Need help with directory paths and content installation

Neyjour

I've read the "Content Configuration in DAZ Studio 4" and I'm still horribly confused. If anyone can help me, it would be much appreciated! :)

I've installed DAZ Studio 4.7 Pro on an external harddrive. These are my directory paths:
K:\DAZ 3D\DAZStudio4\...
K:\DAZ 3D\Studio\My Library\...

1) What I don't understand is, where is the "Content" folder (and all its sub-directories) supposed to go? In the guide I mentioned above, there's an example showing the Content folder in the "DAZStudio4" folder. Is that where it's supposed to go, or can it be placed anywhere?

2) What's the "My Library" folder for? I had originally thought this is where all the content would go, but apparently not?

3) There's a "Runtime" folder in both the "Content" folder and the "My Library" folder. Why are there two? And are they for Poser-only content? Or does DAZ Studio content use a Runtime folder as well? If the latter, do I need to set up a separate Runtime folder for all my Poser-only content?

4) I've been using Poser for many years and I've always created my own directory paths (for everything inside the "Libraries" folder: Character, Materials, Pose, Props, etc.), installed/extracted content to my Desktop, and then placed everything manually. I want to do the same with DAZ Studio, but I'm not sure which folders to do this in, and if there are any that shouldn't be touched, renamed, etc.

I apologize if these are really dumb questions. I feel really dumb right now... I've tried reading that guide (mentioned above) several times, but it's just making my eyes glaze over... :(

jestmart

Studio does not need a specially named library folder like "Content", "My Library" or "My DAZ3D Library", you could name your content library folder "George" if you wanted to. All that matters is that the library be properly mapped in DAZ Studio Content Directory Manager. So if your library is at ... K:/DAZ3D/George ... that is the path that should be set in the Content Directory Manager. DAZ's DIM zips have a "Content" folder because Dim needs it to distinguish between info files and the actual content in the zip. DIM doesn't install the "Content" automatically, if you are installing manually you need extract everything inside the "Content" folder to your library folder. Studio works with and maps Poser libraries just like Poser does so the "Runtime" folder is needed.

SpottedKitty

It is a bit confusing, I'm afraid. One problem is that "the content folder" is not "the folder named Content", it's "the folder containing your content files". The folder name can be anything — adding to the confusion is that earlier versions of D|S did use "Content" as the folder name, but nowadays the folder is "My Library" for D|S4, and "My DAZ3D Library" for anything installed by DIM. Note that these are only default names, you can change them if you want. Most people use the DIM location for DIM installs, and use the D|S4 location for any old DAZ content not yet set up for DIM, and for any Poser or D|S content not bought from DAZ.

As if that isn't confusing enough, the D|S default location is in your own personal account on your computer, in the Documents folder. The DIM default is in the public Documents folder, visible to any account on the computer.

Also note that D|S and DIM do not talk to each other, if you change the default folder locations, you must do it manually for both programs.

Neyjour

jestmart, SpottedKitty - Thanks very much! :)

I think I understand now, at least in terms of where content goes and pointing D|S to the right locations. I was able to successfully load M4 and V4 into my scene from my Poser 7 Runtime. I'm still not entirely sure of the file structure for D|S content, but I'll try to figure that out later. :P

Again, thank you! :)