Save as ... which one to use
gitika1
Posts: 948
I have used RSSY G1 to G8 to convert the Shenandoah uniforms. While doing so, it was necessary to re-save the originals as Support Asset -> Figure/Prop Asset so that the different pieces became recognized as clothing. Now, I need to add some material zones; based on what I have learned from: https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/42088/tutorial-adding-surfaces-in-ds-with-the-geometry-editor-tool/p1
DS has 25 different Save As options 
http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/artzone/pub/software/dazstudio/reference/menufile ; refers to 10 of them; if it is up-to-date.
So why save as a scene subset (instructioned in the tutorial)? Is there a guide that I have missed that indicates what each Save As option includes?
Thank you for your assistance!
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Although some of the options should be more-or-less self-explanatory, I'll go through most briefly so you can get some idea of the differences. I won't go into all the options that may be associated with each, as this will be long enough without that. (Tip: if you haven't used these options before, know that, upon clicking on one, you'll first be presented with a dialogue asking for a filename and giving you the option of specifying where it is to be saved. It is not until you have completed this task that you will be provided with another dialogue where you can choose the various options available)
Lastly, if there are any errors or omissions in the following, any corrections would be welcome from others - this is my understanding of things.
Save as:
Scene - saves everything in your scene as a single file, including settings.
Scene Subset - exactly as described - saves whatever parts of the scene you choose as a new scene with only those selected components. You must select the components in your scene that you wish to have saved.
Hierarchical Material(s) Preset - saves all materials associated with a selected node and any other geometry included in that node's heirarchy. For example, if you have a figure in a scene that has parented items, such as hair and clothing, the parented hair and clothing will appear as nodes under the main figure's node heirarchy in the Scene tab. Saving as an Hierarchical Material(s) Preset in this example will save the materials for the selected figure, as well as for the hair and clothing.
Hierarchical Pose Preset - as above, saves any poses associated with a selected node and any other geometry included in that node's heirarchy. So, in the previous example, any poses for the figure, plus any for the hair and clothing.
Wearables Preset - this is primarily used to save clothing consisting of multiple individual parts parented to a figure as a single preset that will load them all when used. It can also include any props or other items parented to the figure. Just select the figure and choose this option.
Character Preset - saves an entire character selected in your scene (Genesis, Genesis, 2, Genesis 3 and Genesis 8 figures or other DAZ Studio weight-mapped figures only). Both the character shape and surfaces can be saved together, or the option exists to save only one or the other.
Properties Preset - similar to a character preset, saves only the pose, shape and material settings for a selected figure/character, but not the figure itself. Unlike the character preset, to use a properties preset the target base figure must first be loaded into a scene and selected.
Shaping Preset - similar to a properties preset, but only saves the shape morphs. Here too, to use a shaping preset the target base figure must first be loaded into a scene and selected.
Pose Preset - again, similar to a properties preset, but only saves the poses of a selected figure.
Material(s) Preset - and once again,similar to a properties preset, but only saves all materials of a selected figure.
Shader Preset - similar to a materials preset, but the critical difference is that while the Material(s) Preset will save settings for multiple surfaces, the Shader Preset will only save the settings for individual surfaces.
Camera Presets - pretty straightforward - saves any cameras and associated settings that you have added to your scene for later use.
Light Presets - pretty much as for cameras, only for saving light setups.
Render Settings Presets - again, this will save only any render settings that you have set for a scene.
D-former(s) Presets - if you have used a D-former on a figure or object in the scene and wish to save it for later use, this is the option. One or more.
Layered Image(s) Preset - if you have used the Layered Image Editor to add a layer to a texture map, this option allows you to save it for later re-use if desired.
Puppeteer Preset - If you are using Puppeteer actions to create animations in DAZ Studio, this allows you to save them.
Support Asset - there are several categories of these, including some that seem to duplicate those above. The difference is that saving as a support asset packages the item as a new, complete asset, whereas the other options merely create files that point to existing data already in the library, along with any settings that may apply. As a result, support assets will always be larger files than a corresponding scene subset.
Deprecated - these are to save older items that are not weight-mapped, using the older DAZ Studio formats.
Thank you SixDs!
No problem, gitika. It was actually a good exercise for me to pull it all together for my own benefit. Feel free to cut, paste and save it. I did.
@SixDs I have sent you a PM
A Wearable preset can also include posing, as for example the foot pose for high heels or a hand pose for held items though it can be mor elaborate than that.
By default a Character preset saves both shape and materials. If a preset is loaded without a figure selected in the scene it will load a new figure; if it is applied with a figure of the right type selected it can either load a new figure or modify the selected figure or ask which to do (set in the Content tab of Preferences). I think the modify selected aspect works even for non-asset items.
A shader preset saves all the surface settings for a single selected surface on the selected item. The preset will then be applied to all selected surfaces on all selected objects. Ignoring maps, and applying to all surfaces rather than selected surfaces, are available by holding down cmd/ctrl when applying the preset.
Support Assets create behind-the-scenes files, in the Data folder (using folders derived from the Author and product names entered in the option dialogue). Some also create presets for loading the content (e.g. Figure/Prop Asset).
