The Mac FAQ

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  • ElorElor Posts: 1,474

    inquire said:

     If it runs on an M chip it's because it's running in emulation such as Rosetta is that correct? 

    Yes: I have a M1 Pro Macbook Pro and Daz runs on it (of course, renders are done by the CPU and that's unlikely to change in the futur, especially considering how much bad blood there is between Apple and Nvidia).

    From what I can see, the biggest difference between M2 and M3 is on the GPU: M3 GPU can do hardware raytracing (it's unlikely to help with Daz even with the mythical Daz 5 but they are 3D rendering applications that run natively on Apple silicon).

    Having said that, Mac Studio is currently only available with M2 chips, so if you need one right now, it's not like you have any choice. If you can wait, the M2 update happened in June 2023 (likely around the WWDC conference), so the M3 Mac Studio will maybe be launched in June 2024, for the next WWDC.

  • Hi there, inquire!

    As the others have pointed out, DS 4.2.x.x versions do run under Rosetta 2 on Apple Silicon (M-series) Macs.

    I've been running DS successfully on an M1 iMac and M1 Macbook Air.  Around a year ago, I also purchased an HP Omen 40L gaming PC with an Nvidia 3060 (12GB VRAM) specifically for rendering with DS.  It's around 7 to 10 times faster rendering than my M1 Macs.  That's a wonderful speed up and the newer Nvidia cards render substantially quicker than the 3060.

    However, I still daily use my iMac to set up my scenes and render.  I use the PC every few days/weeks for rendering as I'm not the biggest fan of Windows 11.  It gets the job done just fine, but Windows requires a bit more attention to keep it running well.  The PC feels like a pet that you have to take care of.  The Mac feels like it's taking care of me. LOL.

    I'm still waiting for Apple to release an iMac Pro with at least an M3 variant (Pro, Max, or Ultra) -or- an updated Mac Studio with a high end M3/M4 variant.  I'd also get the Apple Pro Display XDR to go with the Mac Studio.  I have a feeling that the Mac Studio and Pro Display XDR is the combo that I'll be picking up later this year.  DAZ Studio 5 will likely not make use of the M3 GPU/hardware ray tracing for rendering (unless Filament can use it), at least for Iray.  However, CPU rendering on the M2 Ultra is, I believe, 2 to 3 (3 to 4?) times faster than the M1.  So that's a nice improvement for CPU rendering on the Mac.

    In any event, I'm disappointed that DAZ hasn't released an Apple Silicon native version of DS yet.  I know it's a tough road for them due to the technical changes/challenges between Qt 4 to Qt 6. It's just that it's been 4-ish years since Apple Silicon arrived.  It would be nice to at least have native performance instead of the overhead of running in Rosetta 2.  But, everything is tied to the Qt 4 to 6 transition.  I don't envy the DAZ developers task of updating DS while maintaining and enhancing the current version.  I'm just getting impatient. :) LOL!

    Since I'm rambling, I'll try to end my thoughts with a summary of my situation for a new Mac:

    I will almost certainly wait for an M3/M4 based Mac Studio due to the hardware ray tracing regardless of whether DS will make use of it or not.  There are other applications that can and those (and future apps) might be helpful in my DAZ workflow.  Plus the incrementally better CPU performance.  And with a Pro Display XDR, I'll have a large monitor that I can use in landscape or portrait mode as needed (I render quite a lot of standing portraits.)  That's about it based on my needs. :)

    The Wrinkle:  I keep putting the top spec 16" Macbook Pro (M3 Max) in my Apple Store cart and taking it back out.  I really do want a desktop Mac for daily use.  One day I might actually buy it and then get the Mac Studio that I really want when it becomes available.

    Lee

     

  • inquireinquire Posts: 2,191
    edited April 20

    Thanks to all of you for your thoughtful replies. I've had an experience with Rosetta 1. I think it's when Apple switched from the Motorola chip to the Power PC chip, or was it from the Power PC chip to the Intel chip? In any case, I could run some of the applications in Rosetta 1. Then, Apple dropped Rosetta 1 and those applications could no longer run.

    One such application was Final Cut Express. 

    So I hope DAZ will get a version of DAZ Studio running natively on the M chips because Apple may eventually drop Rosetta 2.

