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WARNINGS:

1. THIS IS A LONG POST

2. This is all the information I have figured out over the past couple
of weeks. I have no inside info on The Sims program. If I have posted
any incorrect info please let me know - but no flames please.

3. Before we begin I must warn you that renaming these files will
require using a hex editor to change data within the iff files, and a text editor (notepad) with the cmx/skn files. Always
"operate" on a copy of the original file since The Sims is very
unforgiving (it just crashes!) with a screwed (messed) up iff/cmx/skn file.

4. If you do not know what a hex editor is, then you should really not
be messing with these iff files, and you will probably find the tech. info boring!

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Explaining Skins Part Two: MESHES

In part one we discussed in detail how to name or rename the textures
(.bmp) files that add color to your Sims. In part two we will look at
the mesh files (.skn) that define the shape of your Sims and how they
are named.

Lets look at a mesh file:

xskin-b022fafit_rrw-BODY.skn

PREFIX: xskin
This is a mesh file.

BODY TYPE: -b022fafit_rrm-
b022=the body style (shorts, long dress, etc.), fa=female adult,
fit=fit,
_rrm=Can be anything the designer want to identify this particular
version of this body style. This would be _01 for the default mesh
supplied with the program.

POSTSCRIPT: BODY
Seems to indicate the part of the body, BODY for bodies, HEAD-HEAD for heads

WINDOWS FILE TYPE EXTENSION: .skn
Yep its a Sims mesh file

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CHANGING A MESH FILE NAME:

The name of a every .skn file is mirrored within the file itself. Why? I
don't know, but when when I change the name of a .skn file I also also
change the mirrored name within the file with notepad and the
program seems to like that! It is right near the beginning of the file,
before the geometry data. However you should rarely ever need to rename
an existing .skn file.

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IS THAT ALL THERE IS TO IT?

NO! The Sims program NEVER calls for a .skn file! The program instead
calls for another pointer file; the .cmx file. What's a .cmx file? All
it is, is a short file that in turn points to or calls the actual mesh
(.skn) file. Why do this? Well it does allow different characters to
share the same mesh geometry without the need for duplicate mesh (.skn)
files with different names. But it points out an important concept:

AS FAR A THE SIMS PROGRAM GOES THE NUMBER OF DIFFERENT CHARACTER SHAPES AVAILABLE IS DETERMINED BY THE NUMBER OF DIFFERENT .CMX FILES IN YOUR SKINS FOLDER. THE SIMS PROGRAM DIRECTLY CARES ONLY ABOUT THE .CMX FILES YOU HAVE IN YOUR SKINS FOLDER.

Now lets look at a .CMX file

b022fafit_rrw.cmx

BODY TYPE: b022fafit
See above for the breakdown, but it is important to understand this body
type identifier is there so that the correct textures (.bmp) files are
linked to this  body style .cmx file.

POSTSCRIPT: _rrw
Again this can be anything the designer wants to differentiate this
particular variation on the b022fafit body style. A _01 would indicate
the game's default mesh. There is really no reason to have a custom .cmx
file unless it is designed to call an associated custom mesh (.skn)
file. But there are many occasions were many different custom .cmx files
will all point to one single custom mesh (.skn) file. Let me explain.

Suppose you download 6 different celebrity skins from a web site. The
first skin package comes with a unique .cmx file (b022fafit_Britiny.cmx)
along with associated unique texture (.bmp) files and a custom mesh file:

xskin-b022fafit_highheels-BODY.skn

When you look all the different skin sets you notice they all contain
unique .cmx files and textures, but they all have the same custom "high
heel" version of the b022fafit mesh file. All six different .cmx files
point to the SAME MESH file. But how? The answer lies inside the .cmx file.

Here is the contents of a .cmx file:

// Character File. Copyright 1997, Maxis Inc.
version 300
0
1
b022fafit_rrw
0
0
1
PELVIS
xskin-b022fafit_highheel-BODY
0
0
0

Not much huh? There are two lines that look like file names (with the
Windows extensions missing): The first is is a mirror of the .cmx's own
file name. When you rename a .cmx file you must change its mirrored name
within the file as well. The second file name is that of the actual mesh
(.skn) file that will be called by this .cmx file when the Sims program
in turn calls for this .cmx file! whew!

So dozens of different .cmx character files could all call the same
xskin-b022fafit_highheel-BODY as long as it was named within each .cmx file.

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CHANGING MESH FILE NAMES

Why would you want to do that? Well just like the textures, the Sims
program has some reserved mesh names that it uses for this shapes of
characters when they swim, shower, sleep, dress formal, etc. Change the
name of a mesh to one of these reserved names, and that's the shape your
Sim will take during that activity.

BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Remember all the Sims program directly cares about are the .cmx files.
There is never any need to rename actual mesh (.skn) files unless you
are using a program like Body warp to create a NEW shape. All you need
to do is make a copy of any .cmx file and rename it to one of the
default names. Then use notepad to correct the internal mirrored
name. Finally change the second internal file name to point to the
actual mesh file (.skn) that you want to use for that default shape!

Here are the default .cmx file patterns I've found and changed:

(Dr. C, you probably have a list of all of them. If so please post them
in this thread to complete this info.)

ADULT PAJAMA: PajamaFFit_01.cmx
Pajama=pajama F=female Fit=fit _01=default mesh

CHILD PAJAMA: pjsfchd_01.cmx
pjs=pajama f=female chd=child _01-default

(BTW DR. C. the above file name DOES work when pointing to another
existing .skn file, but not when pointing to .skn file with the same
name? Go figure?)

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OH MY GOD I FORGOT THE HEADS!!

Of course each Sims character is made up of bodies, heads and hands. The
heads follow the exact same pattern as the bodies except the head type
numbers start with a "C" rather than a "B".

I just let the program use the default hands! I have no need (at the
moment) for gloved Sims. But then if I want to create a Mickey Mouse Sim
. . . hmmm?

-Paul

hand textures:
hands, two each.........

HMLOlgt_customname.bmp
HMROlgt_customname.bmp