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While the majority of skinners and mesh-makers check, re-check, and test their work extensively before releasing it, it is possible for mistakes to sneak through. This can result in "blank" Sims showing up in the "Select or Create Family Screen," Downtown, etc., or in a frustrating game crash. FileCop doesn't always find these mistakes, either...especially if the problem is internal.
SimEnhancer 3D, an excellent, low-priced program for changing most Sims' characteristics and organizing skins, will point out problem meshes and skins, but what do you do about those problems once they're discovered? This tutorial will show you what's inside those mysterious .cmx and .skn files, how to check them for proper format, and how to fix them if you find a mistake. If you're still having problems with Skins downloaded from Mermaid Cove after reading and following these instructions, post your problem on the Mermaid Cove Message Board. Describe the problem in detail (what happens? what are you doing when it happens? etc.), tell me whether you play on a PC or Mac, and tell me which expansion packs you have (if any)...and be prepared to be referred right back to this page if your problem can be solved by reading and following these instructions! 
Check Files Before Installing! Quick peek from inside WinZip (Refer to Installing Skins before proceeding, if you don't know the difference between .cmx, .skn, and .bmp files.) Most .cmx and .bmp files involved in creating Sims will be within a certain size range. You can see these sizes while the files are still "zipped," and avoid putting any files with obvious problems into your game in the first place. If you find a suspect file, unizip it to your desktop, or another folder, for more thorough inspection ~ and possible correction ~ before installing.  As you can see in the example above, a .bmp (skin) file for a Sim's body will be around 66-67k in size. A little more or less isn't a problem, since the size can fluctuate if there's a lot of black or white in the skin. If it's much more (over 100k), then it's probably either too large in dimension (width and height) or in the wrong color depth (more than 256 colors). Either of these problems are best left to the skinner to fix, unless you're experienced with graphics and can change the size or color depth with confidence...and a good graphics program. A .cmx file larger than 2k or so means there's something going on. If you find several .skn files, then expect a slightly larger .cmx. A single .skn file ~ which is all most Sims need ~ requires a .cmx of approximately the size shown (1k). An .skn file can be any size. Most bodies are in the 50k range, while simple heads, like those by Maxis, are usually around 10k or less. Some meshes, however, are quite large, especially heads with detailed hair styles (example, Fionn's). Exercise caution when using any mesh larger than 100K on slower computer systems, or those with less than 256M of RAM; they can crash the game. Test large meshes one at a time; don't install a batch all at once! This chart shows the average sizes of files for a Sim. All .bmp files must be in 256 color (Indexed color); .bmp files can be opened in any basic graphics program to find out their dimensions.
Updated: Sept. 15, 2003
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Use of graphics, except for promotion of this site, is strictly forbidden
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Use of graphics, except for promotion of this site, is strictly forbidden
without the express written permission of Hairfish of Mermaid Cove.