    Post edited by inquire on
  • Hey, hey! 
    Just checking in :) 

    Apologies if I'm a little behind the curve but is 4.22 stable on Mac yet? (I've got an m2 pro Mac mini). I'm currently still running 4.21 :) 

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 100,842

    bevdog896_d08d9c913a said:

    Hey, hey! 
    Just checking in :) 

    Apologies if I'm a little behind the curve but is 4.22 stable on Mac yet? (I've got an m2 pro Mac mini). I'm currently still running 4.21 :) 

    I am not aware that it was ever not stable on Macs.

  • GhostofMacbethGhostofMacbeth Posts: 1,628

    From what I understand, the OS you use is the stability determinant for DS. Other people know better but I was told that the more recent ones do not like the DS code as well.

  • ElorElor Posts: 1,474

    According to @Totte (page 82), on Sonoma, Daz Studio is still unstable. I don't remember if the stability problem was related to a specific version of Daz Studio or if it's impacting all of them on Sonoma (I'm not using Sonoma).

  • memcneil70memcneil70 Posts: 4,114

    I have a MacBookPro M1 and have kept up with all updates for he OS and for Daz Studio versions. Unfortunately I go through many crashes just during the opening of Studio until it gets it out of its system and then it seems stable. But, I save often and make sure to back-up my User Data before closing or doing major metadata clean-up. One thing that seems to trigger crashes as the program opens is if I move the mouse over the screen, so I try o get it on top of the opening space ASAP.

  • Hi all, I am currently run Daz Studio 442.0.16 on a Mac OS is Sonoma 14.5. 

    Getting Daz to run without it being unstable came down to NEVER using short cut keys,

    Always being careful not to ponder over File, Scripts, Edit tabs with the mouse for too long either. 

    I NEVER short cut key a Save, as to do so actually deleted the previous save file .DUF. It had completely vanished. 

     

    As a result I realised to initially save a scene, while only working with the character assets.

    Not loading any environment in, as this is a burden for the CPU and sits pointlessly in your RAM.

    I also never use hair until I am happy with posing.

    Then I save this multiple times as Name001/002 etc.

    Then add hair,apply any Dforce and then environments, then select Render.

    Since doing this Daz has not failed on me in months and it's also created a better sense of workflow, where you remove yourself from creating situations and instead focus more on the intricacies of character pose/interaction. 

    Working with a MAC does throw issues such as CPU rendering instead of GPU. But I also have a Windows PC with an old ASUS 8Gb GPU. The problem is, I'm hooked on MAC now, I can't go back to windows. So the option

    for me is construction of scenes via MAC then use the PC I have to Render everything. Even though it's an old PC it allows me to delegate renders to a device I hate using for construction scenes. 

    Not having Filament Mode on a MAC upset me a bit but then I kind of fell in love with the speed of smooth shaded. Using wire or texture just to check before the final pre- render to see for any errors with poke thru, floating feet etc.

    I've been using Daz for a few months and it's been totally stabke since I stopped using shortcut keys. I encourage other MAC users to try this as well. 

  • edited June 16

    Hi,

    I´m having the same issue trying to install throught DAM. Retry message can´t let install neither DAZ and PstgreSQL. I use DAZ in a PC Windows 11 and it works perfect. But I´m trying to install in a Mac Studio M1 with Ventura and it´s impossible. Any suggestion pelase? Thanks!

    future_boy_f2de9c36c5 said:

    Me again.

    I tried reinstalling yet again, and while everything else was installed, Daz Studio and PostgreSQL still haven't been installed, and the helpers aren't still installed. I have no VPN or antivirus installed on my Mac, but something is preventing them, I spoke with Apple on the matter. I tried to give the elevated permissions, and still nothing.  And no questions were asked during installation, not even a pop up on the upper right corner. Should I lower the security?

    Post edited by Richard Haseltine on
  • memcneil70memcneil70 Posts: 4,114

    Not sure if this is okay with the forum rules but Malwarebytes just sent out an email alerting Mac users of an issue targeted to them through Google adds that had previously been targeted to Windows and now rebranded. The title is '‘Poseidon’ Mac stealer distributed via Google ads'. If you don't already know of it, maybe check your security software company or 'google' the reference, but don't download 'Poseidon'.

  • jeffbdvsjeffbdvs Posts: 21

    optiprime2000xxx said:

    Hi all, I am currently run Daz Studio 442.0.16 on a Mac OS is Sonoma 14.5. 

    Getting Daz to run without it being unstable came down to NEVER using short cut keys,

    Always being careful not to ponder over File, Scripts, Edit tabs with the mouse for too long either. 

