Here is how to catalogue items:
1) Open the object you are working on in SimPE.
2) In the upper left list, highlight object data. (I have only done this with objects that have one file in the big box to the right of the list but if yours has more than that you can apply this post to it and fill in the blanks yourself).
3) Highlight the file in the box to the right of the formentioned list.
4) Click the plug-in view tab. You should see a white area with many "Elements" and values to the right of them. There are two values to the right of each element that pertaines to catalogue placement. They are both the same value but the one on the left is hex notation and the right, decimal notation. (don't worry if the screen does not depict this verbatim as the catalogue elements are strewn about the element list and not all together). You will also notice a 6 charector hex # to the left of each element. These are irrelivant but do make it easier for your eyes to search for the element because they are in order, so I will include them in my list. Make sure you double check that the number to the left has the same words to the right of it that you see below and, if for some reason they don't, go by the names in this list and disregard the numbers on the left. Okay, here's the list of elements that determine catalog placement for the object:
0x0062 Catalogue use flags.............hex:__________ dec:_____________
0x008e Room sort flags..................hex:__________ dec:_____________
0x0090 Function sort flags.............hex:__________ dec:_____________
0x0092 Catalogue strings ID......... hex:__________ dec:_____________
0x00AC Catalogue popup ID.......... hex:__________ dec:_____________
0x00CA Build mode type............... hex:__________ dec:_____________
0x00D4 Build mode sub-sort..........hex:__________ dec:_____________
0x00FC Function sub-sort..............hex:__________ dec:_____________
-there is also a price element near the top
THESE ARE THE ELEMENTS THAT DETERMINE CATALOGUE PLACEMENT FOR AN OBJECT. I do not know what numbers to enter for what but I do know how to put anything anywhere I want it to appear in the catalogue. This is how I do it:
1) I open a copy of objects package in SimPE and highlite catalogue description.
2) Then I go through the files in the big box to the right and find a description of an object that is catalogued where I want my hack to appear.
3) Then I write down the 10 charecter hex value from the group field of that catalogue description and enter it into the group filter box directly above. (by the way it is only necessary to enter the charectors to the right of the x, infact entering the 0x has caused undesirable effects for me. eg: for the group# 0x87654321 you would want to enter 87654321 in the group filter box) This should filter out every file that does not belong to that catalogue description (if not press enter once when your cursor is in the group filter entry field).
4) Now highlite object data in the list in the left box. Make sure you're in plug-in view
5) Scroll down to each of the elements listed above and record on a piece of paper: the element, and both values that are to the RIGHT of the element.
6) Now open up the object you are modding in SimPE.
7) Highlite object data, highlight the file to the right, and click plug-in view tab.
8) Enter the values you recorded from the last step in their corrisponding fields of your object. (object data->plug-in view) This will make the object appear in the catalogue in the same place that the object you copied the numbers from does. You can simply enter the decimal value in the right box and SimPE will automatically enter the hex value for you, but it is still a good idea to write them both down as it saves you time if you miscopied a number.
-=( Don't forget to click change and commit and then file/save between each and every change/entry. You don't necessarily have to with each entry but to be on the safe side you should. I have become familiar with SimPE and have become acustomed to a certian level of "loosness" but to ensure proper results you will want to click change, if it's available, then commit, and then file/save after each little change you make.)=-
I'm sorry I can't help you more but I havn't catalogued enough objects to be able to know the formula. I do however have a fill in the blanks form I use to record the cataloging numbers. It holds three objects worth of info per page and all you have to do is fill in the numbers. This will allow you to record catalogue info for several objects at a time and eventually show a pattern. (believe me it gets real old real fast writing the above list over and over) If you don't feel like doing that you should type one up yourself or simply cut and paste from this screen and make your own. I hope this helps you. -JoJo


<span class='smallblacktext'>[ Edited ]</span>

I researched what values to put where in the Object Data section to get the catalog placement I wanted. You can actually put an objects in the residential catalog, the Community Catalog and the Build Catalog at the same time (should you so choose).
Since the available attachment formats and sizes are limited, I had to take my nice tabled document and reduce it to spaced text columns. It is best viewed with a monospace font, like Notepad uses.
Each section of it shows what offset to set and the values as a column header, and lines underneath show what category/sub-category it will end up in. You OR the values together to get multiple placements.
<* Wes *>

Wow. Thanks, and sorry it's late. I moved on the 22nd and plum forgot about this thred. Must have been a tedious task but thanks again Wes_H, this is very helpfull. -JoJo

I just found this thread and it was most useful, Thanks for the text file Wes.

:D

ok i'm new and don't get it so...

Wes, THANKX-A-MILLION. ScrapNugs (and everyone), what Wes is talking about is particular values (digits) that will fill in the blanks (at least) that I have provided. He has taken the time to experiment with these variables and, no doubt by trial and error to every degree including and beyond what I provided (which I have not, and as of the time of my origonal post I was a beginner at modding). I still concider myself a beginner modder compared to Wes_H if I was ever even concidered in anyones eyes to share the same comparative scale as Wes. Comparisons are odieus anyway.
Wes is good at modding TS2. If his post and/or contents of the file(s) he posted in this thread are not understandable to you I strongley reccomend you follow my instructions. Note that at the time of this post here, SimPE now is able to edit community sort flags and also has since evolved in many ways pertaining to the subject and function of this thread with a much broader scope. This is some of the meat of which Wes is addressing but what he is addressing is based on the version of SimPE he was using at the time of this post (mind you, this fact is irrelivant). I noticed that BoblishMan has a more current and up to date thread (which I have posted relevant details in, regarding his innovations on this subject and encourage you to check it out as it deals, more specifically, with the current version of SimPE where as the information I and Wes have provided deals primerily with the data to be entered. Strictly dealing with my first post in the thread I want to point out that currently there are definately at least one more field names that are preasant in SimPE. You would just add them to my list of blanks in my first post. These fields are: Community Sort (definite) and Community Sub-Sort (may not still exist in current version of SimPE). See Boblishman's thread more info and check out my post(s) in it for details regarding cataloguing.
I hereby apoligise to the "community" for the length of periods of inactivity regarding subjects I brought to light, and excuse myself from offending anyone over it. I do -and have always- kept tabs on such things across the entire realm of TS2 modding. As a result of carefull analysis I have determined to the best of my ability that at the time of this post cataloguing items in TS2 is effectively covered and applicable to all versions of the game (I do not have the family fun pack yet) by the information provided in this thread and BobLishMan's (provided his 128 value actually works).

How do you open objects?

With SimPE. The values discussed in this thread can be found into the Object Data, "Raw" tab.

my custom content is in dl folder but not simPe. i have version for freetime 6,62 i guess whatever the numbers are SOMEONE HELP!!!!

What is it you want to do?

If you want the objects in the Downloads to appear in the Object Workshop list (so to clone/recolour them) then you have to select the menu Extra -> Preferences -> File Table, and click on "Add Downloads". Then, RESTART SimPE.
This way, Object Workshop will load the Downloads folder, too, but BEWARE: the loading can be VERY slow, if you have a lot of downloads.