What's the best DAZ files distribution for a smooth work?

innovas3d_ec0d4d2a5d

Hi, everyone!

I'm a DAZ beginner, and have intalled some additional...: characters, poses, mats, etc.

I thought that I followed correctly the "readmes", to load those ones in the right place, but have found, that some of them aren't reachable or almost visible, where I expected those ones should have to be.
With a bit of luck, after a "pilgrimage" through various DAZ folders, I can find some of them, but it is time spent in trying to reach those elements (a...: pose, geometry, etc.), to be able to i.e. simply wear with a different t-shirt a character.

I guess I've made some mistakes when I loaded some files in my PC, and surely it must be much easier if it was correctly installed (loaded).

i.e.:
Where should all TEMPLATES and PSD files should be placed?

I also guess the following is wrong also in my PC:
In DAZ STUDIO I have to main files:
-CONTENT
-MY LIBRARY

And i.e. in both of them I've the sub-folders: runtime, people, etc.) but with different contents.

So I would like to know if some one could lead (show) me to have all rightly located. The best , should be a sample a root showing how folders, sub-folders and files should be placed for a smooth and full-proof working of DAZ.

Thank's in advance for any help.

J. Marco Cleintuar

JimmyC_2009

Hello Marco, and welcome to the forums!

Where should all TEMPLATES and PSD files should be placed?

Anywhere you like basically, because DAZ Studio cannot read them anyway, so there is no real point in having them in a DS content folder. Templates are the UV map templates that are somtmes supplied by artists, so that other artists or users, can make new textures easily for their products. They will open in any Paint Program and are usually JPEG images.

PSD files are Photoshop Documents, and DS cannot open them either. They should be installed into your Photoshop folder, and I believe that Gmp (free) can also open them. PSP can use them as well.

I also guess the following is wrong also in my PC:
In DAZ STUDIO I have to main files:
-CONTENT
-MY LIBRARY

Up untill, and including DAZ Studio 3, the main content folder was called, you guessed it, 'Content'. When DS4 arrived, that name was changed to My Library, and it ws stored in the Documents folder, so Content and My Library are one and the same thing, and should be merged, easy enough on a PC, but if you are on a Mac, you would need to ask again.

To confuse matters even further, the DIM (DAZ Install Manager) puts it's content in yet another folder called My DAZ 3D Library which is stored in the Public Documents folder, which is where I now have all of my content.

With a bit of luck, after a “pilgrimage” through various DAZ folders, I can find some of them, but it is time spent in trying to reach those elements (a…: pose, geometry, etc.), to be able to i.e. simply wear with a different t-shirt a character.

You should not have to locate or use files in the Geometries folder, they should be loaded for you by using a CR2 or PP2 file from the Poser Formats area in either Characters or Props. There are two kinds of basic content here, Poser Content and DAZ Stuio (only) content. Prior to the Genesis figure being released, ALL previous DAZ Studio figures were in Poser Format (CR2), and that is where you will find them. Inside the Content/My Library/My DAZ 3D Library folders, there is a folder called 'Runtime' and it is there specifically for Poser Content.

If you look in the Content Library pane, you willl find DAZ Studio Formats listed, which is where you will find Genesis and all of it's morphs, and Poser Formats, where you will find V4, M4 and all the other DAZ figures. Not everything appears inside the Smart Content pane yet, but it is being updated almost every day.

I hope that helps a bit, if you have any further questions, please just ask.

innovas3d_ec0d4d2a5d

Thank you very much, Jimmy!

All will be very helpfull.

Now..., I've another question. Perhaps you can help me too.

The PC where I've DAZ installed, has no internet connection which is required to work with DAZ DOWNLOAD MANAGER.
Do you know, hHow can users make an off-line download + installation of 4.6 upgradding?

Regards from island Tenerife (Canary Islands - Spain).

J. Marco

JimmyC_2009

Glad it helped you a bit.

Do you know, hHow can users make an off-line download + installation of 4.6 upgradding?

You would need to have an internet connection of some sort to get the latest version. DAZ used to do DVDs for members with all of their content on them, but that stopped a long time ago, it was too expensive.

The download for DS4.6 (program only) is about 124 MB, but the Genesis Starter Essentials (free content) is much bigger, and is about 432 MB. There is no other way to get the program and content without downloading.

The DIM (DAZ Install Manager) has 'work offline' mode, but you would still need to have the ZIP files available for it to install, and it will only show content that it has installed itself.

Tenerife? You lucky person. I wish I was there now too, or even Mallorca.

Best wishes from the UK, quite nice today, but that wont last :)

Richard Haseltine

If you want to use the content management service transfer the zips and the DAZ Install Manager to your off-line machine, start DIM and check the Work Offline box, then install your content. Some plugins require activation as well as a serial number, though I think all of those provide a way of getting the activation code without having to have the install machine connected, but all of the core components don't require a live connection.