    I NEVER short cut key a Save, as to do so actually deleted the previous save file .DUF. It had completely vanished.  

    This ^^^

    I can get Daz to vanish (no Mac crash log, no Daz log entry, no error dialog) reliably by hovering over the Edit menu, then hovering over Object, then hovering over Geometry, then moving the mouse to the File menu. Poof. 

  • ElorElor Posts: 1,474
    edited July 6

    My most reliable way to get a crash on Mac OS Ventura with 4.21.0.5 is having two time the same object, changing the surfaces on one of them and selecting the other. Poof. It happened more time than I'm willing to admit, but now, I do my best to never change the surface of an object when it's not the sole object loaded.

    Hopefully, a native Apple Silicon version will happen soonish: last time loading a script crashed Daz, it was apparently related to Rosetta (no idea why, because the same script loaded just fine a couple of minutes later, but it can get a bit tedious to launch Daz, clear the cache, then hope that the script will not crash Daz, rinse and repeat until planets are aligned).

    Post edited by Elor on
  • memcneil70memcneil70 Posts: 4,114

    I just have to turn it on, move my cursor over the screen and it will crash. I have to have the cursor on the opening image to avoid (mostly) a crash. So I start with opening, pause to let everything settle down, then click on the viewport. But yesterday a new way happened. I was putting in metadata and checking other files, and put my cursor over a line, then moved it down the line of products to see what might be triggering a 'ghost' Lost in Found issue. After a few hours, it started to crash when I used my down/up arrow keys. Rebooting did not clear it up. So I had to manually do that line movement with my mouse. Today, no issues. No idea what went on yesterday. But if I touch the mouse to the top line of options, without touching the viewport, without fail, D|S will crash. 

  • inquireinquire Posts: 2,191

    I have very much the same problem starting DS up, but I'm running Monterey 12.7.5. If I even move the curser while DS is starting, it crashes. 

  • inquireinquire Posts: 2,191

    If I want to find a forum on a particular product, in, for example, the Commercial Products list of forums, is there a way to search for it other than just scrolling through the lists? 

  • memcneil70memcneil70 Posts: 4,114

    I have DAZ Deals with Pro Options so I am not sure if on a product's promo page reflects if you don't have it, but the 'forum reference(s)' are my first go to when I want to find what others have written about that product. The other is Googling the product by its name or generic subject name, like 'Medieval Clothing in Daz3D' or something like that. What is the most frustrating is when folks do discuss issues, good or bad, but don't link a product. This even includes the PA in the Commercial threads. They get buried often and months later you have a problem, or need to remind yourself how to use it, and the thread is a godsend. I use the promo page to find it. But sometimes there is no link. :( So I am left to searching page by page through the Commercial Products thread. And I try to avoid using a search in the forum. That is a dead lost.

  • ElorElor Posts: 1,474

    The free version also offers the link to each forum post with a link to a product page and I'm very thankful to the Daz deals dev team for that feature (and all other they are offering for free).

  • inquireinquire Posts: 2,191

    What is this: DAZ Deals with Pro Options?

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 100,842

    inquire said:

    What is this: DAZ Deals with Pro Options?

    Daz Deals is a browser plug-in that allows additional filtering options, links to threads and galleries that use the product, etc. The Pro version, which requires a contribution, can track your wishlist and add filters based on ownership of products.

  • inquireinquire Posts: 2,191

    Well, I don't know why these features aren't provided by DAZ to its customers. I would just like to be able to search for a particular forum page. Or, if I know the artist who created the product, I'd like to enter that person's name and see any forums that are product centered.

    Back to the extension: it won't work with Safari, which is what I use, and if I were to use Firefox, it looks like there are problems there, and problems as well on Chrome. I also don't see why a potential customer should have to pay (referring to the plus version) to see features that would help one decide on making a purchase or not. And so it goes with web browser extensions: there are always glitches that come up. 

    Again, I just think that DAZ should provide more help to its potential customers, and to customers who have already purchasd a product,  in searching for a product centered forum.

  • memcneil70memcneil70 Posts: 4,114

    It used to be free when the creators were affiliated but two years ago, DAZ decided to discontinue many of their affiliations, that being one of them. The add-on does work with Edge which I use on my Win 11 and on Google Chrome on my iMacs and Win 10s. But I do my shopping on my old iMac with Google Chrome. Ati and Overdrawn work hard to maintain the program and are responsive when we report something going crazy due to updates on the store's software or the varied browsers and OSs.

