Clean Install...still confused...Rank Newby

dsb.1274_3b2dfc6ba9

I like Daz3D, trouble is I don't seem to be able to get off Ground Zero. I've YouTubed, read allsorts of posts on this Forum but still having hassle. I did a clean install of Daz and opened it up. No characters at all infact...nothing. I don't know what I was expecting, maybe a simple default character. The reason I wanted a clean install was to compare the folder and directory structure as each component\figure\collection was added. I then downloaded the Genesis Starter Essentials and my metadata was nicely populated with props, animations etc. All well and good. I have a few questions. How can I delete various props without breaking a figure\character? How can I 'folderize' my content, like 'Hair' to appear aii in one folder? What I am trying to achieve is a slimmed down version of Daz where I know EXACTLY what clothes\hair\clothes go with what figure. Also looking at the folder structure, I see reference to daz3d ver3 (C:\Users\Public\Documents\My DAZ 3D Library\data) & Millenium Man (C:\Users\Public\Documents\My DAZ 3D Library\Runtime\Textures\DAZ\Characters). Howcome? I am trying to find the relationships to various components. Thanks for reading.

Jaderail

All the Genesis items work on any Genesis figure. So what your wanting to do is already done as far as Genesis goes. When you add Generation 4 figures like V4 (the real figure not the Genesis V4 morph) and Items for V4 then you can use Right Click on the item or Items folders and Catagorize them so you know where to find them.

Totte

Hello,

History lesson.
he reason things are as confusing as they are is that DAZ Studio was made to handle Poser stuff in the first place, and Poser has a somewhat weird and rigid idea about how the world should be designed. DAZ Studio also has it's own file structure for items made for DAz Studio, and it uses that structure when you open a Poser designed item, to store a local converted copy.

So, where does this come into play?
Poser has a structure that was "Base Directory" -> "Runtime", where in the Runtime things where sorted into Geometries { .obj files, meshes} Libraries (for characters, props, poses, hair expressions etc} and Textures {Texture maps}.

DAZ Studio has another set of folders in the "Base Directory", namely data { where all convertered info is stored, and also all DAZ Studio specific information about an object }, and then there are many, but People { all people } Props {props or DS-materials for Poser items} and Shaders {DAS Studio specific shaders} are some of the basic DAZ Studio directories.

Applying this to what you see.
C:\Users\Public\Documents\My DAZ 3D Library\ is your "Base directory".
C:\Users\Public\Documents\My DAZ 3D Library\data/ is your DAZ Studio data directory
C:\Users\Public\Documents\My DAZ 3D Library\Runtime/ is your "Poser Runtime" directory

Where do things go then?
As most items (props and characters) are for both Poser and DAZ Studio, the installation will take place in several places.

Texturemaps goes to: "Base Directory" -> Runtime -> Textures -> (Sub directory per product or PA)
Meshes goes to: "Base Directory" -> Runtime -> Geometries -> (Sub directory per product or PA)
Most stuff now goes into the "Base Directory" -> Runtime -> libraries -> {either character, hair, pose or prop}

Installers that have special DAZ Studio data will go now go to "Base Directory]" -> "some matching directory for DAZ Studio" (Props, People or something else}, plus that there will be information stored into the "Base Directory" -> data

This is what you will see if you browse you content using the content browser in DAZ Studio.

OK, still with me? Good. Now, you have an additional layer on top of this called Smart Content, which is a database that came with DAZ Studio 4, and for items that do have metadata, the database will be populated with information to give you a secondary view over you content, not mapped to match the actual file structure, but to map the usage or type of item.

One of the fundamental sources of misunderstandings is to understand that the Smart Content and the actual content on disk does not have the same structure, one is on disk, the other resides in a database.

I hope this cleared things out a bit, don't be afraid to ask more if you still feel it is hard to grasp.

And I admit that it took me tree reinstalls before I had enough knowledge about this. I wish there had been a DIM (DAZ Install Manager) when I started almost three years ago. One of many sources of problems is that older installers defaults to the wrong installation location, and you need to know if you are installing using installers where you have your stuff. With DIM that is a piece of cake, you tell it ones and it will then install things in the right place (as long as the content itself is correctly setup, which it is most of the time, but to err is human, and sometimes an install package is wrongly setup).

dsb.1274_3b2dfc6ba9

Thanks for your replies, Jaderail & Totte. Since posting, I have started to add s few freeby figures and noticing relationships in the structures. Totte has it right, mentioning Poser. I tried getting into Poser 7 some time ago even buying the book by Denise Tyler and had trouble with the runtime folders, ending up with countless broken characters. It's just the directory structure and the relationship between figures (actors) & props, however with your kind help and advice, it's starting to become clearer. The bizarre thing is that I have no trouble whatsoever with the lighting, camera and morphing elements of Daz, just the relationship between figures. It's a learning curve and your help has been great. I am from the 3DSMax school but my workflow dictates multiple characters (avatars) for a Unity3D project, hence Daz for the ability of 'quick' models, tweaked between Max, Photoshop & others. Once I can get this cracked my next headache will be clothing (making my own via Hexagon). However, one step at a time, huh? Thanx again, people who have replied. Certainly helped.

Peace.