sims in tray

[Humanmonstergirl]

So when i try to play it says,"app already running in tray." but i don't know where my tray is, or how to get there.

[igazor]

You could use the Task Manager to force quit the TS3 executable or the Launcher if that's what is stuck running. Or you could reboot your computer, perhaps.

If this keeps happening, there is a fix for it that involves changing the read/write permissions on a log file in the user game folder that keeps telling Windows that a log update is still in progress when it really isn't. But might not be worth it if it only happens once in a while.

[marstinson]

Originally posted by callie1212:

So when i try to play it says,"app already running in tray." but i don't know where my tray is, or how to get there.

@igazor provided a great answer to the larger problem, so I'm only going to chime on on the unanswered part ("i don't know where my tray is, or how to get there")

It's down by the clock (usually in the lower-right corner). Somewhere down there is a little up-arrow. When you click it, you'll find all the stuff that is currently "running in the tray".

[steve_lajoie]

In Windows 10, the "tray" is accessed by that up carrot on the bottom right hand side of the screen, near the speaker control. Click that, and you'll see the sims 3.
Bad practice to kill the process with Task manager.

[funewchie]

Originally posted by igazor:

You could use the Task Manager to force quit the TS3 executable or the Launcher if that's what is stuck running. Or you could reboot your computer, perhaps.

If this keeps happening, there is a fix for it that involves changing the read/write permissions on a log file in the user game folder that keeps telling Windows that a log update is still in progress when it really isn't. But might not be worth it if it only happens once in a while.

The method he's talking about with changing the read/write permission is what I used to fix that problem in my game.
Now when I close the Sims 3, it actually closes like it's supposed to, with none of that "still open in the tray" nonsense.

I've never heard of toobad's method before, but it sounds like it should work. I don't see a reason it wouldn't.
(Would that still allow use of Steam Overlay, screenshots, achievements (if applicable), etc?)

[Zemecon]

Originally posted by toobad:

Hi it's running because of the game launcher. It IS always in the background when you launch the game however you can disable it. Check out my guide how to do it here:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1697342394

An easier way to disable or skip the launcher would be to go into your Sims 3 folder (the one in your Steam directory) and then open the EP folder with the number representing the latest Expansion you have (e.g. the Pets expansion folder will be in "EP5" and Into The Future will be in "EP11"), then into Game -> Bin and look for the executable with TS3 in it. So, for example, if you have Into The Future then you will want the TS3EP11 executable. Make a shortcut of that and place it on your desktop. You can then launch The Sims 3 without launching Steam or the launcher.

What I am curious about is what log file Igazor is referring to. My PC says The Sims 3 is running in the tray almost all the time and it would be nice to fix this.

[funewchie]

Originally posted by Maomag:

What I am curious about is what log file Igazor is referring to. My PC says The Sims 3 is running in the tray almost all the time and it would be nice to fix this.

It's actually a pretty quick fix.

In the Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3 folder, there are two files: Sims3Logs.xml and Sims3LauncherLogFile.txt

Right-click SimsLogs3.xml, and hit "Properties". Under the security tab (where you'll see a list with permissions for Full Control, Modify, Read & Execute, etc), you'd hit the "Edit" button.

Under SYSTEM, for the line "Read", you'd click the box to Deny.
You'll also do that for Administrators.
(You can leave your username alone)

Then you'd do the same with Sims3LauncherLogFile.txt, just to be sure.
----

By denying SYSTEM and Administrators "Read" permission in those two files, that stops the game from running nonstop in your tray after you quit.