[NEEDS SAVES] Trash Cans Stop Working on Some Lots [ Edited ]

[PipMenace]

Product: The Sims 4
Platform:Mac
Which language are you playing the game in? English
How often does the bug occur? Often (50% - 99%)
What is your current game version number? 1.64.84.1220
What expansions, game packs, and stuff packs do you have installed? University, Cats & Dogs, Realm of Magic
Steps: How can we find the bug ourselves? Play a variety of different households in one save game, switching between them. Eventually, one or more will either start having the outdoor trashcan bug mentioned here: https://answers.ea.com/t5/Bug-Reports/OPEN-External-Garbage-Cans-filling-up-without-needed-lot-Trait... or, far more annoyingly, you'll return to them to find their lot has stopped acknowledging the existence of trash cans at all. If this second option happens, it's permanent for that household.
What happens when the bug occurs? Trash cans that were previously in use and are still completely accessible are now unusable. If you click on trash, you get a greyed out message saying you need a trash can. No matter how many you buy or where you put them, you get that same message. Clicking on the indoor trash cans tells you you need an outdoor can to empty them, even if they're brand new. No matter how many outdoor bins you buy or where you put them, you still get this message.
What do you expect to see? Trash cans working like trash cans and allowing you to throw stuff out.
Have you installed any customization with the game, e.g. Custom Content or Mods? Not now. I've removed them.
Did this issue appear after a specific patch or change you made to your system? Yes
Please describe the patch or change you made. It was after the base game update when Eco Living launched. I didn't buy Eco Living.

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I've tried removing mods (only had a few CAS ones) and repairing the game. I chose "often" for how often the bug occurs because while I've only had it happen to 2 households so far, but once it happens, it happens to them 100% of the time.

It has not yet happened to a household without pets, but that could just be because most of my households have them. I'm particularly annoyed about the Brindleton Bay household where I was trying to become a vet and now her house is covered in cat fur piles I can't get rid of. The other household was in one of the base game worlds and I'd mostly finished with him anyway so I just stopped playing that one.

Edit By Crinrict: Added Tag to Title

[TheSimsDirect · Accepted solution]

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Marked as Solution for Visibility. This is still an open issue.

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Hello All,

If any of you are still encountering this on the latest game version (without mods), would you be willing to share your save file(s)?

If so, please send me a private message with a link to the file.

Instructions here: http://x.ea.com/74420

Thanks!

[adduapina]

@PipMenace Playing rotationally, I have encountered this so +1 me too but need to try this out (at this point this equals to trying to be able to actually play more without getting frustrated and/or all my work on my save file so far going to waste :/) more to give a more detailed feedback.

[PipMenace]

So I'd been fighting with this for a while before coming on here, and posted it when I didn't see anyone else with the exact same problem - but as a I suspect it's at least related to the full trash cans bug, I read through that thread after, experimented some more, and I think I found a work-around you can try:

1. Get the NanoCan. (I had to use the money cheat to give her enough money to afford one)

2. She still can't throw anything out, but I can drag-and-drop to the NanoCan.

3. Once the NanoCan had eaten a few piles of fur, I was then able to drag-and-drop to the cheaper trashcans I'd had from before. She still couldn't throw anything out.

4. I found and removed (via drag-and-drop to the NanoCan) every bit of trash on the lot.

5. Five minutes later, when the cat used the litter box, she was able to clean it - and has been able to use the NanoCan a few times since (though... I don't think it gave her any money? That's fine though, since she shouldn't have been able to afford it anyway). I haven't played very long to see if this will last, nor do I dare use any that need to be emptied, but at least I'm un-stuck and able to play this lot again! I'd recommend trying the NanoCan & a manual clean-up if you have the same issue.

Edit: Yes, this work-around has continued to work for a couple Sim weeks - it hasn’t gotten stuck again on this lot. I’m just using the NanoCan though.

[JulietJuly22]

@PipMenace Yeah I've had this since DLing EL. Even when the Reuse/Recycle lot trait isn't in effect, outdoor cans overflow. And the sims can't interact w/them to clean it. So I've been either just buying a new one and selling the old one or having all lots have R/R trait on.

[PipMenace]

@JulietJuly22 I think you’re looking for https://answers.ea.com/t5/Bug-Reports/OPEN-External-Garbage-Cans-filling-up-without-needed-lot-Trait... as my issue was that even brand new trash cans (indoor and outdoor) don’t work. The Sim just loses the ability to throw anything out ever. It’s probably related but not quite the same.

[JulietJuly22]

@PipMenace Oooh gotcha! Yeah, I haven't had THAT problem (yet? lol). That is definitely a frustrating one!

[Selkie94]

Product: The Sims 4
Platform:PC
Which language are you playing the game in? English
How often does the bug occur? Every time (100%)
What is your current game version number? 1.64.84.1020
What expansions, game packs, and stuff packs do you have installed? Eco Lifestyle, Discover University, Island Living, Get Famous, Seasons, Cats & Dogs, City Living, Get Together, Get To Work Realm of Magic, Strangerville, Jungle Adventure, Parenthood, Vampires, Dine Out, Spa Day, Outdoor Retreat Tiny Living, Moschino, Laundry, Toddler, Vintage Glamor, Romantic Garden, Movie Hangout, Spooky Holiday Celebration
Steps: How can we find the bug ourselves? I assume load the game and try to take out the trash?
What happens when the bug occurs? I cannot click on the trashcans as an adult sim. It will not let me tell a sim to take out the trash. Sims consistently do not take out trash on their own, either. Trash can starts to overflow and cause dirty surroundings with no way to rectify this without deleting the trash can and purchasing a new one.
What do you expect to see? I expect to be able to take out the trash when I have a trashcan and a bin on the lot.
Have you installed any customization with the game, e.g. Custom Content or Mods? Not now. I've removed them.
Did this issue appear after a specific patch or change you made to your system? Neutral/Not Sure 

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My sims seem incapable of taking out the trash. They fill up their trashcan but will not empty it. I cannot click on the trashcan to tell them to empty it. 

If toddler is selected, I can click on the trashcan for the "what's that?" action. No actions available for adult sim. 

[crinrict]

@Selkie94 This is for indoor trash cans ?

There's several issue with trash cans that all seem similar:

- https://answers.ea.com/t5/Bug-Reports/OPEN-External-Garbage-Cans-filling-up-without-needed-lot-Trait...
- https://answers.ea.com/t5/Bug-Reports/Trash-Cans-Stop-Working-on-Some-Lots/td-p/9305638/jump-to/firs...

[Selkie94]

@crinrict Yes, this is for indoor trashcans, as well as outdoor trashcans. Cannot click on any trashcans.

[crinrict]

Try resetting your user files as described in the factory reset described in this post: http://answers.ea.com/t5/The-Sims-4/FAQ-Troubleshooting-Steps-amp-Known-Issues/m-p/3621199

You won't loose anything. Just make sure to not delete any files  and make a backup.

After renaming, repair your game by right clicking on the game in Origin.

Try on a new game with nothing added back first (start new game). If it works, put back your save game and try again. If it still works, you can start putting stuff back.

• Options.ini (or just re-set all your settings manually)
• Tray Folder
• Screenshots/Videos/Custom music
• Rest of the save games (leave out slot_00000001.save which is the autosave and no longer needed - if you still have it)
• Custom content like clothing, hair, skins, make up ....
• Mods (one by one, making sure they all still work)

The rest does not need putting back, cause they are mostly cache files that recreate or log files that are not needed for the game.