.


** There are reasons for doing "Fix Integrity" again, but in some cases it can be handled in other ways. Adding subsets for instance - you can use the "Fix TGI" button in the Plugin View to make the clone separate for the TXTR and TXMT, and in the MMAT you can set the clone to one instance number up (usually from 0x00005000 to 0x00005001).
Personally, I was just tired of the occasional borked files...

The way this game will have you losing your mind over something that has the dumbest easiest fix. I looked up tutorials and my own pictures beforehand of object workshop settings and thought I had them all ticked properly but I guess not

THANK YOU for the help and for the advice! Seriously you're always there when people need help and you're such a blessing! :D

Happy to help

I've seen several versions of object tutorials, some with slightly different settings and different ways of doing things than I personally do them - but still achieving the same goal - so I guess it depends on which tutorial(s) you're using.

The SimPE handbook can be useful for knowing what the settings actually do:
https://modthesims.info/t/71411