Options of Content Database Maiintenance (WIP)

kitakoredaz

The " Content Database Maintenance " ( we can access it,, by Content Library option menu)

is key tool to keep safe our meta-data and remove problem of CMS.
I often use this tool for remove orphan , or duplicate meta-data, etc.

Then I hope to understand more clear about each option meaning, and when we need to use these option.
I know these option to a certain degree,, and often use these option, not thinking many.
but there seems no clear guide.

So hope someone who understand clear about CMS database

in my pc,
it is C:\ProgramData\DAZ 3D\Content Management Service\databases\

and
there are meta-data files for each product, product meta-data user made.
in "daz contents folda(my libarry etc)\Runtime\ support "

tell us about each means, and when check on one option,
how it work, and what happen. (so that we may know when we use them)

1. Mark All Content As Seen

2 Remove Un-Mapped Base Paths and Ohphans...

3 Remove Orphaned File Reference

4 Consolidate File Reference

5 Condence Database

6 Process metadata Quewe

7 Re-import meta-data

8 Export User Data

9 Reset Data base

================================================

about each option,, we (new user) may want to know ,what means of each word.

eg 1. Mark contents as Seen
why we need to set contents as Seen? what means Seen? and what is difference, when we use this option,
or check off?

So I think ,,,not need to answer every question at once,,
hope to clarify about each option detail,,but easy word,, and what actually recorded or removed frome where to where.
so that we can understand when we need to use these option ,,,

( after get all answer about each option, I hope to summarize, and wll be recorded somewhere in this forum
and daz official web document ):roll:

fixmypcmike

1. Mark All Content As Seen

By default, new items are highlighted in blue. When you click on an item it gets marked as seen. Two reasons you might want to mark everything as seen are
1) so that when you install the next round of items, the highlights will stand out, and
2) since every time you click on something it has to get marked as seen in the database, some people have reported getting crashes from all that concurrent activity; marking everything as seen can prevent these crashes

2 Remove Un-Mapped Base Paths and Ohphans…

It is possible to have items in the database which are in a location which is NOT mapped as a content folder in DS. There are reasons you might want this, such as if you want to have different sets of content folders you can switch on or off. For example, if you're developing a product and want to make sure you have all the files in one place, you might remove the other content folders so you can test if anything is missing. If you DON'T want these extra paths, this option removes them.

3 Remove Orphaned File References

If content has been removed or uninstalled (for example, if a product was updated and file names have changed), entries may be left behind in the database -- this removes all such entries.

7 Re-import meta-data

This reads the metadata files in the Runtime:Support folder and adds them to the database

8 Export User Data

This writes one or more files to the Runtime:Support folder with any custom categorizations you've made, so that if you need to reset your database you can re-import them along with the other metadata.

9 Reset Data base

Empties out the database.

I'm not certain about the other 3 functions, so I'll leave those for someone who knows for certain.

kitakoredaz

Thank you much (truly,, thanks ,,,,) fixmypcmike,,:lol:

(I thought, one option may need to 3,or 4 day to get answer and finish ,, then I plan to summarize one by one ^^;
(but it seems better . member who can use clear English modify and summarize ,,

I believe,, almost perfect answer you replied already :lol:
about 1.2.3.7.8.9

it may need not,, but hope to ask some about which I feel indesitinct sitll,for me ^^;

"1 Mark All Content As Seen"

1 "new" items means , items which have not clicked (used in daz studio) yet ?

then when I click the new item (icon) in content library, or smartcontent tab,
first it remove "new" marked, then
next the "action" is transmitted to each assets data in data base ?
then it marked as "seen" in database too?

(though I do not know there is actually "seen" or "new" column about each assets )

then when I check on "Mark All Content As Seen" in Content Database Maiintenance ,
it change all assets data as Seen in database,
so CMS read assets data , and remove "new" mark from icon of all assets (change icon jpg)
which installed in content directory?

kitakoredaz

2 Remove Un-Mapped Base Paths and Ohphans…

I uderstand almost what you told,, ,,
then,, there is difference,, when I remove path by Content directory manager?

eg,,

now I have default ds content folda,, myriblrary,, and the folda mapped as ds contetn folda.

then I make new "testribrary" folda,, to save my original items. and mapped it as ds content folda too.

if I remove "mylibrary" folda (unmapped as ds contrent folda" ) by directory manager,
I can see only "testribrary" folda.,,and only files which saved there

now Un-Mapped Base Path is "myribrary",,

then if I check on "remove Un-Mapped Base Paths ,," in Content Database Maiintenance
what may happen @@;?
every data in MYlibrary has gone out from CMS data base @@;?

==================
edit,,,

now I understand,,,
make new "test" folda. out of my default content directory.

I save "teddy.duf" . in "test" folda.
after that,, mapped "test" folda as ds content folda, too.

Now I can see teddy.duf in content library, and smart content.(as unassigned=not categorize yet)

after that, remove the test folda from ds default content directory.

I can not see test folda, and teddy.duf in content library,

but I can see teddy.duf in smart content still,,,, and I can load test.duf too,,,

so if I use the option,, the test.duf data has gone away from data base,, and
I can not see it in smart content ,,, I think so,, is it right usage of this option?

