A Sims 2 utility

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DBPF Reader is another Sims utility for the Macintosh that opens file archives from games like The Sims and its expansions, The Sims 2, and The Sims Online (TSO)/EA-Land.
DBPF Reader is a work in progress.

Current version: 0.99b4

What DBPF Reader Does

Use the DBPF to open a .package file (or a lotSegmentXXXX.sims file) You will see a long list of stuff in columns, which is basically the package index

These are the column headings
Offset : file type : file ID : group ID : type ID : file name / description

The most important column is file type, which corresponds to the resources in an IFF file. Unfortunately there are a lot more different file types in DBPF files than in IFF files so the familiar tab panel display doesn't work so well. A lot of the new file types don't even include readable four character codes inside the DBPF file, but they have been given codes based on the lists at ModTheSims2 and SimPE. This makes it much easier for us to identify them in the DBPF reader list.

The only file type you can view directly with DBPF reader is the TXTR texture, and although it won't work for all possible TXTR file types, it works on downloaded packages. Select an appropriate line of the package index and use Edit - Format to bring up the TXTR window. This works better for small images; it's really slow with the large BodyShop images (but it works).

textureviewer
The DBPF Reader interface

There are also various thumbnail image file types that you can extract and view in another program. Select an appropriate line of the package index and use File - Export (or double-click the line). This works for JFIF, PNG and BMP file types.

Requirements

DBPF Reader should run on any PowerPC Mac with OS 8.5 or higher. It has been tested on MacOS versions 8.6 to 10.6.8 (Snow Leopard). The DBPF Reader version for OS X is Carbonized and needs Carbon version 1.2.5 or higher.

DBPF Reader is compiled as a PowerPC application which runs without problems on Intel-based Macs under OS 10.6 (Snow Leopard) with Rosetta.

As a PowerPC application, DBPF Reader will not run under OS 10.7 (Lion) or later versions.

Where to find it

AQ

Copyrights

Program code and webpage copyright © 2002 - 2012 Peter Gould

All sprite object art on these pages is used for purposes of illustration only.

The Sims and The Sims Online (TSO)/EA-Land. are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc.

MORE INFORMATION

Links...

For details about the Sim file formats: The Sims Technical Library

For an overview of the DBPF file format : ModTheSims2


The IFFSnooper pages.

For programmers...

The REALBasic project file for the latest on-line build of DBPF Reader in hqx format.

Disclaimer

This software is distributed 'as is': no warranties are made, either expressed or implied. Use it at your discretion.

UPDATE NOTES 2002 - 2005

Version 0.99b4

24 Aug 2005
Version History...