The deprecated script formats save executable scripts, rather than data as in the .duf formats. They are deprecated as they are marked for removal at some stage. Scripts are nice in that you can hack them to add new behaviours, but by the same token it is not usually possible to update their behavior (other than by updating the scripting functrions they call) while with the DSON presets the "logic" is in DS and can be updated as needed without having to worry about chnaging the code in existing presets.
So are you saying that the Shader Preset is identical to the Material(s) Preset, Richard? If not what does one do that the other does not?
As far as the Deprecated items are concerned, whether this was the intended purpose or not, I have found that if you wish to save presets for older non-weightmapped figures, such as V4, the regular preset options will throw the "you must have a weight-mapped figure selected" message. Using the deprecated options will allow you to save, say, a V4 character, as a preset in .dsa format, rather than trying to export to a .cr2 which creates a huge file. So although "marked for removal" they still have a use (for me, at least). So it was a choice between suggesting that the deprecated items simply be ignored, or pointing out a possible use for them.
Aha. I did a little exploring and believe that I answered my own question. Both the Shader Preset and the Material(s) Preset actually do save the same surface settings. However, the critical difference is that while the Material(s) Preset will save settings for multiple surfaces, the Shader Preset will only save the settings for individual surfaces.
Thanks, Cho and Richard, those differences can be difficult to get one's head around. I made some edits to my first post to correct outright errors, but my original intent was not to rewrite the DAZ Documentaion, but to merely try to clarify what each preset was used for, and avoid, as I mentioned, getting too far into the weeds in terms of the how to of creating them or using them once created. In other words I wanted to answer the OP question of essentially, "which one do I use for what?".
Material preset saves material settings for multiple surfaces and will apply them to target item based on surface name.
eg if you have a necklace with “chain” and “pendant” surfaces, a material setting would save “chain has these settings, pendant has those”. If you apply it to some other object if will only do something to surfaces called “chain” or “pendant”.
Shader preset saves material setting for only one surface, and then can apply them to any surface you selected on target figure.
eg if you save a shader preset from the chain of my example necklace you can then apply the “chain” settings to any surface on any object.
For tose familiar with Poser, a Shader preset is like an .mt5 file and a Materials prset is like an .mc6 file.
So, correct me if I am wrong, a scene is the only save type that actually includes the environment map and render settings, correct? I have two projects that I spent significant time on, and when returning to each of them a week or two later to touch something up and re-render, was suprised to discover that the render settings were the default load settings. It took hours to find the HDRI and lighting I had used.
Probably a total newb mistake.
There are also options in DAZ Studio preferences to record Render Settings when saving a scene and/or Ignore Render settings when loading a scene.
Hi. This is the closest thread I could find to help me figure out my question, but it doesn't quite get there. I've been changing computers a lot recently and I keep losing my saved files. Now, I know how to set my CMS preferences to allow me to navigate to my files in the Scene tab, for example... but all the other tabs where I have saved presets aren't finding them. Let's talk about Surface tab Shader Presets. I've just had to install Studio (again) on a new computer; all my content is on external drives. In its default state, the Surface Tab's "Presets" tab shows no "Saved Files" directory. How do I point this tab to my location so that it will load all my presets?
I tried loading an item, choosing a surface at random, and saving it as a new preset. Now, there IS a "Saved Files" directory, it's the same one with all my previous files, and the new saved preset shows up in the Shader Presets pane... but even though Studio is looking in the right place for presets, it's not finding all the other presets that are also in the same directory. What am I missing here?
Saved Files isn't a directory, it's a category - it is populated by reference to the database. Smart Content and the various Prsets tabs also depend on categories. Copying the files over doesn't copy the database so you lose any categorisation. If you have back ups from the old system you can bring over the database (thought hat can cause issues with folder ownership), or if you used the Content DB Maintenance dialogue on the old machine to Export User Data, copuied the /Runtime/Support/ folder across with the rest of your data, and then used the Reimport Metadata command on the new machine that should rebuld the database (Content Library option menu, the lined button in the top corner or right-click the tab, has the command for launching the Content DB Maintenance dialogue). Note that expiorting/reimporting the user data will not bring across groups, such as the New flags.
Thank you, Richard - that certainly explains a lot! I'm going to rethink my options as a result of that wealth of information. It's a bit ahead of my database learning curve, but not very far ahead. I'll get there soon. In the meantime, what did you mean by "folder ownership?" I especially appreciate knowing that when I eventually replace this machine, I can export my user data so as not to wind up in the same boat again. Very useful! :)
It's possible for files restored from back up to be marked as belonging to a different user, or none, I am told (I've not met it myself) and that can block you, and the Content Management System, from accessing them. There is a simple "Take Ownership" registry hack which will add a new command to the right-click menu on files and folders which will fix this if it happens.
One thing I should add - make sure that nothing is using the CMS when you back up and resore (so close DS, Install manager, Daz Central, Carrara) - otherwise there's a danger of getting a hybrid set of files (some chnaged, some not) which won't work.