Sims won't finish or resume cooking on stove [ Edited ]

[kphauldren]

My Sims will cook about half-way through (including on the stove) and then stop and the little "broken path" bubble pops up. I've sold and re-bought the stove, I've moved counters around, I've moved ceiling lights and stove hoods. I even moved the stove outside with an extra counter and they still get a "broken path" bubble. Outside where there are no obstructions! I've exited the game without saving like other threads suggested years ago but my Sims are still unable to cook on the stove. I'm not using bb.moveobjects and there only empty counters around the stove.

I do have mods/cc, but there haven't been any patch updates and I didn't add any mods/cc since the last time they were able to cook on the stove. I went ahead and removed mods, since I knew that would be advice, and nothing changed.

[SheriGR · Accepted solution]

@kphauldren In addition to the excellent suggestions & information from @Bluebellflora and @CGrant56 , did you delete the localthumbcache.package file, plus delete any other folder in the "The Sims 4” folder with the word 'cache' in the title after removing your Mods & CC? 

It doesn't look like your sprinkler system is close enough to the counter to effect this, but I though I'd mention that can be placed on an outside wall so it won't interfere with your kitchen and it will be effective inside. I have noticed when I place it outside it does have a blocked area of placement and function in front of it, too. 

[Bluebellflora]

@kphauldren

There was a patch updates last week on the 16 January.

Could you upload that lot you're having issues with to the Gallery and I'll download and test it?

Moving this to General Discussion & Feedback too as it is not a Mac tech issue

[CGrant56]

@kphauldren  You probably already tried this but did you check to see it there was anything in the oven that didn't get finished?  Like a cake or baked item? You'll see an option to resume that dish. 

I tend to queue cooking options when I'm working on the cooking, baking and gourmet cooking skills and sometimes when I do that, particularly when a dish goes in the oven, they won't wait for the first one to finish completely before moving to the next dish in the queue and then everything stops because they didn't finish the first dish and remove it from the oven.  What they do in that case is exactly what your sim appears to be doing.  Or if another sim in the household started a dish that went into the oven and thanks to the hidden thirst trait decided they needed a drink of water and walked away to get one instead of finishing the cooking action.

And did you try clicking on the what you were cooking, not the stove, the pot on top of the stove to try to resume?   You should get a resume dish option then too. I can't tell from the picture exactly what you are cooking though so I'm not sure the dish is one of those where they do the prep on the counter, start the dish on the top of the stove and then pour it into another pan to finish cooking in the oven. 

Is there another sim in the house, either active or an NPC, that may have decided they want to cook something and it interrupted your sim and now that sim has taken over the stove preventing your sim from getting to the stove?  Had that happen but it doesn't occur very often.  DU roommates can do that and you never know sometimes.

And finally, if you have DU, have you added a mod called "allstovesmod"?  That mod affects stoves grills and cauldrens to allow them to be used in a dorm.  I have no idea if will affect anything on a residential lot, but it may.  That mod appears to have been broken by the latest patch so removing it or updating it may fix your problem if you have been using it.

[SheriGR · Accepted solution]

@kphauldren In addition to the excellent suggestions & information from @Bluebellflora and @CGrant56 , did you delete the localthumbcache.package file, plus delete any other folder in the "The Sims 4” folder with the word 'cache' in the title after removing your Mods & CC? 

It doesn't look like your sprinkler system is close enough to the counter to effect this, but I though I'd mention that can be placed on an outside wall so it won't interfere with your kitchen and it will be effective inside. I have noticed when I place it outside it does have a blocked area of placement and function in front of it, too. 

[kphauldren]

@SheriGR This essentially worked! I ended up deleting and replacing everything but the saves and trays files and now it works fine! Thank you.

[SheriGR]

@kphauldren I'm so happy to hear it! Thank you for letting us know. Happy simming! 

[oboekala49]

I'm having the same issue and it doesn't start right away. It happens about 45 minutes into playing with a new house. I don't have any mods and I have all the packs.

[SchalaAndJanus]

I'm having the same issues

edit: I deleted localthumbcache.package, onlinethumbnailcache, and cache - same problem. So I can't make a grand meal, i can't make a cake and age up, etc.

[SheriGR]

@SchalaAndJanus Did you try all of the things mentioned above? Can you share a screenshot of the area? Can you please try moving your stove into the middle of an area with nothing close to it, placing nothing in the area with Moo or alt-placing? Then see if the sim can cook on the stove in a clear area. If that doesn't work you could try a new stove (also in the clear room area) in case the stove is bugged. 

If none of the above works you could try a game repair:

Spoiler

How to run a game repair:

• Open Origin, click ‘Game Library’ then right-click Sims 4 > Repair Game

• If you’re on PC, make sure to let it run until it has completed all repairs (it will do the base game first, then run through each of your DLCs (Expansion Packs, Game Packs and Stuff Packs).
• If you’re on Mac, the repair in Origin will only repair your base game. Learn why and how to repair your DLCs (Expansion Packs, Game Packs and Stuff Packs) at this link: https://bluebellflora.com/2020/06/17/repairing-sims-4-packs-in-origin/

And if you have Mods/CC in your game you could try the following:

Spoiler

Do you have any Mods or CC? If so, please move your Mods folder from your "The Sims 4" folder [Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4] to your desktop (save it for reference) and delete the localthumbcache.package file in your “The Sims 4” folder. Then check in a new game save to see if this issue is still occurring. If the issue is gone, please re-add the Mods/CC one at a time until you find the one causing the issue. If you have a lot of Mods/CC you can try the 50/50 Method.

If moving the stove, replacing the stove, running a game repair, and testing without Mods/CC (if you have them) is not working, I would be happy to test the lot in my game. Directions for sharing your lot:

Spoiler

If you would like to share this lot to the Gallery I would be happy to test it in my game. You could name it something like "stove test". Then please add a comment in this thread to let me know the name, and please let me know if your User ID in the gallery is different than it is here in the forum.

Also, does this happen if you try on another lot in your game?

[Beardedgeek72]

This just happened to me, on a lot that has been working flawlessly for two IRL weeks.

Suddenly neither of the Sims in the  household can cook; they can start a meal, but when they have performed the first set of animations they start waving and give up.

The only two things I have not tried is to delete the stove and replace it, something I don't want to do because it is fully upgraded, and I have neither tried to move the Sims to another lot.

Edit: AH. I did install a second stove, and they can use that. So I guess I have to re-upgrade a new stove... *sigh*