3rd Party (manually installed) content did not transfer properly to new computer

OVD

So I did my research before transfering my content over to a new computer, and I was sure I'd done everything I needed to to make sure it was done properly. 

I copied over my DAZ 3D Library, CMS folder, exported my User Data from Content Database Maintenance, and re-installed it on the new machine. I pointed DAZ and DIM to the correct folders so they'd know where to look for the files. 

But oddly, some (not all) of my 3rd party content that I'd manually installed and created Smart Content products for show up empty. The product folders show up in Smart Content, they have the correct thumbnail pictures, but once inside them they just say that the files don't exist, even though they're in the same places in the My DAZ 3D Library folder as they were on the old computer. 

Can anyone help me out here? Why are only some of the products broken like this? 

I'm hoping there's a quick fix where I can get it to recognize that the files are all still where they should be. 

 

I should also point out that they files are all where they're supposed to be in the Content Library. It just seems that there's a disconnect about where the Products are looking for the locations of the files. 

Catherine3678ab

Might be time to reset the Content Directory, let D/S search for and find everything.

OVD

Catherine3678ab said:

Might be time to reset the Content Directory, let D/S search for and find everything.

Let DAZ find manually installed content? 

I'm not sure the two are related. I already moved the content directory. But for whatever reason the metadata just isn't pulling the files into the Products from where they're located. 

Omniflux

OdinVonD said:

I should also point out that they files are all where they're supposed to be in the Content Library. It just seems that there's a disconnect about where the Products are looking for the locations of the files. 

This narrows it down to a metadata only issue.

OdinVonD said:

... exported my User Data from Content Database Maintenance ...

My first guess would be that the Vendor data did not get reimported. Did you reimport the metadata for all products, or just the user metadata?

OVD

@ Omniflux yeah that's the conclusion that I've come to as well (that it's a metadata issue). I have tried re-importing all the custom products data, but it actually makes matters worse rather than better. (See below)

So after hours of putzing around with this, I've got a better understanding but I'm still really not closer to a solution. The CMS Cluster Directory is right where it's supposed to be, and that: 

• Has brought all of my custom Products over, including the pictures I set as their thumbnails
• They also appear in Smart Content including the correct number of files that are supposed to be there, and the files have retained their category data
• But the actual files within the Smart Content and categories are empty, even though the metadata seems to be intact
• (Picture attached for reference)

Trying to Re-import the metadata deletes the categories and just leaves an empty product. 

So the problem at this point is that whatever connects the reference in a product to the location of these particular files in their file locations isn't doing its job. But how can I fix it? 

The thing that I really can't get my head around is that this problem has NOT afflicted all of my custom products, only about 80% of them. There are a few here and there that are completely intact and they all underwent the same process. I can't for the life of me figure out what could have been done differently that caused them to go through when the others didn't. 

Anyways, I'm exhausted. I've been at this for about 7 hours now, so I appreciate any more suggestions that people suggest while I go have nightmares about this. 

Catherine3678ab

OdinVonD said:

Catherine3678ab said:

Might be time to reset the Content Directory, let D/S search for and find everything.

Let DAZ find manually installed content? 

I'm not sure the two are related. I already moved the content directory. But for whatever reason the metadata just isn't pulling the files into the Products from where they're located. 

Yup. It's amazing what this program can find. I tell it not to 'cause I don't want it combing the storage bins.

Check through the Content Database Maintenance options.
Can clear all groups.
Then re-import metadata, reset Database - I don't recall the exact order in which to do all this. I stopped using Smart Content a long time ago. Not because of this but because the visual flashing from one selection to another everytime something was touched in the scene was truly annoying me.

 

Cenobite

I find with smart content i have to click once on anything like an environment scene or figure then go back to menu then click in again for content to show up, strange bug with smart content i don't know why it does this but everytime i start dazup i hit smart content tab select something and usually nothing appears under it like it hasn't been loaded i think go back to menu select it again then all content path files shop in sub categories in smart content, it's always been like this ever since i started using this editor. Maybe you have something like this bug happening if everything is installed correctly.

In most cases 3rd party content doesn't appear in smart content it will be in the MY DAZ3D library tree in Content tab.

Whatever link you had created previously for content to show up in the Smart content tab you obviously need the correct file paths when re installing daz3d on the new machine so if you have changed your setup using different drives you may need a different file structure then you previously had to link those files to smart content, since smart content has certain abilties that normal content doesn't not everything belongs in smart content, latey they have updated some older files for smart content but they don't offer the full advantages of smart content it just makes things easier to locate under the one roof so to speak.