BUG REPORT: changing content folder issues [SOLVED]
Padone
Posts: 3,804
As usual I'm going to file a bug report but here it is just to help anyone interested.
I noticed that when you change the content folder, DAZ Studio is no longer able to find the correct path to save new files, even if you specify it in the user preferences.
Steps to reprodue the issue:
1) rename the content folder
2) open DAZ Studio and update the content folder (edit > preferences > content > directory manager)
3) restart DAZ Studio
4) create a new scene and try to save it
On step 4 the previously saved assets, such as scene subsets, work fine. This means that the new path works as expected and everything is relative to it as it should be.
Anyway when you try to save a new scene DAZ Studio can't find the Scene folder and reverts to the program files folder instead. Then you have to select the Scene folder on the new path and the next time DAZ Studio will remember it.
This happens for every new kind of file such as scene subsets, render settings etc. The first time you always have to teach Studio where the folder is. Even if you already specified the new path in the preferences.
This behaviour is very annoying. DAZ Studio should use the new path from the preferences for saving files, without asking the user for every new file type it has to save. This way every time you change the content folder you have to teach Studio everything again.
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Comments
The last save/load/import/export locations are stored as absolute paths (after all, there's no guarantee that they would be in a mapped content directory) so not looking at the "equivalent location in the new content directory is expected (and, in general, how would DS know which content directory to use?). The opening to the application folder, which is protected by the OS, does annoy me.
"and, in general, how would DS know which content directory to use?"
For sure not the application folder. In my opinion it should use the content folders specified in the preferences. At least asking the user which content folder to use. Not reversing to the app folder because it can't find the last used one.
Also, the average user may not know where, for example, the render settings presets are to be saved. So DAZ Studio asking for it to the user can be troublesome. If DAZ Studio doesn't know the path it should ask which content folder to use, this would be appropriate. Really, it can't ask for every single new file type where's the folder to place it. If this is by design then I'm honestly sorry to say there's a design flaw here.
When you first install DAZ Studio it creates the folders it needs when it can't find them. So for example when you save your first render settings it creates the needed folders inside the content folder. It should do exactly the same when the content folder is changed. There's no reason why it should not.
DAZ Studio has its own directory structure to respect for placing assets. That is also rather complex. This behaviour leaves the user alone her/his own way and so it is too much error prone for the average user.
UPDATE
I got to restore the original DAZ Studio behaviour of creating its own folders when it can't find them. It required to perform a clean install though. This is not possible with the normal uninstall tool. You have to delete files and folders yourself and even registry keys. So it's not recommended at all for the average user. But for anyone interested here it is below.
https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/28348/squeaky-clean-uninstall-of-daz-is-it-possible
p.s. Be aware that the first time you change the content folder DAZ Studio will go dumb in the "who knows anything" mode as described above, and will leave you alone in specifying your own folders.
There's no obligatory location for the user-facing files - they don't even have to go in a content directory, though if they don't the database won't be able to cope with moving to another system using a different path. Personally I think DS should drop back either to the root of the first content directory or to the root of the user's Documents folder if it can't find the last used directory.
"Personally I think DS should drop back either to the root of the first content directory or to the root of the user's Documents folder if it can't find the last used directory."
I agree, and it also should create the necessary folders inside the content folder when it can't find them. As it does on the first install. Though I understand that there's no obligation for the user to respect the DAZ content folder structure, this is no excuse for leaving the user alone when she/he changes the content folder.
I hope they will consider this either a bug or a feature request to be fulfilled. I'll let you know any news from the bug report. Meanwhile at least it's been reported and it's here for everyone to be aware of.
There aren't any necessary folders - those are just the defaults, as suggestions, but not mandatory.
Yes I understand that. But DAZ Studio does have a default content structure anyway. And that is proposed to the user on first install. As it is in any other application that uses a project structure. So this is expected and it's a natural behaviour.
When you first save for example a render settings preset, the preset subfolder is created in the content folder and it is presented to the user as the default saving position. Then of course the user can ignore this and save where she/he wants.
If you change the content folder this whole organization is lost. DAZ Studio doesn't even know where to save a scene file anymore without asking to the user. I hope we can agree that this is not an expected behavior. Any other application around that uses a project structure has options to create a new project and handle it. While DAZ Studio is lost.
I guess most issues users actually have with the content folders, would be fixed by adding some operations to the content manager.
- create new content folder: creates a new content folder with basic subfolders as default
- select default content folder: where DS saves unless the user specifies otherwise
- move content folder: to move everything for example to another disk, including metadata update
Just wondering; are you saving using File>Save As from the menu at the top of the D|S window, or are you saving directly into the Content Library tab by clicking on the "+" at the bottom of the tab? I've always used the second technique, with the IMHO significant advantage that by definition I'm saving into an already known content folder, and I don't think I've ever been unexpectedly faced with the "where do you want to save today?" dialog.
I'm using the regular "file > save as" menu. Using the "+" button of course you don't get the issue because you always tell DS where to save. So it doesn't need to know.
I agree that for an experienced user this may not be a great deal. You may know by experience where every single file type is to be saved in the default structure and recreate folders yourself if needed. Or you may want to use your own structure.
But for the average user who wants to use the default structure and doesn't know every single file type location, there's no way to get it back as I explained above.
I don't think the average user is making multiple content folders.
Again, there is no set or correct location - you don't have to save different types of preset and scene files in set or separate folders, those are just the defaults (and are tracked separately for each type so that you can separate them if you want, rather than having to switch a single location around on each save, not because it is necessary for DS to function).
Well. I find this behaviour inconsistent and annoying. And I do still believe there's something odd with this. But I also understand it may not be a big issue for the reasons explained by Richard and I also agree with Fastbike that the average user may not change the content folder ever.
Anyway. I hope this discussion may be useful to anyone interested to the subject. And I'll let you know the response of the tech support as soon as I get it.
UPDATE
The DAZ Support asked me for a video since they can't reproduce the issue. So here it is. I also believe that I finally found a easy workaround by myself, so I show it in the video as well. This is my first video tutorial ever and also my english is bad. So be patient.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04lYSG4Q4fI