(today I finish question,, about this topic ^^; thank you mike,, and hope you reply as you have time,,)

BlackFeather1973

kitakoredaz said:

6 Process metadata Queue

The Daz installers will place a reference to new metadata in the RunOnce folder, this will import the metadata in the database the next time DS starts. The option 'Process metadata queue' imports this new metadata without having to restart Daz Studio.
(This is probably only for manual installers, as the DIM will write directly into the database)

fixmypcmike

Yes, you have the unmapped base folders correct -- if you remove a mapped content folder in Content Directory Manager, the items are not removed from the database, and you can still load them from Smart Content/Products/Categories as long as the files are still on your hard drive. That's useful for things like test folders -- you can remove content folders temporarily and add them back without losing all the metadata and categorization for them. But if you really want to remove any items from the database which have unmapped paths, this option in Content DB Maintenance lets you do so.

kitakoredaz

thank you,,BlackFeather1973,, now I am still thinking around "2" or "3" still,, but can understand
what you said clear ^^ ,, I may check,, 6 Process metadata Queue,,, and old installers ^^;
it make me trouble sometimes, when I update or install with DIM ,,,
so it need to clear understand,, where old installer input meta-data,,,
(may it has relation with impoort and export meta-ata option,too) ,, I will check it more :) (for me,,)

Then,,, Thank you Mike,,Now I understand more clear,, about
2 Remove Un-Mapped Base Paths and Ohphans…

it seems last Question about this option,,, (sorry,, ask so many things ^^;)
what means Ohphans? of this option?

it means file data saved in Ohphans folda which has not mapped as DS content directory?

I sometimes confuse this Ohphans and Orphaned File Refrerences

Then,,,,3 Remove Orphaned File References

I find some strange? act in Smart content and content library view when use this option,,,
(It may not need for usuall user,, but I test it,,)

1) I saved "newtest.duf " as scene, in " D:/test" folda, which have not mapped as DS content directory yet.

2) So that I can not find "newtest".duf in Content library >> dazstudio Format Section
But when we save the file as scene , ds auto categorize it as "unassgined/scene"

(if you save it as subset , it may categorized as unassgined/set ,
if we save it as scene subset ds auto categorize it as unassgined/set)
then I can find the "newtest.duf" in "content library" >> Categories>unassigned >scene
and in " Smart content">unassigned>scene too.

in database,, this file are recorded with path, and categorized.

3) I delete "newtest.duf" in " D:/test" . by windows exproer.
it make "orphan file" in smart contnt and content library,
unassgined >scene.

4) Then try " Remove Un-Mapped Base Paths and Ohphans"
it can not remove the Orphan file icon ,,,

(it may remove path about Orphans in database,,, , but category data (Unassgiend/scene)
seems remain in database ,, I think,,,,

5) Then try "Remove Orphan files " in Content Directory Manager,
it can not work too,,,

6) but only when I right click the orphan icon
in Content ribrary>>Unassgined section,
and use "remove Orphaned references " it work,,

So ,,,
the option 3 Remove Orphaned File References,
can work about only files in folda which mapped as DS content directory?

I experienced,,,, Sometimes ,it can not remove orphan files,,, so I need ,, right-click icons
in Content Library Category section,, then "remove Orphaned references "

so,,,, when ,, this option of Content Database Maiintenance work fine?
it can work about all orphan files in Database? :roll:

or I need to set as "Ds content directory" about the folda in which orphan files(which I dleteted) were saved ,
and use this option in Content Database Maintenance?

ChromaDrake

Resurrecting this because no one seems to have answered what the heck do these things do:

4 Consolidate File Reference

5 Condense Database

6 Process metadata Queue

(Using Google led me to this thread)

sriesch

For 4 (consolidate file reference), I won't claim to know what it does, however I do know that I have to use it immediately after using "Re-Import Metadata..." to avoid getting hundreds of duplicate content thumbnails that otherwise appear in unassigned, so that has just become a standard step in the process of restoring/installing the database for me.

Note that you can't select both the "Re-Import Metadata..." and "consolidate file reference" checkboxes in a single action or it won't work; you have to check the one, run it, THEN check the other and run that.

Also note that although it's called "Re-Import Metadata...", in fact it is used to import everything in your database, even if you never use metadata.

ChromaDrake

Sean Riesch said:

For 4 (consolidate file reference), I won't claim to know what it does, however I do know that I have to use it immediately after using "Re-Import Metadata..." to avoid getting hundreds of duplicate content thumbnails that otherwise appear in unassigned, so that has just become a standard step in the process of restoring/installing the database for me.
.

Thanks for that info, it sounds helpful but I'm worried what else it might be doing.

Particularly because no one seems to know exactly what the heck this option does.

fixmypcmike

Process Metadata Queue is an obsolete option now, AFAIK -- the queue was created by the old stand-alone installers which have been replaced by zips.

ChromaDrake

fixmypcmike said:

Process Metadata Queue is an obsolete option now, AFAIK -- the queue was created by the old stand-alone installers which have been replaced by zips.

That's good to know, I suppose we'll see this option removed from the Maintanence menu sometime in the future then.

Any ideas on

4 Consolidate File Reference

5 Condense Database

They sound helpful but I don't want to use them withouh knowing what they do.