    I have saved a lot of money since I started to use it early on and the customer feedback on products is invaluable.

  • inquireinquire Posts: 2,191

    Well, the creator of these extensions also criticizes Safari for not having standard extensions. Actually, Apple is much more careful of how its extensions are designed so as to prevent malicious malware from being imported via web browser extensions. You can get a virus from a web browser extension. Firefox and Chrome are much more lax as to the way their web browser extensions are constructed. Just check ChatGPT to see what it says about web browser extensions and Safari, Firefox, and Chrome in relation to such extensions.

    If there were a Safari version of this web browser extension, I would try the free version. Then, if I really liked it, I might get the pay version.

    I still think that DAZ should make it as easy and convenient as possible for prospective buyers to find product information such as forums hosted by the originators of the products. I don't think that web browser extensions should be necessary.

  • ElorElor Posts: 1,474

    Did someone tested if Daz Studio is more stable with macOS Sequoia compared to Sonoma ?

    I'm still using Ventura because of Daz but at one point in the future, Apple will stop release updates for it and I prefer to have an updated computer when updates are still available to it.

  • Elor said:

    Did someone tested if Daz Studio is more stable with macOS Sequoia compared to Sonoma ?

    I'm still using Ventura because of Daz but at one point in the future, Apple will stop release updates for it and I prefer to have an updated computer when updates are still available to it.

    FWIW : I've been using Sonoma since the release of 14.1 (never go with the initial release) and have had no problems w/DAZ, but I have an intel based system with quite a bit of RAM.  

  • ElorElor Posts: 1,474

    Thank you.

    I have M1 system and some crashes I had were related to Rosetta, so maybe an Intel based system will be more stable, not having to depend on Rosetta to use Daz Studio.

    I think I'll try myself, now I just need to remember how to get back to Ventura if Sequoia is not giving me a stable enough Daz experience smiley

  • TotteTotte Posts: 13,959

    Elor said:

    Thank you.

    I have M1 system and some crashes I had were related to Rosetta, so maybe an Intel based system will be more stable, not having to depend on Rosetta to use Daz Studio.

    I think I'll try myself, now I just need to remember how to get back to Ventura if Sequoia is not giving me a stable enough Daz experience smiley

    I did testrun DS a bit on macOS 15 and the same "menu-crash" exists. I've been reporting that more in depth to the devs recently as I was forced to update my macStudio to macOS 14 because of XCode.

     

  • inquireinquire Posts: 2,191
    edited September 18

    Yes, and I'm afraid that Apple may drop Rosetta 2. I had purchased some products such as Final Cut express, which I was able to run with Rosetta 1, way back when. Then Apple dropped Rosetta1 And I would have had to re-purchase those products in order to use them on, I think it was, the new power PC chip at that time. 
    I do have a friend who works in Silicon Valley, though not at Apple computer, and He tells me that he thinks Apple will drop Rosetta 2 Soon.

    So I'm still hoping for a quick release of DAZ Studio 5 Which will run natively on the Apple Silicon M chips. Is there any news or hope for this happening soon?
    I'm doing this in speech to text on my iPhone 15+ In iOS 18.0. Please attribute any little typo errors to the fact that speech to text does not work perfectly. Sometimes I can Correct these glitches, And sometimes it's almost impossible.

    I did go to an Apple store to investigate purchasing either a Macintosh Pro or a Mac Studio. When the guy who was helping me looked up DAZ Studio (which he did because I told him that's what I was primarily interested in running on the product), he advised me against the purchase. He said, "It only runs in emulation. Wait until it can run natively." I kid you not. I did not expect such a recommendation. I did not make a purchase.

    Post edited by inquire on
  • ElorElor Posts: 1,474

    Totte said:

    I did testrun DS a bit on macOS 15 and the same "menu-crash" exists. I've been reporting that more in depth to the devs recently as I was forced to update my macStudio to macOS 14 because of XCode.

    Hopefully with your reports, they will be able to tackle the problem faster smiley

    inquire said:

    So I'm still hoping for a quick release of DAZ Studio 5 Which will run natively on the Apple Silicon M chips. Is there any news or hope for this happening soon?

    I don't think Daz commented on Daz 5 since long before I started using Daz last year but it would be nice when it'll finally be released.

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