Exporting Studio Object for sharing, where to begin?

ZarconDeeGrissom

I'm thinking about sharing that "Staff of render hell" and these Bar Stools, over at sharecg. yet I don't even know where to begin, or even if the TOS allows that with something made of basic primitives (and in the future textures I make myself).

Assuming I'm allowed to share such simple items, am I even at the correct export type settings? And what should I put in ALL the options in that window, so others with Daz Studio can load the item?

If I use "Scene Subsets" instead, how do I include the future textures if there not included with that save file type?

(edit)
O.K. there not quite bar stools, Stealcase called them "machinist stationary stool" back in the 1940 threw the 1950s, lol.

Novica

I don't know, but wanted to say it looks good :)

Richard Haseltine

A CR2 is for a legacy figure - you have, I assume, a stack of primitives parented to a null. Ideally, if the item isn't meant to be posable, I would suggest making it into a single node by exporting as OBJ and then reimporting and reapplying your textures (via shader presets or by copy surface/paste surfaces if they use the default shader) then use File>Save as>Support Assets>Figure/Prop asset to create a DS asset file - the option dialogue will ask for Author and product names, which are used as folder names within the Data folder , so for simplicity in packaging I recommend using a new, empty content directory and making sure you save to that.

ZarconDeeGrissom

I vaguely remember having scaling difficulty with the obj format, tho yes merging it all into a single object would be good. For the simple sake of making it invisible in a scene (for what ever reason) without needing to click the eye on each part.

It is a simple stack of primitives at the moment. 5 cylinders and 3 torus, super simple so I can play with diffuse textures. I'm still fussing with the part locations. Eventually I would like to make a 30inch, 26inch, 24inch and 18inch version with the footrest in the correct location for each.

This one is just plane diffuse color with no texture maps at all. I like it. 30inch stool with ring- footrest flush with the legs.

ZarconDeeGrissom

Richard Haseltine said:

(Snip) then use File>Save as>Support Assets>Figure/Prop asset to create a DS asset file - the option dialogue will ask for Author and product names, which are used as folder names within the Data folder , so for simplicity in packaging I recommend using a new, empty content directory and making sure you save to that.

This is where I get unsure, and need to dig up some info. That folder thing you refer to, is that a daz style tree, of the poser side mess? I'm assuming this would go in props on the daz side?

(edit)
partial success, it scaled correctly to OBJ, and the colors can be set separately for the parts... and it is just one eye now.

ZarconDeeGrissom

O.K. I think I exported and imported, and then Exported all that correctly. I even see something there for 'Meta Data' so it should show in the "Props" tab under "Furnishings".

A) Did I corectly guess with that DUF export thing for the Metadata, for someone else's computer? am I forgetting to check something, like "my docs" or "public docs' under "Asset Directory"?

B) Is 'MyDocuments' - "DAZ 3D\Studio\My Library\Props\ZDG_stuff" a good path for this?

C) Now what folders do I need to scrape up into a zip file for this thing? This time without texture maps, just primitive diffuse color set.
Do I just need that DUF and the PNG file with it?

ZarconDeeGrissom

One more Q; Is there any why for me to rename the parts in the surface tab, so it is a little more user friendly?

I uploaded the 30" and 26" version to sharecg, just so people could see how badly I messed up "Packaging" the thing.

Richard Haseltine

zarcondeegrissom said:

A) Did I corectly guess with that DUF export thing for the Metadata, for someone else's computer? am I forgetting to check something, like "my docs" or "public docs' under "Asset Directory"?

Although the saved file is added to Smart Content on your system, it won't be added for others unless you specifically create the metadata files for it (and, since it will be a manual install, the user would have to import the metadata at their end).

B) Is 'MyDocuments' - "DAZ 3D\Studio\My Library\Props\ZDG_stuff" a good path for this?

You might want to use \Props\Furniture...ZDG_Stool (or ZDG bar furniture or whatever) for consistency, DAZ itself is discouraging the use of author folders collecting everything by a single maker - butt hat isn't binding on you.

C) Now what folders do I need to scrape up into a zip file for this thing? This time without texture maps, just primitive diffuse color set.
Do I just need that DUF and the PNG file with it?

You need the \Props\... stuff, and the \Data\ZDG_Stuff\ZDG_Stool files (or whatever you used for author and product names inside the Data folder).

One more Q; Is there any why for me to rename the parts in the surface tab, so it is a little more user friendly?

Yes, use the Geometry Editor Tool. In the Tool Settings pane you will see a list of groups - if you simply want to rename them as they are set up just click once to highlight, then click again to get an edit field. When done File>Save as>Support Assets>Save Modified Assets should update the item.

Wilmap

Just downloaded your stool. It won't work because you have to include the data folder as well.

ZarconDeeGrissom

O.K. hope suspending that thing isn't totally bad over there.

I found the data folder, and it is kind of a mess, so I'm re-saving the whole lot to something easier for me to figure out, lol.

is "props\ZdgStool" fine for a directory for the duf? or should there ba a 'Furniture' between props and the item folder?

ZarconDeeGrissom

when I save that final asset DUF, dose daz studio take all the parts and put them into that one data folder for the stool(s). It seams like the folders go on forever after the initial three-way split of sorts?

I still have a sinking feeling, like the obj file for the feet need to be included or something. I remember more then just two folders with allot of stuff.

Richard Haseltine

The Geometry and the uvs, and any morphs, go in the Data folders. The textures, if any, should be in Runtime\Textures (and should be there when you apply them DS won't automatically correct the references to the textures folder if you apply the images when they are elsewhere). The user-facing files (the presets or scene files) go where you like, presumably in the Props folder. That's why I suggested using a clean, empty content directory 9a new entry under DAZ Studio formats in the Content Library pane0 to have everything together without needing to winnow out other files.

ZarconDeeGrissom

Thanks so much for the help. Seventeen downloads since including the data folders in "Test3" zip, and no complaints while I was away (Sleep deprived).

I have so much respect for people that manage to get all the need folders together into a zip package with everything working first time. That is allot of copying folder names and files to make a clean copy of the folder tree from "My Library" down, so it can be zipped up without including other stuff.

Very important Note to others. The copy I made of the "My Library" tree (After I made and saved the DUF files) for the intended object, was on another hard drive, far away from the actual Daz3D stuff installed on my computer. The Smart tab gets kind of finicky about duplicate stuff in it's field-of-view.